Chapter 5

Gilchrist stared at Aaden, unable to speak or even move. Slowly, Aaden stood, moving away from the broken glass and whisky streaking the floor.

"Now, before ye call me mad, or an imbecile –"

"I was thinking of much worse words than that," Gilchrist cut in darkly. Aaden actually took a step back though he still bore a smile.

"Maybe I am an imbecile."

"Still nae a strong enough word," Gilchrist said meaningfully. "I am a soldier–a liar–and Kyven is a lady of the clan."

"Are ye trying tae tell me ye cannae marry Kyven because she is above ye in the hierarchy? Shall I remind ye of what ye have just told me? That ye are the younger brother of the Laird of the Gregors."

"Hold yer tongue!" Gilchrist barked and marched across the room. He peered through the gap around his door beside the frame, checking to ensure no one was in the corridor that could have heard these words, but all was quiet.

"Or maybe ye are still trying tae persuade me that ye feel nothing fer Lady Kyven? That all those evenings ye really did just go tae the library tae read." Aaden was smiling as Gilchrist turned back around to face him.

"I was reading."

"Nay man goes to read in a woman's company for that long without a reason." The smile faded now as he shook his head. "Out with it, Captain. I ken ye are fond of her, whether ye say the words or nae."

Gilchrist felt pinned to the spot as if Aaden had looked through his eyes and into his very soul. He walked away from the door, avoiding looking Aaden in the eye. He ended up sitting on the closed lid of his coffer, staring at the broken glass on the floor.

"She is lady of the clan," Gilchrist said after some minutes of silence. "We are on opposite ends."

Aaden moved to the window and looked out. Darkness was beginning to fall and through that bleakness a few stars were beginning to wink. He turned and perched on the windowsill. "What's the alternative, eh? Tae leave Lady Kyven tae marry Laird Shay. I suppose she might like him; I overheard Helen and the other maids say he was a handsome man –"

"Dinnae speak so," Gilchrist's voice had deepened. "What he looks like hardly matters when he has a heart as black as dirt."

"Aye, I agree with ye." Aaden's smile started to grow. "I'd rather see her happy and married tae a man that loves her."

He didn't relent in his gaze. Gilchrist knew he didn't have to say the words. Aaden knew how he felt without that confirmation between them. Slowly, Gilchrist shook his head.

"She'd never marry me, Aaden."

"Was that an admission? It sure sounded like one."

"She wouldn't," he cut in again, determined to be heard. "In case all of what I have just said hasnae sunk in, I'm a Gregor. I come from the very clan that caused her father's death. The two clans scuffled over a patch of land, and someone killed her father. Whoever raised that blade wasnae me, but that doesnae matter, does it? She blames me family fer his death, as dae many. She would nay sooner marry me than she would a stray dog."

"Well, ye might be a little better than a stray dog," Aaden said as his smile grew. "Dae I flatter ye?"

"Please, be serious."

"Aye, aye, as ye wish, though there is little fun in it." Aaden stood and moved toward the broken bottle, picking up the pieces.

"Leave it, I'll pick it up later."

"Nay, I broke it, I'll remedy the matter." He collected the pieces and put them on the table beside him. "It seems to me that if ye want tae save Lady Kyven from this marriage and marry her yerself, then ye must persuade her tae go against what she believes. That she must… break all the rules." He gestured down to the broken pieces in his hand. "There is one motivator for such a thing. Women often talk of it, from what I hear."

"What are ye going on about?" Gilchrist asked, losing his patience.

"Love, Captain. I speak of love." Aaden picked up the last of the pieces and put them on the table. "It seems tae me that if ye can persuade Lady Kyven tae fall in love with ye, then she may marry ye fer love. Hang the fact ye're a Gregor, or that another man is here tae marry her already. Love makes us all dae many a strange thing."

Gilchrist stared at Aaden with raised eyebrows, silence falling between them.

"What?" Aaden asked, wiping his hands on his trews to dry them from the whisky.

"Didnae expect tae hear ye talking of love, is all. How many women in this castle have ye bedded?"

Aaden smiled a little, a mischievousness in their eyes.

"They all ken me heart isnae the thing I offer them."

"Even the maid, Helen?"

"Aye, most especially Helen. She has made it clear she doesnae want me fer me mind or me heart, but something else entirely."

"I cannae believe we are having this conversation." Gilchrist shook his head and looked away.

"Then let us return tae the matter of Lady Kyven." Aaden stepped forward with sudden purpose. "Captain, make her fall in love with ye. Ye want tae save her from Laird Shay? Then it is a way tae save her and make both of ye happy."

"A plan that seems so simple in yer eyes, eh?" Gilchrist laughed for the first time though it was a dismissive laugh as he shook his head. "Making someone fall in love is nay easy thing."

"But charming them is." Aaden's eyes lit up. "At least there, maybe I can offer ye a few tips."

Gilchrist's mind whirred fast. This was a mad idea, certainly foolish and perhaps the most absurd one he had ever committed himself to in his life, but Aaden had pointed out one true thing in all his arguments.

What other choice dae I have?

"Well?" Aaden said. "Are we tae commence our mission tae encourage a little love in Lady Kyven's life?"

"I hope I dinnae live tae regret this," Gilchrist muttered.

"Ye willnae, Captain. Nae with me tae help ye."

"Ye are quiet this evening, me lady," Helen observed as she walked around Kyven, adjusting the last few locks of her hair. "I thought ye would be finding it hard tae contain yerself with all this excitement. A laird arriving, one who wishes tae marry ye!" She giggled delightedly. "And ye have nae a thing tae say on this subject?"

