Before she could reply, Jean took her by the hand and led her into the castle with a surprised looking Alexander following in tow.
*
Jean prattled onto Marion about how pleased she was to see her and pretty much ignored Alexander entirely. He was concerned enough as it was on the journey home, he wasn’t about to wait another day to speak with her.
“Sister,” he said, and when she didn’t reply, he said it louder. “Sister, I must speak with you.”
Turning to him with a frown, she said, “I was about to show Marionthe new hydrangea blooms.”
“I must speak with you immediately.”
Lifting her chin, she walked in the direction of the library and said, “Very well, brother, but only if Marion stays with me.”
“So be it,” he said and followed them inside and closed the door.
“Well. What is so important that you must speak with me at this very moment?”
“Marion and I are married.”
Her jaw slacked and she stared at him for a moment or two before turning to Marion and embracing her. “You are staying with us? And I may now call you sister?”
“Aye, Lady Jean, we are now sisters,” Marion said with a smile fully returning the embrace.
“But that means,” she said and turned to Alexander, “she is now Lady Campbell, Countess of Argyll.”
“Aye, Jean, that she is and that is why I wanted to speak with you straight away. By right, she is now responsible for the running of the castle.”
Jean stepped away from Marion and moved over to look out the window. After a few moments she turned and said, “I will show her everything she needs to know, brother. You need not worry about a thing. We will have a smooth transition. But I confess, I will miss some of the duties.”
“You may keep some of them,” Alexander said.
Jean shook her head. “Oh no, you do not understand. For my lady’s sake, she must be seen as in full control even if we speak privately about what needs doing. She must be the person giving the orders or the staff will never accept her. As good as our relationship is with them, this is the way it must be.”
“You would do that for me?” he asked.
“Nay,” she said as her defiant chin lifted once again. “I will do it for her.”
Alexander understood Jean was still angry with him, and he intended to fix that, but for now he was satisfied that her anger did not extend to Marion, for that he could not accept.
“Very well. I thank you for that. Now I also need to speak with you about this business with my steward.”
“There is no need, brother. Alain has gone.”
“Gone where?” he asked, a knot forming in his stomach.
“He said to tell you that you would know where to find him if you are ever ready to speak to him with respect rather than with accusations.”
Alexander nearly chuckled, though that would most certainly be taken out of context by Jean, and likely Marion as well. What neither knew was just how close the two men were, and that Alexander was fully prepared to listen to Alain and, if he was genuinely interested in his sister, he would bless their union.
“I do know where to find him and I will do so after I ask you one question.”
“And what is that?” she asked as she placed her hands on her hips.
“Do you love him?”
“Aye, I do love him. And he loves me. And if you were not so pig headed, you would have known that already instead of making terrible accusations against a man you have known most of your life.”
He deserved all the pent-up anger she flung at him. In that moment, he could recall their laughter when they thought they were alone. A tryst? Nay, theirs was as real as what he felt for Marion.
