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Hamish muttered to himself as he trimmed his beard and took extra care combing his hair, fighting against the tousled knots that had appeared. He had bathed after returning from his day of shopping with Orla, which had been exhausting. The bath had relaxed him though, and had helped to wash the stink of London off him. There was something about the city that was unpalatable to his senses, but he supposed the day had not been as bad as he had feared. That was mostly because of Orla. She was a disarming presence, and quite ebullient as well. He imagined that no day could be boring when she was around, and thus found it strange that she had such a dim opinion of the Highlands. He wondered if there was anything that could change her mind, but from what she said, it seemed as though she was a lost cause. Besides, he would never want a wife so obsessed with frivolous things like the items she had bought while shopping. It would surely lead a man to ruin!

He caught himself, wondering why he was thinking of her in that context anyway. There was no question of marriage or romance. He shook his head and then rubbed his forehead, trying to ease away the band of tension that wrapped around his skull. He blamed his errant thoughts on the tiredness that still plagued him.

It was going to be arduous to make it through this ball. Hamish wanted to make his father proud and do all that he could do to make sure he was a good businessman, but it all seemed rather superfluous. What good could come from this silly event? It wasn’t as though he was going to dance with anyone. It really did feel like he had done something wrong, although he wasn’t sure what. All the years his father had spent preparing him for this moment had not been beneficial at all. Hamish was still left wondering about certain aspects of the business, as his father had tried to keep control for as long as he could. Now Hamish had been thrown in the rough end of the sea, where the current was angry, and waves were threatening to engulf him.

He looked at the suit that he had bought, or rather that Orla had insisted he have. It was the kind of extravagant purchase that he never would have made for himself. One of the lessons that his father had instilled in him was that coin in the hand was far more important than anything else. Why spend extra, when something basic would do? But as he slipped on the crisp white shirt and felt the soft fabric against his skin, as he fastened the brass buttons and felt the perfectly fitted jacket slip over his shoulders, he suddenly understood why sometimes it was better to pay a little extra for quality. Even the shoes he had purchased were more comfortable than his steadfast boots. The soles were soft and there was even a little room to wiggle his toes, rather than having them stuffed into the boot. There was a sheen to them as well, as though they were ready to meet the world, rather than having been scuffed and battered like his old boots.

As he gazed at his reflection, he almost felt like his father was standing there in place of him. But no, it was him, Hamish McIntyre, heir to the business, who was finally growing up. He looked mature and distinguished, just like the men who used to come to his father’s home and discuss business. He held his head high just as they did, and practiced the same stilted laugh. It sounded strange coming from his lips, but he assumed that it would feel more natural with practice. He felt odd doing so, but he spent some time in front of the mirror pacing around, trying to walk like a businessman, rather than a Highlander. His father had always said that appearance mattered, and that people treated you how they thought you should be treated, based on appearance. He had experienced something to that effect that day, when the men had scorned him after learning he was from Scotland. After a few moments, he stopped and told himself that he was being ridiculous.

He left the room and descended the stairs, to where Edward was waiting.

Edward seemed more relaxed than Hamish, eased into his clothes rather than walking rigidly. Hamish bowed his head to Edward.

“Ah, you look fine! It was a fine choice you made there,” Edward said, nodding towards the suit.

“Thank ye again for ye generosity, although it was Orla who pointed out the suit,” Hamish admitted.

“She does have an eye for this kind of thing. So, are you excited for tonight?” Edward asked. Hamish pondered whether to be honest or not. In the end, he decided that it was honorable to be truthful with his host.

“Actually, Edward, I am nae. I am still nae sure I see the point of all this. Surely these balls are designed tae hae men and women meet tae talk about marriage?”

“And to talk about business,” Edward began. He placed an arm on Hamish’s shoulder. “I know that it may not be your preferred venue for discourse, but unfortunately in this world we have to put up with a great many things that we do not wish to. Making contacts with other people requires us to make sacrifices for ourselves, but in the end it’s worth it. Your father wishes to expand his business to England, so whatever you do here will be valuable. And you never know, perhaps you will meet someone who captures your heart.”

A look of fear adorned Hamish’s face. It made Edward laugh. “I think I already hae tae much tae worry about with the business, let alone consider romance.”

“Do not neglect it for long. I never used to believe it myself, but the love of a good woman can be the tonic for a great many ills,” Edward said.

“Well, I’m nae sure it’s possible anyway. I dinnae think many men in London would want a Highlander as a son in law,” Hamish muttered, his expression darkening as he thought about the earlier occasion of the day.

