Page 140 of Claimed Highland Brides

IDEAS

“Forgive me for lurking. I didnae want ye to be alone,” Aileen whispered, shamefacedly as she stepped onto the balcony.

He turned to her with a smile. “Dinnae be shamed. I’m glad ye’re here. Perhaps ye can help me. The thinking’s no’ going so well.”

Aileen smiled tentatively. “Aye, weel, ye should go to bed and sleep on it.”

Barclay lifted an eyebrow and smirked. “It’ll be better in the morning?”

Aileen cocked her head, feeling that there might be a weight to those words she wasn’t getting. “Maybe not, but if yer mind is fresh, ye might be able to think o’ something. I heard my sister and Daividh talking. They said ye have to wait until ye’re five and twenty to get yer land.”

Barclay sighed. “Or I have to be marrit.”

“Aye. Do ye no’ have…?” She stopped uncertainly, watching his face.

He raised an eyebrow. “Do I no’ have…what? Are ye asking if I am promised?”

Aileen nodded, eyes flickering from side to side with embarrassment.

“Nay. I am not. How could I? I dinnae even have a home to take a bride to.”

Aileen’s heart broke for him. “Maybe not yet, but ye soon will.”

Barclay huffed cynically. “We will see, will we no’?”

“Ye have the will, and we will back yer claim. Perhaps ye can go to yer uncle and show him that ye’re no’ alone and that there are people who will stand wi’ ye.”

Barclay gave her a smile and a shrug. “I suppose it is worth trying if yer brother-in-law will agree to accompany me.”

“O’ course he will.”

“Ye seem very certain.”

“We havenae seen each other for many a year, Barclay, but ye’re still a dear friend o’ the family. Of course we’ll help ye. Our faither would expect no less from us.”

“Is that the only reason then? That ye would help me?”

Suddenly she felt breathless despite the bracing night air. Folding her hands, she had to struggle to keep her gaze on his.

“O’ course not. We would do it because we want to as well.”

He continued to consider her unblinkingly, the tension between them ratcheting upward as the silence grew between them. The air was so thick with it that Aileen found it difficult to draw a breath. She could feel every rise and fall of her chest, arms folded between her diminutive breasts as she stared back at Barclay, unable to break eye contact.

Why are ye looking at me like that?

Her hand wanted to fly to her hair to check that it was still neatly knotted and not escaping in unruly wisps as it was wont to do.

She cleared her throat, searching frantically for any words to say to break the strange silence. Before she could speak, Barclay moved, taking a step towards her. He was close enough that she could feel his breath fan her face as he opened his mouth. “Ye got really tall. Ye used to be such a wee thing.”

Her eyes were at level with his nose, and she hardly had to tip her head up to meet his own. She hunched into herself immediately, feeling mortified. Her height was a continuing source of embarrassment to her, towering as she did over most people. It was unseemly for a lassie to be so huge, and it was one reason she was convinced that no man could ever want her for a wife.

The look in Barclay’s eyes, though, was confusing. He did not look at all disgusted. In fact, if she were not convinced she was mistaken, she might have said he was admiring.

“No, no, dinnae bend yourself over like that.” Barclay stretched his hand out and touched her arm briefly. “I’m sorry. I dinnae mean to discomfit ye.”

Aileen dipped her head, feeling still more out of countenance that he had noticed her discomfiture. “’Tis alright,” she whispered, trying to think of how she could withdraw from the balcony with some grace.

Barclay gave a loud sigh. “I’ve spoiled it, have I no’?” He looked around helplessly. “Let us change the subject. Tell me about home. Tell me everything that has happened since I left.”