Isla stared hard at the bowl, and her stomach cried out to her again.
She could no longer deny a warm meal. Isla had to eat something, else, she would really lose her mind.
After eyeing the food in front of her for a second, she groaned before she had a taste of the stew. As she chewed the meat, she realized it tasted like the lamb chops she had for lunch many times while she traveled through Coventry in England.
Isla’s hunger took over every other sense she had, and she didn’t pause until she had emptied the bowl.
It was the best meal she had eaten in a while, and when she relaxed back on her bed and closed her eyes, it was easy for her to fall asleep.
* * *
It rained into the early hours of the morning, and Jack was in his study the entire night going through the tax reports that had accumulated in his time away.
His mind wandered to Isla at intervals.What was she doing? Was she asleep?He hoped she could rest enough as it was a long ride back to his Castle and he could tell she was exhausted by the time they arrived.
With a sigh, he dragged his thoughts back to the reports again and forced himself to focus.
Every village in his land had its revenue and proceedings for each year and he always held the village chief accountable for anything that went missing in every of the village’s treasury and store. This was the method Jack used to avoid corrupt rulers like his father had harbored during his Lairdship reign.
He didn’t hear his study door open, but he raised his head when he heard his brother Elliot call for him.
“Brother,” Jack called, excited to see him. He got on his feet, walked around his table and enveloped Elliot into a tight, warm hug.
“How was yer journey, My Laird?”
His brother’s smile warmed his heart when he pulled back, and Jack patted his shoulder.
“Successful,” Jack answered. He showed Elliot to a seat, then walked to a shelf to pick a brandy and quaich. Jack sipped his brandy after he handed his brother the second quaich, then he relaxed on his seat and crossed his legs in front of him.
“I just returned from the night’s watch in the village. The rain had made it impossible for much to be done. The villagers are strugglin’ to stay warm in the cold… the farmers hope it doesnae turn to a storm that will affect the new crops planted.”
“How far did they go with the planting?”
“We will have enough crops to harvest this year at this rate,” his brother replied. “It’s a good thin’ we struck that deal with Clan Doune. It would have been difficult to have enough men work our fields.”
“They helped,” Jack agreed as he remembered his visit to the neighboring clan where he made alliances with them, offering to provide the merchants safe passage through Humphreys border to England.
“It is a shorter route for us, and they will no longer need to form partnership with Clan McDonalds who are far off to the south.”
“What about Aideen?” Jack asked, referring to his late uncle’s only son. Aideen was also his most trusted council member and the general of his army. “Does he ken of my return?”
“Aye, he does,” Elliot replied. “Everyone kens of yer return, and they are all talkin’ about the bonnie lass ye have returned with. Tell me, Brother, is it true? Are ye takin’ her as yer Lady Wife?”
Elliot didn’t bother to mask his charming grin and the mischief Jack saw in his brother’s eyes made him shake his head and get to his feet.
“I have asked her to wed me,” Jack told him, then emptied his quaich before walking to his chair.
“The council will take great joy in that news,” Elliot said.
“I doubt they will,” Jack told him, then sighed. He trusted his brother more than anyone else in the world, and he felt safe telling Elliot his secret. “She is an English lady and I ken it will stir some dispute but I dinnae care. I will wed whom I please… the councilmen willnae make that choice for me.”
“The heart is all that matters, Brother,” Elliot replied, siding with him. “I do hope to find my own bonnie lass some day and wed her. Once I do, I will leave ye to the politics of our land.”
They both laughed after Elliot’s statement, then Jack cleared his throat, and rubbed a hand over his face and neck.
“Dinnae be mistaken though. I havenae taken a likin’ to the lady, so I will announce our betrothal when the time is right. Until I have found the perfect way to get enough wealth to make our treasury big again and repair all that needs fixin’ in our land. At this rate we cannae afford another war, but if it ever comes our way, we dinnae have enough to protect ourselves.”
“I will make the council believe I am takin’ the lady as wife, but I willnae go through the weddin’ in the end because the lady will return to her country, and I will have found what I need.”