Page 23 of An English Rose for the Highlander
The next morning, Dominik walked down the long, quiet stone halls only to run into Odhran, who was up far earlier than one might expect. Ashton was nowhere in sight, and he wondered if his friend was seeking a solitary moment of reprieve.
Odhran, after all, was a grim sort of fellow, his air brooding and on guard. He was always so alert, so ready for any sign of trouble, and Dominik knew that was precisely why he was so valuable to Ashton, who readily seemed to forget that the world could be brutal outside of battle as well.
After all their years together, however, Dominik knew that all his friends, whether in attendance or not, were fiercely loyal to one another. As he was to them. They were a unit, and thanks to their pact of friendship, so much of the Highlands had been allowed to grow and prosper without the horrors of infighting and clan wars once they were over.
“A fine morning to ye, Odhran. Have ye broken away from yer charge for a moment?”
He spun around on his heel to see Dominik standing there, offering the Laird a tired smile.
“Aye, I have.” He nodded once at Dominik.
“That is verra fine then. And it was most wonderful to see ye both. It’s been too long.”
“It has. Though…” Odhran hesitated, his eyes dropping to the floor before meeting Dominik’s again. “…I will say that we were both quite surprised at the news of yer nuptials, and the heritage of yer bride.”
Dominik nodded, letting out a long-held sigh. He’d been aware of the shock this would cause for some time. It had not escaped him. Still, it had been the only solution he could see to his predicament.
“Aye, I am certain it will shock many. But there was little choice. I needed to quiet the council, and Rose’s dowry provided an incredible opportunity for the clan. I aim to have a look at the land for meself in the next day or so.”
“Land,” Odhran repeated, bobbing his head in a slow nod, “aye, a fine dowry indeed. And ye say it has port access for trading?”
“Indeed. And with its location, I hope to find something in the soil as well. It’s in a prime location for a number of deposits and resources.”
“I wish the best of luck with it, truly.” Odhran chuckled to himself, a hard sound that while echoing with a tinge of humor was also still so dark, so gruff. “I will admit that I have nay interest in ever wedding. There is too much work to be done, and I believe me own council is well aware of that.”
That darkness clung to Odhran, shadowing his expression and sharpening his stare as if he were looking out into the world from some dank cave. His mood was off, an even graver countenance than usual. And that was saying something.
Still, Odhran would not be compelled to speak. If there was something he wished to get off his chest, he’d do it no sooner than the moment he decided to. Dominik knew better than to argue with him, to probe for the details of something he would never be afforded even a glimpse of.
So, Dominik let it be, trusting that his friend would come to him when the time was right.
“A bonny morn as ever, eh, lads?” Ashton’s exuberant voice echoed through the stone hall, and the two men turned in the direction of the sound, each rolling their eyes.
“I cannae believe he is so lively in the morning when he drank enough to drown a fish.”
Dominik bit back a bark of laughter, and when Ashton reached them, he threw his arm over his friend’s shoulder, walking him down the corridor so that they might find their breakfast in the Great Hall. Their walk was a constant stream of conversation and revelry, a surprising amount indeed, considering how much Ashton had imbibed.
He clearly had the constitution of a workhorse, which was an advantageous thing as the man could still be counted on first thing in the morning regardless of how he’d spent his evenings.
At the Great Hall, the men entered the long chamber to a sea of faces, all glad to see them, exchanging morning greetings and conversations to welcome them. While Dominik could not deny that there was still a mood of uncertainty in the keep, today seemed markedly better.
As the three of them walked toward the far end to take their places at the head table, Dominik found himself falling into easy conversation with Odhran, who expressed some of his concerns about ensuring his clan would be unmolested by an enemy that had grown somewhat. Odhran, as always, spoke in vague terms, but it was still easy enough to understand his concerns, and Dominik provided the insight he could.
Ashton was gone quickly from that conversation, making a direct approach to the table where Rose already sat waiting for them. She was as bright as ever, and Dominik found himself watching Ashton conversing with her a bit too intently, so much so that he lost track of Odhran’s story.
“Have ye decided to take the least productive route to yer table this morning, Dominik?” Odhran joked, and at once, the Laird looked down, realizing that he was about to collide with one of the other tables in the main hall where his clan members were dining.
He swiftly adjusted his course, his stare finding Rose and Ashton again as he apologized to Odhran. “Apologies, friend. I willnae say that I am nae distracted.”
“I can see that.”
Just then, Dominik caught sight of Ashton lingering his lips on Rose’s knuckles for far, far too long. He hurried up to the table, catching the end of his words.
“Ye look so fetching this morning, me Lady. Should we all be so lucky as to wake up to the sight of something as bonny, I say mornings would nae be so dreadful.”
“Step back, Ashton.” Dominik’s voice boomed, and Rose shot her eyes up to him, her cheeks blazing pink. “If ye wish to keep yer hand, of course. If ye’re keen to lose it, then by all means, keep touching me wife.”
“Och, Dominik.” Ashton stood up, rolling his eyes with too much humor for the Laird’s liking at present. “I sincerely apologize. I meant nay offense.”
