Page 15 of Highlander's Wild Lass

“What is this?” she said, grabbing his chin and turning his head to look closely at his bruised cheek. “What woman did this to ye?”

“Why do ye assume it was a woman?” Anthony asked, eyes wide. He could hear Sebastian laugh beside him.

“Because I’d be mendin’ yer broken nose if it was a man,” she said, releasing him. “I hope ye havenae been disrespectful to the lass, whoever she is.”

“Nay, at least I didnae think so.” Anthony rubbed where Mrs. Duncan’s strong, stout fingers gripped him.

She eyed him carefully. “I hope nae, Anthony Moore. Yer maither, God rest her, taught ye better than that.”

With that, Castle Ferguson’s housekeeper walked away, but not before reprimanding two young boys who were making a mess of their breakfast.

“Well, well, well…are ye goin’ to tell me that story?” Sebastian asked, settling into his chair, mug tucked carefully close to his chest.

Anthony sighed heavily. “I ran into Celestia McLean by the loch, and well…it was goin’ well at first.”

Sebastian sniggered. “At first? Please, go on.”

Anthony told him and Sebastian struggled between laughing and stopping himself from laughing whenever Anthony threw him an exasperated look.

“She threatened to cut yer throat, andthenye asked her to marry ye?” Sebastian asked with a wide grin.

Anthony nodded, flexing his fingers into a fist. Maybe Sebastian would like a bruise to match. “It’s a wee bit embarassin’, ye laughin’ at me like that.”

“I’m sorry, I daenae mean to,” Sebastian said, mashing his smile into a grimace. “Did she agree after all that?”

It was Anthony’s turn to laugh. “Nay, she dinnae, but I’m determined to get her to see that it makes sense.”

“How?”

“I’ll figure somethin’ out.”

* * *

When Celestia returned home, Auralia had made breakfast for their brothers and father. She had even convinced Chester and Hugo to rouse the animals and feed them.

“I can run the house as well as ye,” she said.

Celestia finished off the bowl of porridge. “How did ye get them to actually do their chores?”

Auralia chuckled. “I told them I’ll be bakin’ bannocks for supper.”

“How are ye managin’ that?”

“The family we sold our cow to delivered milk this mornin’,” Auralia told her, revealing a small pail of milk.

“I cannae wait,” Celestia said, handing her bowl to Auralia. “Is Da up?”

“He should be. Grab his bowl for me?” she asked, returning to the washstand.

Celestia pushed her chair in and headed for her father’s bedroom. Seeing the pail of milk and the smile on Auralia’s face gave her courage and confidence that they would manage through no matter the circumstances. She would not be needing to marry Chief Moore.

“Mornin’.”

Her father nestled in bed with another book. “Good mornin’,” Brannan McLean said with a smile.

“Do ye feel well?”

“A bit stiff from sittin’ in this damned bed.”