Later that evening, Maggie and Grace chuckled in the kitchen over tea, but Emily wavered between the kitchen and the sitting room, her nerves cinching up more with every passing minute.
No one had seen Ian since she left him in the honeysuckle grove. Until he returned, all Emily could do was wait, anxious to know if he was okay. The empty sitting room had grown dark, but she didn’t want to go to the kitchen and disturb Grace and Maggie’s conversation. Nor did she want to go upstairs and miss Ian’s entrance. Out of the two, she chose interrupting the women.
Maggie’s voice rattled Emily as she entered the kitchen. “—a wee rickle o’ bones, Grace. What do ye feed her?”
“Emmy’s a good lass. Always running, running. But she takes such good care of everything.”
“Humph.”
Emily joined them with a thin smile.
“Here ye are, dearie.” Grace pushed a scone Emily’s way. “Have some tea.”
“Aye,” Maggie said. “Ye’re too peely-wally.”
It had been hours since she’d forced down a few bites of Maggie’s porridge. Though her stomach roiled at the thought of food, she needed something. She reached for the scone and took a bite.
Maggie sniffed an empty teacup and squinted into it, then filled it from the teapot, dribbling tea down the side. She offered it to Emily.
“Has he gone back to England now?” Grace asked.
“Who?” A frown creased Maggie’s brow.
“Ian.” Grace turned to Emily, smiling. “Have ye met Maggie’s grandson, dearie?”
The scone suddenly felt like sand in her mouth. What was that about him going to England?
“No, I dinna ken where he’s off to today,” Maggie said around a mouthful of scone. “Now that ye’re home, I don’t care a wee pickle if he stays or goes.”
Was Maggie serious? It was so hard to tell.
“Ian was very kind to us when he came to the beach, wasn’t he, Emmy?”
“Mm-hmm.” She sipped tea to wash down the scone.
“Will he be back for dinner?” Grace asked.
Maggie scowled. “Aye. He always comes round when there’s food.” She set her cup down with a rattle and leaned close to Grace. “Let’s take a Sunday drive, eh, Gracie? Just like the old days.”
Emily gasped. “Drive? You mean, just the two of you?”
“Aye.” The glee in Maggie’s raspy chuckle matched her grin. “Dinna concern yerself, lassie.”
Emily took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Isn’t it a little late for a drive?” And aren’t you legally blind?
Maggie turned to Grace. “Come on. Before he comes back.”
Oh, Lord, this is not good. Not good at all.
Clearly, Maggie would not be easily dissuaded. Emily didn’t think she could tell the older woman what to do, but there was no way Grace was getting into a vehicle with Maggie. Neither one belonged behind the wheel.
Emily forced a smile. “If there’s room for me, I’d love to join you.” It was a gamble.
Maggie grunted.
“Ooh, aye,” Grace said to Emily. “But not tonight, dearie. I’m feeling a bit done in.”
Maggie glowered and reached for the teapot. “Tomorrow, then. If Ian stays away.”
If Ian stays away.
That might make things easier on both of them, but it meant she wouldn’t know for sure if he was okay. It also meant Emily would need to keep a sharp eye on Maggie.
Monday began with bright sunshine and still no sign of Ian. By late morning, Emily couldn’t take it any longer. She went outside and headed down the drive. As she neared the cottage, a car turned off the main road and climbed the drive. Emily stepped off the road and onto the grass.
Ian’s sister waved as she passed with a wagonload of kids. They continued up the slope and parked next to the house.
Emily trekked back up the drive.
Two teenaged boys and two younger girls piled out of the car, all staring at her.
Claire hollered out a hello.
“Hi, Claire.” Emily said. “Is this your family?”
Claire smiled. “Aye. All but Davy. He’s working.”
The kids continued to stare.
“That’s Jack and Douglas,” Claire said, pointing at her sons. “Boys, go find your grannie.”
The younger boy held Emily in rapt fascination. The other one grabbed his brother’s arm and towed him into the house.
“And this is Kallie, who’s eight, and this is Hannah.”
“I’m five.” Hannah demonstrated with her fingers, then plastered herself to her mother’s thigh.
Emily held out a hand to each of the girls, smiling. “I’m very pleased to meet you.”
Hannah studied Emily from head to toe, her brown eyes wide. “You’re beautiful,” she said. “Are you a princess?”
Kallie groaned and rolled her eyes. “Och! That’s all she ever talks about. She’s going to meet a princess. She’s going to be a princess. She’s going to marry a prince.” She aimed a glare at her sister.
“Och, Kallie, let your sister dream,” Claire said. “It wasn’t that long ago all you ever talked about was being a pirate.”
