Page 30 of Highlander’s Dangerous Gambler

"There," said Nessa, giving Aileen an encouraging smile.

Aileen looked again, glancing at herself in the mirror. She smiled hopefully but still was not altogether at ease.

"Are ye sure that..." began Aileen. An uncharacteristic wave of self-doubt had washed over her. For a moment, she stood dithering.

"Sure," she said, blinking. "The laird wouldnae ha' left them for ye if he didnae want ye to wear them."

"The laird," said Aileen uncertainly.

Nessa smiled. "Aye," she said, beginning to brush Aileen's hair, without a word. "She was the belle o' McLeod hall...bonny an' bright. Ye are just as bonny as she!"

Aileen blushed but knew that it could not be true. Seeing her face, the girl insisted.

"Ye’re the belle o' the castle, miss...an' already, the lasses here are jealous o' ye!" The girl smiled nervously, catching Aileen's eye momentarily.

Aileen looked at her curiously. "Jealous o' me?" she asked. "Why?"

Nessa cast her eyes down, her pale cheeks pinkening. "Och, dinnae mind me..." she began.

But Aileen was having none of it. Sternly, she looked at the lass.

"Nessa?" she asked in such a voice that the trembling young housemaid could not refuse to look. "Why on earth are the lasses envious o' me?"

But even as she said it, Aileen realized a likely reason. "Och, because o' the proposal, an' that I might become the future lady o' the clan?"

Nessa looked as if she had been caught off guard. Surprised, she shook her head. It was only then that Aileen realized she actually had no idea about the supposed wedding.

"Nay," began the lass hesitantly. "It's about Master Scott." Her eyes moved pertinently as she said this, pinning themselves to Aileen's.

"Scott? What about him?" asked Aileen unsurely. Nessa gave her a swift glance, as if she must know what she was talking about. Aileen's blank look made her expand further.

"Scott," she replied patiently. She looked at Aileen as if she were simple. "All the lasses are sweet on him, an' they're most envious o' the way he looks at ye!"

Almost as soon as the words were out, the tiny maid appeared to regret them. Aileen looked on amusedly. The fall sun was riding high in the sky, its rays raising a hole into her eyes. Aileen felt her eyes prickle up with tears.

"What way does he look at me?" she asked, although she knew very well what the tiny maid meant. The girl lowered her eyes and looked away.

"I cannae say, miss," said the bewildered lassie. "Just that the household lasses ha' noticed, an' they're vera envious! Everyone is talking about ye an' him!"

A jolt went through Aileen. All the same, she had to set the lass straight.

"There is no me an' him," she said abruptly. She was about to open her mouth to state that she would prefer for there to be no gossiping when Nessa continued.

"Och, that's a muckle shame," said Nessa, unbidden, turning down the bed and plumping up the cushions. Her light eyes darted from side to side. "Because we had all hoped he had found a bonny wee lassie. He deserves someone right. He hasnae had the time for a lassie o' his own, as he spends most o' his time helping his sister. She fell on hard times, an' och..."

Aileen scrutinized every word when Nessa suddenly stopped dead. Out of nowhere, the head housemaid had appeared.

The older woman entered the chamber apologetically, her eyes cast down, but set Nessa in her sights.

The gray-haired maid spoke to Aileen respectfully. "Excuse me, miss, but Nessa is wanted downstairs. The cook has been waitin' all morning for her."

The lady's brown eyes flashed pertinently at the errant maid, who immediately blushed. Without another word, the tiny housemaid clattered out of the chamber and down the stairs in a timely fashion, for an earwigging no doubt.

Aileen was left, staring out across the deserted training ground. Scott was long gone, off on his horse, on some unspecified mission. To her surprise, Aileen was finding she already missed him.

And more than that, she was desperate to hear more about him. Who was this mysterious sister he was helping?

Nessa's words had sparked more questions than they answered, but at least she now knew one thing: Scott was not married, nor did he have a sweetheart.

Gazing out into the empty horizon, Aileen gave a smile.

For some reason, this made her very happy.