Cyrus glanced at his sister. "Who?"
"Lady Lily, of course." Isobel frowned, scrutinizing him. "Are you well?"
"Aye. Why wouldn't I be?" Hell, he'd almost made a muck of that one.
"Have you talked to her and tried to get to know her?"
"Kilverntay didn't give me an opportunity. He asked questions nonstop during supper."
"If he hadn't been seated beside you, what would you have talked to her about?"
Cyrus shrugged. Damned if he knew what to talk to a girl of twenty summers about. What had he said to the lasses during his youth? Come to think of it, he hadn't done much talking to them. He was more interested in action. "I ken naught of ribbons and gown styles, and she has no knowledge of laying siege to a castle."
Isobel burst into laughter.
Having no inkling what she considered so humorous, he merely glared.
After tugging on Dirk's sleeve, she whispered into his ear. He shook his head. "I'll not ask him or any man that," he declared.
Cyrus was glad to see that Dirk wouldn't let his wee wifey walk all over him.
Isobel blew out an annoyed breath.
"What is it?" Cyrus demanded, growing more riled by the moment.
"Surely you have…" Isobel bit her lip. "How should I say it?" She glanced to her husband.
"He has. Have no worries over it."
"Damnation, Isobel," Cyrus muttered. "Just say it. You ken I hate beating about the bush."
"Surely you have had… romantic relations with a woman in the last ten years."
"I have bedded women, aye. But that had naught to do with romance." Though he hated to speak so frankly to his sister, she had asked for it.
She sighed. "You must learn to be charming, like Fraser."
"Ha. I want a wife, not a bed partner for one night."
"All the more reason to talk to her."
Why had conversation become so difficult? Because he'd been focusing on military campaigns for so long, he was out of practice in social situations, especially with ladies. Most speech had involved commanding his soldiers and clansmen. Or discussing tactics with his brothers and sword-bearer. He'd been around very few ladies of late.
Again, Isobel was whispering in Dirk's ear and whatever she said made him look highly uncomfortable. "Men do not discuss such things, Isobel."
"But you used to have the same problem."
Cyrus frowned. "I have no problems."
"Talking to women," Isobel clarified. "Dirk used to have a problem conversing with me when we first met. He was unaccustomed to having discussions with women. He could teach you a thing or two."
She was right, but what could Cyrus say to that? He got along well with his brother-in-law, but he didn't want to take any sort of lessons in chit-chat from him.
"Forget it," Dirk told her. "You're only making matters worse."
Isobel turned to Cyrus. "Do you want to marry the daughter of a marquess or not?"
"Of course." His sister's inane questions exasperated him. "'Tis why I'm here."