"Nay much." Kyven lied and bit her lip. Everything she wanted to say she wished to say to the person she felt she could trust most in this world – Captain Gilchrist, though she couldn't help feeling after today that he was perhaps avoiding her.

She stood staring into the mirror with Helen walking around her, as they prepared for that evening's supper. Kyven had changed into a dark green mantle dress, the opening at the front revealing a hint of patterned chemise beneath, and the bodice drawn tight about her waist. The sleeves finished at her elbows, flaring out in lace, and the neckline was deep and open, revealing much of her curves.

Her red hair had been swept up to the top of her head so that it cascaded down in curls toward the back. Helen had outdone herself with the preciseness of each curl and the white flowers which were pressed into the mass, glimmering in the candlelight.

"Ye're as fair as any flower, me lady," Helen said, moving to stand behind her and look in the mirror at the reflection. "Laird Shay willnae be able tae take his eyes off ye."

Kyven tried to picture being greeted by Laird Shay in the feasting room, but instead, she saw Captain Gilchrist stretching out his hand in greeting and escorting her into the room. He was the one showing her to her chair, sitting beside her, and kissing her head. The thought of his lips upon her skin made her face suddenly hot, so that her cheeks were nearly the color of her hair.

Helen frowned, clearly noting the change but not the reason for it. Kyven stepped away, before Helen could comment on it.

"Have ye seen Captain Gilchrist today, Helen? I… I havenae been able tae find him since the tour with Laird Shay this morning."

"Nay, I havenae. I have only seen Aaden today," Helen explained as she tidied up the bureau behind her.

"Aaden? Again?" Kyven asked, halting and turning back to face her maid. This time, it was Helen's turn to blush, and she smiled happily. "Ye two see a lot of one another. I would have thought that the… the erm…" Kyven didn't know how to phrase it. What she knew of what men and women did together, she had either learned from Helen or read about it in books. She knew very little indeed.

"The…?" Helen encouraged her on.

"Well, I would have thought the hunger for one another would have paled by now," Kyven said, blushing again as Helen giggled.

"Aye, maybe that hunger as ye call it, sometimes does, but it hasnae yet. Have ye never felt such a feeling, me lady? That hunger?"

Kyven turned away. She fussed with pulling on a bracelet from her cabinet and looked at the box Laird Shay had brought her as a present. It was a fine box, with good craftmanship and skill. She supposed she could use it for her jewelry. She tried to focus on the box as much as possible, tried to make it consume all her thoughts so that her mind would not wander to thinking of something else.

Yet she was fighting a losing battle. Even as she tried to shove all thoughts away about Captain Gilchrist, they came back to her. She imagined they were in the library together again, but this time, he didn't stick to his box chair. She imagined he was with her on the hearth rug instead, kneeling together, his fingers trailing through her hair as he tipped her head back, his lips colliding with her own…

"There's the bell for dinner," Helen said, her words cutting through Kyven's thoughts.

"What?"

"The bell. They're ringing it." Helen gestured to the door.

"Aye, so it must be." Kyven brushed down the skirt of her gown and moved toward the door, but for some reason, she did not step through it. Instead, she just stood there, staring at the door.

"Me lady? Is all well?" Helen asked, moving to her elbow.

"It's just…" Kyven sighed heavily. "I was hoping that when I met Laird Shay I might feel something. Is it so wrong tae want tae care fer yer husband? Fer there tae be some excitement, some emotion!"

"I think many a maid felt excitement when Laird Shay arrived, me lady."

"Aye, maybe they did, but I didnae. It is frustrating." She pushed her hands into her hair in stress, but Helen pulled them back out again and tried to fix the wisps that Kyven had nearly managed to pull apart from the fine updo.

"There is nothing wrong with wanting tae care fer yer husband, me lady. Give it time." Helen took her shoulder comfortingly. "Sometimes love isnae like lightning, but a warming ocean that grows on ye once ye have taken the first step in."

"When did ye get so wise?" Kyven asked, a smile growing as she thought of the analogy Helen had presented.

"I had a wise mother. She taught me many things."

Kyven felt burning envy in her gut. She had never known her mother, having lost her the day she was born.

"Trust me," Helen said soothingly. "Go and enjoy yer dinner, me lady. Ye may enjoy it much more than ye think."

"Aye. Thank ye."

Kyven eventually built up enough courage to leave the chamber. She headed down to the feasting hall and stepped inside to see that although it was not one of their grandest feasts, plenty of people had still gathered for the occasion.

Her council members stood at one end of the room, hovering beside a table as they waited for the arrival of the food. There were ladies and tacksmen on the other side, and at the head of the room stood Laird Shay, talking quietly with his advisor Larry at his side. Kyven walked toward them, feeling the duty of responsibility on her shoulders as her council and people turned to look at her.

He will be a good laird. The council have told me as much. He has a good reputation in his own lands, is highly respected. Aye, that is what me people need – a good man.

Yet as she moved toward the top table she saw others hovering. Some soldiers and guards, and amongst them, but not talking to them, was Captain Gilchrist.

It seemed wherever Gilchrist had been hiding for that day, he had at least come out of hiding for that evening.

Kyven's feet fought against her. Rather than turning to walk toward Laird Shay, she was about to walk toward Gilchrist instead when suddenly, Laird Shay stepped in front of her.

"Me lady?" he offered his arm to her.

Her eyes flicked toward Gilchrist. He stared at her, not blinking once, as she took Laird Shay's arm and let him show her to her seat.