Archibald dropped her arm, stepping back as his anger seemed to fade. His features twisted into a new expression, one of confusion and more than a hint of concern.
“Tried to have ye… kidnapped…” he trailed off, running a hand through his hair. “Had I ken, I never would have…”
Thalia watched him struggle, and her fear slowly ebbed. Her own words and advice echoed in her head.
Sometimes people are angry, when really they are just worried.
“Uncle?” she prompted, trying to get his attention.
His eyes snapped up, and they were much softer than before. “Why didnae ye tell me?”
“I thought he was still with ye at MacCabe Castle,” she explained. “Then, I didnae want to tell ye until we were back home. I’m sorry ye had to find out like this.”
He waved his hand dismissively at the apology. “Nonsense. I’m glad to ken now. To do somethin’ as dishonorable as tryin’ to kidnap someone else’s betrothed… even if he doesnae think it is a real betrothal. Harrison isnae the man I thought he was.”
Thalia’s heart soared in relief, only to crash back down at his next words.
“I will make sure the next man who asks for yer hand is more worthy of ye.”
“Next man?” Thalia sputtered. “Do ye still intend to marry me off, even though ye ken what I’ve been through the last few weeks?”
“Aye,” Archibald replied. His voice was firm, though a bit of sympathy had bled through. “Ye need a husband, Thalia. I ken ye daenae think ye do, but ye will have a better life for it. A husband will protect ye, provide for ye. I willnae be around forever, and there is nay guarantee that the next Laird MacFinn will be able to take care of ye as I have.”
The words stung, but there was a truth in them that she had not considered before.
“But I have Ava and Caden, and Emma and Jack. I ken they wouldnae leave me out in the cold,” Thalia argued.
“Nay, but they also have their own families to worry about,” Archibald pointed out. “They have their own homes, their own clans. I want that for ye, too. I ken ye think I am a villain because I tried to trick ye into marryin’ a man ye didnae want… but I truly only want what is best for ye.”
Thalia fell quiet. She considered his argument, and for the first time, she started to see things from her uncle’s perspective. While she did not agree with him, she could see now that his ideas came from a place of care and a wish for her to be happy.
A month ago, she would have scoffed at the idea of marriage. She had never seen it as necessary, and even her uncle’s argument now would have fallen on deaf ears. Yet a lot had changed since then.
She had started to see the appeal of marriage, of having a family. She had seen what that could have been like with Finlay and Daisy, and she had liked it. Not just liked it, she had found comfort and joy the likes of which she had never known before.
It had not worked out with Finlay, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a possibility that it could work out with someone else.
“I see that now, Uncle,” she replied, her voice softening. “While I cannae promise that Iwillwant to marry, I can promise that I will be more open to the idea.”
Archibald smiled, the lines in his cheeks and forehead deepening. “That is a vast improvement from how ye used to be. I can see that ye have changed, Thalia. Ye are growin’ into a fine young lass.”
Heat rose to her cheeks at the compliment, and she returned the sentiment with a small smile.
He cleared his throat. “I will also promise nae to try and trick ye again. The next time I try to get ye married, it shall be with yer consent.”
Thalia’s smile widened. “Thank ye, Uncle.”
Archibald offered his elbow, and she took it.
They walked together back to the carriage. The driver waited patiently for them in his seat, and he nodded to them as they approached, reaching back into the bag close to him for the breakfast that Thalia’s stomach was now growling for.
“I suppose,” Archibald began. “Ye could have done much worse than Laird MacAinsley. Even with that daughter of his.”
“Her name is Daisy,” Thalia corrected instantly. She let a little bit of defensiveness slip out. She would not let her uncle insult the girl again.
“Of course. Daisy.” Archibald took the bread and cheese from the driver, tore a chunk, and gave it to her. “Regardless, Laird MacAinsley did well in protecting ye from Laird MacGibbon. I cannae help but wonder why ye changed yer mind about him.”
“It wasnae about me changin’ me mind,” she sighed. “It was about him nae bein’ able to change his.”