Emily met Hannah’s gaze. “It’s good to have a dream, Hannah. I think you’d make an excellent princess.”
A broad smile lit the girl’s face. She reached for Emily’s hand and led her to the house.
Kallie darted ahead.
Inside, the boys stood over the counter gobbling down whatever Maggie had piled in a heap for breakfast.
“Och! Where are your manners, boys?” Claire said. “Say hello to Emily. She’s here from the States.”
The older one quickly swallowed a large mouthful, brushed off his hands, and offered one to Emily. “Hello. I’m Jack.” His voice seemed strangely deep for a teenager. “Pleased to meet you.”
Hannah giggled.
The younger boy stepped forward, brushing Jack aside. “I’m Douglas. Hello.” His voice was even deeper.
Kallie frowned at her brothers. “What’s wrong with you two? You sound funny.”
“Who’s that?” Maggie’s voice carried in from the back hall. “Jack? Dougie? Are ye staying for dinner, then?” Maggie emerged with two buckets overflowing with berries.
“Is that for pie?” Jack’s eyes widened. “Ah, Grannie, I love you.”
Maggie scoffed. “Of course it’s for pie. But not till after supper. Ye lads run out and get a hen for me.”
“I’ll do it.” Kallie whipped out a wicked-looking dagger from her pocket.
A second later, Emily realized it was plastic.
“Where’s Uncle Ian?” Douglas asked. “I want to go fishing.”
“Me too.” Kallie put her dagger away.
Douglas threw his sister a glare. “You can’t go. Just us men.” He glanced at Emily. “And her, if she fancies.”
Maggie frowned. “I dinna ken where Ian is. Go upstairs and get Granddad Liam’s pole.”
Douglas disappeared, followed by Jack. In spite of the thunder of feet on the stairs, Douglas’s loud whisper reached the kitchen. “Did you see the way she smiled at me?”
“I want to see Uncle Ian too,” Hannah said. “He said we could draw more pictures next time.” She smiled up at Emily. “This is next time. Actually, he draws and I color them in.”
He’s drawing again? Something warm rose up inside of Emily. “I’ll bet you’re an excellent artist, Hannah.”
“I’d like to see Ian too.” Claire aimed a questioning look at Emily. “Is he here?”
Aunt Grace appeared in the doorway. When she saw the little girls, a wide smile brightened her face. “Och, bless me! Who are these bonnie lassies?”
As her aunt took a seat at the table and met the girls, Emily spoke quietly to Claire. “Ian hasn’t been back, not to the house anyway.”
The house shook as footsteps thundered down the stairs, growing louder until Jack and Douglas burst through the narrow kitchen doorway simultaneously.
“Is there a storm?” Grace asked. “Ooh, I love to watch storms.”
Claire’s hands flew to her hips. “Whoa there, lads, where’s the fire?”
“Got it.” Douglas shouldered his brother aside and crossed the kitchen, fishing pole in hand.
“Come on, then,” Jack said with a grin. “Last one to the burn digs the bait.” He disappeared down the hall toward the back door.
Douglas ran after him yelling, “I have the pole! I’m not digging worms too!”
Emily offered to get breakfast for Aunt Grace, but she insisted on doing it herself. After everyone had finished eating, Claire, Maggie, Grace, and Emily pitched in to clean up the kitchen, then went outside with the girls.
The women walked along the edge of the berry field, talking as the girls tried to catch chickens, until the boys returned saying they’d found Ian.
Claire frowned. “He didn’t take you fishing, then?”
Jack set the fishing pole down and stood with hands on his hips. “All he wants to do is cut down trees.”
“Trees?” Grace asked.
“Aye, for firewood.”
Claire frowned at the boys. “You should’ve stayed and helped him.”
“Ma, we tried to help but he didn’t want us. He had enough for three winters already, but he wouldn’t stop.”
“He told us to go fishing without him.” Douglas looked glum.
Emily’s heart sank.
Maggie muttered some remark about how a bit of hard work would have done the lads some good.
“He asked if the ladies needed anything.” Jack shot a glance at Emily. “And he says sorry if he caused any worry.”
“Worry?” Maggie snorted. “We’re not worried, are we, Grace?”
Aunt Grace smiled. “Ooh, no. They’ll catch loads of fish. I’m not worried.”
“He can cut down the entire forest as long as he’s back for dinner.” With a grunt, Maggie shuffled toward the house. “Aye, he’ll be back. He always comes round when I cook. Always poking his big nose in it, no matter what it is.”
“Not this time.” Jack shook his head. “He said not to wait for him.” He plucked a berry from a nearby vine and popped it in his mouth. “You won’t be seeing Uncle Ian today.”