Chapter Seventeen

“Oh, how wonderful!” Katie almost hugged Alice at the sight of all the lovely cottages. Truth be known, she, too, was weary of the crowds in the castle and all the animals who didn’t seem to stay in the stables. Plus, she kenned Evan was at the end of his patience with the constant noise, confusion, and stream of people showing up at the front door. She turned to Evan, who looked even happier than she felt. “We can begin to move families in right away.”

“Aye,” he said. “I think ’tis only fair to move those who arrived first and then go down the line.” Evan was all business now that they had somewhere to move the people who had appeared so far. She was also relieved. The sooner everyone got settled, the sooner she could take over her duties as land steward. And Evan could return to Argyll.

A lump grew in her stomach. Why did that thought disturb her? She’d only known the man for a very short time, but the idea of watching his back as he rode off left her quite bereft. She’d never felt the need for a man before, especially not the one who had shown up at her house with a false betrothal agreement.

Of all the lads in her old village, none of them had ever made her think about marriage and a family. The few kisses she’d received had not left her wanting anything more. Unlike Evan’s kisses, which left her frightened yet longing for something she knew he could provide but would only lead to trouble and heartbreak.

Another thought was her much-valued independence. She’d been on her own without assistance from her da for a long time. She made the decisions, she answered to no one. Even though she would have to answer to Evan once she took over the land steward duties, she’d still be in charge.

Marriage changed those things. Answering to a husband would be far harder than answering to a laird who was miles and miles away.

“I am almost certain there are more empty cottages on the north side of the village,” Alice added as she pointed in the general direction. “Maybe another three or four.”

“Alice, if ye weren’t a married lass, I’d kiss ye right now,” Evan said.

“Oh, now go on with ye!” The woman flapped her apron and actually blushed.

They said their farewells, Alice waving them off, having gained a promise from them that they would stop by another time to meet her husband.

“I suggest we travel on to the village. Mrs. MacDuff’s biscuits were verra good, but I need more than that. There must surely be a pub where we can get something to eat and then take a quick look at the cottages north of the village.”

“We won’t have time to move anyone today.” Katie looked up at the sky. “In fact, if those clouds keep building, we might be in for a downpour.”

They rode swiftly to the village. Two rows of businesses lined a center square. Blacksmith, baker, shoemaker, the bookstore Alice MacDuff had mentioned, a doctor, a ferrier, wheelwright, a general store, and a butcher sat comfortably side by side. Several shoppers moved from store to store, carting bags of purchases. At the end of one row of businesses was a building set apart from the others. The Hound and the Hare was apparently an inn and ale house.

“We can get food there,” Evan said as he headed in the direction of the inn.

Katie followed Evan as he directed his horse behind the building to the small lean-to that housed the animals of visitors to the inn. He jumped from his horse, helped Katie down, then tossed a coin to the lad who was brushing one of the horses. “Give them some oats and water.”

The lad nodded and pulled on his cap. Evan escorted Katie into the inn, where they were immediately greeted with the smell of something wonderful. Katie’s stomach rumbled. She hadn’t realized she was hungry until then.

Evan led her to a long table at the back of the room with several men and two women already sitting on the benches. They sat and Evan waved the serving girl over. “What smells so good?”

The lass smiled. “’Tis my mum’s steak-and-kidney pie. She makes it every Thursday, and we usually sell out by seven o’clock.”

“That sounds good to me.” Evan turned to Katie. “What do ye want, lass?”

“I’ll have the pie. It does smell wonderful. And a glass of ale.”

“The same for me,” Evan added.

They chatted amicably about the cottages and who would be moved out of the castle. “How many families are ye expecting?”

Katie thought about his question and counted in her head. “I’m not one hundred percent sure, because a few of the families didn’t want to move, and a few more were headed off to Canada. But of the ones I ken for certain, I would say about eleven or perhaps thirteen families in all.”

Evan nodded as the serving girl placed two meat pies and two glasses of ale in front of them. Katie’s mouth actually watered at the sight of the food. Without further conversation, they bit into the pie and Katie groaned. She looked over at Evan, who was staring at her. “What?”

He shook his head as if coming out of a trance. “Nothing.”

It took very little time for them to finish their meal. After swallowing the last bite, Evan leaned forward, his forearms on the table, glancing over her shoulder to the entry door. “If we intend to find these other cottages before it rains, we better be off.”

After only a short ride past the village, they came upon five cottages that appeared to be abandoned. No gardens grew in the back of the houses, no wash flapped in the breeze on clotheslines. “I think these are the cottages Alice MacDuff referred to,” Evan said as they came to a halt in front of the first one.

The five cottages were set in a semicircle, with enough space between them to allow privacy to the residents, but they were close enough for friendly exchanges and help when required. A child’s swing hung from a branch on a large tree in front of the third house. The breeze coming from the approaching storm moved the swing, the toy swaying as if an invisible bairn rode it.

Evan helped Katie down, then, placing his hand at the small of her back, led her to the first cottage. The wind had picked up tremendously since they’d left the ale house. Katie’s skirts whipped around her legs, and she almost had to fight to move forward.

They brought the horses around the back of the house, where a fairly large stable stood, obviously meant to house the animals from the five cottages. She couldn’t keep her skirts from flying in the air and eventually stopped trying. They brushed the horses down as best they could, released their halters, and headed to the first cottage.

The minute they crossed the doorway, rain fell like a large bucket had just been dumped from the heavens. A loud clap of thunder made Katie jump, and she wrapped her arms around her middle. “I don’t like lightning and thunder storms.” She shuddered.

