Chapter 6

6

A nne awoke with a start. It took her a moment to remember that she was in the McLeod clan, not at home where the roof was filled with holes and the wind blew through the walls. She lingered in bed for a while, enjoying the comforting warmth.

"I'm hungry," Rory said.

"Ye are always hungry," Anne scolded, rolling her eyes a little. "Why dinnae ye see if ye can scrounge some breakfast? And while ye are at it, see if ye can find Finlay as well," her heart fluttered a little as she spoke the man's name. It was strange for her to find a target so alluring, but perhaps that only meant the endeavor was going to be more fun than usual. Rory grimaced as he left the room, leaving Anne to get ready. Since it was daytime she didn't feel the need to wear the elegant dress. Besides, it would do no good for Finlay to see her in the same dress all the time. Women of means were supposed to have a variety of outfits, and if she was going to see him repeatedly she was going to have to find a way to broaden her array of outfits. The room had, unfortunately, taken up a lot of her coin so she didn't have much to spare for clothes. However, the riches that Finlay could offer would be worth the investment.

Until then, however, she was going to have to make do with what she already had. She smoothed down her dress and tidied her hair, taming the wild locks that cascaded around her heart-shaped face. She took her shawl and rolled it until it was tight, then wrapped it around her waist. She tied it there, which helped to narrow the dress around her hips, accentuating her feminine curves. She adjusted the top of her dress so that it showed some of her neck as well. She was hardly going to flaunt herself as a harlot would, but she wanted to keep Finlay interested and there was nothing a man liked more than a woman who knew how to display herself. Still, she was supposed to be a demure noble girl, so she would have to flutter her eyelashes and flash coy smiles, pretending that she had no idea how to act at all.

She practiced these gestures over and over again, wondering if her mother had worn the same gestures, only more earnestly. She had been born into that world as well, turning her back on it eventually when she had a better choice.

In good time she heard the patter of footsteps outside the door, and then Rory came crashing in. She could barely understand him because he had a mouth filled with food, but after he swallowed she gleaned the meaning of his words.

"Finlay is at the stable outside," he said and then grinned. "He treated me tae a cake."

"How very kind of him. It's this generosity that is gaeing tae lead him intae trouble," she said, greed flashing in her eyes. "Now ye just stay out of trouble while I spend some time with him. Follow us in case there's trouble, but keep a good distance. And while ye are at it, see if ye can find any other targets for us. We may as well make good use of our time here," she said.

"Aye," Rory mumbled. Then he brightened. "If we dae get enough money, can I get that dagger I was asking ye about?"

"What dagger?" she asked, feeling as though there was a vague memory lurking from the previous night, but it remained elusive.

Rory huffed and dug his hands into his armpits. "Never mind," he muttered. Anne took a few extra moments to check her appearance, and then she descended the stairs, ready to spend the day with Finlay.

She found him by the stables as Rory had indicated.

"Morning good, sir," Anne said, bending her knees and bowing her head, wearing a look of surprise on her face as though it was pure chance that they had encountered each other again. Finlay turned and wore a wide smile, inclining his head towards her.

"And morning tae ye, my lady. A pleasure it is tae see ye again, I can assure ye that last night was the longest night of my life."

Anne giggled at the flattery. His manner was that of someone who knew how to play the court games, and his silver tongue had a way with words. She was glad to not have to endure the usual grunts and leers that some men believed were the art of seduction.

"And mine was short, but only because it was filled with wonderful dreams," she said, turning her gaze away slightly to lend an air of mystery to her words.

"Oh, and what dreams would they be?" he arched an eyebrow.

Anne wore a look of mock shock. "Sir, I thought a gentleman should know better than tae ask a lady about her private dreams. A lass must hae secrets after all," she added a flutter of her eyelashes to her words, and his smile widened. She then cast her gaze on the horses. "Are ye gaeing tae take a ride?"

"Nae, I was considering procuring a horse for myself. We hae an old horse. She hae served us well but, well, time claims us all. Still, I am nae sure that any of these hae as big a heart as she does. Or perhaps I'm just nae ready tae say goodbye yet," his mouth twisted in a genuine smile and his feelings seemed earnest, stripped of the rakish charm. He spoke about the horse as if she was a member of the family rather than just a tool to be used for work, and she appreciated this attitude. He clearly had a good heart, and she almost felt guilty about having to break it. Men with good hearts were rare to come by, but they were also easy to play.

