Page 109 of The Highland Laird’s Hellion Bride

“I’m standing still.”

“Ye’re nae standing still. Ye’re swaying.”

“Swaying isnae dancing.”

“Ye were dancing four minutes ago.”

“And now I’m swaying. That’s practically resting.” Katherine turned to look at him over her shoulder. “Liam, I am with child, nae made of glass.”

“I’m aware.”

“Then stop hovering.”

“I’m nae hovering. I’m standing. In this spot. Near ye.” Liam unfolded his arms and refolded them. “In case.”

“In case of what?”

“In case ye start dancing again.”

Katherine turned back to the musician and increased her tempo guidance. Liam stayed exactly where he was. Magnus suspected that would be normalcy for them for the foreseeable future.

Mrs. McAulay breezed past them with a tray of cups, distributing them with one hand while wiping her eyes with the other. She then stopped and laughed at something one of the village women said. It was a full laugh, her head thrown back, the sound coming out unguarded.

Magnus noticed it because it was rather uncommon behavior for her.

He was going to have to go onto the floor at some point; he understood this much. He was building his emotional stamina toward it.

Agnes found him first. She appeared at his elbow so suddenly that he nearly upended his cup. She stood beside him, looking at the dancers with her arms folded, and said, “I danced twice.”

“I saw.”

“Mrs. McAulay cried when I did the turn correctly.”

“She does that.”

Agnes nodded, accepting this as a common fact. Then she looked up at him. “I’m going to have more sheep than ye someday.”

Magnus looked down at her. “Is that so?”

“Aye. And more cattle. And possibly more horses, but Father says I should be realistic about horses until I have me own land.” She tilted her head. “When I have me own land, I’ll have more horses too.”

“Ye’ll need good grazing ground.”

“I ken. I’ve been thinking about it.” She said it with profound seriousness. “Elspeth says the southern pastures here have the best grass because they face the sun longest. I’m going to look for ground that faces the same way.”

Magnus looked across the hall to where Elspeth was talking with two village women near the far table, her green gown catching the warm candlelight, the ribbon running color through her hair.

“She’s right about the pastures,” he said.

“I ken. She’s usually right.” Agnes unfolded her arms, refolded them, and looked back at the dancers. “Ye should dance with her.”

“I’m aware.”

Agnes looked up at him, her face wearing Liam’s patience. She was his miniature. “She looked for ye when the reel started,” she said, then walked away toward the hearth.

Magnus set his cup down on the nearest surface and crossed the hall decidedly.

Elspeth saw him coming. She turned from the village women toward him, and by the time he reached her, she had already said something to the women that sent them back toward the dancers with knowing smiles on their faces.