A Love to Discover (Loving in the Highlands 2)

'We have missed you, Elsie,' Kam says, as the others nod in agreement.

'I have also missed all of you!' I tell them. Megan nods and turns to look at the entrance, where Calem and Sloan are heading towards.

'Let's get inside. I have missed my bedroom, Ainslee, the hallways, the kitchen, the… the… oh, everything!' She says, and we start walking towards the entrance, too. Calem and Sloan are discussing something, so we decide not to interrupt them and go to see Ainslee, as well as Megan's bedroom.

Ainslee had already heard that Megan arrived, and she was running from the kitchen towards the entrance of the castle. She met Megan and hugged her, tears spilling down her face.

'Oh, Megan, I am so happy to see you again! I cannot describe in words! I have not seen you for such a long time!' Ainslee says through tears.

Megan nods, unable to speak. I can understand how emotional and overwhelmed she can be right now. She just keeps nodding, probably blinking back the tears and not wanting to cry.

'My girl, there are tasty things that I have cooked in the kitchen,' Ainslee keeps on talking, too excited to stop. 'Do you want to have some dinner or straight to go to your favorite bedroom to have some rest?'

'I want both,' Megan says at last. 'But I will take a rest for a short time, and then come to the kitchen. Please tell the other maids to show our guests their bedrooms,' she adds, nodding towards Sloan's cousins.

'As you wish, my beautiful girl,' Ainslee says, walking back to the kitchen. She keeps talking to herself excitedly, as she goes away, and soon I cannot hear the words that she is saying.

I and Megan run along the semi-dark hallway that is lit by several lanterns on the walls. We run to her bedroom, like we have always run when we were children. It seems to me that the past is repeating, but there is one good thing this time – our uncle is missing from the scene.

Megan jumps onto her bed like a little girl, and I jump next to her. Her bedroom is the same like how we left it before running away from home.

'Elsie, this is like a dream coming true,' she tells me, looking around her bedroom and slowly shaking her head. 'I never thought that I would be able to return home and to sit on my own bed!'

'I know, I had the same feeling when I came here last time,' I say. 'It is magical to realize that our enemy is not here anymore and we can breathe freely.'

'Calem is such a good man,' Megan says. 'He seems to be exactly the man that you deserve.'

'Not seems to be, but is,' I correct her, with a big smile on my face. 'He does everything so that I will be happy and feel good.'

'Sloan is the same,' she adds. 'They are alike. It is so good that both of us have really good men as husbands.'

'Mine is not my husband yet,' I say, giggling.

'He will in a few days, do not worry,' she replies, winking at me.

'Let's go now to the kitchen, Meg,' I say, getting up. 'Not only you and Sloan are hungry, but also, I am sure that Ainslee cannot wait to serve you one of her most delicious dinners.'

'It sounds like a good idea,' Megan says, getting up.

Chapter 18

Elsie

I cannot imagine how fast the days passed. I wake up in the morning, and it is already my wedding day! I am getting married today with the man of my dreams, the love of my life! We have slept separately the previous night, so that I will be able to get ready on my own. That is why I gave Calem a separate bedroom, which is not far from mine, by the way.

There comes a knock on the door. I run in my nightgown to the door to open it. It is Megan.

'Elsie, I hope you are not sleep,' are the first words that she says, hurriedly entering. She is all ready for the ceremony – wearing one of her beautiful earasaids, and her hair nicely up. 'You had better not be late for your own wedding ceremony,' she adds, laughing.

'No, I just woke up. But it is still early, do not worry,' I say, yawning.

'You will not notice how fast the hours will pass,' she hurries me again. 'Now, let's see what you are going to wear.'

My wedding dress is in my chest, but before taking it out the maids have already arrived to help me. My sister insists that she be the one to help me put on my dress, but she leaves my hairstyle to the skillful hands of a maid.

This is complicated to do but simple to look at. It is decorated with pearls and a veil covers my head.