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A ilis entered the great hall to speak with Fiona, inhaling the aroma of heather that filled the room. Fiona stood in front of the hearth, rubbing her hands together to warm them. It seemed to Ailis that Fiona was an expert in matters of love, now that she had found the man she loved.

Ailis approached, desperately wanting her sister’s counsel. She studied Fiona’s face, unsurprised to see her sister so happy. “Ye seem pleased, Fiona.”

“Oh, I am. How could I not be with Alisdair in me life? I think he is the man God created for me and me alone.”

Ailis smiled. “Are ye up for giving some advice in love?”

Fiona laughed. “I’m not certain I can be of help, but I will try.”

“Me thoughts are in turmoil. Lachlan makes me feel things I never thought I could. But he has yet to speak to Father about a possible marriage between us. I’m not certain if I’m being impatient or if he is dragging his feet. Is it possible my feelings for him are one-sided?”

Fiona shook her head. “I wouldna say that. I think he feels the same as ye do, or he wouldna keep seeking your company. Have ye asked him if he plans to speak with Father?”

“That would be the wrong thing for a lass to do,” Ailis fretted. “It would be very…forward.”

“It would. But it would also put yer mind at ease. Why would ye keep worrying about his feelings when ye could just ask?”

“As ye did with Alisdair?”

“Perhaps ye should do as I say and not as I did?”

Ailis chuckled. “I suppose I could. It just doesna seem like the right thing to do. Ye ken?”

“Then ye could keep wondering forever and hanging by a thread as ye let him toy with yer affections. That seems like a logical thing to do!”

Ailis sighed dramatically. “When I’m near Lachlan, me heart races. Ian makes me a bit queasy, if truth be told.” She shook her head. “I fear me choice will seed regret for all me days. How do I choose without courting a lifetime of what-ifs?”

“The true path of the heart is not easy. Ye must explore yer own emotions,” she advised softly.

“True love isn’t just an absence of doubt.

It’s the courage to follow yer heart wherever it leads.

” Ailis began, “Ian Sinclair… he speaks words that promise wonders, yet he puts me at ill ease. His smiles dinnae reach his eyes. Thus, I do not trust his intentions.”

Fiona frowned. “I dinnae think I could ever trust a Sinclair. It is always wise to be cautious. Charm can often be deceiving and not a true measure of one’s character.”

“I agree. But I feel like spending time with Ian pleases Father.”

“I dinnae think so! He doesnae trust the Sinclairs despite his long friendship with Arran. They have changed recently, and I dinnae think he wants us around them. Ye have a choice about whether or not ye continue to let him court ye.”

“I hope yer right. I really dinnae think I can continue. He makes me feel as if I want to vomit when I spend a great deal of time with him.” Ailis quickly recounted the story of her walk with Ian and how he’d refused to carry the deer back to the keep.

Fiona laughed. “Sounds like a Sinclair.”

“He talks about his great prowess with a sword, and what a good leader he is, but…I dinnae ken any of it is true.” Ailis shook her head. “It seems to me that he is a boastful man with nothing to be boastful about.”

“Lachlan is a better man than Ian for certain. Ian is not a man ye should be alone with. Ever.”

“Lachlan makes certain I am not. Kevin is always following behind us.”

“Kevin is a good man,” Fiona responded. “I would trust him with me life.”

“As would I.” Ailis was glad she’d spoken to her sister, though she wasn’t sure she’d learned anything. She needed to learn to follow her heart. She knew she did, but it was difficult.

*

That evening, Ailis and her sisters, as well as the three McClain men spent the evening in the great hall with a group of young people. Both the McClain soldiers who were there and all of the McAfee young people gathered for dice games.

Ailis was not herself fond of dice games, so she spent the evening observing the young people who were surrounding her. They’d had this type of evening often before the McClains had come, often inviting some of the Sinclair youth. Ailis had a feeling that would not happen again.

She watched the group Lachlan played with and saw that he seemed to be enjoying himself.

He laughed with Moira, Brodie, and several others from the clan.

As the evening was to introduce the youth of the clan to the soldiers of the McClains, there was an equal number of men and women at each table.

When there had been one more lass than lad, she had happily agreed to observe.

“I ken we should take a break here before switching groups,” Alisdair called out, the obvious leader of the group.

As people walked to the table to eat the light meal the servants had prepared, Lachlan gravitated to Ailis’s side. “Join us for the next games.”

She shook her head. “We are not evenly matched. I will not ask another to sit out when tis easy enough for me to do so.”

“Another lass can take a turn watching,” he protested. “I would like to play with ye. Ye are a good competitor.”

She shook her head. “Not at dice games. I’ve never enjoyed them.”

“So that is the true reason ye dinnae play?”

“It is. There is no need for another to miss out.”

“I would enjoy the time to get to know ye better.”

For a moment, she considered telling him he should talk to her father about courting her, but she couldn’t get up the courage to speak so plainly. “There are better ways to get to know me,” she said.

He stabbed a small piece of meat with his knife, bringing it to his mouth. He studied her as he chewed. “I suppose that is true. I’ll find the right way given time.”

“Do ye have nights like this in yer clan?” she asked.

He nodded. “We do. The food tends to be more extravagant, but otherwise, the games are very similar. Do ye ever participate?”

“Aye. When there is no reason for me to sit out, then I play. I simply prefer to find a reason.”

He chuckled. “I shall remember that about you.” He looked at her for a moment. “What other reasons have ye used?”

She smiled, realizing he understood how she felt. “Other than uneven pairings? I’ve used someone being ill. I sit and watch over them, even if there’s no need.” She thought for a moment. “I’ve claimed sleepiness.” Shrugging, she said, “I use whatever comes to mind at the time.”

“So ye admit that ye make up reasons at times?”

She nodded emphatically. “Every chance I get.”

“I’ll be watching ye…”

“Ye do that,” she said. If his attention was on her, it wasn’t on another lass.