"Perhaps ye would like tae join me on a walk through the market? I'm sure ye are eager tae tell yer uncle about his competition."

"Of course," Anne nodded her assent. Finlay held out his arm in a gallant manner and she took it, curling her arm around his. He was a slender man, not boasting a warrior's build, but she could feel the coiled strength within. There was more to him than there seemed at first glance, she thought. "And is there anything ye are looking for other than a horse?"

"Oh, I'm always looking for anything pretty that catches my eye," he said, shifting his gaze towards her for a moment. Anne was usually quick on her feet, but this took her by surprise and she wasn't entirely sure how to respond. Thankfully, this was probably the appropriate response as a noble, sheltered girl would not have been exposed to such a brazen attitude before either. So she did not have to feign the blush on her cheeks or the twitching smile, but she wondered if he could tell that her heart had skipped a beat.

They reached the market, which was already extremely busy this early in the morning. They passed by various stalls. Nothing seemed to impress Finlay that much, and she assumed he had very high standards.

"Are ye looking for anything in particular?" he asked.

Anne hid her unease. She only had a limited amount of money with her and could not splash it around without any thought. "I need tae wait for my Uncle tae arrive. He only provided me with a small allowance tae begin with. For the moment I would prefer just tae look at the people. There are sae many of them."

"And all from different parts of the Highlands. Ye can learn a lot from people by just watching them. Look at those two," he pointed towards a couple standing near a market stall. The man was engaged in discussion with the merchant, while the woman was looking away. "At first glance they look like any married couple, but look at the way she is facing away from him. She is nae interested in anything he is saying at all. And he's quite oblivious to her. I wonder if he would notice at all if she moved away."

"It dinnae seem like she hae the courage. She looks rooted tae the spot. She may as well hae a chain around her neck," Anne said, although checked herself, wondering if this was something a noble girl would say. To move the conversation on, she directed Finlay's gaze towards a merchant who was using flashy hand gestures to entrance women. He was a perfumier, and sprayed aromas into the air, enticing women towards him. They giggled with delight as he flooded them with compliments.

"Seems as though they are nae missing their husbands. Some of them are gaeing tae get more from that man than a mere scent," Anne murmured, noticing the way the women held themselves and the lascivious looks in their eyes. A lot of women were looking for adventure to escape the drudgery of their normal lives, and this gathering might provide a lot of them with the opportunity that eluded them in their rigid, controlled world. Here, while their husbands were busy making alliances and boasting about their might, their wives could cavort with charming, exotic merchants, indulging desires that were neglected by the men they loved.

However, she once again realized that her tongue was loose and she was saying things that were perhaps out of character. She pressed her lips tightly together, forcing herself to be quiet. However, if Finlay noticed this then he did not seem to object. Instead, he wore an amused smile and took it all in his stride. They strolled around the market, examining other people, and Anne struggled to keep her bawdy humor at bay.

Finlay would ask her questions about various people, men and women alike. She joked that some of the men who held themselves too rigidly had warts in unmentionable places, while she suggested that had been taken out of taverns just so the men they were with did not have to bear the indignity of coming to this gathering alone.

"And what is yer background? Is yer clan filled with frippery and flatterers?" she asked. However, the moment she asked the question she felt as though she had made a mistake. Tension appeared upon Finlay's face and he looked away.

"It's really naething special. We're just an ordinary family," he said quietly. Then, it was his turn to move the conversation along. He laughed at a pompous man who didn't realize he was dragging his cape along the ground, gathering a layer of muck along the base. Anne laughed along and was quite happy to avoid questions about her own background. Perhaps it was better that these things remained a secret for now, as then she could not be ensnared in her lie. She ignored the ache in her jaw that came from smiling so much, and she found that she did not have to pretend to enjoy Finlay's company. He was a decently charming man with a sense of humor that delighted her. There was something else about him though, an air of mystery. She found it beguiling and she wanted to unravel this mystery as much as she wanted to seduce him.

He was always looking around, seeking to find someone else to conjure a story about, although eventually, she wished he would look at her more often. She blinked and pushed the thoughts away. She was here on a mission, after all, and it wouldn't do her any good to let illusion bleed into reality. She was only playing the role of a besotted girl. She didn't need to become one.