Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four

“ W e are 51% owners of McRainey Industries. Our finances are managed by Barron’s Asset Management. We have holdings in Scotland Bioresearch and Aer Lingus. We bank at The Bank of Scotland, with additional accounts at Allied. The McRainey Estate is self-sufficient, sustained by earnings from horse-breeding and our crops. My net worth is just over seventy million.” Tristan recited, pacing the length of the large office. His aunt nodded, occasionally glancing down at notes.

“Tell me about yourself.”

“Tristan Ronan McRainey, I am two and…,” he corrected himself, “I am thirty-two years old. I lived abroad most of my life, traveling constantly with my father’s family, anthropologists, and therefore have little hands-on knowledge of modern technology. Never been married, no children…” He stopped speaking when someone knocked at the door.

Hannah entered and handed him an envelope, picked up the empty tea service, and left. They’d received a summons. Derrick was filing a motion to freeze McRainey Estate’s assets, maintaining that Edith intended to commit fraud in order to keep him from taking over the estate and its holdings.

“My nephew is mistaken if he thinks this foolishness will succeed.” Edith’s sharp eyes snapped to his. “We’re to meet them in Edinburgh tomorrow. Well, this is a good time for you to meet with our financial manager. Let’s put the last three days to practice.”

On his way to the stables, Tristan spied Gwen. Dressed in tight pants and a sleeveless blouse, she jogged away from him. She didn’t see him. He wondered what she ran from, didn’t see anything or anyone chasing her. He sprinted after her, calling her name. She didn’t turn, perhaps she was in a trance. Reaching her, he grabbed her arm.

“Eeek!” Gwen screamed, slapping at him frantically. Eyes wide, she screamed a second time setting his ears to ringing. “You just scared the shit out of me,” she exclaimed, pulling white items that hung from strings from her ears.

“I called you—you were running…” he began.

“I am jogging, for exercise… it’s like training.” She huffed, picking up the white items and showing them to him. “I couldn’t hear you because I’m listening to music. Here let me put this near your ear.” She touched the white bud to his ear, and he heard the soft notes of music.

“Why are you training? Do you expect to be chased?”

Her smile was the first one directed at him in many days. “No, I want to remain slender. I do it to keep from gaining weight. It’s not attractive to be plump nowadays. I like to eat, so I have to exercise.”

He frowned then asked. “What if your husband told you he preferred you to be plump?”

“That man would be my hero.” Gwen beamed at him. “But most men these days prefer skinny women.”

Tristan wanted to argue the poin; although he found no fault with Gwen’s body, he decided it was best to remain silent. “Are women attracted to slender men as well?”

Her eyes skimmed over him, before looking up at him. Something stirred in his chest. “Men are measured differently, er… your body is the ideal.” She blushed and looked away.

“Men don’t have to be thin, as long as they don’t have a huge belly,” she rounded her arms in front of her stomach. “You don’t have to worry too much.”

He racked his brain for some type of compliment to give her. He’d never been one to court. Not even his betrothed. It was arranged, and the two times he’d met the lass, she’d been too busy talking about herself the entire time to pay him much heed. He tried to remember the words to songs the minstrels would sing about love, but came up empty. Finally he had a thought.

“I think you’re perfectly fit to be any man’s wife.” Her confused look confirmed his lack of courting skills.

“Oh. Well. Thank you?” Gwen stammered. “I better finish my run, and let you get back to whatever it is you were about to do.”

“Wait,” Tristan told her. She hesitated with a curious expression. “What I meant to say is that I think you are beautiful.”

Shock registered on her face, followed by a tender look that made him want to continue complimenting her.

“Really?”

He nodded, not sure what else to say. “Yes, verra much so.”

“Thank you.” Gwen’s smile brightened. “I’ll see you later.” She turned and ran away.

As she went away from him, he shook his head. Women were strange creatures. Why would she be surprised that he found her attractive? Being in the same house and not sharing her bed was proving harder and harder each day. Even so, he’d not been tempted once to tup the maid. Although Miles had pointed out to him that it was no longer a practice for the laird to tup the maids. Maybe he should tell Derrick, as he’d seen Hannah leaving his room at night.

Hearing noise behind him, he looked up to see Miles driving up on the cart. The foreman nodded at him. “Wondered where you took off to. The Stuarts have arrived. They’re here to look at the silver stallion and discuss breeding.”

Tristan looked once again toward where Gwen had run off, before climbing onto the cart.

Perhaps he’d ask Miles how one went about modern courting. He wanted to court Gwen.

She would not be leaving Scotland if he had anything to do with it.

Miles’ robust laughter filled the small space in the stables, “My goodness, it’s been many years since I’ve tried to win the affections of a lass.” The older man refilled his beer, shaking his head in mirth. “You’d be better off asking Lord Derrick. He’s very successful with the ladies.”

Tristan drank the bitter liquid, not sure if he liked it. “I doubt Derrick will want to discuss courting with me. We’re to go to Edinburgh to meet with him and his solicitor tomorrow.”

“I see. Well, let me think,” Miles rubbed his chin. “Ah, Duncan, there you are boy, come here. I have questions to ask of you.” The other staff member gave them a puzzled look before walking over.

For the next several hours, the men, including Ross and Cameron who’d pulled up crates to sit on, tried to teach him which things to say to a woman and which were not acceptable.

When the men dispersed, Tristan found his way to bed. Woozy from drinking more beer than he should have, Tristan wondered if he’d remember everything they’d try to teach him and in the right order.

He’d enjoyed the time with the men in the stables. With a pang of guilt, he wondered what his friends, still trapped in the enchantment, were dealing with.