Agnes was observing her daughter as she almost danced back into the house, and she realized that Emilia was in love for the first time in her life. As a mother, she did not want to see her daughter heartbroken, but she could see now what others could not—not yet, anyway. Adam Cameron was a good, solid man, who would look after her Emmy.
That was the day the village of Inverinch began to change its mind about Adam Cameron. At first he had seemed like an arrogant, snobbish Sassenach who thought all Scots were beneath him, but since the incident with Dinny Gordon’s prize stud ram their attitude had changed. He was now seen as a capable man and an asset to the community, even though he was English.
One evening Father Gordon had dropped around to see Agnes, who ran a feeding scheme for the poorest families of the village, to discuss deliveries to outlying areas. After they had conversed about the matters at hand they fell to talking about Adam and the village.
“It is so good to see them all recovering their confidence,” Agnes said happily. “The villagers look as if they have a purpose now. It has been a long time since I saw them all so full of energy, and Adam has been an inspiration to them. He gets things done. Look at the idea he had for draining some of the bogs around the loch and planting vegetables there. And I believe he has started work on a new well for drinking water in the village so that people do not have to go down to the loch in dry weather. We never bothered before because dry weather was so unusual here, but look what it did to our crops! He is a marvel, and we are lucky to have him. ”
“I never thought I would say this,” Father Gordon said, smiling, “but you are right, Agnes. He is a born leader, and he has original ideas. As well as that, he is not afraid to get his hands dirty, and I respect him for that.”
“He is well educated too, and intelligent. And that is probably why Malcolm chose him. I have come to the conclusion that the choice is not as bad as I thought.”
“And Emilia looks so happy these days.” Agnes smiled. She had opened a bottle of wine, which was usually only drunk at Christmas and Easter, as if they were celebrating something special. “When he came to us after rescuing the ram, they talked in whispers, intimately, and they smiled at each other tenderly like two people in love. I would be very happy to see Emilia married to a man like that.”
“I would too,” Father Gordon agreed. “And I think it will happen. The more I see of them, the more I realize how well-suited they are. She has the gentleness and understanding of how people’s minds work, and he has instinctive leadership ability and the knack of learning things quickly. In fact, that last quality is one they both share. I have a good feeling about them.”
“Imagine what they could do if they became partners for life!” Agnes’s face lit up as she poured Father Gordon another sip of wine. “They could make this place prosperous, I know they could!”
To her surprise, the priest did not seem at all happy. A troubled look settled on his face and he sighed.
“What is the matter, Father?” Agnes asked anxiously. “You look worried.”
“Robert McElwee is the matter,” the priest replied, his tone grim. “He will not leave us alone. He will not rest until the castle, the estate, and the whole village is in his hands. We will probably have to battle with him, whether we like it or not.” Then he sounded angry. “Why should we hand all of our land, crops, and very homes over to this monster? All our people have worked, and are continuing to work, very hard to scratch a living from the unforgiving soil of this land. Why should he be allowed to come and take it by force?”
He drank the rest of his wine in one draught, then looked down at the empty goblet, deep in thought. Agnes was about to pour him another glass of wine but he shook his head and pushed the flask away. “I think the time has come,” he said slowly, “to tell Adam something which I have known from the very beginning of this situation.”
Agnes’s face became a mask of fear. “Father? Tell me...what is it?”
Father Gordon beckoned Agnes to lean closer to him, then opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by the footsteps and laughing voices of Adam and Emilia as they came through the door, windblown and smelling of fresh air.
Both their cheeks were pink and their hair tousled, and Emilia seemed to be glowing with happiness. Adam’s eyes were shining as he looked down at her, and Agnes felt full of joy, for it was quite obvious to her that Adam and Emilia were very much in love.
When Adam’s gaze fell on Father Gordon he frowned for a moment as if he were not pleased to see him, then Emilia spoke and he began to smile again.
“You will never guess what this clever man has done!” she cried excitedly. “He has finished the well! Is he not wonderful?”
“Emmy,” Adam protested. “I did not build it all on my own. The villagers did all the hard work. I only showed them what to do and occasionally helped with a bit of digging. They are the heroes, not I.”
Father Gordon, listening to him, marveled at how much more mature Adam seemed than when he had first come to the village a few days previously.He is ready,he thought.He is ready to know.
Emilia laughed and hugged him. It was quite obvious to Agnes and Father Gordon that the young couple were more than friends.
Suddenly Emilia spotted the wine. “Oooooh!” she said excitedly. “What are we celebrating?” She fetched two goblets and poured out one each for herself and Adam.
“Nothing, really,” Agnes answered, shrugging. “I just felt like having some wine, and I noticed that you did when you went out the other day too.” She wagged a finger at her daughter. “Without asking me.”
Emilia kissed Agnes contritely, then said, “Well, if we are not celebrating anything else, let us drink to the new well!” Emilia raised her goblet. “Sláinte Mhath!”
“Sláinte Mhath!” they chorused.
Adam had never been so happy. If the whole world outside had ceased to exist he would be content to stay here forever with his love.My love, Emilia.
For a moment longer they looked at each other, then Adam folded his arms around Emilia and kissed her tenderly, running the tip of his tongue around the inside of her lips, making her shiver all over and press her hips closer to him, feeling his arousal against her. Father Gordon and Agnes were quite openly staring at them, but they were lost in each other and did not care. Adam knew with certainty that had they not been there, he and Emilia would be lying in her bed, perhaps not making love, but making happiness.
When it was over, they gazed at each other for one perfect moment before turning to the rather stunned faces of Emilia’s mother and the priest.
“If you have not worked it out already,” Emilia said, unable to keep the smile off her face, “Adam and I are very much in love.”
“Indeed we are,” said Adam, with a grin that made his handsome face look almost boyish as he looked down at Emilia.
