Lord, but the lass could take his breath away at times. After she returned to her seat, he peeked over her shoulder and asked, “What are you working on?”
“Oh, you know I enjoy the children. I thought I would make some drawings to go along with my stories for the wee ones. I quite enjoy sketching, especially since it relaxes me. Can you guess what I am drawing?” She turned the image toward him.
Alex stared at his betrothed with wonder. How could one person have this much talent? What else would he learn about his new wife-to-be?
“Maddie, the forest you have drawn looks real enough to touch. I cannot believe you did that with just ink and parchment. Unbelievable!”
“Thank you, Alex. I hope the wee ones will enjoy it.”
She peered off into the distance and spoke softly. “Kenneth hated my drawings. He tore them to shreds. Even the ones I had done years ago with my father. I have not had the chance to sketch since my parents died.” She smiled at her betrothed and said, “Now, I shall try again.”
Alex was without words. He bowed to his betrothed and reached for her hand. He placed a soft kiss on her skin and pulled her close. “I will miss you, my lady.” He kissed her lips deeply and then turned to leave.
***
Maddie spent the next two days on wedding plans. Keeping busy while Alex was away was not as challenging a task as she had expected. The first day, Brenna, Alice, Jennie, and Maddie gathered together in the great hall to decide the directions of their plans.
“First is your dress, Maddie. That will take the longest. I will have the maids bring up the bolts of material we have to see what you like,” Brenna said.
Alice reached over and held Maddie’s hand. “I hope you will do me the honor of allowing me to sew your wedding dress. I owe this to your mother.”
Madeline beamed and said, “Thank you, Alice. You do such beautiful work. I would love to have you sew my dress.”
“Wonderful!” exclaimed Brenna. “What color do you think you would prefer? I hope we have something you like.”
“Oh, I am sure you have many lovely fabrics to choose from. I was hoping for a soft blue. What do you think, Alice?”
“Blue will show off your eyes. Your mother was married in blue as well. But it has to be just the right shade.”
“We will check later,” Brenna said.
“Can I have a special dress, Brenna? I want to be beautiful, too,” Jennie chimed in with a hopeful expression on her face.
“Of course, Jennie. We shall find something special for you to do. Mayhap we could give you a basket of flower petals to toss at the chapel. How does that sound?” Brenna asked.
“Aye, I want to throw petals at Maddie and Alex!” she cried out.
“What else must we do, Brenna?” Maddie asked. “I am afraid I do not have much experience with arranging wedding feasts.”
“We must notify some of the smaller clans under Alex’s domain. They would like to see their laird and his new bride. We can send notice with the messengers who go to the king.
“‘Twill take massive amounts of food, as the warriors and the clan members in the cottages will be feasting as well as the neighboring clans,” Brenna said. “We shall hopefully have pheasant, lamb, pigs, and small game, along with some fish. I want to have many meat pies to offer in case we run out of meat. Mayhap if we are lucky, the men will catch a deer or two—perhaps even a wild boar. Alex said he would send them out to hunt. We must obtain extra help from the clan women to prepare the meal. They will love participating in the event. The laird’s wedding must show our strength and pride in our clan for all to witness.”
“We need a lot of fruit tarts, Brenna. You know I love fruit tarts. Can we have apple and pear tarts? Please?” Jennie begged.
“Do not worry your pretty wee head, there shall be many sweets to choose from,” said Brenna. “I think you can help Cook in the kitchen with the pastries, too. We will all have to work together.”
“Aye, I would love to help Cook. Mayhap she will let me try one when it is still warm.” Jennie’s eyes turned blissful at the thought.
“We also need to have the men put up tents in the outer bailey, but that can wait a while. Alex may decide to hold some jousting tournaments for entertainment. I will let him decide what entertainment he wants at the wedding feast. Och, there is much to do! But we will make merry doing it,” Brenna declared with a smile on her face.
“Thank you for all your hard work,” Maddie said quietly.
