The Veiled Lass

Chapter Forty-Three

"I am a visiting Laird I deserve to be at your left hand not ye wife"

Alastair ignored the whining of Laird Douglas as he drank his fill.

"Oh do shut up Douglas, My wife has earned her place by my side, she has given me three strong sons and she is the daughter of the former hand of the King and sister of the current hand of the king. She stand before you in much higher nobility than you ever will now hush before I make ye sit with the help"

"She is a women! I am a Laird"

Alastair stood and unsheathed his dirk and buried it into the table beside the whining Laird's hand.

"She is my wife and ye are a Laird with no lands,No wife, and two dozen badly beaten and starved servant's ye call your people. Not even your own son stays loyal for he asked to take an oath of loyalty to Clan Macdonnell"

Laird Douglas fumed before sitting back down and ordering more brandy.

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"Ye donna have to escort me Laird Alpine"

Grant laughed as he brushed his fingers over Elspet's dainty hand. "I am your betrothed it is my duty and pleasure to escort you to the festival, It is for our wedding after all"

"It is for your arrival"

The Laird stopped quickly and turned to brush a stray curl away. "My arrival to marry you"

She smiled softly "Touche'"

"Now let us go to the feast"

It was nothing like she could have ever imagined. Never was a party as grand as this thrown at Castle Douglas. Lush green garlands hung from every corner of the the great hall filling the room with a lush earthy scent. The hearth roared in the far wall and featured a boar spit and roasting. Straight ahead was the Laird's table and perpendicular to the main table but parallel to each other where the guest seating.The Laird's table was truly something to behold. Laird Macdonnell sat in the middle on a stately hand carved throne of sorts. Lady Macdonnell sat to his left in a slightly more feminine replicate of her husband's. To the right sat his son and heir Breac with his brother Braigh flanking him and Laird Douglas on the end. To the right beside Lady Macdonnell sat two empty chairs then Lady Mae on the tail end.

" Laird Alpine?"

The blonde highlanders glanced at the women upon his arm.

""Yes Lady Elspet?"

Elspet looked at her feet nervously as they stood in the corridor before the great feast. "May I sit next to Lady Macdonnell, I know it is your rightful seat but Lady Mae makes me quite wary"

Grant smiled brightly " Well of course"

The couple began their descent into the grand hall.

Elspet could feel everyone's eyes upon her. they whispered among themselves questioning her most recent appearance none of them even thinking she could possibly be the veiled lass that had roamed the halls before.

But those were not the eye's she was worried about. She did not care of their whispers. She only cared about the pair of brooding lustful eyes staring at her from the right of the House Laird.

"Laird Macdonnell"

"Laird Alpine"

Elspet payed no attention to the pleasantries her escort and Laird Macdonnell were exchanging. She watched Breac the entire time. His eyes burned with lust as he glanced upon her in the gown but the quickly turned to hatred as he observed her arm crossed with the visiting Laird.

She watched as his brother tried to draw his attention away but the Macdonnell heir would not be thwarted. He stared right into her soul. His eyes beginning to ask so many questions.

Why are you with him

Why are you wearing that

Where were you earlier

But they never asked the most important one.

What of our love?