Page 29 of Taken by the Ruthless Highlander (Taken by Highland Devils #6)

29

M organa’s heart fluttered as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She ran her hands down her dress, smoothing out the wrinkles. Then, she made one final adjustment to her hair before turning to the door.

Tonight was about showing the clan a united front, that her marriage wasn’t a sham.

And as she made her way down the corridor and waited at the landing for her husband, it dawned on her that she was in love with him. There would be no need to pretend.

Everything she had been through and learned over her short time at the castle pointed to one thing—she loved Ryder. He wasn’t the man she had thought him to be, but someone she never would have been able to dream of in her wildest dreams.

“Dinnae ye look stunning,” he murmured, joining his wife as a smile tugged at his lips.

Morgana glanced down at the floor as heat rushed through her. She didn’t know if it was her frayed nerves from all the planning to get the cèilidh off without a hitch, or if it was the realization that she was madly in love with him.

“Ye clean up fairly well if I do say so myself… My Laird .” She let his title roll off her tongue in a purr.

She loved watching it slide down his back like hot oil. There was a pleasure to be had in tormenting him so.

“I thought ye wanted to go to this event,” Ryder said as he escorted her down the second flight of steps to the entrance hall.

“Aye, what makes ye think that I’ve changed my mind? Do ye have any idea how hard it is to get into a dress like this? Nay, if I wasnae comin’, I wouldnae have gotten dressed at all.”

“Ye’re nae makin’ a very good case for yerself. If I wasnae in my right mind, I’d have hoisted ye over my shoulder and carried back to yer chambers, where I’d peel every layer off ye, My Lady .” He paused to kiss her hand.

Morgana couldn’t tell if he was playing with her, or if the spark of playfulness was there to tease her into submission.

“Would ye look at this,” a husky voice drawled from behind them.

Morgana shifted her gaze to that voice. Her eyes widened as she saw a boisterous fellow strolling through the double doors with a lovely woman on his arm. For a moment, she found herself curious by the new arrivals.

“I never thought I’d see ye married, and yet here ye are.”

“Damon?”

Morgana smiled as she watched the elegantly dressed man stepping up to Ryder with open arms. There was no mistaking the camaraderie between them.

“I was so hopin’ ye’d come,” Ryder admitted, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder.

“Aye, well, when we heard the news, we werenae sure it was real and had to see it for ourselves,” Damon said, before turning to the beauty at his side.

Morgana stood taller as the woman flashed her a warm smile.

“And here we are,” the woman added in a sing-song tone.

“And here ye are,” Ryder echoed, wrapping his arms around her. “Shall I introduce my wife? Lilith, this is Morgana. Morgana, this is Lilith.”

“It’s nice to meet ye,” Morgana offered.

Lilith gave her a once-over before drawing her into an embrace. “I have to say, I’m so thrilled to finally meet the woman who stole Ryder’s heart. For a moment there, we didnae think he’d find anyone.”

“Alright,” Ryder huffed, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“Where did ye find this one?” Damon asked, flashing Morgana a wide grin.

“Would ye believe she was to marry my faither?” Ryder answered.

The heat of embarrassment kissed Morgana’s cheeks as she tucked back a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“If memory serves me right, I did marry yer faither,” she muttered.

“Doesnae count,” Ryder insisted, with a defiant shake of his head. “Ye never consummated the marriage. If ye didnae do it, then ye cannae say it happened.”

“Well, I dinnae care how ye came to be here. I’m just glad to see Ryder smilin’ again. It’s been ages since I’ve seen that spark in his eyes. Usually, ye’ll find him in a sour mood, broodin’ over some volumes in the library.”

Morgana glanced at her husband and noticed the flush rising to his cheeks. But she did not miss the flicker of shame in his eyes either.

Just then, she spotted her brothers glancing around as if they were lost.

“Oh, Tormod, Ronnie,” she gasped.

Tormod’s eyes widened as they landed on her. The glint in them unnerved her.

“If ye’ll excuse me,” Morgana said, before she made a beeline for them. “What are ye doin’ here? I thought ye two had left this mornin’.”

She pulled Ronnie into an embrace.

Tormod rubbed the back of his neck as he scanned the crowd nervously. It was obvious from his suspicious behavior that he wasn’t all that keen on being there.

“Aye, well, it was delayed on yer account,” he answered as he embraced her. “Ryder mentioned how hard ye had been workin’ on this, and wanted us to share it with ye.”

“Are ye sure that was my husband ye talked to?” Morgana asked, keeping her tone light and airy despite her growing worry.

She scanned the crowd, wishing that she’d spot Feya and all her worries would be for naught… and found a few faces she had not expected to see.

“Is that Laird Dougal?”

Tormod and Ronnie whipped their heads around as Morgana pointed out the stout, grumpy-looking fellow in the corner. It was clear he didn’t want to be there, and for the life of her, she couldn’t remember if she had invited him to begin with.

“Where is Ryder?” she asked as she turned to find her husband.

“Ye want me to go find him?” Ronnie offered. “I’m sure he’s just in his study.”

“Nay. He was right here.” Morgana’s heart fluttered wildly as the room started to close in on her.

“Are ye all right? Ye look like ye’ve seen a ghost,” Tormod said as he helped her to a chair.

“Nae a ghost.” Morgana swallowed hard. “But I think it would be best if we find out why Laird Dougal is here, when he wasnae invited in the first place.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Ronnie said as he put his drink aside.

The determination on his face only made Morgana see just how young he still was.

“It’s fine, leave him be. As long as he’s nae botherin’ anyone or makin’ a scene, let him stay. But ye keep an eye on him. If he starts actin’ up or causin’ a ruckus, ye have my permission to kick him out.” She put her hand on his arm. “As Lady McKenzie, this is my wish.”

