“But would your life not be far simpler and more pleasant,” she pressed, “if it were not spent constantly chained tae a set of expectations that cannae be lived up tae? Would you nae be a freer and happier man? Or do you fear that doing so demands you neglecting your duties tae your clan? For I can assure you that there are other lairds who manage their affairs well enough without driving themselves tae madness over minutiae! Your father berates you whenever he is in the room. Must you take up that same work for him when he is absent?”
He gave her a wan smile. “You’re a most persuasive lass. And you’re right enough: I know there are other lairds who are more relaxed, and it does not lead tae the ruin of their clans. However, I dinnae believe myself able tae look at anything without my mind being plagued by its imperfections.”
“Does that apply tae me as well?”
He was visibly taken aback by the question—which, in fairness, had been her goal. He was trapped by the limitations he’d set for himself, and she knew that it would take verbal siege weapons to pierce through those formidable mental ramparts he’d constructed.
“It did at first, aye,” he admitted sheepishly. “Though I find that the more time I spend with you, the more I see nothing but perfection.”
“I see.” But she was not perfect, and she needed him to see that. To desire her all the more because of it, rather than in spite of it.
How to accomplish such a thing, though? That was the question.
Fortunately, she was able to come up with an answer.
She leaned down, gathering a mound of soil in her hands.
Alex tilted his head, bemused. “And what do you intend tae do with that?”
She gave him a winning smile, and rubbed the dirt all over her dress.
He was clearly bewildered by this.
“There,” she said, making a thorough mess of her clothes. “Are you obsessed with my imperfection now? Or am I the very same lass I was a moment earlier? Does the state of my dress diminish me in your eyes?”
“I… feel that it might, were it anyone else standing before me,” he answered. “For some reason, though, you remain every bit as lovely tae me.”
“You see?” Isla crouched down again to collect more dirt.
“Nay, nay, you’ve proved your point!” he chuckled. “Your dress is already quite clotted with soil, I dinnae think it requires any more!”
“Ah,” she retorted with a mischievous grin, “but this isn’t for me.”
And with that, she lobbed the soil at him.
His reflexes were quick, and so he was able to throw up his hands fast enough to ward off most of the dirt. Even so, his sleeves were covered in it. He stared at her, gobsmacked.
“Now, what of yourself?” she challenged, putting her hands on her hips. “Are you less of a man—less of a leader—now that you have a bit of dirt upon your cuffs?”
He continued to gawp incredulously… then threw his head back and laughed heartily. “Nay, I suppose not,” he conceded. “However, Iwouldbe less of a leader if I allowed such an attack upon my person tae go without retaliation!”
He stooped to pick up some dirt of his own, and Isla shrieked in mock fright. She turned and tried to put enough distance between the two of them so she would not be in range. At first, she managed it well enough, with his first two throws falling short of their mark.
The third might have likewise missed her, if her ankles hadn’t become suddenly tangled in the hem of her dress. She fell forward onto the grass, giggling like a child as he caught up to her and pelted her with soil. He was still laughing as well.
In that moment, it seemed that they were their younger selves again, from their first meeting when they’d not had time to play together. Gone were the restrictions and expectations of adulthood, the pressure of an engagement negotiated from practicality rather than passion.
Now they were free and guileless, frolicking under an endless blue sky.
“Surely you do not mean to leave me down here!” she gasped, rolling around with mirth. “Come, help me up!”
“Then you call a truce?” he joked. “There is an accord between us, and no further violence shall be visited upon me?”
“Aye, aye!” she laughed. “We can even arrange a marriage tae seal the truce!”
“A sound idea. In that case…” Alex extended his hand, and she took it, smoothly rising off the ground and into his arms.
The kiss happened before either of them realized what they were doing. It simply seemed like the natural progression of their movements, something that felt natural, as though they had already been married for years and had long since grown accustomed to showing mutual affection.
