“Liam, you should see my room!There’s a window seat that looks out over the loch, and there are books everywhere.Art books with pictures of paintings from all over the world!”
“And the bath,” Calan added, appearing with Jamie close behind.“It’s the size of a small swimming pool.”
“Bit different from washing in icy streams,” Jago observed dryly, but he was grinning.
Hedrek and Tamsin descended more sedately, but Liam could see the change in them too.Hedrek wore a simple shirt and trousers that fit him well, and his usual guarded expression had softened.Tamsin looked almost fragile in a soft blue dress, but her cough had already improved in the warm, dry air.
“The doctor says it’s a chest cold,” she said when Suzie inquired.“Nothing that rest and warmth won’t cure.”
Mrs.Fraser appeared as if summoned.“We’ll serve dinner in the wee dining room.Less formal than the great hall.Thought ye’d be more comfortable there.”
The small dining room could still seat twenty, but someone had arranged chairs around one end of the long table, creating an intimate atmosphere despite the room’s grand proportions.Candles flickered in silver holders, and the smell of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the air.
“This is incredible,” Tamsin said, taking in the scene.
“Mrs.Fraser’s outdone herself,” Niall agreed, pulling out chairs for the ladies.“Though I suspect she’s been planning this feast since the moment I called ahead.”
“Guilty as charged,” Mrs.Fraser said, appearing with a procession of serving dishes.“Haven’t had a proper family dinner in ages.Mr.Niall grabs something from the kitchen and eats while readin’ reports, and Miss Suzie loses track o’ time when she’s writin’ her music.”
“She exaggerates,” Niall protested, but his grin suggested otherwise.
As the food was served—roast lamb with rosemary, vegetables from the castle’s gardens, and thick slices of fresh bread—Liam watched the Teague family relax in earnest.Jago and Kitto were engaged in an animated conversation with Suzie about New Zealand, while Calan peppered Niall with questions about the castle’s history.
“How old is this place?”Calan asked, gesturing around them with his fork.
Niall smiled.“Parts of it date back to the thirteenth century.Though different lairds have added and modified it countless times.They built the dining room we’re in now in the eighteenth century.”
“It must be a lot of responsibility,” Hedrek said.
“It is.But it’s also a privilege.This place has sheltered people for centuries, and it seems right to continue that tradition.”
The comment hung in the air for a moment, and Liam saw understanding pass between the two men.Hedrek nodded, as if recognizing something in Niall’s words.
“Tell me about your pottery,” Suzie said, turning to Tamsin.“Liam mentioned you have quite a business.”
“Had,” Tamsin corrected.“We’re not sure what comes next.”
“Why not?”Kitto asked, looking up from his plate.“We could set up anywhere, couldn’t we?Find new clay sources, new markets?”
“It’s not that easy,” Sienna said.“People don’t always welcome our kind of family.”
An uncomfortable silence fell over the table.It was Jamie who broke it, his youthful voice cutting through the quiet room.
“They welcomed us here.”
The simple truth landed hard, rippling through the room.Liam saw Suzie’s eyes grow bright, saw Niall’s expression soften further.
“Yes,” Hedrek said, his voice rough with emotion.“They did.”
Mrs.Fraser chose that moment to appear with dessert.It was a magnificent trifle that drew appreciative murmurs from around the table.
“If ye don’t mind me sayin’, sir, it’s been far too quiet around here lately.Nice to have a proper family at the table again.”She set down a large glass bowl layered with sponge, custard, and cream.“And before anyone asks—nae, it’s no’ a trifle.It’s a Tipsy Laird, and there’s a good splash o’ whisky in it, so go easy unless ye fancy a nap afterward.”
As she bustled away, Liam caught the look that passed between Hedrek and Tamsin.It was the same one he’d seen countless times during their journey—the silent communication of two people who’d faced the world together for decades.
But this time, instead of wariness, he saw something else.
Hope.
