“I’m intrigued.” I manage a smile that I know is identical to my mother’s.
Lennox pulls his hand away, looks at our father and then to me. “I’ve known Elise forever and she’s known us, every bad thing as well as the good. We were at the cabin the other night – when you were at the casino, Blair – and I realised that…” He glances at her and she reaches for his hand.
My brother has just dug himself into hole. One full of boxes that he’s managing to tick.
“I realised that Elise has been there all this time and I’ve never been astute enough to see her for what she is. She’s perfect for me. She knows us, knows our messy lives and still she loves us. And me.” He looks proud.
I clutch the arms of Grannie’s rocking chair.
“So I asked her to be my wife, and she said yes!”
To his credit, Lennox looks absolutely smitten. He gazes at Elise and cups her jaw, before placing a sweet kiss on her lips.
She’s beaming and I feel my heart break for her.
“Congratulations.” The word doesn’t choke me, not like I thought it would. I do feel happy for them, for Elise. This has been what she’s wanted: Lennox. Whether that’s because of his title or because of him or all of, I’ve never been sure. But if this is in Lennox’s master plan, then she’ll be the next Queen of Scotland. “I’m really happy for you both.”
I stand and cross over the room to them, hugging Elise as she stands too. The embrace is warm – I’ve been hugging this woman since we were seven. But this time it’s different. She’s been skirting around the edges of our chessboard for years, and finally she’s become a player. A potential queen.
I go to Lennox; the person I’ve known all my life but sometimes know as well as I would a stranger.
“Congratulations,” I repeat the word, I look up at him. My beautiful only sibling; tall and handsome and oh so ambitious for his country and himself. He is not our father. Our father never had a plan beyond stability. Lennox promises something new, something for more innovative, something far more dangerous. “I’m happy for you.”
And I am, both of them. But I’m terrified as well. The power wielded in this room right now is enough to fuse the nation, the island even. And I’m not sure they’re aware of it.
For the first time since my father’s diagnosis, I’m scared of our political future.
“When are you going to announce the engagement?” She isn’t wearing a ring yet, which tells me this really was one of Lennox’s rash decisions.
“We have a delegates’ dinner in Manchester coming up next week, so I thought we’d announce it privately then. There’s a rally the following day when I’m speaking; we’ll go public after that.” He looks at my father, who doesn’t nod or smile.
“I think you’re best waiting until after the rally, and the dinner. Hold a celebration here and a press release following that. Keep your love life separate from your day job.”
“I want to support Lennox with his day job,” Elise says to my father. “Like Maighread has done for you.”
“And you will,” my father’s voice is quietly strong. “But this announcement should be a cause for celebration, something to temper the undercurrents that are blazing through the country and The South. If Lennox announces it at the same time as his speech, your engagement will be used to criticise him. If you take my advice, you’ll wait a few weeks, maybe until St Andrew’s Day.”
“That’s a long time to wait.” She smiles, but there’s petulance in it that I know my father will spot.
“You’re hopefully going to be a long time married, so what’s a few more weeks?” He turns away, his input over, and picks up a mug of tea with a hand that shakes.
I hope Elise doesn’t continue her point.
“You’re happy for us?” Lennox asks me, offering me a plate.
We’re eating informally, not around a table, picking at a brunch buffet that’s been set out near the window. I follow my brother’s lead, taking a rasher of bacon and sausage, ignoring the carbs. My hunger has gone, but I can hear Ben’s voice in my head. When he stopped leaving me first thing in the mornings before I woke, he’d bring me breakfast.
One morning he fed it to me and I think of that now, how he’d cared and laughed and touched and we’d talked. There was intimacy, like I hadn’t had before.
I wonder if Lennox will do that for Elise, or whether instead of a queen, he’s playing her as his pawn.
“Yes.” I’m happy my friend finally has what she set out to get.
“Good. This gives you more freedom, you know. The focus will be on Elise and she’ll be able to take some of your duties.” There’s an edge to his voice, one of forced persuasion.
“Let’s talk about it later. Dad looks a lot better. Let’s enjoy some time with him.”
I eat with my family, the conversation switching between weddings and parties and the loch and the mountains. Elise’s eyes caress the walls that she’ll one day choose the decor for and watches my brother.
