“You are a prisoner of your own fear,” she pointed out. “If you spend the rest of your life here, they have won.”
Ava stared at her for a moment, stunned. “You are right,” she said softly. “I had never thought of it that way. But how can I get out of the prison?”
Caitlyn thought for a moment. “I think the best thing is to go slowly,” she replied. “A little at a time.”
“How do I do that?” Ava asked, her voice trembling a little.
“With me,” Caitlyn replied simply.
“Of course,” Ava laughed. “Alastair will be glad, for there is something else I must tell you.”
“What?” Caitlyn asked.
“He likes you...as a man likes a woman,” she told her.
Caitlyn stared at her for a moment then smiled in disbelief. This was a possibility that had never crossed her mind. Then she laughed. Ava had to be mistaken. “He has a strange way of showing it!” she remarked dryly. She had not wanted to say anything about Alastair’s treatment, but Ava was the opposite of her brother: kind, sympathetic, and courteous. Caitlyn plunged on without thinking. “I think he is the rudest man I ever met!”
Ava did not take offense. “I can understand why you would think that way,” she sighed, “but he has not always been quite as gruff and stern as you see him now, although he has never been very sociable. He would go along to ceilidhs and mix with the lairds and ladies because of his status in the community. Believe it or not, he prefers the common people.
“He has had to work very hard on the estate for the last seven years, and it has aged him before his time. He works on the land helping the tenants, he goes to the markets, and he handles all the accounts. He never stops. Then he met someone, fell in love, and she broke his heart. My brother is a very gentle man, but he keeps his feelings hidden behind a high wall. I suppose you could say that in a way we are both prisoners, but I have a feeling that you are the person who will break us both out of our jails.”
“Will you tell me more about the woman who broke his heart?” Caitlyn asked. She was burning with curiosity now.
“I will, but not now,” Ava replied. “I am tired of thinking about sad things.” She went to the window and looked out. “I will be outside soon. I can feel it.”
Caitlyn felt a little disappointed, but she smiled. “Shall we make a start?” she asked, taking Ava’s hand. “Where would you like to go first?”
“The library,” Ava replied firmly. She hugged Caitlyn and kissed her cheek.
Caitlyn opened the door and stepped aside to let Ava pass through. “You first,” she said, smiling.
8
Ava’s First Step
Alastair was nervous when he knocked at the door of Eileen’s room. He was the Laird of the castle, a wealthy landowner, and no man had ever intimidated him. The only people who ever did were women, and the smaller they were the worse it became. He always felt big, clumsy, and awkward—or at least that was the story he told himself.
Teresa answered the door. Her eyes widened when she saw Alastair, and she stepped backward into the room to let him pass. “Good day, M’Laird,” she said faintly.
“Good day, Teresa,” he said politely. His face was wearing its usual slightly stern expression but his mouth twitched up a little at the corners as he looked at Eileen. He bowed, then raised his eyes, not realizing how intimidating—but attractive—his deep dark gaze was.
“Good day, Milady,” he greeted her. “I am Laird Alastair Duncan, and I am very pleased to meet you and see you looking so much better.”
Eileen looked up at him, feeling slightly dazed as she gazed at the most handsome man she had ever seen. “I am feeling much better, M’Laird,” she replied. “I am sorry we are trespassing so much on your hospitality. We will go as soon we can.”
“You are not trespassing, and you will go when you are well and not a moment sooner!” He sounded annoyed, then he saw her face change, and hastily added, “If you want to, of course. You are welcome to stay as long as you wish. We enjoy having you.”
Eileen was enchanted. “Thank you,” she said, smiling. “I must also thank you for the treatment you gave me for my arm. You must have some medical training.”
“I did,” he replied. “Teresa taught me. She is the clever one, and I am glad that it is healing.”
Teresa flapped her hand at him. “M’Laird! Ye wanted tae learn, an’ ye did, because ye are clever! Did ye knaw, Milady, that this big man here delivered a baby a’ by hissel’?”
Alastair groaned and put his hands over his eyes. It was obviously a story that had been told many times before. It embarrassed him, but he had learned not to argue with Teresa.
“Aye,” Teresa went on with relish, “he found ane o’ the tenants’ wives on the flair o’ her cottage screamin’ in the agony o’ labor, an’ he delivered the baby hissel’ wi’ nae help fae onybody else!” She stood back, looking as proud as if he were her own son.
Alastair frowned at her, embarrassed. “It was just like delivering a calf, Milady, and I have done that hundreds of times!”
