Lady Eilean

Chapter 37

Innis made quick work settling in at Stormway. She had an unrelenting spirit and tenacity I found quite inspirational. After a fortnight of her stay, I understood that the ostentation of her outfits was a carefully honed weapon to make her look approachable. In reality, they disguised a woman as tough as iron and often intransigent. We were, perhaps, perfect opposites. She had conviction, zeal, and would not be moved while I was happier delegating and not thinking too much about what it meant for my own advancement.

On the morning of her third week, she strode into my office, bold-as-you-please, and sat down on the other side of my desk.

"Put me to work," she said with a brittle voice.

Laying down the market reports, I studied her. "You're a guest, I couldn't do that." It was a coward's reply, sidestepping her demand.

"All of you are busy and I've read enough books in the last couple of weeks to last me a lifetime. There must be something I can do."

Alex and Wallis interrupted us, running into the room, both of them screaming.

"Eli! Eli! Alex says he is going to throw me in the pigpen!" Wallis threw herself into my lap.

Alex laughed and pushed his hair back, the sunlight glinting off his curls. "Only because Wallis insists on making mud pies in Cook's mixing bowls. I thought she might enjoy playing with her kin."

"I am her kin, so hold your tongue, sir," I teased, nuzzling into the soft hair of my niece.

Wallis growled at my affection, pushing my face away, and I laughed.

Noticing her, Alex turned and smiled at Innis. "Ah! Good morning, Miss McClurkin. I apologize for interrupting your audience Eilean."

Innis narrowed her eyes, her disapproval of the chaos clear.

I wanted to laugh at her, frosty in the face of all of Alex's goodness. Out of respect, I maintained a facade of indifference.

"We were talking of work that I might take over," Innis explained. "Perhaps you know of an area where I might be useful?"

"And Eilean won't give up the reins?" Alex assumed.

"Something like that," Innis smiled tightly.

Proving that I could indeed give up control, I let Alex take command of the conversation. Instead, I focused on Wallis, asking how her day had gone and if she was being dutiful about her lessons. Enjoying Wallis' prattle, I paid little attention to Alex and Innis until I heard Alex grunt.

He looked very serious and crossed his arms, nodding his head. "I hadn't thought about that."

Innis raised her eyebrows as if whatever observation she had made should have been obvious. She looked at me with exasperation, eager for an ally.

"What is it?" I asked. "It must be serious if Alex looks like a grumpy tutor."

Innis blew out a sigh and crossed her arms. She held my stare for half a moment and then shook her head. "I hear gossip, that's all."

Alex hopped up on the desk, sitting on its edge. Lifting Wallis off my lap, I whispered to her to go practice her spelling at the child-sized desk Alex had built for her under a window. I gestured at Innis to continue.

"A lot of the women here would like to remarry."

I looked at Innis, confused. "We have abolished The Standing. There is nothing preventing them from... Oh. Remarry."

Alex met my gaze, face solemn. "It appears it is a matter of technicality. Their husbands, the ones that rode off to war, are still considered alive without proper paperwork claiming otherwise."