Instead, he seemed to grow angrier.
“A simple ‘yes, he will’ would have sufficed, I think,” he said through gritted teeth, “rather than extolling the virtues of the man who first claimed you.”
Isla’s previous optimism spiraled down hard, like a bird shot through with an arrow.
“I did not mean tae offend,” she replied, choosing her words carefully and trying to control her own frustration. “I merely hoped that assuring you of his good character might prove comforting tae you. Clearly, I was wrong, and I apologize for that. Tae say that he ‘claimed’ me, though, is entirely silly. It was a youthful dalliance, nothing more. The sooner you come tae accept that, the more harmonious things may be between us.”
“That we have both acknowledged our need for this alliance tae succeed is ‘harmonious’ enough for the moment,” he answered haughtily. “I am pleased that we were able tae come tae an accord in that regard. Now if you will pardon me, I have other important matters which require my attention.”
He turned on his heel and marched away without another word.
Isla felt her soul crumble within her, like a tower falling beneath the onslaught of siege weapons. How could she have been foolish enough to think he would have forgiven her so easily, that he was more concerned with having a true relationship with her than simply keeping the alliance between their clans intact?
No, it seemed this would soon become the gray and loveless marriage she had feared when her parents had first pushed it on her.
She ran back to her room once more, throwing herself on the bed and weeping into her pillow.
It wasn’t fair. None of it.
For his part, Alex stormed off to his private study for reflection. He would generally have chosen the library as his destination, but he and Isla had shared happy memories there, and he had no desire to be reminded of them now that he’d been forced into this difficult decision.
To his dismay, however, he found Bryan Black waiting for him there.
“Might a fellow have a moment’s peace?” Alex grumbled, flinging himself into his chair and rubbing his temples.
“A fellow might,” Bryan answered affably, “if he’s nae too busy tearing himself tae pieces over nothing at all. From your grim demeanor and the severity of your tone, I can only assume you are still fraught over your lass’s history?”
Alex nodded irritably. As he did, something strange occurred to him: He’d exacted a vow from Isla that she would share her past with no one, yet he himself had hardly hesitated to confide in Bryan upon learning of it.
But he’d spent most of his life relying on Bryan in one way or another. He would have gladly bet his life on his ability to depend upon Bryan’s discretion.
So that made it different.
Didn’t it?
He shook his head, trying to rid himself of these thoughts. She was in the wrong here, not him. She was the one who’d been careless with her affections, and as such, had jeopardized the union between their clans. The fact that it had transpired long before they’d met didn’t matter in the least.
Except, once again, he found himself strangely uncertain of his own reasoning.
“You continue tae act as though this does nae matter,” Alex challenged. “You would have me treat this as something other than the insult to my honor that it is?”
“Aye, I would, as a matter of fact,” Bryan replied briskly. “‘Twould make it far easier tae move on and do as we both know you must.”
“What business is it of yours whom I wed, anyway?” Alex snapped impatiently. “You are meant tae be leading my armies, not interfering in my bloody nuptials!”
“It is very much my business if I will be able to rely upon soldiers from our allied clans if trouble should arise.”
“There’s been nae trouble for many years.” But even as he said it, Alex knew full well what a weak argument it was—the kind of argument his father would never have tolerated, for an effective fighting force needed to be fully prepared for combat at a moment’s notice, even after years of peace.
Bryan knew that, too. Which was why he let the comment pass unremarked.
“In heaven’s name, I only just learned of this yesterday,” Alex groaned, putting his head in his hands. “Can I not have a bit of time, at least, tae make any sort of peace with it?”
“That would be a promising thing tae hear,” Bryan said, “if I believed you intended tae make peace with it later on. Somehow, though, I doubt it. You have the air of one who has given up on this marriage as anything other than a dreary necessity. I should call that quite a shame, given how promising it was starting tae seem.”
His words struck true, and Alex hated that.
He had been doing better with Isla, damn it all. He’d started to believe he could relax around her, that he didn’t have to constantly search for imperfections in everything and everyone around him. He’d longed for the chance to accept someone for who they truly were, rather than who he wanted them to be…
