“Good plan,” said Robbie. “They dinnae have the advantage of an old, weel-kenned name and people round here wouldnae bow to it as they are doing back East. And that lawyer ye hired, Iain, had a long chat with Mehitabel. Think he was verra impressed by what her grandfather had done to protect his family. By the time they face the problem of no male heir, there will probably be even less chance of anyone trying to negate that will.”
“I smell bacon cooking,” said Lachlan, and hurried down the stairs.
* * *
Belle looked at Geordie and tried not to sigh as she watched him dress. It was a little hard to believe he was hers now. Since she had gotten a lot of good advice from Iain’s lawyer, she could even set aside any worry about someone trying to steal her family’s land because she had married and the man was a stranger just off the boat.
“Get dressed, Belle.” He gave her a light slap on the backside, which was well protected by the blanket she was under.
“Do you know how annoying a rise-and-shine person can be to those of us who do not rise or shine in the morning? Why are you in such a hurry?”
“I can smell bacon.”
“Ah, of course.” She slid out of bed and went to find something to wear as well as tidy up her clothes from yesterday. “Cannot miss a chance at bacon.” She began to pick up her wedding clothes. “I guess I will have to learn how to cook it properly now.”
“Ye dinnae ken how to cook bacon? I am sure I had some at your house.”
“You probably did, but Auntie would have been responsible for it. That is why you didn’t get it every day.”
“I dinnae ken what to do about this. May have to rethink the wedding,” he said as he started out the door, shutting it after him just before the shoe hit it.
* * *
“Already fighting with the wife?” asked Iain as Geordie hurried into the kitchen.
“Not really. Just told me she doesnae ken how to cook bacon.” He started laughing when he saw the shock on his brother’s face.
“Is that why ye came home?” Iain asked.
“Nay.” He laughed and shook his head. “Seems her aunt fixes it when she stays for breakfast.”
“Seems a sensible solution,” said Mrs. O’Neal.
“Maybe, but it would help if she learned how and nay just for my pampered belly. She rents rooms during the summer season, with meals included.” He filled his plate and took a seat, keeping an empty one by his side.
“That is a lot of work for a lass on her own.”
“It is—the gardening, the caring of the grounds and house, the orchard and fruit bushes and a cranky neighbor who wants a large piece of her land for himself. But she appears to have a small army of cousins. There are also people who feel beholden to her father, who was a doctor. They might help out.”
“That is good. So the town helps look after her.”
“It appears so. So, Geordie, ye are leaving the West, aye?” Iain asked.
“Aye. I am. I want to. Never really felt settled into this area. With the family, aye, but nay this place.”
“Ye think the East is more like home?”
“Weel, she will be there for a start, aye? But I do think it is a place my soul will settle to.”
“Just dinnae settle in a way that makes ye just a new chapter in the book of the ocean’s history. It’s a long and bloody one. We will come to visit ye though, so ye best have enough room to house us.”
“There is plenty of room. Just try to avoid the storm season.”
“And when is that?”
“In the late summer. August and into September, although the occasional storm can happen whenever the mood takes it.”
“They are bad storms?” asked Mrs. O’Neal.
