Page 51 of Highlander's Wild Lass

“May I dance with ye, Auralia?” he said, extending out his hand to her.

Auralia smiled. “Of course, Johnny.”

Celestia grabbed the mead from her as Johnny pulled her back into the fray of dancers. She finally spotted her brothers sitting with Sebastian, Anthony’s man-at-arms. They had been acquainted with one another since he came to live with his aunt, Mrs. Duncan, when he was about twelve.

“Are ye two drinkin’?” she asked accusatorily as she came upon them, but she knew she could not hide her smile.

“As are ye, sister,” Chester said, raising his cup to her. “Why nae indulge in our own whisky?”

“Aye,” Hugo said, raising his mug to her too. “We do make a fine drink, do we nae?”

“Ye surely do,” Sebastian said.

Celestia took a seat across from Sebastian, noticing the twins looking off into the distance. She followed their gaze and saw two young girls, similar in features walking toward them with flower wreaths in their hands.

“If ye stare too long, ye can scare off a girl,” Sebastian said, lowering his head closer to the twins.

Hugo, who sat beside Sebastian, elbowed him in the ribs. “We arenae starin’.”

“I am, I willnae be ashamed,” Chester said dreamily.

Celestia laughed into her drink. “Ye very well should be. Sebastian’s right, ye should nae be starin’ so greedily and openly at a lass.”

“They look eerily like one another,” Sebastian said, directing this to Celestia. “Are they twins?”

“Nay,” Hugo answered at once. “The one with her hair in that beautiful plait is the older one, Nessa.”

Chester sighed. “And the other one, the one just a wee bit shorter, is Flora.”

The girls boldly walked up to them, arms linked together and smiling. One, Celestia was sure it was Nessa, offered up her wreath. “For ye, Hugo.”

Hugo lowered his head for her to place it on him.

Sebastian threw Celestia a surprised look.

“We think it’s grand how ye torment mean old Gavin,” the shorter one, Flora said.

Celestia’s eyes widened, and she took a sip of her mead to hide her laughter. These girls must be more mischievous than they looked.

“Will ye take this wreath, Chester?” Flora asked.

Chester abandoned his drink as he stood. “Of course, I will.”

“And will ye dance with us?” Nessa asked.

“How could I say nay?” Hugo said, standing and taking Nessa’s hand.

Chester took hold of Flora’s and off they went.

“That was impressive,” Sebastian said, looking amazed.

“Who ken they were so… gallant,” Celestia said.

Sebastian laughed as he placed his cup on the table. “Ye must have taught them how to treat lasses.”

Celestia shrugged. “I’m sure I’ve mentioned it once or twice, but never as well as that.”

“Ah, well. When a woman presents herself before a man, it’s almost nature to ken how to be.”