Page 19 of Highlander’s Fated Bride (Troubles of Highland Lasses #1)

19

Flirting With Danger

" C ome on, ye have had yer fun, and I want to have mine," stated Dakota. "I have to pick out some material and instruct the seamstress on the sizes."

"I cannae wait to see ye in a new dress, Dakota! Ye are goin' to look stunnin'. Has the Laird ordered ye in the finest silk from France or the best wool from the Highlands?" asked Daisy.

"A dress?" Dakota furrowed her brows. "What are ye talkin' about?"

"Aye, a dress? What else are ye goin' to the seamstress for?"

"I already told ye, but ye were obviously nae listenin'. The Laird is allowin' me to hang new curtains in me bedroom— our bedroom." Dakota didn't want to reveal that she and William had separate rooms.

"Curtains!" squealed Daisy with a giggle. "Ye told me it was yer time to have fun, and havin' fun is buyin' curtains? Ye've changed since ye have become married."

Daisy collapsed into fits of giggles, and some of her bottles and ingredients spilled from her arms. The maid rushed to her side and helped to bundle them back up.

"I'm only jestin' with ye," said Dakota, trying to make light of the situation. "Aye, I have to get curtains, of course, but I'm goin' there for a dress. That's why I asked ye to come with me today. I need a second opinion on the best fabric to get."

Daisy looked at her sister skeptically and smiled. "Well, lead the way to the curtain stall!"

"Och, stop that, Daisy! I'll return the ingredients I bought ye. Ye ken they'll take them back."

"Nay, I dinnae mean it," stammered Daisy. "I'll be good, I promise!"

"Ye can try, but I daenae think that is possible."

Daisy smiled and followed along after her sister. As they walked through the market, many of the townsfolk greeted Dakota in passing. She greeted them back and felt excitement at being recognized and a sense of duty that she was representing the Laird while he was away on business.

She did her best to act with grace and poise on her walk through the middle of the market. When they got to the seamstress, she was glad to duck inside and hide from the glances of passersby. She did not resent it, but she was not ready to be known by everyone.

"Lady Rottrich," said the seamstress. "It is a pleasure to see you in my shop. What can I do for you today?"

"I am lookin' for… for some material to be made into a dress." She cast her eye toward her younger sister. "And perhaps some curtains, too, if ye have the time."

"I have all the time in the world, and it is always me honor to do any work for the castle. Do ye ken the measurements for the curtains?"

"Aye, me maid has them all, and"—she tried to lower her voice to a whisper for fear her sister might make more fun of her—"perhaps some beddin' and other linens too. Mallory has a note of everythin' the castle needs. I shall nae take any part in that, of course, and would very much like to peruse yer dress fabric."

"Right this way," said the seamstress, "we have some fantastic silks and linens that have just come in. Why daenae ye have a look while I deal with yer maid?"

"Thank ye," said Dakota.

"Oh, my! Feel this one, Dakota! It is so soft."

"Daenae touch them all, Daisy. Ye are goin' to get yer dirty fingerprints all over them."

Daisy smiled and continued to look through the piles of fabrics. "How about this one? Pink is yer color, Dakota."

"Pink! I cannae think of anythin' worse."

"What about this one, then?"

Daisy held up a rich green fabric that almost sparkled when the light hit it a certain way.

"Your sister has a good eye. Are you sure she is not a witch?"

Dakota immediately recognized the voice and spun around to find the Englishman standing behind her. He was not threatening, but her blood still turned ice cold.

"Are ye followin' me?" she asked.

"What do you take me for? A brute? No, I'm not following you. I hate to have to tell you this, Lady Rottrich, but sometimes other people also want to buy things. I am here for some fabric for a dress for my sister, and I have already fallen in love with the fabric your sister has found. Although, I find I can fall in love rather easily. Do you think it is a worthy fabric for a grand ball? I only want the best for my sister."

"Um, I do," replied Dakota. "Ye are welcome to it; I wasnae goin' to buy."

"I apologize if I am overstepping my bounds. You were here first, and if you want the fabric, please go ahead and take it."

"Nay, it is all yours," said Dakota.

"I must say I am ashamed to steal it away from you. The green would really bring out your eyes, and I feel some sorrow that the world will not see you clad in such elegance. Although, I am sure you could wear a potato sack and still look beautiful."

"I, uh…"

"Pardon me, Lady Rottrich. I am being too forward, which has gotten me into a lot of trouble. I would not want your husband to see us talking like this."

"My husband? We are not doin' anythin'."

"No, of course not, but he can be a very jealous man. I suppose you have to be when you are the leader of a clan. Is he in town? I would love to see him again."