Alice turned to her. “We do it gladly, Madeline.”
Brenna agreed. “I am so happy that you and my brother have found each other. He needs some happiness in his life, instead of constant stress and worry.” Brenna reached out to hug Madeline. “You will make a wonderful wife and sister-in-law.”
Much later, the solar was filled with bolts of cloth from the stores, and the four lasses sorted through them in search of just the right fabric for Maddie’s dress. Pastels, whites, and ivories tumbled through Maddie’s fingers. The abundance of choices made her sigh with pleasure. Could this truly be happening to her? Not long ago, it had seemed like her best and only hope was to join a convent. Soon she would become Alex’s bride in front of all his clan. Would they accept her?
“Oh, Maddie, I do not see the right blue, do you?” Alice asked.
Brenna held up a pale green that was beautiful. “Mayhap this?”
“That is very pretty,” Maddie said as the soft cloth slid through her fingers.
“I like this pink.” Jennie held up a pastel pink that shimmered in the sunlight. “It sparkles—see, Brenna?”
“Aye, Jennie, the shade of pink is lovely. That would be perfect on you,” Madeline said with a smile.
Alice held a sky blue silk up to Maddie’s face. “Pretty, but not quite right.”
They sifted through more bolts and compared and contrasted, but they agreed the right color was missing. The pale blue they had hoped for was not there.
“Oh well,” Maddie said quietly. “The beautiful green will be fine. I am happy with that color. It is not all about my dress anyway, now, is it?”
“Oh, but you really do belong in blue. And it is your wedding. I will check the storeroom myself later.” Brenna kissed her cheek.
***
Two days later, Alex had not returned and Maddie’s worry grew. If she entertained the wee ones again, it would take her mind away from her anxiety. She tucked her new drawings under her arm and strolled past the courtyard to her favorite tree. A couple of the older boys were playing in the distance, but as soon as they spied her, they sprinted away. Madeline did not think much about it. Just after she located the perfect spot for her storytelling, she noticed a woman strolling down the path with a toddler. She thought it to be Emma’s mother, as the woman was wide in the hip like Moira. Maddie shouted to try to gain her attention, but the woman took one look at Maddie and frowned. Scooping Emma in her arms, she stomped off in the opposite direction. Why would Moira be ignoring her?
Maddie ran toward her. “Would Emma like to hear a story today, Moira?” she asked, catching up to her with a smile on her face.
Emma smiled and reached for Maddie, but Moira snatched her daughter’s hand back. “Nay,” she said. “Emma will not be spending time with your kind.”
“What? Moira, what are you talking about?” Maddie exclaimed. But in an instant, her heart broke. She knew her fears were coming true.
“I heard about you and the man our laird killed. Laird Grant deserves better,” Moira declared before shuffling down the hill, Emma in her arms.
So at least part of the clan believed the lies Niles had told about her. Maddie had hoped those who knew her already would not be so easily swayed. But that was not to be. She was an embarrassment to Alex, and his people would shun her. He’d probably be forced to send her away. Mayhap life in a convent would be best.
Maddie froze, her eyes roaming around the rest of the bailey. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks as she thought of everythin
g the clan knew about her now. She closed her eyes, willing it all to go away. How could she look any of Alex’s clan members in the eye again? Though Alex did not blame her for what had happened, they clearly did. She turned around to see who else was staring at her, a stillness permeating the air.
So her storytelling days were finished then, and there had been no need to complete her drawings after all. Still, she refused to give in to their tactics. Lifting her chin up, she strode back toward the keep.
When she entered the great hall, she almost trampled Brenna.
“Is something wrong?”
“Nay, I am fine, Brenna.” Maddie straightened her skirt as she spoke.
“Where are the little ones? No storytelling?”
“There will not be any more stories.” Maddie shook her head with a clenched jaw.
Brenna stared hard at Madeline’s face. “What happened, Madeline? Did someone say something to you?” Brenna’s anger was evident in her face.
