Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
"Are ye sure this is safe?"
Alpin glanced back at Mhairi, who stood at the base of the tower stairs looking up with obvious trepidation. The spiral staircase was narrow, worn smooth by centuries of use, and admittedly looked more treacherous than it actually was.
"Perfectly safe," he assured her. "I've been climbin’ these stairs since I was a lad. They're solid."
"They're ancient."
"Aye and still standin’. That's a testament to their quality." He extended his hand. "Come on. The view from the top is worth it, I promise."
Mhairi eyed his hand, then the stairs, then him. "If I fall and break me neck, Donnach will never fergive ye."
"If ye fall, I'll catch ye. Now stop stallin’."
She took his hand, and they began the ascent.
The stairs were indeed narrow—barely wide enough for one person, let alone two—which meant Alpin had to go first with Mhairi following close behind.
"There's a railin’," he pointed out as they climbed. "Hold ontae it if ye need to."
Mhairi reached for the iron railing that ran along the outer wall, her other hand still gripping his. They'd made it perhaps ten steps when her foot hit a particularly worn stone and slipped.
She flailed, a startled gasp escaping her.
Alpin spun immediately, his hands catching her waist and steadying her before she could fall backward.
"I've got ye," he said, his voice calm despite his racing heart. "Put yer foot here, this stone's more solid."
He guided her foot to a safer step, keeping his hands on her waist until he was certain she had her balance. She leaned into him slightly, breathing hard, and Alpin resisted the urge to pull her fully against him.
"Sorry," she muttered. "I told ye this was dangerous."
"Ye're daein’ fine. Just take it slow." He released her reluctantly and turned back to continue climbing. "And keep holdin’ the railin’."
They climbed more carefully after that, Alpin pointing out which steps to avoid and where to place her feet. Every few turns of the spiral, there were narrow windows that let in light and provided glimpses of the landscape below.
"Look," he said, pausing at one such window. "Ye can see the village from here."
Mhairi peered out, her shoulder brushing his arm as she leaned closer. "It's beautiful. I didnae realize how far we could see from up here."
"Wait until we reach the top. Ye can see fer miles."
They continued upward. By the time they reached the top platform, they were both breathing hard from the exertion.
The tower top was open to the sky, surrounded by crenellated walls that came up to Alpin's chest.
From there, the entire MacDougal territory spread out before them—forests and fields, the river winding through the valley, villages scattered like toys across the landscape.
"Oh," Mhairi breathed, moving to the edge to look out. "It's..."
"Worth the climb?"
"Aye." She turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. "I can see everything. The village, the farms, even the burial site where we went."
Alpin moved to stand beside her, close enough that their arms touched. "This is where I normally come when I need tae think. When the responsibilities of being laird feel too heavy and I need perspective."
"Daes that happen often?"
"More than I'd like tae admit." He pointed to the south. "That's where Ashcombe is camped. See that line of trees? His men are just beyond that."
Mhairi's expression sobered. "So close."
"Close enough tae be a threat. Far enough that we have warnin’ if they move." His hand settled at the small of her back, a gesture that had become automatic over the past few days. "But we're nae thinkin’ about Ashcombe right now. We're just enjoyin’ the view."
They stood like that for a while, watching the clouds move across the sky and the shadows shift across the land below. When the wind picked up, making Mhairi shiver, Alpin pulled her closer against his side.
"We should head back," he said reluctantly. "Before ye freeze up here."
The descent was easier than the climb, though Alpin kept a careful eye on Mhairi's footing. When they finally reached the bottom, she moved to a bench and sat down with a groan.
"Me legs are goin’ tae hate me tomorrow," she said.
"Consider it trainin’. A healer needs to be able to climb stairs without collapsin’." He pulled her to her feet. "Come on. We're nae done yet."
"Where are we going now?"
"The armory. I need tae inventory weapons, and ye're goin’ tae help me."
The armory was located in a separate building adjacent to the main keep, a practical precaution in case of fire.
Inside, racks of weapons lined the walls: swords, spears, axes, shields. Armor stood on wooden forms, and barrels of oil and cleaning supplies were stacked in the corners.
