He forced his feet to move. To put distance between himself and Clarissa.
This visit would be the death of him. He could sense it.
Had he made a mistake in agreeing to her accompanying Nicholas and Gwen?
*
Dinner had longago been consumed and both Clarissa and Gwen had retired upstairs to their rooms leaving Alexander and Nicholas to their own devices as they made their way to the study.
At the sidebar, Alexander poured two glasses of brandy and handed one to Nicholas, who accepted with a thank you.
The fire roared and crackled as they settled into the two overstuffed chairs arranged in front of it, watching the flames lick their way up towards the chimney.
Alexander took a sip, savoring the flavor before placing his glass on the walnut table between them. “Ye and Gwen are the epitome of wedded bliss. I can see it every time ye lay your eyes upon her.”
Nicholas smiled. “Can ye?”
“Aye. I am verra happy for ye, Nicholas. Ye more than anyone deserves such happiness.”
“Thank ye. She does make me feel like a Don. I ne’er imagined my life as ’tis now.”
Alexander gave him a smile and focused his attention on the flames once again.
“And ye? Ye are in need of a wife as well. Family line, obligations, and all that.”
He sighed and shook his head. If he wasn’t so averse to commitment, mayhap Clarissa could be that woman. But he couldn’t say that to his best friend. He didn’t even ken if she felt the same about him. He thought so. The looks she gave him told him many things without saying a word, but she had not voiced any such feelings.
That was probably a blessing in disguise seeing how he was almost in financial ruin. Nay, he would need to cement his estate’s future before he could even think about a pairing with anyone, especially Clarissa.
“No lass has caught your eye? Ye canna go around bedding all ye want with no commitment.”
“Och. I ken that. No’ that ’tis your concern, but I’ve no’ bedded a lass since we’ve returned.”
Nicholas’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Ye arena serious.”
“Aye, I am.”
“How come? ’Tis unlike ye.”
Alexander shrugged. He wasn’t ready to bring up the subject of Nicholas’s sister with him. Wasn’t sure if he ever would be. “I have other pressing matters that have been of concern.”
Nicholas narrowed his eyes and Alexander kenned his best friend didn’t believe him, but he didn’t press him for information. Not about the lassies. “What matters? Ye have been distracted since we arrived.”
Alexander choked on the brandy he’d just swallowed. A rack of coughs making his eyes water. If only Nicholas kenned the thoughts running through his mind. He would not be happy.
Clapping him on the back, Nicholas chuckled. “Hell, brother. There is naught need to get so affected by a mere question.” He leaned back in his chair and sipped from his glass, studying the liquid as he swirled it around, a smile tipping the corners of his mouth.
Alexander, finally able to catch his breath, sighed heavily. “Christopher has been,” he paused, searching for the right word. “Challenging since I’ve arrived back home.”
Nicholas nodded, more than likely thinking he understood, since he had six siblings of his own that he had to wrangle. But he was certain none of his friend’s siblings had ever gambled their family’s livelihood away.
“Do ye care to expound on that? I ken Christopher has always been a bit of a thorn in your side. Especially after what he did to your books while ye were serving.”
Unable to stop the laugh that burst through his lips, Alexander pushed his hands through his hair, scraping his scalp in frustration. His situation wasn’t funny. Not in the least. But at this point he could only laugh.
“Well, ye may have noticed when ye arrived that the Campbell sheep werena on the grounds.”
Nicholas tilted his head in thought. “Now that ye mention it, I did no’.”
