Page 7 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

Kyven forced her face into a smile as trumpets blared on either side of Laird Shay Lamont. His riding escort parted, affording her the first full view of him. He was striking, fair haired and much paler than a lot of the men she knew, who spent so much time outdoors. However, he was not ill-looking, but rather handsome, in an unusual way.

Behind her, Helen nudged her.

“Well, maybe being hurried into a quick wedding cannae be all bad, can it?” her maid whispered with humor.

“What dae ye mean?” Kyven whispered back, scarcely moving her lips. Fortunately, her whisper was not heard by the council men nearby as the trumpets were still blaring to announce the arrival of Laird Shay Lamont. She sighed, a little put off by the grandeur of his entrance.

Is it nae vain tae arrive in such a manner?

As if in answer to her question, he swept his arms outward, a rather proud smile on his lips. When council men nearby bowed their heads to him, he didn’t acknowledge their movement.

Aye, he is vain.

“I mean that when it comes tae the responsibilities of the… er… marriage bed,” Helen went on in another amused whisper, “there are worse men tae be thrust intae company with.”

“Helen!” Kyven hissed, glancing over her shoulder at her maid. The blonde-haired and rather short maid was now giggling behind a cupped hand. “Aaden has aroused something in ye. Ye never used tae talk of such things.”

“Well, we must now talk of them, must we nae? Ye will be married soon.”

Must I be?

Kyven didn’t have time to challenge this thought, nor to ask how Aaden had impressed Helen so much in their affair that Helen now talked of little else. Kyven stomped down on her curiosity, fought the temptation to glance Gilchrist’s way and instead set her gaze firmly on Laird Shay Lamont as he stepped down from his horse.

Attendants hurried forward. Two collected the great cloak trimmed in fur from his shoulders and another presented him with a vast box, carved in mahogany wood and bearing a lock made of gold. He held it aloft, as if it was some grand scepter and walked toward Kyven with a vast smile on his face and a man following close behind him.

Aye, he is handsome.

Kyven willed herself to see that handsomeness in the gray eyes, round and rather sweet at first glance. The lips were thin and pressed together, the cheekbones chiseled as if they had been made out of stone. Yet despite his fair looks there was no jolt in Kyven’s stomach, no excitement at all, and the only nervousness she felt was knowing that everyone was staring at her as she now had to greet her soon to be husband, and the next Laird of the McDowells.

“Lady Kyven.” Shay approached her, bowing deeply. The softness of his smile tempered her willingness to think ill of him. “It is me great pleasure tae come tae meet ye today. I have brought ye a gift.” He stood straight and offered the box to her.

“Thank ye.” Kyven raised her hands and took the box somewhat shakily. She felt the eyes of the council, the soldiers, and all the staff upon her. It seemed not a soul had remained in the castle to attend to their duties, for they had all come to ogle at her and Laird Shay together. “Erm…” She cleared her throat, doing her best to find her confidence and speak in a level tone. “Ye are very welcome. I trust yer journey was good?”

“Aye, but nae so good as this arrival is.” He winked and leaned forward an inch, lowering his voice to ensure only she could hear him. “Yer appearance has quite rendered me speechless. Ye are much fairer than I was told.”

“Yet yer tongue seems able tae move all the same. Perhaps speaking isnae so difficult after all,” she remarked with a quirked eyebrow. He laughed, shaking his head.

“Wit too? Aye, ye are a surprise, Lady Kyven.” He bowed low to her once again.

Kyven was fumbling with the carved box in her hand, trying to focus on Laird Shay and his deep bow when another came into view. Close behind Laird Shay, Captain Gilchrist had advanced. Aaden was at his shoulder, and even had a hand on Gilchrist as if he was holding him back.

What is going on?

Then Laird Shay stood straight, and the view of Gilchrist was blocked.

“Well, we must get ye settled intae the castle,” Kyven said in a rush, determined to move onto business matters so she would no longer be the center of everyone’s attention. She didn’t doubt she and Laird Shay would be the topic of much conversation and rumor for the next few days in the castle. “I will give ye a tour of the castle.”

“And show me where I shall sleep, me lady?” Laird Shay asked in a mischievous whisper. She narrowed her eyes, not appreciating him saying such things in front of her council, though they didn’t seem to have heard.

“The steward will show ye tae that particular room,” she added coldly. “If ye would accompany me?”

“I trust…” He spoke up before she could turn and walk into the castle. Casually, he glanced over his shoulder, straight at Captain Gilchrist and Aaden. “We will of course have an escort, aye? I would dearly like tae see ye are well guarded in yer castle, me lady, and that yer soldiers,” he paused once more, his eyes flicking up and down Gilchrist, “take good care of ye.”

“Of course, they dae. We have some of the finest soldiers in the Highlands. The latest defeat of the Gregors and their clan at our hands is proof enough for that,” Kyven said dismissively, though she trailed off toward the end as her eyes settled on Captain Gilchrist once more.

His brow was deeply furrowed, the cheeks stiffened, his hands balled into fists at his side, and he seemed not to have noticed that Aaden had a hand on his shoulder at all. It was an expression she had never seen him wear before.

“Strange,” Laird Shay murmured, a scowl spreading across his own features as he turned back. “I believe we have met somewhere before.”