“I am that glad tae see ye, hen.” Joe embraced her with all his strength and put his head on her shoulder for a moment. “I wis sae worried!” He frowned anxiously. “Them bandits, they didnae touch ye in ony way?”
“Naw, paw,” she replied, smiling. “Gie yersel’ peace. I am fine.”
“Come and eat dinner with us?” Fraser asked, smiling. “We are having venison tonight, wine, and Leana’s nettle soup which she showed the cook how to make.”
“Weel,” Joe said firmly, “beggin’ yer pardon, M’Laird. But I wid raither hae Leana’s nettle soup than onythin’ else in the world!”
“I have no argument with that!” Fraser laughed.
“True!” Abi nodded and grinned as they sat down at the table.
No one commented on the fact that Leana and Fraser could hardly keep their eyes off each other.
14
“Ithink I could get used tae this,” Joe remarked as he swallowed his third glass of wine and second helping of venison. His voice was becoming slightly slurred so Leana suggested that perhaps it was time for bed. However, Joe was just getting started on war stories which Fraser listened to with apparently rapt attention. Leana had heard every one ten times over, and was beginning to feel tired again.
“Were ye wounded, son?” Joe asked Fergus eagerly.
Fergus nodded. “Right thigh,” he answered. When Joe asked to see it, he shook his head. “Ladies present,” he said mischievously.
Leana flushed. She had seen the scar, which was enormous, and ran all the way down from his right hip to his knee, but that was not what she was thinking about. Abi caught Leana’s eye and she looked away at once, leaving Abi very intrigued. Fraser was talking to Joe and was absorbed—or pretended to be absorbed—in a conversation about claymores.
“Were you wounded, Joe?” Fraser asked him curiously.
Joe shook his head sorrowfully. “Naw son, no’ a scratch. Nothin’ tae show at a’.” He sounded sad.
“Why are you so gloomy about it?” Fraser asked, puzzled. “You came back unhurt. Is that not good?”
“A’body will think I am a coward,” he replied, “when I hae nae marks tae show I did my best!” He sounded very indignant. “Then I am back fae the war two days an’ I get a bad chest. That’s the thanks ye get for fightin’ for yer country!” He shook his fist and the ceiling to demonstrate his anger at God.
Abi was sitting silently shaking with laughter, but Fraser gave her a deep frown and she left the room.
“Do you not think that is the result of living in a cold damp house?” Fraser asked. “My great grandfather built those houses and I am ashamed of them, so I will improve every one, but until then, I would like you and Leana to come and live here.”
“Ye want us tae work here?” Joe asked, puzzled.
“No Joe,” Fraser explained patiently. “I want you to live here, with Leana.”
“Why?” Joe asked suspiciously. “Dinnae get ony ideas M’Laird. My daughter is no’ for sale.”
“That is not what I mean,” Fraser replied. “I know that the tenancy of that house has been passed down from generation to generation in your family, but living there at the moment is doing you no good. It is damaging your lungs, so I can give you some dry and pleasant rooms here, just for a while.”
He watched as Joe struggled with his emotions, and then he nodded slowly. “An’ the farm?”
“It will be taken care of,” Fraser promised.
Joe looked at Leana. “We will talk aboot it,” he said, smiling at his daughter. Then he put his arm around her waist, and they looked at each other lovingly.
Abi sighed, wishing that she had had such a good relationship with her father, but just then Fraser took her hand. “Let us give them some time together,” he suggested.
She nodded, and he led her up to the turrets, where they looked out over the village of Ardbrae all the way to the sea. Lanterns and candles glinted in the windows and dozens of lives were being lived. Abi wished she could find out about every one of them.
The moon was almost full, and it painted a shining path on the black water, then gilded the bare branches of the trees with silver. There was a shivering breeze that sighed through them, and Abi smiled as she looked out over the breathtaking view.
It was absolutely freezing. Fraser put his arm around his daughter’s shoulders to draw her close to him for warmth. She looked up at his profile, surprised to see that he was smiling, and reflected that he had been a different man since Leana had come into their lives. He was softer and kinder, less prone to angry outbursts than he had been before. He had been starting to get worry lines on his forehead, but they were disappearing.
“Why are you so happy, Father?” she asked curiously. “I have not seen you like this before.”
