‘You could have tried, for my sake?’
‘Why for your sake?’
‘For my family’s sake, I mean. His father is our ally so it’s important that we don’t offend the Grants.’
‘All right, I will try to keep a civil tongue in my head next time I speak to Aidan if you can forgive me for ruffling his feathers.’
‘Very well,’ she said staring down into the glass. It wasn’t much of an apology but better than nothing. ‘I’ve watched you tonight, lurking in the corner, glowering at everyone. Do you do it to frighten people?’
‘No, I have other ways to do that.’
‘See, you are doing it again?’
‘I don’t frighten you do I?’
‘No, because I remember that you used to protect me as a child, so I suppose that’s why.’
‘But you are no longer a child.’
‘And so you no longer need to protect me, Murray.’
‘That is not my first impulse, no.’
What on earth did he mean by that? Oh, he was infuriating. Still, he wouldn’t leave her alone.
‘Ilene, I recall that when you were a child you never were one to hold grudges. That is one of the things I always loved about you.’
‘So Murray, you would own I have one good quality then, it surprises me that you could find something. I think now that you’re back, you judge us all and find us wanting.’
‘There’s nothing wanting in you, though I do not share your taste in companions. You have many fine qualities, loyalty obviously, which is why I have upset you so by raising Aidan’s temper. You defend those you care about and no one would blame you for that, you were like that as a child too. Of course, I also recall you were fat and clumsy, with a river of snot always dribbling from your nose, and you never gave me a minute’s peace from your nagging and whining. You were an awful little brat.’ He said the words with laughter in his voice so Ilene let her anger slip a little.
‘Well I am a fine young lady now, or so my mother says,’ she said trying to regain her good spirits.
‘You should not believe everything you are told,’ he said smirking. ‘I’ll own she’s half right, for this much I do know, fine you may be, but they’ll never make a lady of you.’
‘Good.’
Ilene was so used to praise and admiration that she could not make out if he was teasing her or not. He was smiling so she supposed she had been given half a compliment and her attitude softened.
‘You know I lied when I said I did not remember you, Murray. I cried and cried when you went away. I thought of you often, for a long time, then I had to stop caring about you, as you had so obviously stopped caring about us.’ She scanned the room to see where Aidan had gone.
‘That is not true, I thought of you often.’
He was frowning and his gaze was very challenging, it did not waver from her face. In his eyes, she thought she saw sadness and regret but she was probably just imagining it. Yet she still felt bad for him and though he did not deserve it, she wanted to make peace with him.
‘Do you recall that time we put toads in mother’s bed?’ she said, grinning.
‘It was your idea, Ilene, I just caught the toads for you.’
‘But t’was you who took a beating for it, you did not give me away.’
‘I took a lot of beatings and most of them I earned, what was one more to me. And I remember it was worth it just to see you smile.’
Murray nodded in the direction of Aidan returning to the hall. ‘He looks at you often,’ he said evenly.
‘Yes he does,’ she replied with a soft smile.
‘Perhaps it is to assure himself that he has someone’s admiration, as he seems to need it.’