Chapter 19

19

T illie was so excited she could barely sit still as they rode in the Laird's carriage to the village. Her family had only stayed a couple more days and had left this morning. Soon after, she and Aidan had climbed into the carriage to head to the village. She kept leaning forward, looking out the window, and sighing. Aidan threw her a couple of odd glances, probably thinking she'd lost her mind, but she couldn't care. She was out of the castle, on an outing with her husband, and she wanted to see everything.

The village was bigger than the one near Kilmartin Keep which was to be expected, she supposed, since the keep was nowhere in size compared to Castle Geamnaben. As the carriage rattled along the main cobbled road, people stopped and stared in surprise. Apparently, Aidan didn't venture much into the area.

Tillie waved, but most people just stared and didn't offer a greeting in response. She wasn't upset and didn't take offense. She could tell they were too busy gawking at their Laird than noticing her. Aidan didn't seem to notice anything. He sat across from her, eyes closed as they bounced along the road.

"How long has it been since you've been here?" Tillie asked.

Aidan answered without opening his eyes. "I'm not sure. I dinnae get here too often."

"Look at all the villagers running outside to see us drive by," Tillie enthused.

Aidan only grunted, still with his eyes closed. Tillie slid across the seat to the other window, so she could get a view of the opposite side of the street. It was the same, more or less, with people coming out of shops and homes to get a look at the Bane carriage. A couple of young children ran alongside the vehicle, laughing and holding out their hands in the hopes of getting a treat.

Tillie returned the laughter and dug into her purse. She only had a few spare coins, but she tossed them out the window, careful to make sure they went far enough away that the children would not accidentally get too close to the moving wheels.

"Aidan, can I have some coin?"

She'd asked the question without looking at him, but now, she turned her head and was surprised to see him watching her with a slight lift of the corner of his mouth.

"Ye plan to throw my hard-earned coin to the urchins out there?" he asked.

Tillie flushed but straightened her shoulders. "They are our people, Me Laird," she said stiffly. "'Tis our duty to provide for them."

The crooked smile didn't leave his face, and for a second, Tillie thought she saw a bit of pride shine in his blue eyes. He reached into his purse and grabbed a handful of coins and gave them to her.

For some reason, Aidan's generosity made Tillie feel like crying. It was so rare that she got to see this softer, gentler side of her husband, and she found she quite liked it.

She turned her head to look back out the window before she could disgrace herself with tears, and she started tossing coins into the street. Soon, it wasn't just children grabbing up her offering. Some adults had ventured into the streets as well.

The carriage turned a corner and then rocked to a stop. The driver jumped down from his seat and came around to the door, opening it for them. Aidan got out first then held his hand out to help her exit. A blush climbed Tillie's throat. Even though she wore gloves today to match one of her best dresses, she still felt the heat of his hand through the material and memories of last night, and what they'd done, flashed inside her mind.

Aidan must have had some of the same thoughts because his gaze dropped to her lips for a moment, and his eyes darkened with passion. Tillie felt his eyes on her as if they were a physical touch, and when they dropped lower, to her breasts, before lifting back to her face, her nipples tightened, and her breasts swelled.

"I'll take ye to Madame Auclair's shop," Aidan said, and Tillie was thrilled that his voice was a little husky. It was a heady feeling knowing she could affect him too.

"Auclair's?" Tillie asked. She had to force thoughts of last night out of her mind or else she might end up doing something improper. Like kissing her husband in front of everyone. "French?"

He nodded as he tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow and led her down the streets. "She came here from France with her husband and immediately set up her dress shop. 'Tis an odd looking place set here in the village where most people have just enough coin to feed their families, but Madame Auclair was insistent, and her husband tends to give her what she wants."

"I dinnae imagine she does much business," Tillie laughed softly.

"Nay, not always. But she earns enough coin from young lovers escaping to Gretna Green to get married. A lot of them will go to Madame Auclair's shop and spend coin they should be saving for their marriage on a new gown and sometimes clothes for the groom."

"We've had couples stop at our keep and ask for boarding for the night," Tillie said. "But I am surprised people would travel all the way up to the Highlands when Gretna Green is at the border of Scotland and England."

Aidan nodded as he stopped outside of Madame Auclair's shop. "I never understood it myself. The Marriage Act of 1754 made it so young lovers can't be married without their parents' permission in England and Wales, so I ken why they would go to Greta Green to defy their parents. Comin' all the way up here for a dress, though, I just dinnae ken."

Aidan opened the door and stood aside as Tillie walked inside. The first thing she noticed was how different many of the styles on display were. And the fact that Madame Auclair had so many styles. The poor woman must sew day and night to keep up with them all, and then she had no guarantee they would sell since she had to find someone who fit the dresses she had made.

The other thing she noticed was that many of the designs were French which Tillie doubted sold well in the village. She walked over to a pale yellow dress and fingered the soft material. It had the widest skirt she'd ever seen, and Tillie wondered how ladies fit inside doorways. They must have to walk through the doors sideways. The sheer width of the skirt meant no one could stand next to the unfortunate lady wearing the gown.

"Dinnae tell me ye like this monstrosity?" Aidan said with a frown of distaste, pulling the corners of his mouth downward.

Tillie laughed at his expression and shook her head. "Nay, I was just… admirin' it."

"'Tis all the rage at court," a feminine voice with a thick French accent sounded behind them.

