“I shall, aye.”I only wish I could promise that Isla will consider it as well, he lamented inwardly.
“Excellent.” Kirk started toward the door, then turned back, looking into Hamish’s eyes with the utmost seriousness. “Mark me, I pray, Laird Hamish, and please know that I say this with the highest respect: It is my intention tae see my cousin married as quickly as possible, tae strengthen his position. Therefore, I must have yer answer quite soon.”
“I understand completely,” Hamish replied. “I’ll do all that I can in that regard, ye have my word on that.”
2
Castle Oliphant stood tall and strong, just as it had for over three hundred years. Its walls had been hewn from gray marble, and they’d been built thick enough to withstand siege weapons – not that it had ever come to that, for theirs was one of the most respected clans in all of Scotland. It was a thoroughly imposing structure, with slitted windows to allow archers to fire from safety, and a single turret that jutted up to the heavens like a huge black claw. On the banners that hung above the gates, the red lion of the Oliphant crest reared and pranced beneath its azure sky.
Within the castle, the servants and soldiers went about their duties as they did every day—and, just like every day, each of them kept their ears pricked up in anticipation of the laird’s heavy footsteps, so that they might work all the harder upon his approach and thus gain his approval. He was a tall and broad-chested man with a muscular frame, and so it was not difficult to hear him coming. He was known to be a strict taskmaster, who sought perfection from all who served him. His high standards kept everyone anxious and on edge as they sought to please him.
Laird Alex Oliphant had grown as tall and sturdy as a tree in the years since he was a lad of sixteen. His frame had already been muscular, but he’d honed it to near-perfection, his arms and legs firm and chiseled. His chest had grown wide and imposing, and he’d allowed his hair to grow a bit longer, binding it into a ponytail each morning with a thin strip of leather.
His father had held him to the highest expectations, and as he’d gotten older, Alex had continued to hold himself to those same standards. His restless eyes still scanned for any imperfections, any flaws which needed to be swiftly corrected. He would accept nothing less than meticulousness and efficiency from all he ruled over, and they strived mightily to live up to that, knowing they would be humiliated at best and punished at worst if they failed.
He made time each day to inspect every part of the castle. This day was no different, and so he strode from room to room, his keen blue eyes taking everything in. He pointed out where the servants had been remiss in their duties and chastised them accordingly—so that no mistake was ever made twice by the same servant.
When he strolled to the stables where nearly a hundred horses were kept, he looked each of them over in turn, making sure they had been adequately nourished and properly brushed. He said nothing, but silently delighted in the fact that everything seemed to be in place as it should be. He took a few spare moments to rub the noses of his favorite horses, then continued on to the barracks.
As he neared them, Commander Callum saw him—as did Bryan Black, their captain. “Stand at attention, men!” Callum ordered sharply. The guardsmen formed ranks for inspection at once, as most among them had long since grown accustomed to these daily inspections.
One, however, was new to their ranks—a baby-faced farm boy who had only joined the week before. He was far shorter than most of his comrades, and so he was easy for the laird to single out.
“Ye,” Alex said, pointing to the lad. “What is yer name?”
“Archibald, sir,” the boy answered.
“Yer scabbard is nae properly fixed tae yer belt, Archibald,” the laird informed him. “In battle, it will surely come off, and then where will ye be without a weapon? Will ye share a sword with the man next to ye?”
“Nay, sir.” Archibald swallowed hard. His voice was quivering, and his eyes were filled with fright. His knees were practically knocking together. “My apologies, sir.”
Every other man standing shoulder to shoulder with his comrades held his breath, waiting for Laird Alex to lose his temper with the lad as they’d seen him do so many times before.
Instead, though, Alex tilted his head curiously. “There’s nae need tae apologize, Archibald, but tell me, is this how ye weretaughttae fix yer scabbard tae yer belt?”
The boy’s face turned bright red. “Nay, sir. That is, nae one taught me how, sir. I simply watched my fellows, and did the best I could tae imitate them, sir.”
“I see.” Alex went to Callum. “This is rather an important thing tae instruct yer men on, wouldn’t ye say, Commander? So they dinnae find themselves disarmed on the battlefield?”
“Of course, Laird Alex,” Callum agreed readily. “I will ensure that such lessons are nae neglected goin’ forward.”
“See that ye do,” Alex retorted. “Our new recruits look up tae ye. All that they know of warfare and readiness they glean from yer teachings. How tae carry their swords into combat should be the first lesson they learn. Fighting techniques, rank formations… none of these things will matter if yer men arewithout their swords due tae this sort of carelessness. Is that understood?”
“Aye, sir,” Callum affirmed with a nod.
Alex turned to Black, frowning. “The men are only as good as their instructors, Black. And their instructors are only as good as their captain. Ye’ll see tae it, won’t ye, that this sort of thing never happens again?”
“Ye have my word on that, Laird Alex,” Black assured him. He glared at Callum. “Ye are relieved of the rank of commander. Let’s see how hard ye’re prepared tae work in order tae get it back, eh?”
Callum nodded tightly, clearly humiliated.
Alex started back toward the castle, and motioned for Bryan to accompany him. Bryan ordered the soldiers to continue with their exercises, then hurried to catch up to Alex. Bryan was tall, with a thin frame that belied the strength contained within it. His thick wavy hair was brown and shoulder-length, and his green eyes were lively and perceptive.
“That lad, Archibald, looked as though he thought I might run him through on the spot,” Alex mused. “They seem tae fear me as they feared my father. Am I considered tae be so unreasonable a ruler as that?”
“Nae ‘unreasonable,’ nay,” Bryan replied carefully. “Certainly nothin’ like yer father. He kept everyone terrified of him. With ye, it’s more that… well, no one wants tae let ye down. They all know how high yer expectations of them are, and so they’re willing tae do whatever it takes tae keep from disappointing ye.”
“They do fear me, though.”
