Page 13 of An English Rose for the Highlander
“The council wishes to meet with ye, me laird.” Oskar nodded at him, interrupting his thoughts and gesturing toward the men who milled about in conversation with each other. “I shall ensure the horses are tended to and have the meeting chamber opened.”
“Excellent. And have the servants keep an eye on our new lady. I want to ken if she is truly set upon settling in or if our Eilidh will be proven correct.”
“Of course, me laird.” Oskar was off to tend to the horses, and it did not take long for him to return and for the council meeting to be officially called together.
Dominik stood in his meeting chambers, the expansive table long enough to seat everyone there. He sat at the head of the table, looking about the room at the men who had been a part of the Castle MacKay council when his father was still alive.
In truth, it was his friends whom he wished to meet. Together, they were Lairds of a massive portion of the Highlands, and they were like-minded and loyal. He trusted them with his life,proven several times over by the battles he’d been through with them. Odhran, in particular, would be a valuable voice right now, and he made a mental note to reach out to him by letter as soon as he was able.
“Me laird,” Layton Harrison began, and Dominik readied himself for the verbal onslaught that was undoubtedly about to start. “After months of working with ye to better our clan through marriage, ye return to us with an English bride?”
Doing his best to hold back the annoyed sigh, Dominik cleared his throat and nodded. He knew this would be an issue between the two of them when Miss Wood had first brought Rose to his attention. It was no secret that a Highlander didn’t think kindly of the English in most regards, and it was particularly troublesome for his own clan.
After all, his father had married an Englishwoman as well, and that marriage was one of an uneasy political alliance. Dominik’s mother had never fully embraced her Scottish life, always viewing herself as apart from and better than the clan. She was cold, distant, and spoke down about Highland ways of life from the moment she arrived until the moment of her death.
Layton was not about to let Dominik forget that.
“I have.” He spoke calmly, his stare directed entirely at his council member’s face. “As ye all have been so adamant about me finding a wife, I ensured that me choice would do this clan well. While an alliance can still have its downfalls, I have high expectations for this one. A plot of land in England, right onthe other side of the border, in fact, and better still, access to a port that we now possess. The trade possibilities are numerous, and our clan will do well with an expanded network of shipping contacts.”
Gentle murmurs floated through his council, but it was Layton whom Dominik was most focused on. The others could be made to understand much more quickly, and Layton’s knack for stirring up trouble was something the Laird had been forced to manage since the moment he stepped up into the role.
“And ye’re quite certain that the woman willnae be the same type as yer mother? Afford you a better outcome? Ye ken that I only wish to protect the clan, ensure yer own good match. Repeating yer father’s mistakes would be a terrible loss for us all.”
Only Layton held the talent to say such unassuming words and still lace every syllable with such disdain and aggression as an angry snake.
“I am aware of yer concern, Mr. Harrison,” Dominik spoke through gritted teeth, his temper flaring as he squeezed his hands together into fists. “And as stated, I have secured a match that will afford this clan much in the way of potential wealth. Had I more time…”
Dominik let the words hang, insinuating to everyone there how they’d all pushed him to marry and do so quickly.
“…perhaps I might have been able to find a Scottish bride who might tickle yer fancy, but alas, the long months waiting for one to show up had not been successful.”
The room was quiet; nearly all the men there understood immediately that they should not press this matter. Still, Layton held Dominik's eyes, a silent challenge. While the man had yet to do anything that could be qualified as actually treasonous, Layton was a thorn in his side that poked and prodded regularly. He always had something to say regarding any decision Dominik made.
Always.
Standing, Dominik pushed his chair back from the table, thoroughly done with this meeting. As he walked to the door, Oskar behind him as always, the Laird called out over his shoulder.
“Ye all will do well to make yer peace with the choice I have made. We are wed. It is done. And yer new lady is here to stay.”
Without another word, Dominik left the chambers, thinking longingly about fetching himself a drink. It was going to be quite the adjustment period, indeed.
7
That evening, Rose sat down to dinner with the Laird, surprised to see the entirety of those within the castle gathered in the enormous dining hall, all eating as one. It was so informal compared to the lofty dinners she was used to attending on behalf of her friends and family throughout theton.
High and low were enjoying their meals together. It was…splendid.
Still, as soon as Rose had sat down at the table next to the Laird, she could feel the room collectively turn and stare at her. It had backed off some once everyone began to eat, but it was clear that all those who sat around the table were still on edge, and it was even more obvious that the awkwardness was on account of her presence.
Just focus on your plate, Rose. Keep a polite air. You are new here, and it is understandable for them to be cautious.
Eilidh had been a wonderful guide through the castle. She’d spoken at length about all the duties that would be required of Rose, including the increasingly nerve-wracking concept of socializing with the clan members and being seen among the people.
It was not so much the idea of being seen or even working hard to ensure that they had what they required that set Rose on edge. It was the notion of being in front of people and being judged harshly before they even knew her. She was well aware of how the Scots—particularly the Highlanders—viewed the English, and in many ways, she did not blame them. There had been tensions between their two countries for hundreds of years.
Still, Rose wanted to do her best for her. She was an optimist, yes, but she was also willing to put in the work. Rose hoped that they would soon see that about her.
“What on earth are ye doing there, me Lady?”
