5
“It was a peculiar meeting indeed yesterday, was it not?” Isla commented to Margaret, trying to keep her tone neutral.
“Was it?” Margaret asked, laying out a dress for Isla to wear. “The whole affair went rather well, I thought. Brodie MacKenzie seems like a good man. He is handsome enough, certainly. And your family liked him well enough, did they not?”
“Yes, but he was clearly not taken with me.”
“Oh, but you must give it a chance!” Margaret admonished. “You have barely begun to acquaint yourselves with each other. Given more time—”
“You misunderstand,” Isla clarified, her tone brittle as winter frost on blades of grass. “He did not seem taken with me. He did, however, seem quite taken withyou.”
Margaret balked. “Did he? Good heavens, I hadn’t noticed!”
“Of course you did!” Isla countered. “Do not try to deny it! I saw the way you two kept looking at each other. It was unmistakable! He is attracted to you, and you want him too!”
Margaret winced. “Very well, you are right. I did find myself desirous of him when we met at the stables…beforehe had introduced himself, that is. But as soon as he did…as soon as I understood who he was…why, Isla, you must know that I would never pursue a man you were betrothed to!”
“Even knowing that the engagement is against my wishes?” Isla asked wryly. “I do not blame you for the existence of a spark of attraction between you and Brodie, Margaret. How could I? Such things are beyond control, and besides, I know you would never do anything to hurt or betray me.”
“Indeed not,” Margaret agreed, relieved at Isla’s understanding. “And you shall see that once the two of you have spent ample time together. Once he has gotten to know what a sweet, kind, wonderful person you are…”
“...then he will be able to see past the fact that I am not as pretty as my maid?” Isla teased.
“No! No, I meant no such thing!”
“I am only making sport of you, dear Margaret,” Isla said, giggling. “You can be so frightfully earnest sometimes! At any rate, you are right, of course, as you so often are. No doubt, when we have the opportunity to speak further, Brodie and I shall discover we have any number of things in common, and the prospect of marrying each other will become far more desirable for both of us. Which is why I sent one of the servants with an invitation for Brodie to go riding with me this morning.”
“A splendid idea!” Margaret clapped her hands together. “Oh, Idohope you get on well with each other! Though I must confess, I am somewhat surprised to hear that you intend to make such an effort in that regard. Were you not set upon defying your father and marrying Andrew?”
Isla let out a frustrated sigh, looking at herself in the mirror as Margaret combed and pinned up her hair for her. “I was. Part of me is still considering that course of action. But…well, rebellion against one’s father is all well and good in theory, but once the practice of it is seriously considered, the prospect begins to appear far less feasible.”
“I shall have to take your word for it,” Margaret said, “as I’ve never had a father to rebel against.”
Isla almost told Margaret that she hadn’t missed out on much, then thought better of it at the last moment. Her brand of cleverness was not always kind or considerate of others’ feelings, and it often ran away with her. She privately applauded herself for resisting the temptations of her own wit and holding her tongue this time. Teasing Margaret could be great fun indeed, but she had no desire to take it too far.
Later that morning, Isla met Brodie at the stables, and they rode off across the hillside together. They exchanged glances and made awkward small talk about the weather and the habits of their horses, each trying to come up with a conversational gambit that might lead to a compelling and revealing discussion.
Finally, Isla asked, “So now that you’ve had a chance to mourn for your father, do you look forward to assuming your role as laird of the MacLeods?”
“Most definitely,” Brodie replied. “I still carry my share of grief, to be sure, but I feel that I am now up to the task of leading my people. You see, I was never content to sit in my family’s castle and look down upon our lands and people from above, as some noble scions are. I have been deeply and personally involved with the doings of my kinsfolk since the day of my birth. I have put in work on every farm and made merry with every family that bends the knee to the MacLeod banner. Their lives and well-being are my responsibility, and I intend to take it extremely seriously.”
Isla frowned. “That does not sound like a life which would permit much in the way of travel or adventure.”
“To me, helping my fellow MacLeods to prosper is the greatest adventure of them all,” he said. “And as for travel…no. To be honest, the idea had never much occurred to me.”
“Oh, but how could it not?” Isla asked. “This is such a large and wonderful world, filled with faraway lands, intriguing sights, and strange peoples! Once you have lairdship, you will have the ability to delegate the daily responsibilities to others whom you trust to see them through, and you will be free to roam and marvel as you please! Who would not want such a thing for themselves?”
“Who would inherit the rule of a clan, only to hand it over to others so that he may indulge his own whims?” Brodie retorted.
“Not you, I suppose,” she grumbled under her breath.
“So you have traveled a great deal, then?” he guessed, trying to keep his tone light and friendly. He was hardly encouraged by the conversation thus far but hoped that a change of subject might yield more promising results.
“Alas, I have not,” Isla answered wistfully. “Though it has ever been my wish to do so. I had hoped that once I married a laird, I would have the time and resources to satisfy my wanderlust. Preferably with my husband at my side.”
Well, so much for finding a more palatable topic, Brodie thought ruefully.
“I can see how that might be a charming notion for you,” he began cautiously, “but when I become laird of the MacKenzies, I shall be the male heir toyourclan as well. And I will need you at my side in order to rule effectively.”
