Page 9 of Kilted Sins

With one last look in the looking-glass, Enya left the room and headed down to the great hall, where the dinner would be held. When two guards opened the doors for her, she saw that everyone else was already there, standing in small groups near the table, and every single one of them turned his head to look at her the moment she stepped inside.

Enya froze under their stares. She had thought it would be easy, walking in, taking her seat, and being as annoying as possible to all these men, but under their sudden scrutiny, her first instinct was to flee.

But no, she thought. She would not rest until her task was over.

Taking in a deep breath, Enya plastered her most charming smile on her face and walked into the room, where the air seemed more oppressive than on a summer afternoon. She was not used to such an atmosphere. Back home, every dinner table was filled with her family, with not only men, but also with women she knew and loved. Here, she knew no one. Here, she seemed unable to find a single friendly face in the crowd.

But then her gaze fell on Archibald and Duncan, the only two people who had shown her some, if not quite kindness, then interest. Though Duncan, too, was staring and his gaze seemed even more piercing to Enya than anyone else’s, there was an amused smile on his lips as if to say he knew precisely what it was Enya was trying to do. Archibald, on the other hand, was the only one who wasn’t staring at her, but was rather looking around at the men surrounding him with such concern Enya feared he would faint on the spot.

Poor Archibald. Tonight will be difficult fer ye.

“Lady MacLeod!” called Duncan as he clapped his hands together, effectively drawing everyone’s attention. It was at that point that the laird said with an icy tone “Welcome Lady MacLeod, now that ye are among us, we can all take our seats.” Turning to one of the servants standing near the far wall, he said, “Let dinner be served.”

As everyone else shuffled over to the table, Enya glanced over to the chairs, knowing Laird MacDonald would sit at the head and she would be seated next to him. Not only did she not feel like sitting next to the man, though, but disregarding the seating arrangements also seemed like a good idea, another way to anger the elders.

Just as Archibald and Duncan headed to the table, Enya rushed over to them as covertly as she could, situating herself between them. When Archibald looked at her, she only smiled and made no effort to move, hoping he would say nothing on the matter.

“Lady MacLeod, yer seat⁠—”

“Please, allow me,” said Duncan as he pulled the chair out for her to sit, interrupting Archibald. It was the seat she would have chosen, the one between the two men and two whole seats down from where Laird MacDonald would sit. Enya took the seat with a smile, though this time she ignored the stares she received from the men.

If they wish tae stare, then they can. The more they disapprove o’ me, the better me chances o’ ruining’ this marriage.

As she sat between Archibald and Duncan, though, she couldn’t help but wonder why the latter was helping her. Perhaps he truly did find it amusing, Enya thought. She hardly knew him, but he gave her the impression of the kind of man who would be against the entire council, simply because he found them too traditional.

Or perhaps he, too, had something to gain from this. Enya couldn’t imagine what that could be, though.

As he and Archibald took their seats, the glance they exchanged didn’t escape Enya’s attention. Despite Archibald’s blatant disapproval, though, he said nothing. It seemed to her that he knew how to pick his battles.

Laird MacDonald said nothing either as he sat at the head of the table, but his glare told Enya everything she needed to know. He was anything but pleased by her behavior and though he said nothing now, his stare was a promise that he would have much to say to her later. If she were honest with herself, a part of her looked forward to it. Would this be enough for him to send her away, she wondered? Could it all be over so easily?

As the servants began to serve the dinner, the elders were quiet, nothing more than a few whispers reaching Enya’s ears. She couldn’t decipher their words, but she didn’t need to; the dirty looks they gave her spoke clearer than any words.

Enya took a moment to observe them all, her gaze passing over them as though she was merely glancing around, but it was enough for her to know which ones were shocked the most by her appearance and behavior. The majority of them seemed disturbed by her presence, but very few looked at her with any real anger, and she thought it was time to change that.

As she was served, Enya tucked into her roasted meat instantly and with gusto, disregarding—admittedly with some difficulty—every lesson her governess had ever taught her. She gripped her cutlery as though it was a pair of swords, her knuckles going white from the pressure she put as she carved into the meat and then stabbed it onto her fork and brought it to her mouth, inhaling the food as fast as she could. She let the juices drip from her lips and coat her chin, some of it even dripping down to her dress as she ate.

A polite cough sounded from her left and Enya looked up to see Archibald offering her a napkin without any comment. Laughing awkwardly, Enya took it and dabbed at the juices, looking around at the elders with the most innocent look she could muster.

They were neither amused nor impressed by her behavior. In fact, some of them looked on in horror, their mouths hanging open in shock and their eyes comically wide.

“Lady MacLeod, were ye nae meant tae come here with yer sister?” Duncan asked, and just like that, the tension over the table lessened, as though a spell had been broken, though the elders didn’t quite stop with their scrutiny. “How come ye are alone?”

“Me sister wasnae feelin’ well,” Enya said around a mouthful of food for good measure. She took a moment to swallow before continuing. “An’ the travel was long an’ difficult in such a storm, but since I was ordered tae come here, I had nay other choice. She will be joinin’ us in a few days.”

“Ye were invited here,” Laird MacDonald said, giving her a sharp look. “Ye could have declined the invitation had ye so wished.”

“I’m sure what Lady MacLeod is sayin’,” interrupted Archibald before Laird MacDonald could say anything else, “is that the king’s orders came at an inopportune time, considerin’ the weather. But surely, she enjoys bein’ here, isnae that so, Miss MacLeod?”

“Och aye,” said Enya drily, making it clear that she didn’t enjoy it at all as she met Laird MacDonald’s challenging gaze. “I am enjoying it very much.”

“If ye dinnae enjoy it⁠—”

“Then we will dae our very best tae rectify that,” said Archibald before Laird MacDonald could finish his sentence. “Anythin’ ye desire, we can provide. Laird MacDonald would be more than happy tae help make this transition in yer life as pleasant as possible.”

This transition, he says… so he is certain the weddin’ will happen.

As Laird MacDonald’s right-hand man, Archibald was bound to know more than Enya did. Was Laird MacDonald determined to see this through, even if he didn’t like her? Would he still marry her even if he despised her? Or was it all for the sake of the council, and in reality the laird had different plans behind closed doors?