Page 78 of A Highland Lass for the English Duke

Then, to her surprise, he fell into deep conversation with Billie, although it was unlikely either one of them fully understood what the other said.

Perhaps it did not matter when so much whiskey had been drunk! The fiddlers started up again, and some of the children went to dance. Watching them were the adults at the back.

Lissie leaned into Will and smiled.

"If only yer family could have been here," she said as Will grew thoughtful for a while. His big blue eyes had wandered off a while as there was a break in the dancing.

"Aye," he said with a slight smile. Then, there was noise.

One of the children, a small girl, fell and began to cry. There was a melee of confusion as Grace picked her up and comforted her.

"Och, ye'll scare away Will!" laughed Grace as she ruffled her daughter's blonde curls.

Smiling, Fiona came up to Will. "On behalf o' the clan, can I say ye're doing a braw job," she said, with one eye to Lissie.

Lissie groaned.

"I didnae think anyone would take on oor Lissie," she said as Lissie pulled a face. "We have much to thank ye for!"

Will just grinned as Lissie laughed. Fiona was joking.

Probably.

Before she could decide for sure, Billie reemerged, holding a flask of whiskey. Pouring one for Will, he smiled.

"Hoo, at least ye saved oor Lissie from the clutch o' Donald the Dog slayer, h-h-howooo!" Billie nudged Will's elbow, making a howling sound. Will grinned, but it was completely clear he didn't have the foggiest idea of what was going on.

"Wheesht!" cut in Fiona cautiously. But she was wearing a grin, albeit carefully. Watchfully, she bobbed her, checking that Donald was not nearby. "Or I'll tell him about the time ye invaded Edinburgh!"

Will's face froze. Knocking him on the arm, Billie laughed. He had had quite a lot to drink at this point.

"Och, I didnae, it was just a wee misunderstanding, an' it was a vera long time ago," said Billie, setting the quaich down. Drunkenly, he attempted to refill it before making the same inept job of pouring wine for everyone else.

Lissie turned to Will. He was smiling, but she could see he was lost.

"Ye will see them," she said, stroking his thick black locks. Distracted, Will looked up.

"Yer family," she told him. "Ye should ask them over," she added. Then a thought hit her. "In fact, we can do better than that. We should decide to visit England every couple o' years."

Lissie winked, causing Will to start. "I say you are out of your tiny beautiful mind," he said, with a sudden ripping grin.

His look was devilish and sent a jolt of sweetness all around her. Shyly glancing about, Lissie smiled at Will.

"Ye ken, I dinnae think they will miss us," she said as the feasting and music abounded all around them.

In the background, Billie staggered drunkenly around, charging everyone's glasses. Slurring, he managed to pronounce his words just clearly enough to say, "Hark! A toast. To Will an' Lissie!"

Around him, a circle of her family began chanting, shouting at the tops of their voices. But they did not see that the actual Will and Lissie were slinking very slowly into the sidelines.

Clasping his hand in hers, Lissie smiled.

"Will an' Lissie!" yelled the crowd, stamping their feet and clapping.

Laughing, Will shook his head. They had reached the door to the chamber.

"You know, I think you are right..."

EPILOGUE