Alpin glared at both of them. "Was there an actual reason ye came lookin’ fer me, or did ye just want tae interrupt?"
"Actually, aye." Callum's expression turned more serious. "A messenger arrived from Clan Fraser. They're willin’ tae commit twenty warriors tae the cause against Graham."
"That's good news." Alpin tried to focus on business despite his racing heart and the lingering feel of Mhairi's body against his. "What about Morrison?"
"Still waitin’ tae hear back." Peadar leaned against the table, arms crossed. "But Alpin, before we get too deep intae plannin’... what exactly are yer intentions toward Mhairi?"
"Me intentions?"
"Aye. Because what we just walked in on looked fairly... intentional."
Alpin ran a hand through his still-damp hair. "It's complicated."
"Complicated how?" Callum asked. "Ye clearly care about her. She clearly cares about ye. What's complicated about that?"
"Everythin’." Alpin began pacing, needing to move. "She's been through hell. Her faither sold her, she was bought at auction, she's being hunted by an English duke who thinks he owns her.The last thing she needs is me addin’ more pressure by declarin’ me intentions."
"So ye dae have intentions," Peadar said.
Alpin stopped pacing. "Aye. I dae."
"What kind of intentions?"
He might as well say it. His friends would figure it out eventually anyway. "I want tae marry her."
The words hung in the air for a moment. Then Callum grinned.
"About bloody time."
"Ye're serious?" Peadar asked, though he was smiling too.
"Completely serious." Alpin leaned against the weapon rack, letting himself admit what he'd been feeling for weeks. "She's brilliant, brave, kind. She's survived things that would break most people and come out stronger. She makes me laugh, makes me think, makes me want tae be better than I am. And when I'm with her, everything just... makes sense."
"Have ye told her any of this?" Callum asked.
"Some of it. But nae the marriage part. Nae yet."
"Why nae?"
"Because we're about tae go tae war with Graham and possibly Ashcombe. Because her life is finally starting tae settle and I dinnae want tae complicate it. Because she deserves time tae figure out what she wants without me pushin’ her."
Alpin's jaw tightened. "And because if something happens tae me in this fight, I dinnae want her tied tae me legally. She'd be a widow before she was barely a wife."
Peadar's expression sobered. "That's assumin’ ye'd lose. Which ye willnae."
"Ye cannae guarantee that."
"Nay, but I can guarantee that living in fear of what might happen is nay way tae build a future." Peadar moved closer, his voice earnest.
“Aye.”
"Then stop overthinking it." Peadar clapped him on the shoulder. "Talk tae her. Tell her how ye feel. Let her make her own choices about what she wants. But dinnae hide behind excuses about timing and war and protecting her from complications. She's stronger than that."
"Aye," Alpin agreed. "She is."
They stood in silence for a moment, three friends who'd been through their own battles and survived. Finally, Callum grinned again.
"So, when are ye going to ask her?"
