“Of course, all the men are forever pausing in their work to pick some flowers,” she drawled, and ignored Emily’s frown at her sarcasm. “Well, we will see. Now here comes the little man and I think he is very tired.” Mrs. O’Neal knelt in front of Neddy. “Are you tired, my boy?”
“No.” Neddy yawned and seeing Emily sitting at the table walked over and patted her on her lap. “Sit, Em?”
Emily picked him up and put him on her lap. “You have had yourself a busy, busy day today, love.”
“I have. Playeded ball with Rory.”
“I watched you but, do you think, a nap, a short rest, might be something you would like to have? Just a little one so your eyes can stay open again.”
Neddy nodded and she picked him up. He rested his head on her shoulder as she carried him upstairs. By the time she reached the room where his cot was the boy was already asleep. Emily smiled as she put him down on the bed. She took off his shoes, kissed him on the forehead, and then quietly left the room only to bump into Iain.
“I thought you left,” she said as she pulled the bedroom door shut.
“Nay, I just had a good look over the walls. I do it every once in a while, to make sure they are still sturdy. They are. Gates are sturdy, too.” He took her by the hand and tugged her toward his room.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Where I can kiss ye senseless without interruption.”
Emily almost laughed. She had not expected him to answer so honestly. She did not fight as he pulled her into his room and shut the door although the way he latched it made her a little nervous. Emily was not sure just how far she would allow him to go or how far he might try to go and if she was fully prepared for the consequences of that. She was no longer pure but there was no sense in becoming simply a mistress to a man out in the wilds of a new country.
She should say no. She should walk away but, as he pulled her into his arms, she lost all urge to do so. Everyone thought he was courting her. It would be foolish to walk away now when he might just be working his way to what she ached for, a permanent relationship.
His kiss made her senses reel and her heart pound. Emily wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tightly. She craved his kisses and knew that was her greatest weakness. How could any woman keep her senses when a man kissed like he did?
Iain desperately wanted to toss her onto the bed and make love to her but too many people were around. He eased away from her, ending the kiss slowly as he did so. He was trying to woo her and making love to her again, in secret, sneaking around so she was not shamed, was not the way to court a woman.
“There. I have been thinking about that all day.” He brushed a kiss over her forehead.
“You have?”
“Aye.” He gave her a quick kiss on the mouth and then opened the door.
After a look down the hall, he led her out and started down the stairs. Iain led her by holding on to her hand. Her silence told him she was puzzled by his actions but was too polite to say so. Iain was puzzled by them too. He was wanting her all the time yet he knew he should not give in to that want. That, he reminded himself with a twisted smile, was not the way to woo a woman and that was what he was supposed to be doing.
“Is there anything ye would like to do?”
“I cannot think of anything. Not here. I do not wish to go back into town for a while as I think it will make me nervous or afraid. I do not really know what people do around here, either. In England it is a lot easier even if all one does is wait for invites. There are also walks in the park, plays, musicales, and so on.”
“True. There is little here like that. Well, I shall have to put some thought to it. We should get away from the house now and then, just us.”
“That would be nice. It can be something simple. Like a picnic or a walk or a ride.”
He nodded. Then, when they reached the bottom of the stairs, he stole a quick kiss and went out the door. Emily stood there wondering what was wrong with the man. Then she shook her head and headed for the kitchen. It might be time to help Mrs. O’Neal with a meal. It would be good for her to do something ordinary and occasionally boring.
* * *
When it was time for supper, Iain felt he had himself straightened out. It was a good thing too, he thought, or Emily would be wondering about his sanity. He was not all that sure of it himself. What he was sure of was that he had set his course and he needed to stick with it. No more trying to get her alone so he could satisfy his baser needs. That was the act of a cad, and he was trying to show her he was a beau, a serious man courting her.
He glanced at her cutting up some meat for little Neddy. She looked perfectly calm as she talked to the boy. That made him feel better. He had not scared her with too much attention—strange behavior from him, strange to her at least. It would have been difficult to explain what he had been doing if he had. The real problem was that he had never dealt with a young, untried woman before. His experience, little as it was, was with the whores at the tavern who required nothing of him except payment. One could have a good time with them and not worry about offending them.
He would go back to simple courting. Stay with flowers and candy and maybe another small gift or two. He was not sure he would be good at it but he might even try playing the beau. And, he thought, he needed to consider a better way of handing her his offerings. Today he had been no better than one of Mrs. O’Neal’s sons. Although he had a feeling even they would be more gracious and more like a true beau than he had been. That thought almost made him laugh and he took a quick look around the table to be sure no one had noticed his strange behavior.
“I think it might be good to have our reading and writing lessons soon.” Emily took note of the complete lack of interest and sighed. “Well, when you decide you would like to read and write just let me know.” She was a little disappointed as she had hoped she could give back something for all the care they had given her and Neddy.
“I think I want to,” said Rory, glancing at his mother, who quickly nodded with approval.
Several of the MacEnroys nodded and Robbie just smiled. Emily smiled back at him, knowing she had at least one very willing pupil. She would start work on figuring out when and how and create a few things to make lessons easier. She had to begin to teach Neddy so whoever wanted to join in when she did that they would be welcome. She recalled what Robbie had said about wanting to read a book so she felt rather certain he would join in.
