Page 31 of Tempting the Highland Captive

“Surely he is nae a lowlander?”

“Nae, he is a highlander. His mother was a Cameron. She died. I dinnae ken anythin’ more about his family than that.”

Elspeth looked at her doubtfully. “Have ye nae spoken o’ such things?” She turned her gaze back to Ron and cocked her head to the side. “Perhaps ye have been tae busy with other things.” The suggestive tone to her voice left little doubt as to what she was referring to.

“His faither was nae a good man. He prefers nae tae talk about it.”

Elspeth nodded her head in understanding. “Unfortunately, there are far tae many men that dinnae make good faithers. My James is a right good husband tae me and faither tae the bairns.” She turned her gaze back to Amelia. “Is he good tae ye, yer braw man?”

“Aye.” Amelia nodded. “He is verra good tae me and tae our people.”

“As a laird should be.” Elspeth nodded in approval, her soft brown eyes studying Amelia’s face. “Are ye happy? I would say that ye are, but for the worry I see deep behind yer eyes.”

Elspeth had always been able to tell when Amelia was keeping something from her. It was a gift that she had never minded until that moment. It was imperative that she keep the truth of her marriage from the rest of the clan. As much as she loved Elspeth, she was not certain that she should tell her. As a wife, Elspeth might feel obliged to tell her husband, who might tell his family, and it would go on and on until it reached the elders and even Michael Rossell. Instead, Amelia shook her head in denial. “I am happy. I only worry for the safety o’ the clan after the fire we had in the village. We were ne’er able to ascertain the cause, but I suspect Rossell’s hand in it.”

Elspeth growled, in a sound that mirrored her brother’s when he was displeased. “Rossell,” she spat out the name as if it were poison in her mouth. “Aye, that would be cause for concern. Lucas told me about the fire and Rossell’s visits. I would nae doubt it for a moment that he was the cause. He is fortunate that my brother has nae killed him yet.”

“It is only a matter of time,” Lucas replied, coming up behind them with an armful of pine boughs. Walking past them, he laid the branches at Ron’s feet.

Ron, seeing that Amelia had also entered the hall, stepped down from the table and walked over to speak with her. “What do ye think?” he asked, surveying the work that they had done.

“’Tis bonnie,” Amelia replied, smiling up at him. He looked splendid in the morning light, his hair gleaming golden, his eyes dancing with life.

“And who is this?” he turned to greet Elspeth, extending his hand.

“This is Lucas’ sister Elspeth. She just arrived with her husband’s family,” Amelia introduced them.

Ron bent over her hand and kissed the air above it in a most gentlemanly fashion. “Yer servant, madam.”

Elspeth smiled and curtsied in return. “My Laird.”

Ron released her hand and came around to stand beside Amelia, wrapping his arm around her waist. “We should be finished soon. How many o’ yer people have arrived? Should I go and assist them with setting up?”

“Nae,” Amelia shook her head. “There are others tae help with that. Nae verra many have arrived yet, but they will all be here in time for the festivities. I ne’er kenned a McAlpine tae turn down Maggie’s cooking.”

“I cannae blame them there,” Ron agreed, patting his abdomen contentedly. “I have ne’er eaten so well.”

Amelia did not doubt it. She knew that he had not been in prison all of his years, but the food there had certainly been less than desirable. Not for the first time, she wondered about his earlier life. “Was yer maither a good cook?” she asked, immediately regretting the question as it had to have brought up painful memories.

Ron nodded his head. “She was, but she was best at medicinal herbs and such.”

“A useful skill,” Elspeth noted, impressed. “Did she pass any o’ her knowledge on tae ye, laird?”

Ron shifted a bit at the reference to his newly acquired title and glanced at Amelia out of the corner of his eye but nodded his head and answered her. “Aye, a bit.”

“Ron helped take care o’ me when I was burned in the fire. He and Maggie nursed me back tae health,” Amelia explained. “My leg has healed quite nicely with barely a scar.” In all honesty, the scar was rather large, but it could have been so much worse had Ron not found her in time and treated her wounds with Maggie’s aid.

Elspeth looked Ron up and down and nodded. “He’ll do.” The pronouncement was so much like her brothers, that both Ron and Amelia burst out laughing.

“What are ye laughin’ about?” Elspeth asked, her voice taking on a slight pique.

“I said the exact same words,” Lucas explained coming back over to join the group. “I expect that they are laughing at us.”

Elspeth frowned and shook her head. “Perhaps we should take our approval back.”

“Ye cannae,” Amelia gasped as she attempted to catch her breath. “’Twas already given.”

Ron, having gotten ahold of himself, bowed ever so politely. “I thank ye for yer approval. In spite o’ my laughter, it means a great deal tae me that ye give it.”

“As long as ye take good care o’ our lass here,” Elspeth gestured with her head to Amelia, “that is what matters most.”

“I will,” Ron promised, protectively squeezing Amelia’s waist, pulling her closer to his side.

“He promised God in front o’ a priest. If he does nae take care o’ her, he’ll have more than ye and I, sister, tae punish him for it,” Lucas noted.

Ron kissed the top of Amelia’s head and gave her one last squeeze before he released her. “Give me a hand with these,” he motioned toward the pine boughs that Lucas had brought in, and the two men withdrew to finish preparing the hall leaving the ladies to their conversation.

“Did we scare the lad?” Elspeth asked, only half teasing. She had obviously seen the look that had passed between Amelia and Ron at mention of vows and eternal punishment.

“Nae.” Amelia shook her head. “He is stronger than that.”

“He’ll need tae be,” Elspeth noted, “if he is goin’ tae keep ye safe from the wolves inside and outside the gates.” She gestured her head toward the elders standing in the courtyard behind them, grumbling among themselves with occasional glances at Amelia.

“Wolves, indeed,” Amelia murmured and felt a chill pass over her spine as she made out the word oathtaking from the huddled group.