"Nay, he has some business to take care of in the West ." Dakota regretted saying it. For some reason, she thought she should not have revealed the information or that the Englishman already knew where her husband was.

"He has gone and left you here all alone? It must be bad business in the West if he is going there."

"He has nae left me alone. I have me sister with me, and me maid, and an armed escort in case I am accosted."

Dakota managed to snag the maid's attention over the shoulder of the Englishman, and she held her gaze long enough to convey that the maid should go and get Cameron from the tavern. She still was not afraid of the man, but she was sure he was no friend of William's.

The maid detached herself from the seamstress and left the shop.

"I shall leave you to your errand," said the Englishman. "I do not wish to bother you anymore."

"I should apologize for bein' so stubborn. I daenae get out much, and I have to admit that I am a little surprised to meet an Englishman so far north. I think it only caught me unaware. Ye have an eye for fashion, it seems, and I would love to get yer opinion on some other fabrics."

Dakota hoped to keep him in the shop long enough that Cameron would get to them before he left.

"I am afraid that I cannot stay now that I have found the fabric I came for. You must excuse me for leaving so hastily, but I must run as your sister did."

"Me sister?" asked Dakota, looking toward Daisy.

"Yes, the one who left the Laird on his wedding day. It must feel awful to be second best, though I do not suppose it was even second best. Did the Laird agree to wed you to save face? It is not too late to wed for love, my dear. As I already said, I fall in love very easily, and I could see myself falling in love with a beautiful woman such as yourself. He does not love you, but I will. You have not yet consummated the marriage if rumors are to be believed. There is still time to be with a man and not a brute."

"Ye obviously ken nothin' about chivalry. Ye speak about brutes, but ye show herself as nothin' but one. Do ye speak like this to every woman ye come across?"

Dakota hated him, but he also brought home some truths. They had not consummated their marriage. But she did not want to leave the Laird. And she would not be tempted by a man such as this—an Englishman! She recoiled at the thought. She had made a promise to the Laird, and she would not break it—no man, English or not, could tempt her.

She would certainly not leave with a man such as him. He made her skin crawl.

"I have offended you," continued the Englishman when Dakota did not answer. "It was not my intention, and I understand you must have some anger and resentment for the way you have been treated. Nothing is more wonderful than love, and you do not have it. For that, I am truly sorry."

Again, he was right. The Laird did not love her. And while she had some feelings for the Laird, she could not call it love either. Yet, there was something there. The Englishman's words were laced with honey, but there was a sting behind them. William had some English enemies; perhaps this was one of them.

She did not like the thought but had to do all she could to keep him there until she could summon Cameron, or he returned of his own volition.

"You are right," stated Dakota. "I should be with a man who loves me."

"Dakota!" cried Daisy.

"Shush, Daisy!" She turned back to the Englishman. "Will ye help me choose some fabric so I have a wardrobe when I travel down to England with ye?"

"Alas, I do not enjoy being second best either. I can see that your heart is not in it, but perhaps another day."

The Englishman turned and retrieved his packaged fabric from the seamstress. He passed her some coins and took his leave.

"Dakota, what are ye doin'? Ye cannae be thinkin' of leavin' the Laird and Scotland, can ye? What will happen to—"

"Och, Daisy, I have nay such intention. Do ye see the maid in here? Nay! She went to get Cameron, and I was hopin' to keep that devilish Englishman here as long as I could."

"Oh," gasped Daisy. "That was a pretty good plan."

Cameron burst through the door, followed immediately after by the maid.

"Where is he?" demanded Cameron.

"He just left," said Dakota. "Ye might still catch him."

Cameron ran back outside, his sword drawn. Dakota quickly followed, trying to calm him.

"Ye daenae need to fight the man; he was only talkin' to me. But there was somethin' that was up with him. He claimed to be a friend of the Laird, but I daenae think he was. And he was flirtin' with me, and I might have flirted back a wee bit, but only to keep him here, I swear. I think he might have cottoned on and left because I have meself away."

"What was he like?" asked Cameron.

"Well dressed, relatively handsome, and English."

"English?" Cameron's eyes widened.

"And he might have been making poison," Daisy chimed in.

"Poison? All right, we need to get ye and yer sister back to the castle. It isnae safe for ye here right now."

"Nae safe? Who was that man?"

"I daenae ken for sure, but I have a hunch. We'll talk to the Laird when he returns, and he might explain it to ye. It's nae me place. Until then, I have to keep the two of ye under lock and key. He might have planned this whole thin' to make his way up here while William was gone."