Madeline told Brenna the story as briefly as possible. “Promise me you will not tell Alex,” she said.
Brenna shook her head, hands on her hips. “Alex should know. He is laird of this clan and he is your betrothed.”
“But it is my problem. Promise me, please!” Maddie wrung her hands.
“I will promise for now. But if things get worse, I will break my promise. Moira has no business acting like that. And none of the other clan members should be walking away from you either.”
“Thank you, Brenna, but I will be fine handling this on my own.”
Maddie would die of embarrassment if she had to discuss the matter with Alex.
RESCUED BY A HIGHLANDER
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Startled by the yelling in the courtyard, Madeline dropped her sewing needle. Riders were approaching the castle, and she sped up to the battlements to determine if Alex was with them. She surveyed the valley, but the riders were too far to distinguish an individual man. As they grew closer, though, she recognized her betrothed’s powerful figure. She could not hide her smile—Alex turned her insides to jelly even from this distance. And he would be her husband in less than a fortnight. She vowed to be a good and dutiful wife to him. Of course, she wanted Alex to be proud of her, but with a twinge, she recalled her meeting with Moira earlier. Perhaps the people would soften in time. Alex had so much on his mind as laird. Burdening him with such a trivial matter seemed wrong.
She rushed down the stairs and into the courtyard to greet her betrothed. Robbie and Brenna were already there, but her attention was all on Alex as he dismounted and crossed over to them. His expression was grim.
“My laird?” she searched his eyes for answers.
Alex bowed and said, “My lady.” He took her arm and strode quietly toward the keep. Maddie stared at the dust and grime on his body and the visible exhaustion in his eyes. Robbie followed him into the great hall. Brenna immediately ordered food and ale for the soldiers who now filled the many trestle tables.
Alex lowered himself in his chair after helping Maddie into hers. His expression remained bleak as he searched her eyes and then said, “There is no evidence of Kenneth anywhere. We even inquired at your family’s keep, Madeline, but no one has seen him since he left for the Comming’s. We searched the entire area and found no sign of him.”
“Mayhap he is already dead, Alex,” Robbie offered.
“Aye, ‘tis a strong possibility,” Alex replied. “My men will continue to search and ask questions while on their expedition to the king. Madeline, I am sorry, ‘tis the best we can do right now. But I will not give up my search. I stand by my promise to protect you from him.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
“Thank you for your efforts. You have done more than I could possibly have expected. Mayhap he will turn up when we do not expect him.”
Madeline’s gut turned somersaults at the thought of Kenneth nearby. Was he out there waiting for her right now? Soon the table was covered in trenchers and the men grabbed at the food as if they had not eaten in days. They ate in silence. Maddie could not bring the food to her mouth. Fear pooled inside her, and she found herself perusing every man at the tables. What if Kenneth had disguised himself and sat among them? What if he had a man inside the keep searching for her? Could one of these men be waiting to grab her to take her to Kenneth?
She jumped as a warm rough hand caressed hers under the table. Her head jerked back to find Alex’s eyes on her. He leaned toward her and whispered, “I know all of my men, Madeline.” He brushed a kiss against her forehead. “I will protect you.”
“I know. I cannot thank you enough,” Maddie said as she squeezed his hand. “You are exhausted, Alex.”
He nodded his head in agreement. “I am tired. After a bath, I will settle things with Robbie for their journey. Then I plan to sleep.” His eyes were filled with some emotion she didn’t recognize. “I missed you,” he whispered.
“And I missed you as well.” She cast her eyes down as the blush spread across her face.
Alex reached over and brushed the back of his hand down her cheek. “Mayhap tomorrow….” He pushed himself away from the table and walked out the door.
***
The messenger and his escorts left early in the morning. Alex toiled in the lists for several hours training with his guards. His injuries had healed for the most part. But ensuring that his men were braced for an attack was paramount at this point. Being prepared for the wedding was vital, for there would be many strange faces around that day. It would be Kenneth’s best opportunity to sneak in.
