His own chest rose and fell, and his ears had taken on another shade of red. It showed his flush and at least made her realize that she did not feel this attraction alone.
His labored breathing matched hers, and she took the first step away from him when she realized they were the only ones left on the dance floor.
Jack bowed to show the end of the dance and she curtsied.
The clapping continued. Isla turned to look at the crowd and she saw everyone grinning as they celebrated. Moira was beaming too, and she waved at Isla. The only person in the hall who wasn’t excited was Jamie Norwood. As Isla’s gaze landed on him, a creeping sensation crawled up her spine and chilled her bones.
Why did it feel like Jamie had something against her?
14
The feast was going as planned and Jack was happy that everyone was enjoying themselves even though he could barely do the same. He kept looking at Isla. After their dance, she had moved on to dance with Moira and then Elliot.
When Laird Kirkpatrick, one of his guests had asked for a dance, she had willingly obliged him. Now they were twirling around his dance floor and grinning at each other. His body stiffened in his chair as he watched them, and he didn’t even realize he was clenching his fists on the table until he saw his brother’s smile.
“She seems to be enjoyin’ herself for someone who hates balls,” he said to himself as he drank his ale deeply.
“Jealousy is not a great color on ye,” his cousin said by his side, and made him realize he said his words out loud.
Aideen chuckled as Jack looked at him. “I can tell ye care so much about the Lady. Ye hate to see her with another man. Why dinnae ye go out there and make her dance with ye instead?”
Jack made no comment as his cousin spoke. His frown, however, stayed as he watched her twirl around and then laugh out loud again.
“She is a bonnie lass,” Aideen continued as a servant filled Jack’s cup. “I understand why ye are so taken with her, Cousin.”
“Aye, she is.” He sensed that his cousin was about to bring up the topic of him taking a wife from the Scottish clans, and he did not want to hear it.
“What about her people? Will they come for the weddin’?”
“Aye, they will,” Jack answered. “Ye mustnae question my choices, Aideen. I ken what I am doin’ choosin’ the lass to be my wife.”
“We havenae seen her people, Jack. I simply worry that the councilmen will think she is some—”
“Isla is a reputable lady… I willnae have ye or anyone else question this.”
His gaze followed Isla’s every move on the dance floor. When Laird Kirkpatrick put his hand around her waist, he jerked to his feet before he could control himself.
His brother stopped dancing with Moira to look at him. Jamie too had a questioning look on his face. It was usual for the Laird’s betrothed to share a dance with anyone who asked her hand.
Laird Kirkpatrick had done nothing wrong expect follow the Highland dance steps, so Jack knew he had no reason to feel this heat roaring through him, but strangely he couldn’t stand watching her in another man’s arms.
“I will excuse myself now,” he said after clearing his throat. Jack walked out of the Great Hall at the same time the music ended. Relief washed through him as he saw Isla step away from Laird Kirkpatrick out of the corner of his eye.
He had made it down the hall when he heard her call for him, and he spun back around to see her hurrying toward him. Isla’s smile was energetic as she closed the distance between them.
When she got close, she missed a step and nearly fell face flat, but Jack moved fast and caught her. Jack steadied her with both hands, and his worried gaze searched hers. “Are ye all right? It seems like ye have drank too much wine already.”
“No, No,” she answered and shook her head. “I am all right. I am just excited. I spoke to Laird Kirkpatrick, and I found out something. There are lots of gypsies in his Clan. The original owner of the medallion was from there, and I am sure if I travel to his land, I might be able to find the gypsy who cursed me.”
Is this why she had been so engrossed in her conversation with him? She was trying to find her way back to her time.
Jack did not know if to feel relieved that she did not admire Laird Kirkpatrick, or worse that she was eager to return to her place even though it was clear that they had some sort of affection for each other now.
She put a hand on his arm. “This might be my way home. If I can find the gypsy there, it means I will not need to wait three months for the Birlet Shallows fair to start.”
Jack had been lost in her eyes for a second, but her words pulled him back to reality and reminded him that she was not the woman he wanted to be taken with.
He cleared his throat to dispel the fog of desire that had clouded his judgment for a second. “Ye want to travel to Kirkpatrick?” he asked.