In Scot Water - Caroline Lee Page 0,48
ye’re so confused by yer feelings about this transition.”
Ye fell in love with him.
Aye. ‘Twas impossible to deny. She’d only known the man for a few short days, and she’d fallen in love with him.
She loved his mind, and the way he thought things through so thoroughly. She loved the way he valued her thoughts and feelings, and how special he made her feel. She loved the way he cared for Tomas, and how devoted he was to Liam. Why, the fact he was currently showing the lad the training fields with his brothers proved Malcolm was invested in her—their—son’s future.
Aye, she loved him.
“Dinnae be silly!” Agatha suddenly cackled from the other side of the room. “She hasnae heard the drummer yet!”
But I have, have I no’? Only, I fell in love with Malcolm before I heard the Ghostly Drummer of Oliphant Castle.
Nessa scoffed. “We’re supposed to put our faith in some clot-heided ghost, Aunt Agatha? ‘Tis likely a man, and we all ken men dinnae understand us half the time, so what would make a dead man any different?” She tickled Tomas’s nose as she held her aunt’s gaze. “Besides, ye’ve heard the drummer plenty of times, and ye havenae fallen in love.”
The old woman sniffed. “I’m saving myself for the right man, ye impertinent bag of sheep innards! And ‘tis no’ an exact science, hearing the drummer. Lara has heard him, have ye no’, lass?”
Evelinde snuck a glance at the young woman holding her hand, and was surprised to see her blushing. “Lara?”
“I’ve heard him.” The blonde woman lifted her chin, as if defying anyone to criticize. “And I ken why.”
“Lara has her man picked out,” Nessa whispered over-loudly down at the bairn, “but he’s too dense to realize it.”
Ooh. It was Evelinde’s turn to squeeze her new friend’s hand and offer her an encouraging smile. “I wish ye the best of luck.”
“I’ll need it,” Lara said with a sigh. “There are so many things wrong here in the castle, things I want to fix. Things which need fixing, if only people understood what was right.”
“Things? Or…people?” Evelinde hazarded.
The sweet-looking blonde woman offered a little sigh and a rueful twist of her lips. “Both, I suppose. If certain people were less dense, ‘twould be easier!”
“Certain men!” Nessa called out.
As the women giggled, Evelinde realized a truth. She liked this. She liked being able to offer comfort and support to another woman.
After her mother’s death, Father Ambrose had raised her. He’d done an admirable job, but Evelinde had never been around other girls. Then she’d married Robert and had lived alone. For the first time in her life, she had women in her life. And not just women, but women who cared about her.
Slightly dazed, she glanced around the room. Aunt Agatha—as she insisted on being called, and which Evelinde had trouble remembering—was scowling at nothing in particular, and Nessa was cooing down at Evelinde’s bairn. Lara squeezed her hand gratefully, and Evelinde had to smile.
Aye, ‘twas nice to have women who cared, and whom she cared about. And she’d met Malcolm’s brother’s wives last night, hadn’t she? She’d been exhausted and irritated and shocked by the way her life had suddenly changed, but she’d met them, and at that moment, she promised herself she’d get to know them better.
They were all sisters now, were they not?
Yesterday morning, she’d woken beside her betrothed in her cramped box bed, wonderfully sated. Yesterday evening, she’d fallen asleep in a castle in her husband’s arms.
Aye, life had changed, and she’d been shocked by it. But Malcolm was still the same good man, and he was offering her and their children opportunities she’d only dreamed of. Just the thought of Liam and Tomas having their own space—a nursery!—was remarkable!
She still was uncomfortable with the idea of them sleeping on their own, but she could get used to it. Look! There was Tomas, in another woman’s arms, safe and sound. And she knew Liam was happy and healthy at that moment, in Malcolm’s care.
Aye, she could be happy here.
She would be happy here.
“I’m glad ye married Malcolm,” Lara said softly.
And Evelinde had to smile. “I am too. Nessa’s right—I do love him. I didnae expect to, but he’s a good man.”
“He didnae expect to love ye either,” cackled Agatha from her place on the other side of the room. “Kiergan is going to be tickled pink when he discovers how badly Malcolm’s scheme went!”
“Dinnae be silly.” Nessa settled back into her chair, holding Tomas