He laughed loud and heartily. “Are ye going tae put warts on my nose?”
She crossed her arms and gave him a firm nod. “I’m not a brownie!”
“Let me see...” He brought her so close to his gruff old face that their noses touched. He had fog and dew in his long white hair and his beard, and it peppered his weathered and wrinkled face like raindrops.
Fergus MacLachlan had a face that looked just like plum duff with an acorn thrown in. His nose was plump and round and his eyes were bright green; they sparkled beneath eyebrows that looked like fluffy inchworms. His cheeks were red and rosy like the sweet candied cherries some of the girls at school got from their parents as rewards or just because they missed them.
He squinted up at her. “Och! Ye’re right. I can see now. Ye’re no brownie.”
“I told you so.”
“Tis a wee beastie I see.”
“I’m not a beastie! I’m Kirsty.”
“Ye canna be Kirsty. Why she was awee one, only this high. Ye canna be my Kirsty.”
“I am Kirsty!”
He set her down and poked more fun at her by pretending he didn’t believe her and making a big to-do. He walked around her while he rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully. He bent down and squinted at her.
Fergus refused to wear spectacles. He claimed he could see just fine without wearing round windows on his nose that made him look like a “silly auld fool.” He said if the good Lord wanted him to wear glasses he’d have been born with them. Even her mama had never been able to sweet-talk him into wearing them.
She laughed, planted her fists on her hips, and turned with him. “I grew three whole inches.”
“Aye, lassie, I can see ye’ve grown.”
“And I’m home now, Fergus. I’m home.”
He stopped his fooling and scooped her up in another bear hug.
“Aye,” he said gruffly. “Ye’re home, lassie.” He swung her on his broad shoulders and carried her down the hallway.
She bounced along on his shoulders and pretended she was one of those mid-evil knights riding a desk-tree charger. After a moment she patted Fergus on the head. “Where are we going?”
“I need to fetch Graham.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve a surprise fer ye both.”
“A surprise?”
“Aye.”
“What kind of surprise?”
“Weel now. If I tell ye, then it would’na be a surprise now, would it?”
“Please, Fergus. Please tell me before you tell Graham. I want to be first.”
“I’m taking ye both to Eagle Point.”
“On the other side of the island?”
“Aye.”
“Why?”
