He captured her hand again, squeezing it to convey his strong emotions. “It was as if ye were beside me, whispering to meabout each tactic and strategy. I recalled all I learned from ye that day at the loch.”
“I am glad it was useful. It was up to ye and yer father. At the right time, ye use yer strategies. Clearly, ye did.”
Cailean reached up and gently stroked her cheek. “Lass, ye are so beautiful. Ye are a beautiful woman. I can’t believe ye are here with me now. I told ye that my brother is getting married in a fortnight. After I travel with my family for the wedding, I must leave to journey to other clans to discuss business opportunities in the hopes of build our alliances. Unfortunately, I will be away for many months. I regret I have to leave after finding ye again.”
“What business do ye hope to gain from the other clans?”
“From the nearest clan, I hope to purchase more cows and sheep for our clan at a good price.”
“Why should they sell ye livestock and not to another clan?”
“If attacked, our powerful warriors would render them aid. Because we share borders, we could quickly respond to their needs.”
“That should induce them to give ye a better price than other clans. Both clans should win in these negotiations.”
“Aye, ye are right.”
“What of the other clans?”
“We could sell weapons to one of the other smaller clans. For the third clan, I thought of purchasing their whiskey.”
“Ye would need to have examples of weapons to show them. About the whiskey though, why not purchase barley and barrels to make yer own whiskey here? There are meadows and empty fields that would give others jobs. Then ye may combine yerwhiskey with theirs and sell it together. It would decrease the risk to both sides. It would be more like a partnership.”
“This time, ye can buy their whiskey and then work to plan to sell it together in Inverness. And if ye bought the supply of barrels together, ye would get a lower price. Or put yer clan to work to build them and sell them to the other clans.”
Cailean stared at Elayne in wonder. “How do ye ken so much?”
Unable to contain her laughter, Elayne’s eyes crinkled up in mirth. “Ye gave me yer books, and I read them so many times that I practically memorized them. But I canna ken everything. I dinna ken how to calculate the yield from the fields ye plant. I dinna ken how many baskets of barley it takes to produce a barrel of whiskey. When ye visit other clans, ye can discover what is most important to them."
“I brought ye three more books to read while I am away. I wish to give ye my entire library. Clearly, ye have better use for the books than I do.”
“Ye have a library?” Now it was Elayne’s turn to stare in wonder. “Thank ye for yer books. I’m sorry, but I left hastily and forgot yer book to return it.”
“No matter, ye can bring it to me another afternoon here.”
Elayne and Cailean continued to talk as they drank wine. She swooned over the berry tart.
“Oh, I have never tasted anything as delicious as this.” Elayne closed her eyes in bliss, savoring the sweetness of the berries, and licked her lips, undoing Cailean. “I wish to learn how to make these. What berries are these?”
Hoarsely, he began to answer her, but he had to stop to clear his throat. “These are raspberries. Ye can make tarts with any fruit. The cook at the castle made these.”
“Would she teach me how to make them?”
“Bessie would be delighted, and I will ask her,” Cailean said as he leaned closer to Elayne, unable to resist her luscious lips any longer. Berries stained them a deeper color. Elayne’s skin shone radiantly in the afternoon sun, and her eyes sparkled with happiness. Cailean gazed into her eyes as he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed Elayne, softly ravishing her lips. Cailean broke away and leaned back, deeply affected by their kiss. Never had lips tasted so delectable.
“My goodness. Yer kiss is magical,” Elayne breathed.
“Magical, lass?”
“Aye, it was my first kiss. But yer kiss made sparks like in the forge fly all over my body. Ye made me to shiver, but not from cold—from heat. I am strangely hot all over.”
“That is good. Ye affect me too.”
“Do I?”
“Aye, so much that I wish to kiss ye again and again.”
Elayne ignored his last comment, returning to their previous conversation. “Ye must go to the market and listen to each person as they try to sell ye their wares. Discover which is the most convincing. When the customer makes excuses why they canna buy, listen to what the merchant says next to convince them. It is important for the clan that ye do this.”