“Why would you say that?”

“I know that people in London dinnae hae the best opinion of Highlanders. Just taeday I was told tae gae back where I came from.”

Edward pursed his lips and nodded. “Unfortunately, London does breed a certain sense of snobbishness among people. It’s not confined to Highlanders, though, really they turn their noses up no matter where people are from, as long as they’re from parts other than London. It does make things difficult, there is no doubt about that. I was once shunned by London society too, though, so believe me I know what it’s like to have people look at you with scorn, and whisper behind your back. If there’s one thing I can tell then, it’s to try to ignore them as best you can, to make sure that you don’t allow it to get the better of you. Carry on with your own matters. If you act like their opinion is not important to you then it won’t be important. And if they try to provoke you, then please, keep yourself under control. The last thing anyone wants is for a brawl to break out, although it’s been a while since I’ve been involved in one. I sometimes wonder if I still have it in me…” he trailed away and looked down at his fists, examining his knuckles closely. Hamish had many questions. He had only known Edward for a short while, but there had been coy references to his time in London that made Hamish speculate about the life he used to lead in this place. It hardly seemed reputable, but it was not Hamish’s place to pry.

“Is it part of women’s breeding tae be late tae everything?” Hamish wondered aloud. “I remember Da always getting annoyed with Ma because she used tae make him late for the events they would attend taegether.”

“I suppose so, although in my experience they’re often worth the wait,” Edward said. As if on cue, the women appeared at the top of the stairs. Edward exhaled deeply, and a smile adorned his face as he looked at his wife with the same desire as he had on the day they had met. Nova blushed as she smiled. Beside her stood Orla, and her appearance took Hamish’s breath away. She did not seem like the brash, petulant girl that he had known so far, but rather an elegant young woman, whose beauty shone like the spring sun after a bleak winter. Her shoes sparkled, while her dress flowed down her body in a pleasing manner. Her neck and the top of her chest were exposed, revealing her pale, lightly freckled skin. Tresses of red hair framed her face, while the rest of it was gathered into a ponytail and swung like a pendulum against her back. Her eyes sparkled and her smile dazzled. A thin necklace wrapped around her neck, and a small pendent rested in the hollow of her throat. A silver flower had been placed in her hair, while her green eyes reminded him of emeralds. She walked with poise and grace, and seemed to glide down the stairs as though she was floating, almost as if magic lingered around her. Hamish found that his lips parted, and the breath he drew was a deep one. Something twitched inside him, and he was not entirely sure what was happening. It must have been an effect of the tiredness again.

Yes… that must have been it.

“Is that the way ye always speak about ladies when they are nae present?” Orla asked, cocking an eyebrow that made her look even more alluring. Hamish stood there with his mouth agape, unable to say anything as she came down the stairs. Eventually she stood before him, and it was as though the air shimmered around her.

“Well, dinnae ye hae anything else tae say tae me?” she asked, placing a hand on her hip and tilting her head slightly to the side.

“Ye… ye look beautiful,” the words rushed out of him in a gasp, and he almost wished he could take them back. His cheeks were flushed crimson. Orla didn’t seem to know how to respond either. She wore a demure expression and blushed, batting her eyelashes.

“I hae been expecting an apology, but I suppose that will suffice. I suppose ye dinnae look tae bad either,” she said quickly, and then pushed past him, walking towards the carriage. Hamish was a little startled about what happened. When she left his presence, he blinked himself out of the trance and saw Edward smirking at him. He spun on his heels and followed Orla outside.

* * *

Edward chuckled and gave Nova a soft kiss. “You are as lovely as the day we met,” he said, clasping her hands. She smiled and sighed.

“I am glad that I am gaeing tae the ball with ye. I remember when I went the first time I was sae nervous.”

“Is that how Orla is now?”

“Oh nae, she hae been waiting for this day ever since Halle first told us about the balls in London. I just hope that it lives up tae her expectations. And Hamish?”

“Well, I don’t think he sees the point. I’m sure he’ll enjoy himself, though. It certainly seems as though he’s off to a good start.”

“Aye, dae ye think they know what’s happening between them?” Nova asked.

“I don’t think so at all. It’ll be interesting to see if they will ever find out.”

“Dae ye think we should tell them?”

“No, these things are always more fun when you find them out yourself. Let’s just watch and see how things unfold,” he said, placing an arm around his wife and joining Orla and Hamish in the carriage, ready to ride away to the ball.