and strange shoes, she grabbed the odd comb left for her and did the best she could to brush out her hair. With no mirror, she had no way of knowing how she looked. Not so great, she imagined.
When she stuck her head out the door, Mildred yelped in surprise.
Of all people, Laird Bruce leaned against the hallway wall.
Before she had a chance to say a word, he grabbed her arm. Petrified, she stumbled after him down the hallway then up a small set of stairs to a much larger chamber than the one in which she’d awoken. Though she tried not to, Mildred shook slightly as he somewhat forced her to sit in a chair.
He said nothing for several minutes as he paced in front of the fire, his eyes cutting her way. Eventually, he stopped, arms across his broad chest, and asked, “Where were you last eve?”
Mildred crossed her arms over her chest, not so much in defiance but to keep from shaking. Please don’t let my voice waver. “Here.”
“No,” he barked. “You were not.”
“Yes, I was… I mean, aye.”
Oh, Mildred, pull yourself together!
Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “You lie.”
“Nay.”
“Why do you lie?”
“I don’t lie.”
Bruce stalked her way, his hands falling on the arm rests at her side, his face dangerously close. “I want to know about your relationship to Adlin.”
Not Iosbail, but Adlin?
“I barely know him.”
She’d never told the truth so well.
His face was within inches of hers now. “Then why were you seen with him last eve?”
Mildred released a small, careful breath and gave a safe answer. “Because we were at the same wedding.”
Bruce’s gaze intensified. “Aye. During and after.”
“I have no idea what you mean. I went to sleep after the wedding.”
His eyes stayed locked on hers for an uncomfortably long amount of time. By the grace of God, she didn’t flicker a lash, but held his gaze. At last, his eyes slowly left hers and traveled down her body. Mildred remained perfectly still, much like she imagined she would if faced with a grizzly bear. No sudden movements.
When Bruce finally pulled back, Mildred felt as if she’d passed a very important test. What exactly that was, she had no idea. At the very least, it seemed he’d been bluffing about them being seen together.
“You’re a bonnie, lass,” Bruce muttered as he paced toward the fire. “Adlin’s always had a good eye for the lassies.”
Even though his back remained turned, she gave no visible response to the declaration, mostly because she truly believed this man had eyes in the back of his head. As if he sensed her deceit, he turned sharply and again crossed his arms over his chest. “You’ve a wee bit o’ magic in you too, lass. He’d like that.”
Mildred nodded. “So my mum has said. As to Adlin, I don’t think I’m much his type.”
Bruce chuckled. “Nay? Why is that?”
She shook her head and fingered her hair. “Too dark.”
“Your hair?”
“Aye. Not fair at all.”
Bruce seemed perplexed. “How would you know?”
Mildred did her best to look a bit deflated. “I asked his sister.”
“Ah, so you admit you find him a sight.”
Time to be realistic. Without missing a beat she replied, “What lass would not?”
Though his expression turned sour, Bruce seemed far less angry. Instead, his eyes took on a new edge, one that seemed to blend lust with cunning. It gave her not only the chills but a new level of fear.
“Come,” Bruce said and headed for the door.
Mildred figured it was a good sign he decided to no longer drag her so she followed. The great hall below was busy most likely because of the weather. They made their way to a table set on a slightly raised dais. It wasn’t anything like the set-up at the MacLomain’s castle. All the tables there had been on equal ground. She supposed that said something about the two lairds.
Iosbail sat next to her new husband. Beside them several of the men she’d seen with Bruce yesterday. Mildred scanned the crowd as she sat beside Bruce. Why was she sitting next to the laird anyways? She didn’t really want to know.
The MacLomain Clan filled a long trestle table not too far from where they sat. It didn’t take her long to locate Adlin, who didn’t look her way. She didn’t blame him.
Bruce signaled to the servants and food was placed before them. Mildred stared dubiously at her plate. What was this?
“Eat,” the MacLeod laird grunted.
Really?
But she did. No real choice. The slimy food tasted awful as