“I ken we should take a break here before switching groups,” Alisdair called out, the obvious leader of the group.
As people walked to the table to eat the light meal the servants had prepared, Lachlan gravitated to Ailis’s side. “Join us for the next games.”
She shook her head. “We are not evenly matched. I will not ask another to sit out when tis easy enough for me to do so.”
“Another lass can take a turn watching,” he protested. “I would like to play with ye. Ye are a good competitor.”
She shook her head. “Not at dice games. I’ve never enjoyed them.”
“So that is the true reason ye dinnae play?”
“It is. There is no need for another to miss out.”
“I would enjoy the time to get to know ye better.”
For a moment, she considered telling him he should talk to her father about courting her, but she couldn’t get up the courage to speak so plainly. “There are better ways to get to know me,” she said.
He stabbed a small piece of meat with his knife, bringing it to his mouth. He studied her as he chewed. “I suppose that is true. I’ll find the right way given time.”
“Do ye have nights like this in yer clan?” she asked.
He nodded. “We do. The food tends to be more extravagant, but otherwise, the games are very similar. Do ye ever participate?”
“Aye. When there is no reason for me to sit out, then I play. I simply prefer to find a reason.”
He chuckled. “I shall remember that about you.” He looked at her for a moment. “What other reasons have ye used?”
She smiled, realizing he understood how she felt. “Other than uneven pairings? I’ve used someone being ill. I sit and watch over them, even if there’s no need.” She thought for a moment. “I’ve claimed sleepiness.” Shrugging, she said, “I use whatever comes to mind at the time.”
“So ye admit that ye make up reasons at times?”
She nodded emphatically. “Every chance I get.”
“I’ll be watching ye…”
“Ye do that,” she said. If his attention was on her, it wasn’t on another lass.
