Page 16 of Highland Prince of Darkness

“It was many years ago that Iain and I were... since we last saw one another. I suppose that a lot of things have changed since then,” May muttered, and looked down at her hands in her lap.

Bruce was silent for a moment, but she could tell that he knew exactly what she was referring to.

“Iain has seen a lot more of the world. After he left this place, he... well, he saw and did things that I’m sure he will tell ye about one day.” Bruce’s voice was trailing off as he spoke more about Iain.

“I can only guess at those things,” May responded, “He is much more grown than when I last saw him, but as ye have said, the experience will dae that to someone.”

“Indeed it will,” Bruce nodded, and sat back in his seat, “But I think that this will be a good thing for both of our clans, it will be a time for us to settle our differences and unite together.”

“It will, I just hope that we can make this marriage work,” May admitted. She instantly regretted being so free with her words and bit her lip as she waited for his response.

When nothing was said, she glanced up to see the pitiful look that the old laird was giving her. It was a rather paternal look, the kind that she would expect from her own father. The idea of Bruce feeling sorry for her and her situation didn’t bode well for May. She thought about what he might know that she didn’t in regards to Iain’s intentions.

May swallowed thickly and sighed as she looked up again.

“Iain has been through a lot, but he is gentle at heart. I feel as though ye’ll be all right.”

May nodded at his comment and thought about this. She could tell that Bruce truly did care for his ward, he had completely embodied the role of being his guardian and she was pleased to know this. May took small comfort in knowing that Iain did have someone to care for him after leaving the castle.

“When ye say that he’s been through a lot, what dae ye mean exactly?”

May had heard many times at that point that Iain had been through a lot, and it left her to speculate. May knew that it must mean he had killed people, but she had no idea to what extent. She shuddered to think that killing was the least of what he had done. It filled her with dread and she wasn't sure that she wanted to know the full answer.

She watched the way that Bruce’s demeanor changed at her question. He shifted in his seat and narrowed his eyes slightly. It was evident that he didn’t want to answer such a question and was now searching for a way out.

“All I can say is that I owe my life to that lad, he saved me and kept my clan alive, this is all the least that I could dae for him.”

May nodded and pursed her lips. She thought about Bruce fulfilling this debt out of respect for Iain and couldn’t help but let her mind wander as to what he could have done to save him.

“It is admirable of ye to take him in,” May smiled lightly at him. Bruce returned the expression and agreed with her in the form of a curt nod.

“Aye, well, I could see the path that he was leading himself down and wanted to pull him away from it.”

It seemed that every time Bruce said something about Iain, it only left her with more questions.

“He’s still so angry,” she remarked, “And I fear that he will take it out on me one day.” May felt sadness at the idea of that being true, she had never thought that she would be scared of Iain in any way.

“Have ye done something wrong to warrant such anger?”

May was caught off guard by his question. She assumed that judging by the relationship that the two of them shared, Iain must have told his guardian about what she had done all those years ago.

She thought about how to carefully answer this question as she had thought up until that point that the two of them had been getting along well.

“Nay, I stood true to my father and our clan, but Iain does nae see it that way,” she spoke quietly, and glanced out of the window.

“I see,” Bruce nodded, “Well, he should nae be violent with ye. I ken that boy, I’ve taught him all that I ken, and that does nae involve any violence towards one’s wife.”

May took some reassurance from his words, but she wasn’t convinced that he would be able to stop his ward should Iain’s anger cloud his judgment. What May found that terrified her more was the idea of him hurting her mentally, of making her doubt and ruin her from the inside out. She shuddered at the thought and cringed when she thought about being hurt by him in any way.

They spoke for a little while longer and the conversation brightened slightly. May was pleased that it was easy to talk with the laird that would soon be her father-in-law, it would make things easier with Iain – she was sure of it. May smiled to herself as he seemed to look down on her with a familiar fatherly affection, it put May’s mind at ease to think that she wasn’t going to have to worry about him as she did with Iain.

“Well, I suppose I should continue to get ready for this evening,” May announced, as Bruce nodded in agreement.

“Aye, the feast should be an entertaining evening?” Bruce spoke with a smile, as he rose from his seat.

“I suppose it should be,” May nodded tentatively. She didn’t really feel as though it was going to be that enjoyable for her if Iain was so determined to make her miserable.

“I’m glad that we got to talk today,” Bruce gave her a polite nod of his head as he headed for the door.

“Aye, me too,” May smiled as he left her chambers. She felt slightly better about the evening ahead of her with the knowledge that Bruce was clearly quite fond of her. It was at least someone from the other clan that she could count on.

Sarah came back into the room shortly afterward and resumed helping May get ready for the night.

“Ye seem in better spirits, my lady,” Sarah remarked, once her bodice had been tied. “If it’s not too bold to say,” she quickly added.

“Perhaps I am, I’m still not in the right kind of mood to be enjoying this evening,” she admitted with sagged shoulders.

May thought about being at Iain’s side all evening and how tiresome it would be to act as though she was still in love with who he was and not who he had become.

“Smile, my lady, ye look incredible,” Sarah reassured her, and she stepped away from her as though she were a painter who had just completed a masterpiece.