“Thank you, Cali,”Margaret said.
Oh,what’ll I do with my day now?
Breakfast was pleasant enough,but Ryan wasn’t there. When she’d asked the maid serving her, she’d said that the Laird was taking care of some business this morning but should be finished before lunch. It seemed that she had more information about his whereabouts than Cali, but it was difficult for Margaret to hide her disappointment at his absence.
She was no longer fightingthe fact that she had a genuine interest in the Laird of Castle McGhee. He intrigued her and was unlike any man she’d ever met. Most of that could be attributed to the fact that he was a Highlander, but there was more to him than that.
But I don’t knowhim well enough to say exactly what it is that makes him so special.
So,as her plate was being cleared away, Margaret decided that she would find her husband-to-be and demand to know more about him. She had some time to herself while he was occupied. Whatever he was engaged in at the moment was likely the thing that had canceled the wedding planning for the day.
Ignoringthe way the maids were still whispering about her, Margaret moved through the great hall. The dining area wasnearly empty, but that didn’t stop an older woman from stopping her on her way out. Her hand caught Margaret’s wrist, and she smiled at her with warm, kind eyes.
“We didnae thinkthat our Laird would ever settle down,” she said, gripping onto Margaret’s palm with both of hers. “I cannae tell ye how glad I am that he’s found someone like ye, even if ye’re from down south. None of us hold it against ye.”
“I…”Margaret said, unsure of how to respond to the overenthusiastic woman. She liked her energy, found it refreshing and much more pleasant than the stuffy interactions she had in England. She just wasn’t quite used to this type of interaction yet. “Thank you. I’m looking forward to being your Lady.”
“Ye’ll be wonderful, lassie,”she said, patting the back of Margaret’s hand twice before she released her. “Ye’re going to be the bonniest bride Clan McGhee has ever seen, ye are.”
“Thank you,”Margaret said again, unable to contain her smile. “I hope you enjoy the wedding.”
“Aye, I’m sure I will,”the woman replied, returning Margaret’s grin. “Been a while since we’ve had a proper cèilidh.”
“It’ll be my first,”Margaret admitted. “I’m not sure what to expect.”
“Ye’ll love it,”the woman promised her with a sparkle in her eye. “I daenae ken what ye do in England, but we Scots love our celebrations.”
“I look forward to it,”Margaret said, the woman’s excitement infecting her too.
“Ach,I could talk yer ear off about it, but I think ye’re better off bein’ surprised,” the woman replied. She glanced around the hall, realizing that they were the only two remaining aside from the maids. “I should let ye go. I’m sure ye have plenty to worry yerself about with the big day comin’ up so soon. Have a good day, Me Lady.”
“You too,”Margaret said, staying in place as the woman shuffled out of the room with a spring in her step. “Ah, I should have gotten her name.”
Decidingthat she’d ask for her name the next time she ran into the woman, Margaret ventured out of the dining area. Surely, Ryan must be nearly finished with his obligations. By the time she found him, she was nearly positive that he’d be free.
Then,I’ll finally be able to get to know this man a bit better. If I’m going to be tied to him for the rest of my life, the least he can do is tell me a little about himself.
As she set off,Margaret decided she’d check the places Ryan was most likely to be. His study was empty. She knocked on the door and then tried to slide it open. Locked.
Then,she headed for the library. She hadn’t expected the Laird to be a reader, and that tidbit only made her hungrier to know more. What else did he enjoy that she hadn’t had the chance to learn?
When her searchof the library turned up empty, she huffed to herself. She hadn’t expected finding him to be so difficult though she supposed she didn’t know the castle or him all that well. She’d yet to memorize his routines.
Just another thingI have to learn about the man who will soon be my husband.
Margaret wasn’tsure what drew her to the courtyard. Perhaps part of her wanted to ask one of his guards if they had any clue about his whereabouts. Or perhaps it was her intuition leading her to something she was meant to see.
Stepping from behind a column,her eyes were drawn to Ryan. He was standing tall, his chest covered this time, a kilt wrapped around his hips. His men stood around him, Colby at his side.
At first,she didn’t understand why they were gathered around. She nearly drew closer to ask what was happening. But then, she saw the reason.
On the ground,at Ryan’s feet, was a man. He was lying on his side, his hands tied behind his back. His ankles were tied together with a length of rope.
Oh.
Sensingthat this was something she wasn’t meant to see, Margaret tucked herself away. She used the shadows to conceal her presence from those who were gathered—though they seemed so focused on what was happening that she doubted they would have noticed her even if she hadn’t hidden.
She couldn’t hearthe words being exchanged at first, but she could tell they were heated. Ryan stalked around the figure on the ground. His face—his handsome face—was marred with anger. She’d even venture to say the expression was bordering on hatred.