The Strength of a High and Noble Hill (An Outlander Story)

Chapter 26: Caught in the Act

"It is beautiful here, so... open." Brian breathes in deeply. "And the air is so fresh."

"Is it not so open in Boston?" Lord John asks. They sit in Jocasta's drawing room.

"It's not," Brian looks over at him with a tilted smile, "but at least we have the Red Sox." He gets a blank look at that. Brian decides to change the topic. "Do you play chess?"

Lord John Grey's eyes move the same way Brian's had to where a chess board is tucked beneath one of the wooden shelves. "I do. Your father and I actually played quite often in our younger years."

Brian walks over to the board. He tugs it out from under the shelf and sits it on the table between them. He speaks innocently, "I guess you'll have to tell me who's better, father or son."

Brian doesn't notice Lord John's breath catching.

Maybe half an hour later, Lord John has Brian's king cornered in checkmate.

Ellen soon comes wandering into the room they sit in. "What are you two up to?"

"Chess..." Brian grumbles. He doesn't receive an ounce of pity from his sister who grins.

"Your father's better." Lord John announces.

"A dagger to my heart, sir." Brian replies with a tilted grin.

"You were always more of a Scrabble man anyway." Ellen says to him.

Lord John raises an eyebrow. "Scrabble?"

Brian and Ellen share an awkward look.

"Uh, never mind." Brian laughs but mostly to himself.

"Both of you are as inscrutable as your mother."

"We'll try and take that as a compliment." Brian quips.

"You should." Lord John gives him a warm smile.

Ellen watches her brother depart and looks back to Lord John, a plan forming in her head. "Uh, Lord John, if we could speak for a moment?"

——

"What is wrong with you?!" Brian hisses as soon as his sister tells him.

Ellen sighs, rolling her eyes. "Don't you yell at me, Brian. You know I have to. Jacosta was going to marry me off—"

"So, you're going to blackmail him into marrying you?!"

"No!" Ellen cries indignantly. "I mean was but no, not anymore. Lord John agreed to play pretend for a bit instead."

Brian calms. "You're not actually getting married?"

"No."

"But what if they can't find Roger, will you truly go through with it? Could you do that to him?" Brian questions.

"I don't have any other choice right now. It's this or marry Forbes, and I would rather be forced into a convent than be that man's wife." Ellen confesses.

Brian sighs. He's going to go grey early because of her.

——

A/N: I think Brian is a bit oblivious.

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