"This is impressive," Mhairi said, running her hand along a row of swords. "How many warriors dae ye have?"
"About forty full-time, plus militia we can call up in emergencies." Alpin began pulling weapons down for inspection. "Each one needs tae be maintained properly. A rusty sword is worse than no sword at all."
He handed Mhairi a rag and a bottle of oil. "Here. Help me oil these blades."
They worked in companionable silence for a while, Alpin inspecting each weapon while Mhairi cleaned and oiled them. It was peaceful, domestic even, and Alpin found himself relaxing in a way he rarely did during the day.
Then Mhairi dipped her rag into the oil bottle and somehow managed to flick oil directly onto his tunic.
"Oh!" Her hand flew to her mouth. "I'm so sorry."
"Ye got oil on me," Alpin said, looking down at the dark stain spreading across his chest.
"It was an accident!"
"Was it?" He grabbed a rag, dipped it in the water bucket they'd been using to clean the armor, and flicked water at her deliberately.
Mhairi gasped as cold water hit her face and dress. "Alpin!"
"Now we're even."
"Even?" She grabbed her own rag and dipped it in the water. "I'll show ye even!"
She flung water at him. He dodged behind a rack of spears, laughing, and retaliated with his own rag. Water flew everywhere as they chased each other around the armory, ducking behind armor stands and slipping on the sawdust that covered the floor.
Mhairi grabbed a gauntlet from one of the stands and swung it at him playfully. Alpin ducked, then lunged forward and caught her around the waist, spinning her away from the weapons.
"Yield!" he demanded, though he was laughing too hard to sound threatening.
"Never!" But she was laughing too, her wet hair plastered to her face, her dress soaked.
Alpin lifted her easily and set her on the long wooden table where they'd been working. The position put her at eye level with him, and suddenly the playful mood shifted into something else entirely.
His hands were still on her waist. Her hands had moved up to grip his shoulders for balance. They were both breathing hard, both soaked, both grinning.
And then they weren't grinning anymore.
Alpin's hands tightened on her waist, pulling her closer to the edge of the table. Mhairi's legs parted automatically to accommodate him, and he stepped between them, pressing close.
"We're makin’ a mess," she whispered.
"I dinnae care." His hands slid from her waist up her arms, feeling the dampness of her dress, the warmth of her skin beneath. "Dae ye?"
"Nay."
He kissed her then, hard and hungry, one hand tangling in her wet hair while the other gripped her hip. Mhairi responded immediately, her arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him even closer.
His hands roamed—down her sides, over her hips, along her thighs. When he gripped the backs of her knees and pulled her legs tighter around him, she made a sound in the back of her throat that drove him mad.
"Alpin," she gasped against his mouth. "We shouldnae, nae here."
"I locked the door," he lied, too lost in the feel of her to care about details like whether the door was actually secured.
His mouth moved to her neck, finding the spot just below her ear that made her shiver. Her hands were in his hair, tugging, and he groaned at the sensation.
He was just reaching for the laces of her dress when the door opened.
"Alpin, we need to—oh." Callum's voice. "Oh, Christ."
Alpin and Mhairi sprang apart like they'd been burned. Mhairi nearly fell off the table in her haste to get down, and Alpin had to catch her to keep her from landing in the sawdust.
"I'm sorry," Callum was saying, though his voice was filled with barely suppressed laughter. "I should've knocked. I just assumed—"
"It's fine," Alpin said through gritted teeth, adjusting his tunic and trying to look like he hadn't just been moments away from taking Mhairi on the armory table. "What dae ye need?"
"Naethin’ that cannae wait." Callum's grin was positively wicked. "Though perhaps ye should ken that Peadar is right behind me, and he's going tae find this absolutely hilarious."
Alpin's stomach sank. Sure enough, footsteps echoed in the corridor outside, and then Peadar appeared in the doorway.
His friend's eyes swept over the scene—took in Alpin and Mhairi standing suspiciously far apart, both soaked and disheveled, the table behind them covered with scattered weapons and oil rags. Alpin watched Peadar's expression shift from curiosity to understanding to barely suppressed amusement.
