“The other guardsmen must not have liked that much,” she guessed. “Seeing ye elevated tae such a position at a young age, when they had been at it much longer.”
“I earned their trust and respect over time, and when the moment came for me tae lead them, they were content with it,” Bryan informed her. “They show me loyalty tae this day.”
Those words recalled for Katherine the events of the previous night, when two of Bryan’s men seemed, at least briefly, to question his choices regarding feeding and untying her. The memory made her feel vaguely uneasy, but she did not mention it.
“My point, Lady Katherine,” he continued, “is that we all must make our own choices in this life. We must, each of us, decide what is right or wrong in our estimation, and where our loyalties ought tae lie. No one can choose for us, or demand that we follow their path. Yer sister chose tae commit vile acts against the Oliphants, and that is why she is in the dungeon. We have given her every opportunity tae free herself from it by cooperating, just as we have with ye. She has clung tae her decision nonetheless.”
“Ye must admit, there is something at leastslightlyadmirable about her determination,” Katherine ventured.
Bryan sighed heavily. “Ye have taken her words tae heart. Nay, dinnae try tae claim otherwise. It is only natural for ye tae have been affected by them. She is yer sister, and she has called ye a traitor tae the McGregors. That must hurt, every bit as much as it hurt me when my own father called me a disappointment and a waste. When he said I was a craven fool for rejecting his teachings, and turning my nose up at the life of a thief. We are not made of stone, ye and I.”
“No,” she agreed. “I suppose not.”
“Even so,” he went on, “Ye must come tae understand that of the two of ye, she is the traitor tae yer clan, not ye. For, inattempting tae carry out the immoral and unreasonable orders of yer father, she has brought more suffering upon herself, and, ultimately, upon yer entire people, unless steps are taken tae prevent the war yer father wants so badly. She could be saving lives with her involvement. Instead, she chooses tae screech and accuse and threaten, like a caged monkey. She is wasting an opportunity tae save the McGregors. I pray that ye do not do likewise, for I fear that the future of our two clans rests entirely in yer hands now.”
These words shook Katherine, for that was more responsibility than she believed she could possibly bear. And surely, the Oliphant Clan could not be nearly so blameless as he would have her believe?
“Come,” he invited, “let us return to the castle before the night turns cold.”
She took his arm and followed him back to the gates, her mind still racing.
Somehow, she doubted that sleep would find her that night.
10
Alex leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers pensively. “Then ye feel that ye are reaching her, Bryan? Turning her tae our point of view, as it were?”
Bryan sat across the desk from Alex in the laird’s private study as the golden rays of morning sunlight streamed in through the window. The captain of the guard had passed a rather restless night, replaying his conversations with Katherine in his mind, and wondering how much he had been able to persuade her of the Oliphant Clan’s good intentions.
When he rose from bed at last, he did so with a renewed sense of purpose and determination where the lass was concerned. He did believe that she was starting to come around; that he’d made progress with her, and would manage still more progress with a new day and new opportunities to win her over.
For the sake of the clan, he reminded himself firmly as he performed his morning ablutions in front of a looking glass—and preened, perhaps, a bit more than he might have otherwise, in preparation for the time he meant to spend with Katherine.
And for peace.Thatis the reason I must succeed in gaining her trust and friendship. To contemplate any other purpose would be a distraction; one I cannot afford to entertain.
After making himself presentable, even somewhat dashing, Bryan sent a servant to request an audience for him with Alex at the laird’s earliest possible convenience. As soon as the servant returned to say that Alex was ready to see him, Bryan strode the corridors of Castle Oliphant jauntily, whistling a cheerful tune.
He smiled as he greeted Alex, and told him all that had transpired between himself and Katherine the previous evening.
Now Bryan considered his laird’s question carefully, not wishing to seem overconfident in his answer. “In fairness, Alex, she has just been here a short span thus far. This is all quite confusing and overwhelming for her, as it would be for anyone in her position. But following our chats, and especially after the visit with her sister, I can say with confidence that progress is being made, and far more swiftly than I’d have dared tae hope.”
“How much longer, do ye think, before she will agree tae help us without reservation?” Alex demanded. He rose from his chair, restless, and began to pace in front of the window.
Bryan had seen this behavior from Alex before, during many other important conferences such as this one. Alex had a tendency to peer out the window at the farms and fields of his domain while he discussed matters which were vital to the Oliphants’ future.
The captain knew this was because Alex’s ability to see his people, to observe their daily lives and travels from his vantage high in this tower, played a large part in the decisions he made regarding their welfare. It helped him to visualize them, to predict how his choices might make their lives better.
Or, in some cases, how he might be putting those same lives at risk.
Bryan laughed uneasily. “‘Tis nay like building a stone wall! I cannae calculate the outcome with that sort of certainty, much as I might like tae. I can only tell ye that I deem the results tae be promising so far. Another few weeks, perhaps a month…”
Alex sighed, exasperated. “We might not have nearly so long as that. Her father is a cunning old vulture, and not known for his patience or restraint. Who can say what sort of fiendish plan he might try tae hatch while ye’re courting this lass.”
Bryan’s face went somewhat red. “Well, ach, I wouldnae say I’ve been ‘courting’ her, merely trying tae carry out yer orders tae the best of my ability.”
“Aye, of course, ‘twas naught but a figure of speech,” Alex interjected absently, still staring out the window. If he detected Bryan’s discomfort at the choice of words, he gave no sign—rather, he seemed lost in thought. “Is there anything ye judge we might do tae hurry things along? Any gesture we might make, any assurance we can give her?”
“I’m still doing all that I can tae determine that,” Bryan assured him. “Ye can count on me.”
