“With chess pieces?” Ava couldn’t keep the skepticism out of her voice.
“Aye.” Noah gestured to the board. “Each piece represents a different unit. Knights are cavalry, pawns are foot soldiers,and rooks are archers. I’m workin’ through different tactical scenarios to see what strategies work best.”
Ava moved closer, studying the board with new understanding. “So ye’re... practicin’ for battle? But the clan isnae at war, is it?”
“Nay, we’re nae.” Noah’s expression grew serious. “But we could be, at any moment. Border disputes, clan feuds, disagreements over territory or resources, any of them could escalate. And when it does, I need to be ready.”
“Have ye been in many battles?” The question slipped out before Ava could stop it.
“Enough.” Noah’s voice was heavy. “Too many, if I’m bein’ honest.”
“And that’s why ye do this? The... the chess battles?”
“Aye.” Noah moved a knight and studied the resulting position. “Five years ago, me father started an unnecessary war with the MacArthurs. They’d been raidin’ our lands, takin’ cattle and supplies, and instead of negotiatin’ or findin’ a peaceful solution, he decided to retaliate with force.”
Ava sat down in the chair across from him, drawn in despite herself. “What happened?”
“Months of fightin’. Good men died on both sides. Villages burned. Families torn apart.” Noah’s jaw tightened. “And in theend, we discovered the MacArthurs hadnae been responsible for most of the raids at all. It was bandits takin’ advantage of the tension between our clans, stirrin’ up trouble.”
“That’s terrible,” Ava breathed.
“Aye, it was. And it was preventable.” Noah finally looked up from the board, meeting her eyes. “Me father was too proud, too quick to assume the worst, too eager to prove his strength. He didnae think, didnae plan, just acted. And people died because of it.”
The pain in his voice was tangible. Ava felt herself wanting to reach across the table, to take his hand, to offer some kind of comfort. But she kept her hands folded in her lap instead.
“So now ye plan,” she said softly. “So that if war does come, ye’re ready. So that ye can protect yer people without wastin’ lives unnecessarily.”
“Exactly.”
Noah’s gaze held hers, and something passed between them: understanding, respect, a connection that went deeper than employer and employee. “I willnae make me father’s mistakes. I willnae let pride or anger cloud me judgment. Every decision I make, I think about the cost. About who might die if I choose wrong.”
Ava stared at him, seeing him in a new light.
She had thought him stern, demanding, and maybe even harsh. But beneath that tough exterior was a man who cared deeply about his people, carrying the burden of their lives on his shoulders and refusing to take that responsibility lightly.
“That’s... that’s very noble of ye,” Ava said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“It’s nae noble. It’s necessary.” But Noah’s expression softened slightly. “A laird who doesnae care about his people’s lives isnae fit to lead.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of his words settling between them. Then Ava cleared her throat, needing to shift to safer ground.
“Ye recall askin’ me to see ye so we can discuss Esther?” she started. “About her education.”
Noah’s attention immediately sharpened. “Aye. But it totally skipped me mind. Is somethin’ wrong with the lass? Is she nae learnin’ well?”
“Nay, she’s brilliant! She’s already startin’ to put those big words together into hard sentences. Her numbers are comin’ along nicely, too.” Ava twisted her hands together. “But the Latin... and the other things a lady should ken... I’m nae qualified to teach her those things. I only learned basic Latin meself, and as for deportment and etiquette and?—”
“Esther doesnae need to learn any of that.”
Ava blinked. “But Mrs. Murray said ye wanted her to have a proper education.”
“Aye, an education. Readin’, writin’, arithmetic, enough Latin to get by. Practical things that’ll serve her well no matter what path she chooses.” Noah’s voice was firm. “But I’m nae raisin’ her to be some simperin’ lady who cannae think for herself. I’m nae teachin’ her to curtsy and smile and keep her opinions to herself so she can be sold off to the highest bidder when she comes of age.”
The vehemence in his voice startled Ava. “Ye... ye daenae plan to arrange a marriage for her?”
“Absolutely nae.” Noah’s eyes blazed. “Esther will choose her own husband, if she wants one at all. She’ll marry for love, or nae marry at all. I willnae use her as some political pawn to strengthen alliances or gain wealth. She’s a person, nae a commodity.”
Ava’s throat went tight. “That’s... that’s nae what most men in yer position would say.”