Then Peadar started laughing.
"I see ye're hard at work on that inventory," Peadar observed.
Mhairi's face was bright red. "I should go. I need tae—I have tae—excuse me."
She practically fled from the armory, leaving Alpin alone with his two grinning friends.
"Shut up," he said before either of them could speak. "Whatever ye're about tae say, just shut up."
"I wasnae goin’ tae say anything," Callum protested, though his eyes were dancing. "Except maybe that ye might want tae lock the door next time."
"I thought I did lock it."
"Ye didnae." Peadar moved into the armory properly, examining the disarray with obvious amusement. "Though I have tae say, the armory is a bold choice fer a rendezvous."
"It wasnae a rendezvous. We were workin’."
"Is that what they're callin’ it these days?"
Alpin glared at both of them. "Was there an actual reason ye came lookin’ fer me, or did ye just want tae interrupt?"
"Actually, aye." Callum's expression turned more serious. "A messenger arrived from Clan Fraser. They're willin’ tae commit twenty warriors tae the cause against Graham."
"That's good news." Alpin tried to focus on business despite his racing heart and the lingering feel of Mhairi's body against his. "What about Morrison?"
"Still waitin’ tae hear back." Peadar leaned against the table, arms crossed. "But Alpin, before we get too deep intae plannin’... what exactly are yer intentions toward Mhairi?"
"Me intentions?"
"Aye. Because what we just walked in on looked fairly... intentional."
Alpin ran a hand through his still-damp hair. "It's complicated."
"Complicated how?" Callum asked. "Ye clearly care about her. She clearly cares about ye. What's complicated about that?"
"Everythin’." Alpin began pacing, needing to move. "She's been through hell. Her faither sold her, she was bought at auction, she's being hunted by an English duke who thinks he owns her. The last thing she needs is me addin’ more pressure by declarin’ me intentions."
"So ye dae have intentions," Peadar said.
Alpin stopped pacing. "Aye. I dae."
"What kind of intentions?"
He might as well say it. His friends would figure it out eventually anyway. "I want tae marry her."
The words hung in the air for a moment. Then Callum grinned.
"About bloody time."
"Ye're serious?" Peadar asked, though he was smiling too.
"Completely serious." Alpin leaned against the weapon rack, letting himself admit what he'd been feeling for weeks.
"She's brilliant, brave, kind. She's survived things that would break most people and come out stronger.
She makes me laugh, makes me think, makes me want tae be better than I am.
And when I'm with her, everything just.. . makes sense."
"Have ye told her any of this?" Callum asked.
"Some of it. But nae the marriage part. Nae yet."
"Why nae?"
"Because we're about tae go tae war with Graham and possibly Ashcombe. Because her life is finally starting tae settle and I dinnae want tae complicate it. Because she deserves time tae figure out what she wants without me pushin’ her."
Alpin's jaw tightened. "And because if something happens tae me in this fight, I dinnae want her tied tae me legally. She'd be a widow before she was barely a wife."
Peadar's expression sobered. "That's assumin’ ye'd lose. Which ye willnae."
"Ye cannae guarantee that."
"Nay, but I can guarantee that living in fear of what might happen is nay way tae build a future." Peadar moved closer, his voice earnest.
“Aye.”
"Then stop overthinking it." Peadar clapped him on the shoulder. "Talk tae her. Tell her how ye feel. Let her make her own choices about what she wants. But dinnae hide behind excuses about timing and war and protecting her from complications. She's stronger than that."
"Aye," Alpin agreed. "She is."
They stood in silence for a moment, three friends who'd been through their own battles and survived. Finally, Callum grinned again.
"So, when are ye going to ask her?"
"I dinnae ken. Soon, maybe. After we deal with Graham." Alpin straightened. "But first, we need tae finalize these plans. Fraser's committed twenty warriors, who else can we count on?"
They spent the next hour discussing strategy, but Alpin's mind kept drifting to Mhairi. To the way she'd looked at him in that armory. To the possibility of a future together.
And for the first time in weeks, that future felt not just possible, but inevitable.