“They have been tumbled by water.”
With a thoughtful frown, Phin brushed his thumb against the smooth edge. “Aye, these are river rocks. But the river is right over there.” He nodded toward the old building which the original excavators had used as a headquarters, with the rushing water just beyond it. “Ye can hear it from here.”
“Yes.” She thoughtfully tapped the stone she still held. “So it would make sense for the river stones to be overthere, but they are not. All the stones along the rear of this building are smoothed like this, you see?”
She was right. But…
Phin tossed the rocks to the ground. “Rivers change course all the time. Perhaps, at one point, the river flowed alongside the rear of this building, or even the entire settlement.”
“Perhaps while it was being occupied.”
He considered her suggestion. “Do ye think that’s important?”
With a sigh, Olive pulled her spectacles from her nose and propped her hand on her hip. With her other hand, she massaged her eyes, then the bridge of her nose. “I do not know. I think I have almost…” She blew out a breath. “Something is nagging me, but I cannot identify it.”
He stepped toward her, intent on comforting her, but a blur of movement caught his eye and he turned. “Hello, Callan, lad,” he blurted in surprise as the tow-headed imp barreled to a stop near the pair of them. “Why are ye no’ back at Newfincy Castle?”
Without speaking, the boy beamed angelically up at him, and Phin chuckled as he reached out to tousle his nephew’s hair. Hisnephew was good at appearing angelic, and then getting into mischief when everyone’s backs were turned.
Athena had been reluctant to join the house party, which is why she only made the journey from the family estate occasionally, and as far as Phin knew, she’d never brought her son along.
Still, the river bordered both Oliphant lands and the Dumpkins Estate, so perhaps his nurse had taken the lad out for a jaunt.
“Ye’re no’ getting into trouble, are ye?”
The boy grinned, revealing the gap between his front teeth which made him look even sweeter, and shook his head.
A laugh burst from Phin. “I dinnae believe that innocent face, laddie. Is yer mother here? Ye be careful around the river, aye?”
The lad nodded silently, and then, to Phin’s surprise, turned and threw his arms around Olive’s middle. She sucked in a startled gasp and stumbled back to catch her balance, but then let out a chuckle of her own and hugged Callan back.
“It is very nice to meet you, young man.”
“That’s my nephew, Callan,” Phineas explained, uncertain if he should mention Athena. Such history should be up to his sister to reveal or not.
“Hello, Callan. I am Olive. You give wonderful hugs.”
Phin blinked in surprise. Not at the fact Olive obviously knew exactly what to say to win over the wee rascal, but at the fierce burst of longing which had hit him at the sight of Olive with a child in her arms.
She might think she wanted adventure and excitement, but one day, he knew she’d make a fine mother as well. Would she bringher children along on her adventures, or settle down? Phin had a beautiful manor home in the Highlands where he hoped to one day retire when he wasn’t teaching.
Would she find it to her standards? Would she possibly consider joining him there?
Ye’re thinking about marrying the lass, are ye no’?
Phin hadn’t come to this party to find a companion, but now he’d found a woman who matched him and seemed fascinated by his experiences, whywouldn’the want to spend the rest of his life having adventures with her and trying to live up to her expectations?
Because she’s infatuated with Aberdeen Jones, no’ ye.
Ah, aye, there was that nagging doubt again. Was it Phineas Oliphant she enjoyed spending time with, or the man who’d written of his adventures?
“Oh!” Olive’s gasp jerked Phin’s attention back to her. “Oh, you naughty boy! Come back here!”
It wasn’t until she stumbled, arms out, in the completely wrong direction, as Callan darted away, giggling, that Phin realized what had happened. “He stole yer spectacles?”
“Yes!” she cried. “I cannot see a thing!”
“Damn!” Where’d that scamp go? Phin should have known such displays of affection were only an attempt to get close to Olive to cause some mischief! “Stay here, I’ll run him down?—”