Tillie turned and couldn't help staring at the French woman. While the dress she wore wasn't as wide as the one Tillie had just been studying, it was still wider than most gowns she'd seen. It was dark blue with gold lace shot through it, complete with a light blue attached shawl that reached down to her waist and ended in a point. The woman wore a lot of powder and makeup on her face, too. Her skin was so white from all the powder, it looked like she was a corpse. Even her hair was powdered so that the woman resembled a ghost with bright red rouge on her cheeks and lips.

"Madame Auclair," Aidan said with a slight bow at the waist. Tillie gaped at her husband, not used to seeing him be so courtly. She hadn't even been sure he'd known how. "This is me lady wife, Tillie. I've brought her by, so ye could help her update her wardrobe."

"Oh, Mademoiselle, how delightful," Madame Auclair gushed as a wide smiled spread across her powered features. "You weel be a pleasure to fit. Come now, let us get started!"

Tillie tossed a worried glance over her shoulder at Aidan as Madame Auclair dragged her away. Aidan grinned at her discomfort, and she narrowed her eyes at him before turning around so that she didn't trip and disgrace herself.

The next couple of hours were spent picking out bolts of cloth and arguing with the French woman about styles. Tillie wasn't fond of all the new French designs, but the woman was trying her best to talk her into them. She did allow for a hat, a nice bright blue piece that fit sassily atop her head, but she was adamant about the dresses.

While Madame Auclair wrapped up her purchases, Tillie glanced at Aidan and frowned. He was wearing his usual black clothing from head to toe. He looked like he was still mourning his late wife, and that wasn't appropriate now that he was married. Besides, she would like to see him in something a little less somber now and then.

"Do ye have any men's clothing on hand that might fit the Laird?" she asked the French woman.

"Oui," she said, clasping her hands together. "Usually, I do not make such large clothing. There are not many men who can wear it like the Laird, but I had made a couple of shirts and a pair of trews for a man who ended up not picking them up. I am sure they will fit your husband!"

Madame Auclair led Tillie to the back of the shop where she had an assortment of clothing all in varying stages of repair. She pulled out a dark red shirt that perfectly matched the red in Aidan's tartan and then followed with a white one and a brown shirt. The trews, however, were black, but that was fine with Tillie since the shirts would at least give him some color.

"I think these will do fine for the ‘Grim Laird,'" Madame Auclair said, thrusting the clothing at her.

Tillie grimaced. She'd heard people call Aidan that, and while it suited him, she hoped he could lose that unflattering title sooner rather than later. She took the new purchases and followed Madame Auclair to the front of the shop. Aidan joined them at the counter and raised an eyebrow at the men's clothes.

Tillie raised her chin and said nothing. She didn't even look at him. They were going to get these clothes for him whether he wanted to or not. She also picked out some bolts of cloth to have other clothes in something aside from black made for him. She was getting herself all worked up, ready to argue with him if need be, when she heard an odd sound come from him. She glanced at him and took a second look. The man was chuckling! Here she'd thought he'd be angry, but he was laughing. She shook her head and reached for the packages, but Aidan grabbed them off the counter first.

"Thank ye," she said, suddenly feeling a bit shy.

He grunted in response, the laughter no longer shining in his eyes. So he was back to the grumpy laird, then. Tillie sighed. She supposed his good mood was good while it lasted.

Once they left the store, Tillie became distracted again. She practically dragged Aidan along the way, stopping here and there to admire wares displayed in the windows.

"Oh, Aidan, we must try this," Tillie exclaimed as they passed a bakery. She stopped, tugging him to a halt as well, and pointed at the window where a row of pastries seemed to call to her.

Aidan grumbled, but they went inside, and a few minutes later, Tillie was moaning at the delicious taste of the sweet treat as it seemed to melt into her mouth. Aidan hadn't bought one for himself, so, without thinking, she tore off a piece and held it to his mouth.

He stared at her in surprise then his gaze turned hot as his eyes focused on her lips where Tillie had been licking them free of the goodness that had gathered there. Suddenly flustered, she pushed the chunk of pastry between his lips until he was forced to open his mouth and take her offering.

"I need some more sketchin' supplies," she said to change the subject. Her face felt as hot as the sun, especially after she realized people had witnessed her impromptu feeding of her husband. "Do ye ken of a shop nearby?"

Aidan nodded, but a muscle worked at his jaw as he led her down the street. Tillie studied him. He didn't look angry, except for that tick. Was he affected by her boldness? Had he liked it, or had he thought she'd been improper in public?

Tillie didn't have more time to try and gauge his thoughts. They came to the small apothecary, and he led her inside. She immediately went to the charcoal section to grab her supplies and then carried her goods to the counter where Aidan was waiting for her, holding all the purchases from Madame Auclair's.

A vaguely familiar-looking woman stood at the counter with her back to them, but when she turned around, Tillie realized it was Grace. Their eyes met, and while Tillie smiled in greeting, Grace's gaze narrowed, and a look of disgust crossed her pale features.

"Why, good day, Grace," Tillie said pleasantly. "I dinnae expect to see ye in the village today; what a nice surprise."

Grace's features tightened even more as she tried to push her way around Tillie and Aidan.

"What brings ye to this apothecary?"

Grace glanced at Aidan before answering. "I needed willow bark for me neck pain," she mumbled then pushed past them and hurried away.