“Wot in bloody hell were ye thinking!”
Both men turned to see the laird standing a few feet away, his hands on his hips and a dark look on his face.
James cleared his throat, feeling the anger roll off the laird in waves.
“I didnae start it.”
“I dinnae care,” Irvine shot back. “’Tis hard enough, James, tae come tae the table like this with the Wallace clan, and now I have tae worry aboot ye keeping yer anger under control? I didnae bring ye tae the table with me tae make it more difficult.”
James felt admonished by the laird, realizing that he had in fact let his anger get the best of him.
“I—” he started, searching for the right words to say to the Scot who had provided his family with a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.
“Dinnae.” Irvine cut him off with the wave of his hand. “I dinnae want tae hear yer excuses. Ye have embarrassed me and yer clan. Dinnae come back unless ye can behave yerself, James.”
James’s cheeks turned dull red from embarrassment as the laird walked away, anger evident in each stride. His father rounded on James, his eyes flashing hurt and embarrassment.
“It would bode ye well tae stay far away from this place for now,” he said, his tone strong and laced with anger. “Before the laird sends ye home.”
James stiffened as his father joined the laird heading back to the keep, the earlier events now fading to a dull memory—an embarrassing one at that. Ian had deserved what he got, but perhaps he should have chosen the sparring ring instead of the negotiation room to give the Scot what he was due.
“Bloody hell,” he cursed, rubbing the sore place on his jawline as he walked away. James hadn’t expected this to happen at all and now both his father and his laird were upset with him.
The first person he ran into on his way back to his tent was his mother, who frowned when she saw him.
“Wot are ye doing here, James?” she asked, rising from the log she had been sitting on. “Ye should be with yer da.”
“He sent me here,” James said quietly. “’Tis nothing tae worry aboot. He just doesnae need me any longer.”
She arched a brow, clearly not believing his lie. “Wot happened?”
Drawing in a heavy breath, James told her what happened, watching as her face paled with his words.
“James Lennox!” she admonished. “Wot in the heavens made ye act that way? Ye knew this gathering was important tae our laird and our clan! Good heavens, yer da is going tae be in such a way when he returns.”
James took her words to heart, knowing that he would disappoint his entire family and likely the clan if they couldn’t find a common peace with the Wallace clan.
“I will fix this,” he finally said, hanging his head. “I swear it.”
“Why?” his mother asked, laying a hand on his shoulder and forcing him to meet her worried gaze. “’Tis not like ye, James. Ye dinnae go around fighting others. ’Tis not in yer nature tae do so.”
James swallowed, knowing that she was likely right. He didn’t just go around picking fights with others, but Ian saw him as weak, just like the rest of his clan.
Thathe couldn’t live with. He couldn’t just allow anyone to choose to say words like Ian had today.
Shrugging off his mother’s touch, he walked away without answering her question. If he told her the truth, then she would just tell him the same things that everyone else did.
That he was meant to be an advisor and nothing more.
12
“Ye have tae go, Iris. All the participants of the gathering games are required tae be there taenight.”
Iris crossed her arms over her chest as she glared at Stephan, wanting to knock his mug out of his hand and onto the ground.
“I dinnae like those sorts of things. Ye know that. Da knows that.”
Her brother chuckled, his cheeks already ruddy from imbibing in the whiskey casks that had been given to each clan in anticipation of the evening’s entertainment.
