Page 34 of Under the Laird’s Promise

Tavish leaned forward conspiratorially. "I rode through a terrible storm tae reach her. Found Lady Maighread reading by the fire and knelt right there beside her chair."

"What did ye say?" all three children asked at once.

"I told her I couldn't live another day without knowing if she'd be me wife." His voice gentled as he looked at Maighread. "And after making me promise tae speak tae her faither properly, she said aye."

The children sighed happily.

"Now then," Maighread said, standing. "That's quite enough romance fer one afternoon. Off with ye tae help Cook. Those turnips won't fetch themselves."

"But—" Ailsa started.

"Now," Maighread said firmly, though she was smiling. "Or there'll be nay more stories later."

That got them moving. They scrambled toward the door, chattering excitedly about the tale.

Ailsa paused at the threshold, looking back at Tavish. "Ye're very tall," she told him seriously. "And ye have kind eyes. I think ye'll make Lady Maighread happy."

Then she was gone, her siblings trailing after.

Silence crashed back into the room.

Tavish released a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"They're harmless." Maighread moved to close the door properly. "Just curious."

"They ask impossible questions."

"They ask simple questions. Ye just dinnae ken how tae answer them."

Silence crashed back into the room.

Tavish moved to the window, watching the children race across the courtyard below, still chattering excitedly. "I guess that went well."

"Better than well." Maighread joined him at the window.

"We told them a story. That's all."

"Ye made it feel real. Fer them." She paused. "And fer everyone who'll hear it repeated. By tomorrow, half the castle will ken the romantic tale of how we met."

He glanced at her. "That was the point, wasn't it?"

"Aye." But something in her voice had shifted. "Though I'm starting tae wonder where the performance ends and the truth begins."

Tavish turned to face her fully. "Maybe that's nae a bad thing. Maybe it's easier tae convince everyone else when we start believing it ourselves."

"Is that what's happening?" Her grey eyes searched his face. "Are ye starting tae believe it?"

He could deflect. Make a joke. Step back behind the careful walls they'd built.

Instead, he took a step closer. "Aye. I think I am."

Her breath caught, but she didn't move away. They stood there, close enough that he could see the slight tremor in her hands, the rapid pulse at her throat.

Voices drifted from the corridor outside. Servants passing. Reminders that they weren't truly alone.

"We should join the others fer supper," Maighread said finally, though she made no move to leave.

"Aye. We should." Tavish stepped back deliberately, giving her space. "Before people start wondering where we've been."