“Ye would commit tae being the bride of a man ye barely know? All because the sworn enemies of yer father have asked ye tae do so? Why?” he demanded.
She sighed. “Tonight, I supped with some of those Oliphants whose village was destroyed by my father. I looked into their eyes, I heard their words. I met their families. They accepted me as one of their own. They had no reason tae do so, knowing that my clan is responsible for their misery and loss. How can I face them, knowing I didnae do all I possibly could tae prevent others from going through what they have?”
“But…”
Katherine put a hand up to silence him. “Is Kirk Oliphant a bad man, Bryan? A cruel man? A drunk, a brute, a lout?”
“Nay,” Bryan admitted. “He can be a trifle irritating in his gregariousness, perhaps, from time tae time. But he is a good man, and a wise advisor tae Laird Alex. I have no doubt that he will treat ye well enough, even if the two of ye aren’t…” He swallowed hard. “Even if his feelings for ye pale when compared with my own.”
Katherine wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch Bryan’s melancholy face, or take his hand to comfort him. But she knew that there was truth in Isla’s words of caution. If people saw them getting too close, acting too intimate with each other, it could call the legitimacy of the engagement into question.
Which could lead to war between the Oliphants and the McGregors.
So she stood firm, her hands at her sides. “This is the right thing tae do, then, Bryan. And I shall bear the burden of it with grace and humility, so long as it prevents the need for violence. I ask that ye do the same. Dinnae make this more difficult for me than it already is, I beg of ye. ‘Tis not a death sentence, merelyan arranged marriage. They happen all the time, and for far less crucial reasons than this one.”
And with that, she moved past him and walked into the castle without a backward glance. She knew if she looked upon his sad countenance again, her resolve might weaken.
18
During the next few days, Katherine largely busied herself by spending time with Isla, or making more trips to the surrounding villages so she could acquaint herself with the Oliphant clan members who lived there. She won them over slowly, with patience and kindness, and with Isla’s aid, who encouraged them to trust her despite her lineage.
More than anything, Katherine did all she could to avoid running into Bryan Black. She feared that he might once again plead with her not to marry Kirk, and she did not trust herself to continue to deny him.
All she could do now, she reasoned, was make the best of her situation by enjoying her new friendship with the laird’s wife, and wait for word to come from her father regarding the proposition of the marriage.
As it turned out, she did not have to wait long.
After three days had passed, a McGregor messenger rode up to the gates of Castle Oliphant, carrying a missive from Laird Angus. She watched his approach from her window. She even recognized the man—Bram, one of her father’s closest and most trusted advisors. Angus had heeded his counsel less and less oflate, as the laird’s mind frayed at the prospect of war with the Oliphants. If Bram were the one who’d been sent, then clearly, Laird Angus meant business.
Katherine ran down the steps and into the courtyard just in time to see Bram finish conversing with Laird Alex, Kirk, and Bryan. Alex nodded and gestured that the messenger was dismissed.
Bram mounted his horse once more, and he glanced at Katherine. His eyes narrowed, and though his expression was largely unreadable, it was not difficult for her to divine what he was looking at. Knowing her father, he had told Bram to report back regarding her appearance and temperament.
Tae determine where my loyalties are, she thought grimly.Tae see whether they are treating me as a captive or a collaborator.
She was suddenly acutely aware of the fact that she was wearing one of the beautiful dresses Isla had given her. Would Bram report that back to her father as well? That the Oliphants had furnished her with fine new clothes, to purchase her loyalty?
But she knew that fretting about the conclusions her father would jump to was largely a waste of time. He would do as he pleased. Her feelings on the subject had never swayed him before, and she doubted they would do so this time either.
Bram rode off, and the heavy gates swung shut behind him with a clang that sounded darkly final.
“What news, Laird Alex?” Katherine asked. Her voice trembled slightly. “Did my father agree tae yer terms?”
Alex shook his head gravely. “He says that he intends tae come and discuss the matter in person tomorrow. He sent the messenger ahead so that, upon seeing him and his guardsmen, we wouldnae assume we were under attack. But…” He trailed off and sighed.
“What?” Katherine demanded.
“The man he sent informed us that Laird Angus didnae look upon the proposal favorably,” Kirk said quietly. “He said that the laird would sooner fling his clan into war, see them cut down tae the last man, than find himself related tae an Oliphant.”
“I see,” she answered bleakly. “Is there no chance tae avoid bloodshed?”
“That is what our meeting with him shall determine, I suppose,” Bryan observed. He was having difficulty looking Katherine in the eye.
Not knowing what else to do, Katherine returned to her chamber. She tried not to stare out the window, knowing there was no point, that the sun would set and rise again before she’d catch sight of her father and his men coming over the hill.
Still, she could not help herself. In her anxiety, she did not know what else she could do. She went to the castle’s library a couple of times, hoping to find a book there which might distract her. But she found she could not focus on the words on the pages, and with each new trip, she became increasingly worried that she might run into Bryan.
She could not bear to see the mournful look in the captain’s eyes again. Not when their future was so uncertain.
