Chapter Seven
Ailis found herselfconfused. She still had feelings for Lachlan, but she loved the attention that Cameron was showering upon her. Perhaps Cameron was the man she was meant to spend her life with, but she couldn’t close her heart to Lachlan.
She and Cameron chuckled together, unaware of Lachlan’s watchful gaze from afar.
“Ye’ve a way with words that could rival any bard,” crooned Cameron, his smile infectious and disarming. His admiration came naturally, as did their playful teasing.
Ailis’s voice carried playfulness and unease as she responded, brushing against a locket at her neck. “Flattery will get ye everywhere, Cameron.”
“Only if it’s met with truth,” he countered, maintaining eye contact. They connected over lore and the natural world. Being with Cameron was comfortable, and she enjoyed his presence.
Ailis shared ancient tales with Cameron, who listened intently. “Ye have a gift, Ailis. It’s no wonder ye leave such an impression on those near,” he murmured, his warmth enveloping her.
She was torn between expectations and the spark of dangerous delight from connecting with Cameron. The image of Lachlan’s eyes haunted her periphery—stories untold and depths unexplored—while she reveled in Cameron’s company.
For seven days, he’d come to see her daily. She enjoyed every moment with him, though she often thought of Lachlan. ButCameron had approached her father for permission to court her while Lachlan hadn’t bothered. He was busy helping Alisdair train the army, but he had time to speak with her father. She had no idea why he didn’t do it.
In the stillness of the garden beneath the twilight sky, Ailis realized that every moment spent with Cameron made her even more uncertain about what she truly wanted.
Before Cameron wished her goodnight, he asked her, “Have ye ever longed to live a different life where ye could do exactly as ye wanted?”
She sighed. “I love me family, but mayhap some time to do exactly as I wish would be nice. Who wouldnae want such a thing?” As she walked inside, she wondered what she would do if she wasn’t needed as a healer, and if her time was hers to do whatever she wished. Spending more time with Lachlan was the first thought to spring to her mind.
*
Lachlan entered theMcAfee keep’s great hall, seeking his brothers’ company. Alisdair and Brodie sensed his confusion.
“Brothers,” Lachlan began, “I find meself uncertain of exactly what I should do next.”
Alisdair urged him to speak his mind, while Brodie remained silent with an encouraging gaze.
“It’s Ailis,” Lachlan confessed. “Her presence draws me in, yet I dinnae know how to proceed.” He shook his head. “I thought she felt the same for me, but now she spends time with Cameron. She appears truly taken with him.”
“Ye wish to court her?” asked Brodie.
“Yes,” Lachlan answered. “But her bond with Cameron complicates matters. I seek yer counsel. I ken I should have acted sooner, but I didn’t. Now I need to know how to proceed.”
“Have ye spoken with her father yet?” Alisdair asked. “That should be yer first step!”
Brodie nodded. “Alisdair is correct. Ye’ll never understand how the lass feels if ye dinnae at least try to court her, and the first step is speaking with her father.”
As Lachlan strode through the halls of the keep, he was consumed by the weight of his brothers’ advice. When he finally found himself face-to-face with Ailis, his heart raced with anticipation.
“Ailis,” he called softly.
She turned to him, her eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions—surprise, uncertainty, and a hint of longing. “Lachlan,” she replied, her voice warm but guarded.
“I wished to speak with ye,” Lachlan began, struggling to find the right words. “About us.”
Ailis regarded him with a thoughtful expression, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the edges of her shawl. “What about us, Lachlan?”
He took a deep breath, gathering his courage. “I’ve come to realize that there’s a depth to ye that I’ve only begun to understand. Yer spirit shines bright, Ailis.”
A flicker of emotion crossed her face before she composed herself. “And what of Cameron?”
Lachlan met her gaze squarely. “I know of yer bond with him, but me heart tells me that there is something betweenusworth exploring.” He tried to read her face to see what she was thinking as he spoke, but she was too guarded in that moment.
Ailis’s eyes softened. “Ye speak true, Lachlan. But I must be honest with ye—me heart is torn. Why would you wait until another was courting me if you had the intention of courting me yerself?” If he hadn’t, she wasn’t certain why he was even having this conversation with her.