“Aye, Sister, nay one is goin’ to ruin yer party,” Tormod assured her, then nudged Ronnie with his elbow. “There’s Felix. Maybe he might ken when we plan to leave.”

“Ye ken, sometimes I really wish Morgana wasnae the lady of the clan. At least then I’d be able to come with ye two,” Morgana heard Ronnie mutter as he walked away.

His words niggled at her. Maybe he was old enough for an adventure of his own. And it wasn’t like he was going to be going alone. Tormod and Felix would be right there with him.

As much as it broke her heart to let him go, she knew if she kept him locked up any longer, he’d eventually turn. He had too much of a free spirit to stay in one place for too long.

“Ronnie,” Morgana called.

Ronnie stopped and glanced over his shoulder at her. He was fighting the urge to roll his eyes as she beckoned him over.

“What now?” he grumbled.

“Find out what time Felix wants to leave, then bid the girls farewell before ye take off with Tormod. Ye understand?” Morgana let out a heavy sigh.

Letting her brother charge off into unknown dangers was one of the hardest things she had ever done.

“Are ye sure?” Ronnie asked, unable to hide the excitement in his voice or the joy in his eyes.

“Aye.” Morgana nodded. “Just be careful and come back. Feya is already missin’—I dinnae want my braithers endin’ up in a shallow grave.”

“We’ll be careful,” Tormod promised, before he and Ronnie took off.

Morgana watched as her brothers walked away with determined strides. It was clear that giving Ronnie a purpose was the best thing for him, but all she could do now was pray for their safety.

“Ye look like ye could use this.”

She looked to the side to find Orella offering her a dram and a friendly smile.

If there was one person in the castle who understood her, it was Orella. Despite everything, it was always Orella who had shown her the most kindness.

“Whiskey?” Morgana asked as she lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip. The contents were sweeter than she had expected. She glanced into the cup as she swallowed hard. “Juice. Ye brought me juice?”

“Aye,” Orella said with a sheepish grin. She leaned closer as she looped her arm through Morgana’s. “I heard the good news.”

Morgana furrowed her brow in confusion… until she noticed Orella glancing down at her belly. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Who was spreading the rumors now?

“Ye think I’m with child?” she asked.

The joy and excitement on Orella’s face vanished. “Are ye nae? Och, I ken I should have asked first. I should have kenned better than to believe the rumors.”

Morgana’s chest tightened as something within her clicked. The thought of Ryder being the one to spread such a rumor flashed through her mind.

“I just dinnae want anyone to ken yet,” she said in a hushed tone. “What if somethin’ happens and we lose the bairn? I dinnae think I could handle such a thing.”

Orella’s eyes widened as she clapped a hand over her mouth and nodded her head. “I should have thought of that. That makes sense. There’s just nay certainty in this world, and I’m sorry I said anything. When ye’re ready to make the announcement, I’ll celebrate with ye. Until then, I swear I’ll nae listen to another bit of gossip as long as I live.”

“Are ye sure ye could do that?” Morgana teased, rubbing her belly.

Orella looked as if her entire world was about to implode before Morgana made her false confession.

“Nay, probably nae,” she mumbled with a sheepish smile.

“Where’s Cohen? I was hopin’ he’d make an appearance, but I’m glad to see ye here,” Morgana said.

“He’s around,” Orella answered in a low voice.

Something about her felt off—a distance between them that Morgana didn’t understand. She racked her brain, searching for anything she might have done to offend Orella over the last few days, but nothing came to mind. The only thing she had done was fall head over heels for Ryder.

“Last time I saw him, he was off with the Laird.”

“I do wish the two of them would mend their relationship and be at peace,” Morgana said as she exchanged her juice for something stronger.

“Do ye nae ken what Ryder did? He was banished for attemptin’ to kill his faither,” Orella whispered. “Ryder should have stayed away and never come back. And now…”

Morgana’s heart sank. She watched Orella’s hands tremble as she attempted to take a sip. The lies pricked her like needles against her skin.

“What? Is Ryder’s life in danger?” she asked.

She could barely get the words out as panic ripped through her, knocking the breath out of her lungs.

“Nay,” Orella answered, her eyes glossing over. She gave a lopsided smile, as if she had one too many.

“Orella, where is Cohen? I think he needs to get ye back home now,” Morgana said.

Orella swayed once, then crumpled to the ground. Instinctively, Morgana’s arms shot out, ready to catch her.

“Oh my.”

“Orella?” Cohen’s voice gasped behind them.

Morgana whipped her head around and breathed a sigh of relief to see him right there.

“What happened?”

“I think she had too much to drink,” Morgana explained. “She was coherent one moment and then started ramblin’ the next.”

“What?” Cohen blurted, his voice high-pitched with worry as he looked at a motionless Orella . “What did she say?”

“Nothin’ that made sense,” Morgana said.

Cohen lifted Orella into his arms. “Would ye mind terribly if ye came with us? Just to the carriage, in case I need extra help with her. She may look light, but she’s a handful.”

Morgana glanced back at the party. It seemed everyone was smiling and carrying on, as if her friend had not just fainted.

“Morgana?” Ryder’s strong voice cracked like thunder behind her.

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as a tingle raced from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

She turned to face him, hoping the flush on her cheeks wouldn’t give her away. She was thrilled to see him right when she needed him.

“What is this?” he asked, glaring at Cohen.

The air between the men crackled with tension. Morgana was certain that if Orella did not need assistance, the two would have come to blows.

“And what are ye doin’ here? I thought I made myself clear at our last meeting.”