“I saw him in a Sinclair plaid, and he argued with Ian. His charm is but a guise,” Ailis continued. “Lachlan has asked me to allow him to deal with Cameron, and I have conceded. I have no desire to ever speak with the man again.”
Fiona spoke gently, “Remember, ye’ve chosen Lachlan McClain, and an alliance formed not just of politics, but of love as well.”
Ailis nodded, acknowledging her sister’s words. “Together with Lachlan, we shall face whatever storm the Sinclairs may brew. And I like the idea of a marriage with Lachlan, but he has not yet asked for the alliance to be a permanent one.”
Fiona grinned. “He will. Ye can see it in his eyes when he looks at ye.”
She sat with her sisters for an hour, listening to the news of the clan since she had taken up residence with Doirin. It was good to simply sit with them and understand that they supported her completely.
When her sisters left, the servants carried water into the room. As servants poured water into the tub, Ailis watched the ripples dance upon the surface. Once alone, she shed her travel-weary garments and stepped into the bath. The heat embraced her skin, and she sank beneath the water’s caress.
As Ailis washed away the journey’s grime, the silence around her absorbed her whispered concerns over Cameron Sinclair’s deceit.
After her bath, she ate her meal in solitude, each bite fueling her for the trials ahead.
Ailis was torn between duty and her affection for Lachlan McClain. The conflict intensified as she contemplated Cameron’s darker motives, wondering if his charm could have swayed her had she not been captivated by Lachlan.
*
Ailis rose, themorning sun casting shadows across the stone floor. She dressed in silence, fastening a silver brooch at her throat. A hesitant knock sounded at the door, and she opened it to reveal Cameron Sinclair.
“Good morn, Lady Ailis,” he greeted with feigned humility, “I have come to offer me sincerest apologies.”
“And what are ye apologizing for, Cameron?” she asked evenly.
“Last eve, I was overzealous in me attentions toward ye,” he confessed without meeting her eyes. “It was me own folly. I have not had a chance to see ye in several days, and I imagined ye would walk straight into me arms. But that didn’t happen, and I could see I made ye uncomfortable.”
“Yer words do not sit well with me,” Ailis replied, voice cold. “Ye are a deceiver, and I want naught to do with ye. I told ye I had chosen Lachlan, and that decision stands firmly between us.”
Before Cameron could respond, Laird McAfee’s voice echoed in the corridor. “Cameron Sinclair, attend me in me study!” The command was sharp.
Ailis watched Cameron bow and retreat toward the laird’s chambers. He hadn’t seemed to realize they knew who he really was, as they’d used the name Sinclair and not McAfee.
Within the study, Laird McAfee stood behind his desk as Arran Sinclair entered. “Arran Sinclair,” Laird McAfee began forcefully, “ye have sought to manipulate me daughter’s affection through this man’s treacherous guise of courtship. Speak now yer intent.”
Laird Duncan McAfee’s expression showed the difficult path ahead as he announced the termination of their clans’ bond.
“Arran Sinclair,” he declared, “the bond uniting our houses is now severed. Yer kin’s actions destroyed our alliance’s foundation. Keep yer people within yer land. We are no longer allies.”
Arran Sinclair scowled, his pride obviously wounded, and left without a word or apology, his cloak billowing as if erasing all remnants of their former friendship.
Ailis, hidden in the shadows, shivered with foreboding. After Arran retreated into the distance, Ailis grappled with the potential consequences of this moment.
With Sinclair gone, her father stared at the landscape he swore to protect. Ailis observed his clenched jaw and tightened grip—symbols of resolve.
Ailis contemplated the balance between love and loyalty and how happiness may be sacrificed for duty. A tear slid down her cheek as she questioned if her choice would ignite enmity between once-united clans.