“Let’s see if there’s wood or peat left. We can make a small fire to warm the room up.” Evan wandered over to the small, cold fireplace and opened a large tin box standing nearby. “Aye. A bit of peat.” He squatted before the fireplace and set the bricks in the hearth. Using the material from a tinderbox left on the mantel, he lit the turf, then watched it for a while to make sure it was going to burn.

Katie studied the rain. Drops bounced when they hit the ground. Hopefully, it wouldn’t last long. She had no desire to ride all the way back to the castle in a downpour, but the thought of staying here—alone—with Evan, filled her with a strange combination of fear and anticipation.

…

Evan walked up behind Katie as she stood in front of the window, watching the rain. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked out the window. “’Tis quite a downpour.”

“Aye.” She turned, still hugging herself, as another clap of thunder rocked the cottage. “Do ye think it will last long?” Her pretty blue eyes were large with worry, and she chewed on her lower lip. The lovely plump lip he remembered kissing and nibbling on.

Don’t think of that now with the two of us alone—far from curious, judging eyes.

He viewed the small section of sky visible from the window. “No way to tell.” He draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him as she shuddered at another flash of lightning. She felt good against him, the warmth from her body, her curves that fit so nicely.

“I feel like such a ninny. I have always hated storms.” She licked her lips and looked up at him. “As a lass of about ten years, I was out playing by myself when a storm moved through quickly. Lightning hit the tree I was hiding under, throwing me several feet away. Da told me they found me lying on the ground, and that ’twas a good thing it hadn’t killed me.” She turned back to look out the window again. “I guess that’s why I’m always bothered by them.”

Evan pulled her away from the window and led her to the worn sofa left behind by the previous tenants. “Most likely. Did no one ever tell ye the worse place to be in a lightning storm is huddled under a tree?”

“Nay. But I learned it the hard way.”

“Aye.” They settled side by side on the sofa in front of the cozy fire. Evan was aware—aye, much too aware—of her softness, warmth, and the scent from her hair. Once again, he thought about his future. With Katie? Or without her?

’Twas a complicated issue. He was needed back in Argyll, not intending to be here for even this long. And he wanted to return to his home. ’Twas in his blood. The warriors of his ancestors had fought and died to keep the MacNeil clan together and the estate safe. His da had made him promise on his deathbed to always serve the MacNeil clan, to be strong and honorable. He would not break that vow for any reason.

His desire for Katie was turning into something more. Much more. He couldn’t get her out of his mind, and he found himself looking forward to seeing her each day and working on the estate together. Never had he spent so much time with a lass outside of a bed and thoroughly enjoyed it. Yet every time they visited another tenant and he introduced Katie as the new land steward, something inside him rebelled.

Nay. I cannot leave her behind when I return to Argyll.

“Ach!” Katie turned her face into Evan’s chest, her entire body shaking as an extremely loud clap of thunder shook the house. He began to rub her back and murmur soft words, almost as if she were a bairn.

Within minutes hail began to strike the house, the sound like rocks thrown at the walls. Katie covered her ears with her hands and hid her face in her lap.

“’Tis all right, lass. ’Tis only hail making all that noise.” Evan continued to rub her back. His main concern was not the storm but the flash flooding that could keep them stranded for more than a few hours. They’d passed several creeks since they’d left the castle. Even if the rain stopped, or lightened enough for them to return, the swollen ravines and creeks could pose a danger, especially if the rain continued past sunset.

The sky grew so dark, ’twas almost as if night had arrived. “Will ye be all right while I look for some candles?” He shifted to stand and make a search.

Katie nodded, her face still buried in her lap. He had to smile at the woman brave and courageous enough to drag her entire clan across Scotland but who cowered like a bairn during a storm. She was a warrior when defending her brother and clan but soft as a babe when in his arms.

He discovered two candles, a blanket, and a mattress from the small bedroom, too worn for the previous tenants to take with them. Hopefully, they would be able to leave before he had to lay alongside Katie for the entire night. But that didn’t look promising.

“Tell me about yer clan, yer family,” Katie said, looking up at him from her lap, obviously attempting to take her mind off the storm.

Evan lifted her, tucking her against his body again, wrapping her in his arms. “’Tis an old clan. I believe I told ye a bit about its history already. My great-grandfather and grandfather worked hard to keep the land profitable after Culloden and the Clearances that followed.”

He stretched out his long legs and crossed his feet at the ankles. “My da and mum were verra happy together. She died from an infected foot when she accidentally cut herself with an axe. Da was verra upset at her, since he’d forbidden her to use the ax.” He shook his head. “She was a stubborn woman. Da was crushed when she died. I was about twelve years, and Alasdair only ten.”

“Do ye have any other brothers? Or sisters?”

“Nay. There were two wee lasses who died as infants. They were both born before me, so I never kenned them.”

Katie squealed as another flash of lightning lit up the room. She took a deep breath. “That was a close one.” Her voice shook, almost drowned out by the following clap of thunder.

Evan rested his chin on her head. “When I was a bairn, my mum told us that thunder was God playing with the angels on their bowling green up in heaven.”

Katie giggled. He smiled at the sound. ’Twas good to hear her laugh in the midst of her fright.

“Do ye think we will be able to leave soon?” She stared at him, the pulse in her neck jumping.

From what? Fear? Anticipation?

He studied her for a minute, not sure how she would take his words. “Nay. I dinnae think we’ll be able to leave until morning.”

She sucked in a deep breath, and her eyes grew wide. “In truth?”

“Aye.” He reached out and twirled one of the locks that had slipped from her topknot to her shoulder. “This is not familiar ground for either of us, and we passed a number of small ravines and creeks on our way here. Rapid water drowns more people than swimming in the lochs. ’Twill be dark soon and not at all safe to travel.”

He looked down at her, attempting to assess her reaction at his words. “I’m afraid we’re here for the night, lass.”