“I find that I am very protective of My Laird,” he said. “I am sworn to protect him from any whom I feel is a danger to him.”
“And you think I am a danger to him? Why would you think that?”
“Because many here wouldnae admit yet, but they dinnae think that the Laird should wed a—"
Isla waited for him to finish his sentence. She suspected he was going to state that their laird should not wed her because she was a stranger in their land, but she wanted to let him speak first before concluding.
“I have heard rumors, My Lady. Many of the noble men of our Clan and the councilmen dinnae think the Laird should wed an outlander. These are very traditional men, My Lady, and ye are an English woman. Our Clan keeps its bonds within the Highlands. This is the first time it’s being heard of in Humphreys.”
Isla scoffed at his revelation, then she burst into a short laugh. “You do not approve of me because I am not Scot?”
Jamie’s silence proved that she was right. Isla shook her head. “Jack saved my life when we first met, and I will never hurt him. If you simply do not approve of me because of my origins, Sir Jamie, then you are a small-minded man.”
Jamie frowned, and Isla immediately suspected it was because he did not understand her phrase. She hiked her chin high and levelled him with a cold stare just like he always did her.
“I will be here for the rest of my life, Sir Jamie. It is best you start to trust me now. Once the wedding is complete, I will be Lady of the Castle. We have the same interest at heart and that is Jack. I do not want enemies.”
“I amnae yer enemy, My Lady,” he said.
“Ye are simply not a fan.”
Another frown from him, and Isla corrected herself. “Friend, I mean.”
She didn’t even know why she was saying these things to Jamie. Isla realized she was taking her role here too seriously.
You won't even be here that long.
She sighed and shook her head. “That will be all, Sir Jamie,” she said.
He bowed then walked away from her and she turned to follow his retreating figure. Jamie had no idea she was also distrusting of him.
He’s not the only one with instincts.
* * *
“Your man-at-arms is racist,” she told Jack later that night when they sat in the garden together to enjoy the moonlight.
“What?” Jack asked. “I dinnae understand ye, Isla,” he added. He had his head lifted to the sky as he relaxed in his chair, but now he was looking at her.
“Jamie,” she continued, “can you believe, he doesn’t like me because I am English? This is the first it’s being heard of in Humphreys he said,” she continued, while mimicking Jamie’s tone of voice. “Can you believe it?”
Isla looked to Jack and found that he was staring at her in confusion. “You have no idea what I'm talking about do you?”
Jack shook his head. “But I do enjoy listening to ye talk,” he added with a smile. “It seems like Jamie has offended ye.”
“He did not offend me. He is… he just reminds of the men back in England who think very little of women. He thinks you are better off wedding a Highland or Scottish woman.”
“Jamie is my friend, and he will come around.”
“What does it matter? I won’t even be here that long,” Isla said, then looked away from him. “It would have been nice to have everyone here like me.”
Jack laughed at that, and her lips formed a pout. “I meant that.”
“I ken… it’s just—” he chuckled as he spoke, then stopped and grinned at her. Seeing him laugh easily like this made her heart flutter harder for him.
Isla knew it would be difficult when it was eventually time for her to go. Especially since they were already spending so much time together like this.
“It seems like ye did not have many friends back in yer time.”