But as ever, he had a difficult time convincing himself of that entirely.
He liked to believe that his exacting standards had caused the Oliphant Clan to thrive under his leadership even more than it had before. But in his more private moments, he often doubted himself, wondered whether he had absorbed his father’s hateful qualities as well, the ones that had made his childhood and that of his siblings so unpleasant for him.
His father had made his will manifest through fear and discontentment, had he not? In looking around at those who sought to please him, could Alex honestly claim otherwise?
“Laird Alex,” Isla ventured, “might I be introduced tae your companions?”
Alex felt a brief stab of embarrassment at his lapse in decorum. He would normally have remembered to do this, but he’d been taken aback at the outward change in Isla. “Aye, of course,” he harrumphed self-consciously. “This is my cousin Kirk Oliphant, who is also my most trusted advisor.”
Kirk stood and bowed. “A pleasure, my lady. We have all eagerly awaited your presence among us.”
“And this is Bryan Black,” Alex continued, “the captain of my guardsmen.”
Likewise, Bryan rose and offered a small bow. “My lady. Your safety during your time here shall be my top priority… and I hope it shall be a long stay indeed.” As he said it, he shot a wry look at Alex, who did his best to ignore it.
“As do I,” Isla replied primly.
Her smile widened even more, and that was when Alex became slightly suspicious that she might be putting him on, that her show of politeness and interest was a sort of mockery. He couldn’t quite put his finger on where that notion was coming from, but it unnerved him and made him lose his appetite. He kept a wary eye on her for the rest of the meal.
“How fares your husband, Lady MacDonell?” he asked Elspeth.
“Very well, thank you for asking!” Elspeth beamed. “He was unable tae travel with us, of course, for he had tae remain behind and look after the clan. However, he hopes that the wedding may take place at MacDonell Manor, so that he will be able tae engage in the festivities!”
Alex frowned. “It would make far more sense tae have it here, for there’ll be more room for the guests. Also, it will allow my father tae attend, for he’ll not be able tae travel in his condition.” He looked over at Isla again, and saw that her grin was becoming somewhat strained. “Then again, I suppose that’ll be the sort of thing tae be decided later on,” he added quietly. “Along with all the other… arrangements. Are you excited tae plan a grand ceremony, my lady?”
“I shall be content with whatever sort of ceremony you prefer, Laird Alex,” Isla answered, bowing her head deferentially. “From what I’ve been told, you like tae have things a certain way, and I wouldn’t disrupt that for all the world.”
Alex was further disquieted by her tone, but there was nothing overt enough for him to address openly, so he simply let it pass.
When the meal had concluded, he rose and said, “Lady Isla, would you be kind enough to join me for a walk in the garden, so that we might come to know each other a bit better?”
“It would be my pleasure, sir,” she replied, rising from her seat.
He offered his arm, and she took it willingly enough. Together, they emerged into the sunlight, and he led her to the rear of the castle where there was a quaint hedge-maze dotted with lush and magnificent blooms.
As they entered the maze, her grip on his arm loosened noticeably, and her smile faded.
His brow furrowed with concern, but he tried to keep his tone light, remembering the advice of Kirk and Bryan about putting forth his best efforts to make this work.
“Tell me, Lady Isla, what are your interests?” he inquired.
She shrugged mildly. “The same as most lasses of my age and station, I suppose. I’m quite fond of riding.”
“But not adept at avoiding puddles in doing so, it seems,” he said with a smirk.
Her lips tightened into a thin line. “Adept enough, when I find it important to do so.”
“That clearly didnae apply yesterday, though, when you were on your way tae meet the man you’re going tae marry?”
“Nay.”
His eyebrows went up. He’d expected her to prevaricate, not to bluntly admit that she’d gone through the mud on purpose. “Was it nae important enough an occasion, then, for you to keep yourself unsullied?”
She turned to him, irritated by his line of questioning. “Nay, it was not, as a matter of fact. First of all, we’ve met before, though you may have forgotten…”
“Not under circumstances that carry such weight as these,” he pointed out.
“And am I meant tae impress you with my cleanliness and charm, is that it?” she shot back haughtily. “It seems tae me that all of this is a foregone conclusion, is it not? I’m tae marry you so that our clans can be allies, and I’m tae do as I’m told and play the role of the dutiful wife whenever there are others around. Well, as you’ve just seen at breakfast, I’m perfectly capable of doing so on demand. The fact that I’m here tae begin with means that I’m willing tae go along with being sold off tae you for the benefit of both our clans. If you expect me tae continue this playacting when we are alone, however, that is another thing entirely!”
