He had asked Edith to smile, but what he had not expected was that her smile would be as soft as candlelight against stone.
Her shoulders tensed slightly as she slid her hand into the crook of his arm, and she sighed quietly, the sound causing his chest to tighten.
It irritated him that he noticed it—any of it.
The pale pink of her dress made her look like a completely different person, softening her features just enough to contrast with the sharp structure of her bodice.
It suited her too well, cinching at her waist in a way that made the rest of her dress flow easily down her hips.
“Good,” he murmured, tearing his gaze away from her.
He took a last sip of ale and then handed the glass to a nearby servant, before sweeping his gaze over the crowd.
The hall had quieted since Edith’s entrance, the earlier excitement absent from the faces of the elders and councilmen as they watched him and his betrothed. They shifted in their seats as the servants finished laying out dishes, confusion and disbelief settling over them like a slow fog.
Aye.
A small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
I’ll see who ye have cornered now.
He pulled out Edith’s chair without thought, then immediately regretted it.
Her scent drifted up between them the moment she sat, wild lavender cutting cleanly through the heavier smells in the hall, even more distracting than it had been earlier in the study.
That scent…
Aaron lingered only a moment before straightening, schooling his features into calm. He took his seat at the head of the table,satisfied. The betrothal looked as good as real, just as he wanted it.
Roasted venison and baked oat bread were soon served, though the atmosphere remained too tense for any true celebration. Servants moved swiftly between the long tables, refilling goblets with dark ale and setting fresh trenchers before the clansmen.
Aaron reached for his goblet, relaxing against the back of his chair as he tasted the fresh ale.
Murmurs slowly began to pick up among the men. A councilman further down the table leaned toward another, muttering something beneath his breath before glancing at Edith again.
Aaron’s jaw tightened. He glanced at her, noticing immediately that she had been watching too.
“Are ye alright?” he asked, half expecting her to roll her eyes or ignore him.
It was already a surprise that she had not run away. And it was an even greater surprise that she was this graceful, maintaining the façade with perfect composure.
Is this the same lass I spoke with earlier?
Edith leaned in slightly, keeping her gaze fixed ahead as though she had done this many times before. “They stare as though they’ve never seen a woman before,” she murmured.
He bit back a chuckle.
She isnae scared.
His chest warmed slightly at the thought. Then he cleared his throat.
“Most havenae seen ye dressed like this before,” he replied, only realizing how the words sounded as he watched her face turn pink.
Edith picked at the venison, eating faster.
He hesitated. “In a proper gown, I mean,” he added before he could stop himself.
She swallowed, her eyes still glued to her plate. “I suppose,” she muttered, her shoulders stiffening slightly beneath the silk of her gown. “I feel ridiculous.”
