“I am sure the lady in question would be delighted to hear that!” Eileen laughed.
“It was a long time ago,” he said, with a grudging smile. “By the way, Milady, I have sent for your husband too. Caitlyn says he is at his parents’ house, which is much farther away than your own, so he will not be here for a few days. I must go now, but please let me know if there is anything at all that you need, and I will be happy to get it for you.”
“Thank you’M’Laird,” Eileen said, smiling widely, then Alastair bowed again and left. The two women watched his broad back as he strode out of the room, and Eileen felt a twinge of regret as the door closed behind him.
“Did I no’ tell ye he wis bonny-lookin’?” Teresa asked, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Eileen’s stunned expression.
“You did—but not HOW bonny-looking!” Eileen laughed. “I wonder if he and Caitlyn—”
“Milady, Laird Alastair has nothin’ tae dae wi’ young women,” Teresa sighed. “I think he had his heart broken ance, an’ that wis enough for him. He has no’ looked at a lass since. I doot he will e’er be merrit.”
“That is very sad,” Eileen observed. “I hope you are wrong, Teresa. If ever a man should marry and have children, it is that one!”
Meanwhile, Caitlyn and Ava were sitting beside the big fire in the library talking about the trivia that young women usually discuss when they are alone. They discussed ceilidhs, dresses, and the attractions of various young men in the area. Ava had been very hesitant going downstairs, but as soon as they reached the library she gave a little squeal and looked around her as if she had never seen it before.
“My books!” she breathed. “My lovely books!” She took a few of her favorites, and they pored over the history of Ava’s family for a while, discovering a shared interest in genealogy.
“I have a book like this at home,” Caitlyn said, smiling, “but all my family were good, earnest people. Hardworking, honest, and very boring; no pirates or robbers in there anywhere. None of the ladies had to get married and none of the men ever made a lady pregnant out of wedlock. There were no scandals at all!” she sighed. “Not a single black sheep anywhere! SO dull.”
“Oh, we had hundreds!” Ava said gleefully, clapping her hands. “There were many perfectly law-abiding normal Duncans of course, but it is always the bad ones you hear about.” Ava was laughing as she closed the book and put it back on its shelf. “I will bring it upstairs later and we can go through it together.”
“You do not talk about your father,” Caitlyn commented. “Were you young when he died?”
Ava nodded. “He died when Alastair was nineteen, and I was thirteen,” she sighed. “He fell off his horse and was trampled one night when he was coming home drunk from the home of a friend. My father was a hopeless gambler and a drunkard. I did not know him well because I hardly saw him. Alastair and I were mostly brought up by nannies. But we had each other, which is probably why we are so close today. He is a wonderful man, is he not?”
Caitlyn paused, not sure what to say, when the man himself walked in. Alastair had wanted to pick up a book to read in bed that night, but he stopped short when he saw Caitlyn and Ava. His mouth dropped open in astonishment.
“Ava! What—how did this happen?” he laughed. It began softly, then built up to a crescendo of pure happiness. He put his arms around his sister and hugged her. She was laughing too.
Caitlyn looked on, smiling, then, not wanting to intrude, she looked back down at the book again.
When Alastair came down from Eileen’s room he had intended to fetch a book for the relaxing evening he had planned for himself. He would bathe, eat in his room, go to bed with a good book, and try not to think about Caitlyn. She was occupying his thoughts far too much lately. He had a full afternoon ahead of him but it would be something to look forward to. Ava was always amazed at the simple things that pleased him.
He heard the sound of laughter as he approached the door, but when he opened it he was utterly unprepared for what he saw. There was Ava, sitting with Caitlyn on the couch in front of the fire, chattering happily as if they had known each other for years. They looked like sisters with an affectionate bond between them.
Ava looked up, then Caitlyn. Alastair stepped forward to embrace his sister, and his heart flooded with joy. She looked flushed and happy, smiling widely, her eyes shining for the first time in months. He laughed with joy.
“Caitlyn did it,” Ava replied, stepping out of his arms. “She took my hand and led me out.”
“No,” Caitlyn corrected her, “I helped her to take the step she was ready for anyway. She did it herself.”
“I could never have done it myself.” Ava shook her head, gazing at her new friend in awe. “I was so scared, but with each step it became easier.”
“Thank you...may I call you Caitlyn?” Alastair asked.
“Of course,” she replied, smiling.
“Soon you will be riding outside again,” Alastair said happily, then his expression changed as Ava gave a little squeal and hugged herself in fear.
“Little steps,” Caitlyn said soothingly. She put her arm around her friend and they went back upstairs to Ava’s room. As soon as she went inside Ava threw herself on the bed and began to weep. Alastair stroked her hair slowly, feeling utterly ashamed and disappointed with himself.
He looked up at Caitlyn, who had left them alone for the moment and was building up the fire. She was wearing a simple beige smock with her auburn hair bound back in a single braid down her back, and she had a simplicity about her that was so appealing to him that he wanted to jump up, gather her into his arms, and keep her there, but he knew he never would. He had to remind himself that all women were faithless, and he had no wish to have his heart shattered into any more pieces.
However, since Caitlyn had arrived, it seemed to be becoming harder and harder to believe that. She was always straightforward and kept no secrets. That was probably why they fought so much.
Presently she turned back from the fire and came to sit on the other side of the bed from Alastair.
“What a stupid thing to say!” he said angrily, and shook his head with annoyance. “I am so thoughtless. I’m sorry, Ava.”
