Page 39 of Scandalous Scot
The man only grunted. But Ian was determined to get on his good side. He was nothing if not persistent.
“This way, if you would.”
Kelbrue followed him to the alcove he’d scouted out for their conversation while Alastair stayed behind. Although it was cold, which was true of pretty much every room in the castle with the exception of the bedchambers, the kitchen, and sometimes the hall, if there were enough people, it was at least fairly private. He gestured for Màiri’s father to sit on the cushioned, carved-out wall seat.
“I trust you enjoyed your time at Hightower?” he said as he sat opposite him.
Kelbrue wasn’t a man to enjoy pleasantries, so he wasn’t overly surprised by the man’s response. “As much as one can at the surprise wedding for his only daughter.”
Fair enough.
“On my”—he almost said mother’s honor—“honor as a member of Clan MacKinnish, Lady Màiri will be well taken care of, Laird. I vow it.”
The surest way to get someone to your side? Tell them the truth. Ian didn’t feel great about abandoning her, but it was the noblest thing he could do after he’d hijacked her life. Màiri would be home before long, with her father. Together, they could agree on a more suitable husband.
Or maybe the laird would finally let her marry Ambrose.
A man she doesn’t love.
Ian pushed the thought to the side. Ambrose, at least, loved her. That much was evident. And from what he’d gathered the last two days, aside from the epic war between Dern and Kelbrue, no one has anything bad to say about Ambrose, his family, or his clan.
Ian shrugged off an image of the two of them together. He wasn’t allowed to care.
“I have just one favor to ask in return.”
Ian had thought long and hard about this. Grey would kill him. Likely Rhys and Reikart would too. How many times had they begged him not to rock the boat, to leave the planning to them?
Grey and Ross had urged him to butter up Kelbrue without giving him any information, but they were wrong. Kelbrue wasn’t the type to make a decision that way. A man with ironclad convictions did not change his mind because others asked it of him. He would do what he thought was right. He could not know the Maid of Norway would never be queen, but that knowledge should help to change his mind about Bruce.
His approach was better. It might actually work.
“You disavowed your alliance with the Bruce.”
From his angry grunt, Laird Kelbrue clearly didn’t like this new topic. Although they’d had a friendly chat about the Maid last night, they’d circled away from it.
“But when it comes time, when Màiri shares what she’s learned about our family, I ask that you reconsider. Not only for your clan, but for Scotland.”
“Never,” Kelbrue blustered. “If Bruce wants allies, then he should be honest with them.”
It was as if he missed all of Ian’s speech except the nameBruce.
“Laird, I agree with you. There’s no greater dishonor than lying to those who’ve placed their trust in you. But you’ve entrusted me to do what is best for the person who is most precious to you. Your daughter. Please just consider my words.”
Kelbrue frowned. “What does Màiri know that I do not?”
So hehadheard him.
“If I could tell you now, I would. But please believe me, someday you will think back on this conversation. Bruce’s son, his grandson . . . give them a chance.”
His partial admission would probably make the laird leery of him again. But Grey had given him a job, and he’d do it, to the best of his ability. The only shot they had at swaying a man as stubborn as Kelbrue was the truth. When Màiri went back home, Kelbrue would remember this conversation, and perhaps he’d be more inclined to listen once he knew Ian’s advice offered the perspective of seven hundred years of history.
It was the best he could do.
“I cannot trust Bruce. But you—” the laird lifted his chin, “—you could have remained silent that day in my hall. I will remember your words. But I cannot vow to abide them.”
Kelbrue stood, making it clear he was done with the conversation. But he’d listened, which was more than Ian could have hoped for. Reaching out his hand, he matched his father-in-law’s tight grip, more determined than ever to do right by this man’s daughter.
But it wouldn’t be an easy task, a fact that became ever clearer when he tried to find her after her family left. She was avoiding him. He understood why, but he couldn’t see any way out. Ian would not screw around with her and then disappear as quickly as an order of beignets at his team’s meetings.
