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“It’s nae fair to keep him in suspense, and it’s nae fair to tease him like that,” Meredith urged, with a sigh. “We came to say that—”
“We’re havin’ a Masquerade Ball!” Melissa blurted out. “We’re havin’ it right here in this castle, and ye’re goin’ to be the host of it.”
Meredith grimaced. “Aye, but ye willnae have to do any of the work. We’ll prepare everythin’ and ye can bask in all the compliments.”
Felix gaped at his sisters as if they were strangers. “Have ye taken leave of yer senses? Why would I want to host a gatherin’ or a ball or any kind of nonsense here? I daenae care for them. They’re more trouble than they’re worth, and I daenae think they’re worth much unless there’s business to discuss.”
At present, with the clan and castle going from strength to strength, gaining great respect across the country, he had no need or desire to make any more business alliances.
“Well, thereisbusiness to discuss,” Melissa insisted.
Felix frowned. “In what regard? My coffers are full, my Castle is standin’ proud, and my clan are happy. What more can there be?”
“Marriage, Felix,” Meredith replied softly. “It’s high time ye were wed. A prosperous castle and clan are all well and good, but ye must think of the future. Otherwise, there’s nay point in the rest of it, as it’ll all die with ye when yer time comes.”
Felix snorted. “Is that nae what nephews are for? Between Edward, Thomas, Alder, and Brecken, I’ve got four of them and only the eldest of yer two can inherit Clan Millar, Meredith. The younger can have Clan Moore. It’s only proper, since it was Ryder who gave me this Castle and Clan anyway.”
“Aye, but Ryder doesnae want it back,” Meredith replied firmly. “He doesnae want Brecken to have it unless ye find ye cannae have bairns with yer wife, whoever she may be. Otherwise, it’s yers and it belongs to yer bairns.”
Felix huffed out a breath. “My answer is still nay. I daenae want strangers wanderin’ my halls.”
“Nae strangers, Brother.” Melissa beamed from ear to ear, restoring the former energy to the room. “There’ll be fine ladies wherever ye turn, and we’re nae takin’ nay for an answer. Ye cannae resist this, Brother. Ye should ken better than to think ye can dissuade yer sisters from somethin’ they’ve decided upon, after all these years. It’d be easier to change the color of the sky than our minds.”
Felix narrowed his eyes at his sisters, distracted by the delicious scent of the broth that was going cold. “Ye’re nae goin’ to leave me in peace until I relent, are ye?”
“Absolutely nae,” Melissa confirmed.
He sighed and broke off a chunk of the bread. “Very well, but ye’ll be disappointed when yer efforts come to naught. I have nay intention of findin’ a wife, regardless of what ye do.”
“We’ll see about that.” Melissa smirked, as if she already had more in mind for the Masquerade Ball… and for thosefine ladiesshe had spoken of.
Knowing her as he did, Felix felt a prickle of panic spiking down his spine. Indeed, though she had mentioned overthrowing him in jest, the entire intrusion felt a lot like an ambush.
CHAPTER2
A knockat the bedchamber door did nothing to distract Felix from the long, hard stare he had been giving his reflection. In the mirror, he watched the door open and braced for the sight of his sisters, coming to drag him to the masquerade. Instead, John Monroe entered.
“Thank goodness.” Felix exhaled, though it did nothing to ease the tight discomfort in his chest.
John laughed. “Ye thought I was yer sisters?”
“I can sense their impatience, all the way up here.” Felix grimaced, listening to the sound of musicians striking up a jaunty tune. The babble of voices joined the sound of pipes and fiddles and drums, increasing his desire to barricade himself in the chamber.
John moved closer. “Tell me ye’re nae venturin’ to the ball in that, M’Laird?”
“I’m nae sure I’m venturin’ to the ball at all.” Felix wore only his long, saffron shirt, unable to muster the courage to don anything more. “When they said there’d be a ball, I expected it to be a month away or more. Those lasses move swiftly when they’ve got a foolish notion in their heads.”
It had barely been a week since his sisters had ambushed him in the tower, confirming what he had already suspected—they had been planning and preparing the masquerade for a while, and he had been the last to know of it. He supposed he only had himself to blame, as he preferred to let the Castle run on its own, rarely giving orders unless it was necessary. Everyone had their job, and everything worked smoothly, which had probably made it easy for his sisters to arrange the ball behind his back.
“Ye dinnae have anythin’ to do with this, did ye?” Felix eyed his Man-at-Arms in the mirror’s reflection, suddenly suspicious.
John put up his hands in defense. “They dinnae tell me anythin’ of it, M’Laird, but I’ve since learned that they were holdin’ secret meetings with the women of the Castle. I suppose they kenned that I’d be dutybound to tell ye, if I heard a whisper of it.”
To those who did not know him, John gave the appearance of a stern and severe man who never smiled and did everything exactly to the letter. To those who did know him, he had a subtle humor about him, and could be relied on for anything. A loyal man, who Felix would not have been without.
“Well, it’s certainly taught me that I must be more involved with the people of this Castle,” Felix grumbled. “Ye’re nae exempt from that, by the way, after yer tale-tellin’ about me nae eatin’ me meals.”
John smiled. “I’ll take me punishment for that, M’Laird, but I cannae say it wasnae worth it, since ye’ve taken to eatin’ properly again.”
