She smiled to the familiar faces of the clan as she passed through the crowds and looked nervously for her mother or father. She knew that they would be there somewhere, but she had no idea how to find them when the hall was so busy.
Up until the Campbell’s had arrived earlier that day, she had had no interest in being involved in the late night affairs of Castle Grant. Bonnie had always retired to her bedchamber early, and had been more interested in escaping into the night for a secret look at the moon and stars than drinking wine with her parents and family members and dancing to badly played music.
She felt nervous and out of her depth, but as she moved deeper into the crowd and the room buzzed around her, she found herself relaxing. She noticed her father out of the corner of her eye and skipped over to meet him. He held out his arm and she nuzzled into the crook of it, just like she had done when she was a little girl.
“My lovely Bonaventure,” he smiled. “What a day, eh?”
“It has been father,” she smiled. “But I couldn’t stay upstairs and not see what fun was happening down here in the hall. What a lot of people and what a party!” she laughed.
“Indeed Lassie,” her father slapped the side of his leg and picked up an overflowing tankard of wine. “Indeed. Here, get my daughter some wine!” he called to one of the servers.
The boy quickly hurried over with a large glass and filled it to the top with deep red wine. Bonnie looked at it, and although she had never been so keen on the taste, decided that having the warm feeling of relaxation wash over her on a night like this wouldn’t be a bad thing at all.
She sipped it slowly but it quickly got hold of her and as she drank it faster, she was soon motioning to the boy to bring her more. Her father laughed and slapped her leg and her mother joined them and drank alongside them too. It was the first time Bonnie had spent a good deal of time with her parents in a long time…and she realized how good it felt to enjoy being in her family’s company. But she also couldn’t help but feel that it was, in some way, symbolic. As if this was both the first and last time they would be together in this way, and soon, Bonnie would be off on her own properly and living her own life.
After all, she was more than an adult. She was nearly twenty and it was practically unheard of for a girl in her position to not be married off and have several children under her belt. She glanced around the room and smiled to herself. Maybe now really was the right time for her. Maybe this is why she had waited, and her father had waited. Maybe, in some way, he had wanted her to choose her own path. She looked up at her father and smiled at him fondly. He wasn’t so bad for a grouchy old highlander.
“M’lady?” The familiar voice broke her train of thought, but when she looked up and her eyes met with Alexander Campbell’s, she was filled with joy.
“Alexander,” she whispered as she placed her hand inside his.
Her parents were on either side of her, engrossed in their own conversations, but as Alexander came and took hold of their daughter’s hand, they both turned their attention to them with beaming smiles.
“And what do we have here?” her father asked as he slapped Alexander affectionately on the shoulder. “Isn’t she beautiful?” he asked him as he looked down at Bonnie.
“She is simply exquisite,” Alexander smiled, his own eyes falling onto Bonnie’s delicate face. “I have been quite taken by her…” he continued.
“Many men are,” her father said, “but not many are worthy enough of her affections. However, I think I see something in her here tonight. And I’m pretty sure I saw it down by the drawbridge earlier today…” he trailed off and looked down at Bonnie and winked.
She felt her face flush crimson.
“She is a rare beauty,” Alexander continued. “One I have longed to find for some time, but never knew if it would be possible.”
“Me?” she asked shyly. “You think I am a rare beauty?”
“Most certainly,” he said as he looked deep into her eyes. “I have never been drawn to the women I have met on my travels… But you, you are very different indeed.” He looked at her with such intensity, Bonnie was finding it impossible to break away.
“Well,” her father said, “there is a great alliance now with the Grant’s and the Campbell’s. And my daughter is yet to wed…”
He let the statement hang in the air between them and although her heart was pounding with nerves, when she saw the wry smile spread across Alexander’s face, she knew that he was as happy about the suggestion as she was.
“It would be an absolute honor to be the man that won your daughter’s hand, Lord Grant,” he said seriously. “In fact, I could think of no higher honor.”
Bonnie felt herself blush even more and she suddenly felt very overwhelmed and warm from the wine. Her father was beaming with pride and looked as if he could burst with happiness.
“Why don’t you two get to know each other properly,” he suggested as he took a step back and took hold of Bonnie’s mother, pulling her into an embrace. “After all, the success of a long and happy marriage is the foundation of friendship!” He planted a sloppy kiss on her mother’s lips and pulled her into the middle of the crowd where he danced with her wildly.
Bonnie smiled and laughed, and she realized that Alexander was doing the same.
“Well,” he said as he held out his hand, “Shall we?”
Bonnie bit her bottom lip and smiled. She looked out onto the dance floor and at all of the writhing, sweaty bodies throwing themselves around and then she winked at him and said…
“Actually, I’ve got a much better idea…”