He came around the table to pull her chair out for her, and she backed away from him, but realizing that he was trying to be courteous she sat down, murmuring her thanks. There were a few moments of tense silence while the maid put her breakfast on the table, during which they avoided each others’ eyes, then Alastair cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Mistress, I must apologize for the things I said yesterday,” he said gruffly. “I have no excuse other than a tiring day and a bad humor. Please forgive me, you did not deserve it.”
His eyes met hers and she smiled at him. “Of course I do. Thank you, M’Laird.”
He nodded and looked away, but although they had made a fragile peace, there was a heavy silence between them during which neither could think of a word to say to the other.
Eventually, to break the ice, Caitlyn spoke. “It looks like we will have bad weather today,” she remarked. “Are you harvesting?”
“Not yet,” he replied, his eyes not leaving his plate.
A few more minutes of torture passed.
“I may go out for a ride,” she struggled on. “Just to see the estate.”
He nodded, but said nothing, and Caitlyn felt like screaming.
“This food is delicious,” she observed, spooning some scrambled eggs into her mouth. “Please tell your cook that I said so.”
“Thank you,” he replied, wishing that he was better at social niceties. He had apologized to Caitlyn and now he did not know what to do with himself, then suddenly he did. He wanted to kiss her, and the thought terrified him. What had come over him?
Eventually she stood up and excused herself. He stood up too, since it was good form for a gentleman to do so, and then looked into her apple-green eyes.
“Good day M’Laird,” she said with a curtsey and a faint smile.
He bowed. “Good day.”
Thank God that is over,she thought.
Thank the Lord that is done,he sighed to himself. He finished his food and rushed out. He could not wait to get his hands in the soil again, because maybe then he would stop thinking about her.
The first thing Caitlyn did after breakfast was to check on her mother again. Eileen was flushed and sweating, but her eyes were open and she smiled weakly at her daughter as Caitlyn hugged her, then sat by her bed holding one of her hands in both of hers. “How do you feel, Mammy?” she asked anxiously.
“My head feels as if I have battered it into a brick wall half a dozen times,” she answered frankly, but she was smiling. Caitlyn laughed, glad that her mother had not lost her sense of humor. “And my shoulder feels as if my arm had fallen off and been stuck back on again.”
“It was wrenched out of its socket,” Caitlyn informed her. “The Laird himself put it back into place while you were unconscious.”
Eileen smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. “Teresa tells me he is very handsome! Is he married?”
“No, and from what I have seen, never likely to be,” she growled. “You’re right, Mammy, he is very handsome, but I would not take him as a gift! He is a nasty piece of work, but I will introduce you, if you would like to meet him.”
Eileen frowned. “I have never heard you condemn a handsome young man so thoroughly before! What has he done to upset you?”
“Never mind, Mammy,” she said irritably. “He is just not a nice man.” Then she changed the subject. “Do you want something to eat? You should take something.”
“I will have a little soup,” Eileen replied. “Teresa assures me they make wonderful broth here. She says it cures everything!”
Teresa laughed. “Naw Milady. Love cures everythin’!”
That was a saying Caitlyn was to remember for the rest of her life. The more she thought about it, the more she knew it to be true.
The two women looked Caitlyn up and down a bit. “Ye’re lookin’ a bit peaky yersel’ lass,” Teresa remarked. “Why d’ye no’ go oot for a bit o’ fresh air?”
“Will you be all right without me?” Caitlyn asked her mother anxiously. “You look so frail.”
“Pfft!” Eileen flapped her hand at her daughter, then winced. Caitlyn was at her side at once.
“What is wrong, Mammy?” she asked anxiously, scanning her mother’s face.
