"About supply lines, actually. And whether we have enough grain stored fer winter if we need tae feed additional warriors." He set down his spoon. "But that's nae very interestin’ conversation fer lunch."
"I dinnae mind." Mhairi broke off a piece of bread. "Though I have tae say, after this morning's disaster with the bandagin’, I'm nae sure I can handle thinkin’ about anythin’ more complicated than eatin’."
"It was nae a disaster. Donnach said ye did well fer a first real attempt."
"He was being kind." But Mhairi was smiling despite her words. "I kept getting’ the tension wrong. Too loose, too tight, never quite right. It's maddenin’ when ye understand the principle but yer hands refuse tae cooperate."
Alpin recognized that frustration.
He'd felt it himself learning swordwork as a boy, knowing exactly what movement he needed to make but having his body refuse to execute it properly.
"Ye just need more practice," he said. "On different types of injuries, different body parts. The wooden arm can only teach ye so much."
"Aye, I ken. But I cannae exactly go around injurin’ people just so I can practice wrappin’ them."
"Ye could practice on me."
Mhairi's eyes widened. "What?"
"I'm offerin’ meself as a practice patient." Alpin extended his arm across the table. "Any time ye want tae work on yer technique, I'm available. Better tae practice on someone who willnae mind if ye get it wrong than tae worry about hurting a real patient."
She stared at his arm, then at his face. "Ye'd really let me dae that?"
"Why wouldnae I?"
"Because it's tedious. Because ye have actual responsibilities."
"I want tae help ye learn." He kept his arm extended. "And watching ye discover something ye're passionate about is far from tedious."
Color rose in Mhairi's cheeks. She reached across the table, her fingers brushing his wrist lightly. "Thank ye. That's... that's really kind."
"I'm nae being kind. I'm being practical." Though the way her touch made his pulse jump was anything but practical. "Ye need practice, I have arms and legs that need wrappin’, occasionally anyway. It's efficient."
"Efficient," she repeated, but she was smiling now. "Is that what we're calling it?"
Before Alpin could respond, the dining room door opened and a messenger appeared, one of the younger warriors, out of breath like he'd been running.
"Me laird," the man said, sketching a quick bow. "A letter just arrived. From MacGregor lands." The messenger handed over the sealed parchment.
Alpin broke the seal and scanned the contents quickly. A smile spread across his face as he read.
"Good news?" Mhairi asked.
"Very good news." He looked up at her. "Peadar and Kenina are coming. They'll be here in two days."
"Who are Peadar and Kenina?"
Alpin set the letter aside and leaned back in his chair. "Peadar MacGregor is laird of Clan MacGregor and one of me closestallies. Kenina is his new wife, who I have nae had the pleasure tae meet yet."
"And they're coming here because...?"
"Because I asked them tae. Because they have experience with Graham and the auction trade that could help us." Alpin paused, choosing his words carefully. "Their story is... similar tae yers in some ways."
Mhairi's hands stilled on her bread. "Similar how?"
"Kenina was taken during a raid organized by Graham. She was brought to one of his auctions and sold." Alpin watched Mhairi's face pale slightly. "Peadar was there, he'd infiltrated the auction tae gather evidence against Graham. When he saw Kenina on that platform, he bought her tae save her."
"He bought her." Mhairi's voice was flat.
