“Thank ye, Finlay.”
He stood again, walking over to the window. He had a small view of the gardens from his study, and he could see Daisy, Thalia, and Rowena out there now. Daisy and Thalia walked hand in hand back up towards the castle, with Rowena trailing alongbehind. Daisy’s smile was the widest he’d ever seen as she looked up at Thalia.
Ava came and stood beside him, watching the scene.
“Thalia’s so good with children,” she commented. Finlay said nothing, so she continued. “Did I tell ye about that time she went ice skating with Nathan?”
“Nay, ye didnae.”
“Nathan wanted to go so badly. I was with child at the time and felt too sick to go. Caden was busy, so Thalia agreed to go with him. But she didnae tell him that she was terrified of the ice.” Ava laughed as she remembered the story. “She braved it, just for a chance to see him smile. That’s the kind of person she is, and that’s why I worry so much about her. I worry that she’ll always choose someone else’s happiness over her own.”
Finlay fell quiet at that. He could see that part of Thalia—the soft, sweet, caring side. But there was more to her. She was fierce and protective.
He thought of the way she had yelled at him when she thought he had been mistreating Daisy, and of the story she had told him about attacking her would-be groom to get away from him. She would do anything to protect the people she loved, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight either.
Another knock sounded at the study door, and Finlay called out for whoever it was to enter.
Peter poked his head in, nodding at Ava. “Sorry to interrupt, but there are… ah…guestswho have just arrived.”
“Guests?” Finlay asked. “What kind of guests?”
“Uncle? What are ye doin’ here?” Thalia asked, her eyes flickering between the two men before her.
They were dressed for riding, but they didn’t appear to have a whole army behind them. That was a relief, at least.
“I was comin’ to see Ava, where I thought ye’d be, when a messenger recognized me crest and handed me a very interesting letter,” Archibald said, scowling.
“What kind of letter?” Thalia asked.
Archibald thrust the paper into her face, and she took it. Her eyes scanned the words quickly, trying to process them. She blanched at the words ‘because she will marry me’, and tried to remain calm.
It claimed to be from Finlay, but the handwriting was too squiggly to be his. The letters seemed written by someone who still had to remember what shape they needed to be.
Thalia glanced back for a moment at where Rowena and Daisy still huddled in the corner. Daisy met her eyes for a brief moment before quickly looking away, but Thalia could see the shame in them.
Oh, Daisy, what kind of trouble have ye gotten us into?
“Is this the kind of man ye’d prefer to wed?” Archibald continued angrily. “The kind that cannae even be bothered to write his own letters? Such disrespect! He probably had a maid write this.”
“Aye, I apologize for the disrespect, Uncle,” Thalia said meekly.
She could feel Harrison watching her, those cold grey eyes examining her as if she were nothing but an object to him.Hisobject. She refused to look at him.
There was a clamor as Finlay came down the stairs, along with Ava and Caden. Ava ran straight to Thalia’s side, while Finlay and Caden lingered by the bottom of the stairs.
“Are ye all right?” Ava asked.
Thalia nodded without saying a word.
“Laird MacAinsley,” Archibald greeted, drawing his sword. “Ye’ll pay for yer disrespect.”
“Uncle!” Ava cried.
“Careful, old man. Ye could get hurt playin’ with that.” Finlay’s tone was teasing, but his stance said the opposite. His hand rested easily on the hilt of his sword, and Caden looked prepared for a fight as well. “I daenae recall invitin’ ye to me castle.”
“And I daenae recall givin’ ye permission to marry me niece,” Archibald hissed.
All eyes turned to Thalia, and she flushed under the attention.
