As they rode back toward the castle, Isla could barely contain her excitement. Her parents had always frowned on her love of books, for they believed that it would only encourage morewillful and inappropriate behavior from her—as if she’d required any encouragement in that regard. As such, she had practically fallen in love with the treasure trove of books within Castle Oliphant once she’d discovered it, and had therefore suffered bitterly at the notion of all those tomes being forbidden to her.
Now she could peruse them to her heart’s content!
When they returned to the stables, it took all of her self-control not to run to the library at top speed. Instead, she kept her composure enough to let him lead her to the vast and high-ceilinged library. The smell of all those old books together in one place was intoxicating to her, and she practically skipped down the rows, running her fingers across the leatherbound spines.
And when she glanced over her shoulder and saw his expression of pleasure and approval, it was as though she was looking at him with new eyes.
His forbidding demeanor had given way to a tenderness that gave her a glimpse of the lad she’d first met all those years ago. His features were strong and handsome, and his bearing was regal, but the detached swagger had left him, making him seem more approachable, more open.
This felt like a presence she could get used to, certainly. One she could even learn to enjoy, if she allowed herself to.
And why not? What he’d said before about their clans had made far more sense to her than the constant lectures and demands from her parents on the subject of arranged marriage. She’d been upset at the prospect of being wed to a man she did not know and therefore could not have any feelings for.
But what if shecoulddevelop feelings for this laird, and learn to love and appreciate her life here more than she ever had in the home she’d grown up in?
The thought of it was thrilling.
As she continued to marvel at the countless shelves of books, Alex lingered in the doorway and called for a servant to bring wine. When it arrived, he poured for both of them.
Over the course of the next hour, the pair of them had a wonderful time together. She kept finding books that fascinated her, and each time, she asked him whether he’d read it and what he had thought of it. They compared their feelings about the books they’d both read, and found they agreed with each other in many respects—and challenged each other in some interesting ones they disagreed on as well. He showed her a book of poetry he’d purchased on a voyage to Italy during his youth, and he read the passages aloud to her, translating for her as she hung on his every word.
By the time he reached the end of the book, Isla began to feel as though she might be losing her heart to him already, and that filled her with elation.
What if this marriage did not need to be a burden to her after all? What if, instead, it turned out to be the first chapter of a thrilling storybook romance?
Could that be possible? Could her prayers have been answered?
The thrill of it was enough to temporarily erase the problem of her “little secret” from her mind entirely.
“Now,” Alex announced with a broad grin, “I shall show ye the pride of my collection.”
She waited eagerly as he went to a special high shelf, reached up, and brought down a large folded leather folio. He brought it over to her and put it on her lap, unrolling it with the utmost care.
Isla gazed at it, mystified. “Is this…?”
Alex nodded, obviously pleased by her interest in it. “A map of Scotland as it was two centuries ago, drawn by one of my ancestors. With the surrounding lands and waters as well,plotted out as far as he was able tae journey himself. Which was quite far indeed, as ye can plainly see.”
“How splendid!” She stared down at it, and as she reached for her wine glass, she could not help but notice how closely Alex was leaning in over her.
Was he merely eager to see how she would appreciate such a find?
Or might he have something else in mind—like a kiss, perhaps?
Did she want that from him? If he did it, would she reciprocate? She found that she wanted to with every fiber of her being, and was surprised by that after knowing him for such a brief period—and, in all the ways that mattered, barely knowing him at all.
Still, she caught her head tilting up toward him, her eyes closing… her hand rising to touch his face…
And in the passion of the moment, she forgot the glass in her hand, and tipped it.
The wine splashed down over the map, its red stain rapidly spreading across it.
8
Laird Alex let out a cry of anger, snatching the map from Isla and trying to mop away the spilled wine with the sleeve of his tunic, but the damage had been done, and worse, his clothes were ruined now as well.
“I am so dreadfully sorry!” Isla blurted, rising quickly from her seat.
“Nay, the fault was mine,” he snapped sardonically, “for entrustin’ my most prized possession to someone clumsy enoughto ruin it on sight!”
