“There is plenty of meat and bread on my table every night, Laird Oliphant—Father.”
“Doona get too comfortable throwing that title about, lad.”
Alex would wear the old man down little by little, until he had no choice but to accept him as a son-in-law. They left the solar together and returned to the great hall in search of Keely. When Alex dinna find her there, he sought out Mathe.
“Where is my wife?”
“At the loch.”
“Is she all right?”
Mathe cracked a rare smile. “When I informed her that she wasna free to traipse about unescorted, she threatened to punch me in the nose.”
“Aye?”
Mathe nodded. “I couldna risk it, Laird Alex—yer wee bride might pack a good wallop.”
Alex gripped the captain’s shoulder. “Ye made the right choice.”
Things were far from settled between Alex and his bride, but while her father was in his house, he must be more lenient with Keely. He couldna fight all of Clan Oliphant and hope to win. He walked outside and headed for the loch.
He found her alone.
“I dinna expect to see ye alive again.”
“Have ye so little faith in yer husband?” he asked, standing next to her.
“Tis not a lack of belief in yer abilities, Alex. I know my father—he’s a temperamental sort, believes any worthy cause should be settled with fists or swords.”
“A family trait, I believe,” he said humorously.
“What do ye mean?”
“Ye threatened my captain with violence?”
“Aye. I dinna need him following me about.”
“Yer escort isna just to make sure ye doona run away, Keely. I wish to keep ye safe.”
“From who?”
“Sutherlands.”
“And why would the Sutherlands wish me any harm?”
“Because ye’re my wife.”
Her blue gaze stayed on him as she absorbed his words. “I doona like to think that the earl or his sons would hurt me to get to ye, Alex. And I know ye hate them and have every right to.”
“Desperate men strike without warning or purpose, Keely. Men of honor meet on the battlefield.”
“Is that what ye think the earl is, desperate?”
“He is now,” Alex said. “He must live with the uncertainty of when and how I will retaliate for John’s death, and the murders of my tenants.”
“Doesn’t that make ye equally desperate?”
A fair question. Did it? Alex rubbed his chin. “Perhaps I am.”