Searching for Maddie’s stepbrother had given him much time to think about his relationship with his betrothed. Mayhap it was time to get to know her better. Perhaps spending time with her would help him be less distracted by constant thoughts of her.
He had gone to Cook early and requested a basket of food to be ready for midday. He had intentionally not forewarned her of the little excursion he had planned. Maddie worried enough, and he did not wish to add to her concerns.
As the sun reached its peak, Alex went off in search of his betrothed. He found her in the solar with Alice, standing for more poking and prodding as she was measured for her gown.
She wore a yellow gown that clung perfectly to her curves. After realizing he was staring at a perfect set of breasts, he forced his gaze back to her face. Her blue eyes enchanted him. Aye, it was the perfect day for a sojourn. He was unlikely to get anything done in the lists anyway, considering how preoccupied he was with Maddie.
“Madeline, may I have the pleasure of your company today? Would you care to ride to the loch with me?”
“Aye, I would like that very much!” she exclaimed.
“Hold still, Maddie,” Alice pleaded. She sucked a finger into her mouth, having obviously stabbed herself with the needle. “You must let me finish first, else I will prick your pretty skin.”
“Of course, Alice. I am sorry.” She gave Alex a sheepish grin.
As soon as Alice finished, Alex caught his betrothed’s hand in his, and they strolled to the kitchen to search out Cook. Once they had secured the basket of food, they headed to the stables.
“Oh, Alex, it smells wonderful.” Madeline held the basket near her face, grinning as she sniffed at the succulent feast.
Alex vowed to see that expression on her face more often. What a difficult time she had experienced in her short life already. But things would change for his wife-to-be—he had promised himself to make her happiness a priority.
As they strolled to the stables, the warm fall air brushed across his face, carrying the aroma of fall, dried leaves, and apples. Alex helped Maddie onto her horse and then mounted Midnight. As they departed, ten guardsmen fell in behind them.
“You are worried, Alex?”
“Not worried—careful. Do no’ be concerned. I have ordered them to keep a distance from us, but I want them in the area in case Kenneth is hiding in the woods.”
“Shall we race, my laird?” Maddie
asked, raising one eyebrow. Without waiting to hear his response, she darted off, her laughter echoing behind her.
Alex smirked as she tore off toward the loch, noting how well she rode. He dismounted before she did when they arrived, and he reached up to help her dismount. He slid Maddie’s body down the front of him very slowly, waiting for her reaction. The way her eyes widened with surprise and pleasure made him cup her face and kiss her—not a gentle kiss, but a needy one. Possessing her mouth, his tongue briefly mated with hers. A soft sigh escaped from Madeline when he ended the kiss. That pleased him, but he set her away from him and reached for the basket. His intention was to give his betrothed the time she needed to adjust to his nearness. He did not want to push her away by moving too fast.
Madeline murmured, “Oh my!” She licked her lips and touched her fingers to her mouth as she gazed at Alex.
Chuckling, he spread one of his plaids on the grass near the edge of the water. “Maddie, you are a passionate one, aye?”
Madeline blushed and turned her head away.
“Come, sit with me and eat something.”
Maddie helped Alex empty the basket. Cook had packed fresh baked bread, cheese, and wine. There were also apples and ripe pears, and at the bottom, there were two wrapped pastries.
“Maddie, I planned this trip for a special reason.”
“What would that be, Laird?”
“Please, Maddie, call me Alex. I would hear my name on your lips.”
“Of course, Alex,” she replied, her innocent blue eyes gazing into his.
“I do not want you to be uncomfortable on our wedding night. I think it would best if you were to get used to me slowly. I want you to be accustomed to my closeness and my touch, Maddie. I will not have you frightened of me.” He brushed a stray hair from her eyes. She nodded her head slowly in agreement.
They ate and drank the wine as they casually talked about the wedding, enjoying the sun, the feast, and each other’s company.
“Would you like a pastry, sweeting?” Alex asked.
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