“No one will ever know,” Kathleen said. “The cargo was never recovered. Ruark’s father accused Hereford of attempting to ruin his reputation. Accusations went back and forth. Then last spring, our former laird decided he would confront Hereford over the issue. Duncan was a day late reaching the meeting and found his brother with a musket ball in his head. Ruark oft docked in Workington, but it took two months to get him the news.” Kathleen brushed at a loose curl. “Even then I do no’ think he would have returned to Stonehaven if no’ for Jamie. Some of us did no’ think he would be staying.”
Kathleen squeezed Rose’s arm. “I have no’ meant to distress ye. We owe ye a debt of gratitude, and Duncan well knows it.” She smiled. “Otherwise, he would no’ care how ye got yourself back to Stonehaven.”
Rose answered with her own weak smile. She examined Rufus one last time and gave instructions to Kathleen for his care, promising that she or McBain would return in a few days. “If the bandages stick to the wounds, fresh lint dipped in sweet butter will help loosen the dressing so as not to tear away the scabs.”
Carrying her young daughter, Kathleen hugged Roseand took her outside, where Duncan had hooked up a cart. He was crouched in the dirt, scratching the ears of a shaggy sheepdog. He saw her and stood.
In the bright sunshine, he looked almost cheerful as he presented Rose a courtly bow and placed her in the cart. “Nothing but the best for my nephew’s bonny bride,” he said.
“Duncan!” Kathleen chastened from the steps. “She’ll no’ be able to stand straight by the time you get her to Stonehaven.”
“Aye,” he agreed, and patted the rolled-up blankets he had placed on her side of the bench, “which is why I have gone out of my way to see to the lass’s comfort.” He winked at Rose, “I would have used the chariot had Kathy’s miscreant young brother not taken it carousin’ last night and run into a ditch.”
Kathleen laughed. “Do no’ believe Duncan, lass. Jason has never caroused in his life and we’ve no’ a chariot to our name.”
“Jason is your brother?” Rose asked.
“A fine lad he is,” she said fondly. “Do no’ let Duncan tell ye otherwise.”
Duncan told her nothing. They did little conversing on the return trip to Stonehaven, which to Rose’s mind had as much to do with the occasional teeth-rattling pothole as it did with the scenery. Daylight revealed a beautiful terrain, glens, and distant pines stretching into a stark blue sky. Occasionally, they passed an ancient ruin of an old church or cottage, and she asked about its historical significance, finding herself engaged by his answers, even as she reminded herself why she did not like him.
After a long bout of silence, he turned his head, as if he read her thoughts. His shoulder jostled hers withthe cart’s movements. “Did ye enjoy your little talk with Kathleen this morning?” he asked, amused.
She kept her hands folded tightly in her lap. “Which part?” she said casually. “Where my father killed Ruark’s? Or the part where you delivered his son to a cruel sea captain—?”
“It was either that or see him hang, lass. Ruark is stubborn when he gets it in his mind to murder someone. I could no’ allow him to fight his father.”
“What about Julia, Duncan? What of her life?”
“Why would ye feel sorry for Julia? She has everything,” he said with a lack of gallantry. “She has been spoiled and self-indulged. Now the young lover of old has come home to roost and take his place as laird. You should be concerned with yourself.”
Heat burned her cheeks. “And what flight of fancy leads you to suppose my husband holds atendrefor another woman?”
“Oho!” He laughed. “Ye feel passion for our laird, do ye no’?” Duncan said as he studied her. “Maybe ye will do after all, lassie. If ye feel passion enough for him, then you will come to feel the same for Stonehaven. She needs a strong mistress. Someone who wants to be here. Someone who is no’ afraid of a fight. But ye are no’ her mistress yet.”
Left speechless by the man’s barefaced effrontery, she disliked that he could glean an emotional response from her when she was so certain she disliked him. Perhaps she disliked him because he had tapped into her deepest doubts with no effort at all.
They arrived at Stonehaven an hour later. “You’ll no’ have any more problem seeing Jamie, lass,” he said. “I’ll talk to Julia.”
Rose didn’t know what to say. When the staff hurriedout to greet them, Rose quit to her room for a bath, and left Duncan to contend with Mary’s scolding on his own. Evidently, she was upset that he’d taken Rose away from Stonehaven and allowed her to be gone for days. But much like Ruark, his uncle did not mind being admonished by Mary.
Anaya greeted her upstairs in her chambers, surprising Rose.
“I returned this morning, mum,” she said brightly. “McBain is in the surgery with a head bump. The roads be terrible, mum. We almost broke another axle and himself not having another carriage to bring us. Told Mr. McBain, he would see him back at Stonehaven when he finished his business.”
“Is that all he said?” she asked, wondering at once how she could ask a servant such a question, as if Ruark would tell Anaya anything.
“Aye, mum. McBain is a fretful sort. His lordship did no’ want him to vex.”
Rose took her supper in her room. Later, in the growing darkness of her bedchamber, she sat in her shift at the window seat, her chin propped on her hand as she stared outside. Her window overlooked the front of the house and the garden. She could hear the babble of voices below, and a moment later Duncan appeared with Jamie and Julia, resplendent in blue watered silk. At supper that evening, Mary had said that Jamie was recovering nicely.
Rose watched the threesome from the darkness of her bedroom.
At least she was capable of admitting to herself that her turmoil had as much to do with her doubts about herself as it did with Ruark’s absence. Duncan’s observation of her character had been correct. Shedidfeel passion for Stonehaven’s laird.
If ye feel passion enough for him, then you will come to feel the same for Stonehaven. She needs a strong mistress. Someone who wants to be here, lass. Someone who is no’ afraid of a fight. But ye are no’ her mistress yet.
The unfortunate circumstances behind her marriage did not change the fact that she was Ruark’s wife. That her sons and daughters would be born and raised at Stonehaven, and she would one day be buried here, not at Hope Abbey, not at Kirkland Park, or France, but here. Rose could accept herfateas a victim. Or she could shape her fate as a victor.
