“Well, she’s a sonsie lass too, and too much the hoppity lark for his broody hawk, if ye ask me. She is considering another, I think. And our laird may never marry.” Mrs. Gunn shook her head. “Have ye heard about that naughty curse?”
“I have.”
Mrs. Gunn cleared her throat. “Aye well, it can cause a kerfuffle now and again, and we dinna want that again, do we!” The woman smiled. “So, Sir Aedan says ye’ll be done soon on the old hill, and be back to Edinburgh quick like and be gone soon. And ye’ve been such lovely guests, ye and yer brother too.”
The housekeeper chatted on, oblivious to the blow Christina felt from her words. So Aedan hoped she would finish quickly and be gone from Dundrennan, and last night, he had not even mentioned that he would in Edinburgh for a few days. Dear God, she had been wrong, foolish, naive. He had dallied, satisfied hunger and curiosity, and was done with her.
Hurt turned to temper.Fine,she thought; she would leave as soon as could be, and John could stay to paint. Her work on Cairn Drishan was nearly done, and soon Sir Edgar would take it over. Very well.
“Mrs. Blackburn, will ye return for luncheon, or shall I have Cook pack a basket?”
Despite wild, wonderful passion, it had been lust for him after all. She had wondered about that, but dreams and hopes created a greater wish. Now the apparent truth cut deeply. Mortified, cheeks burning, she had behaved indiscreetly again,just as with Stephen Blackburn, naively imagining love within reach. When would she learn to trust her head over her heart? If she saw him again, she must summon a dignified face.
“Mrs. Blackburn?” Mrs. Gunn waited.
“Lunch? I will come back to the house, thank you. I need to work in the library.”
“As ye like, dear.” Mrs. Gunn turned then. “Good morning, Miss Stewart!”
Amy flounced into the breakfast room, her gown a fetching swirl of ruffles in a pastel floral that suited her blonde coloring. Christina smiled a greeting, feeling plain and unwanted by comparison. Amy seemed to glow with verve and confidence.
“Good morning! I thought to catch Cousin Aedan this morning. Have I missed him?”
“Och, he’s left.” Mrs. Gunn served Amy some coffee.
“I rather hoped to go to Edinburgh to visit with some friends.” Amy put some fruit and a bit of bacon on a plate and took a seat.
So Amy knew his plans. Christina looked in dismay at her plate, then picked up her fork and tucked into breakfast with her appetite gone. She must not feel so badly about the choices she had made, she told herself. She had believed something that did not exist.
“How are you, Christina? Since Aedan has left, I’ll be modeling for your brother today.” Amy smiled across the table. “He is so charming and interesting. We have the most delightful conversations. He tells such fascinating stories. And he said I am the perfect model.” She grinned.
“I am sure of that! John does not compliment often. Feel flattered.”
“I am! Though he did not want me for the princess. He says you are her entirely.”
“He has a certain type in mind, and he imagines her as dark haired, I suppose.”
“Oh, I nearly forgot, Mrs. Blackburn. There’s a couple of letters here for ye,” Mrs. Gunn said, pulling some mail from a large pocket in her apron and handing her two creamy envelopes. “The one has a verra fancy seal.”
“It’s from the National Museum of Antiquities,” Christina said, opening it. She had seen that the other, plainer, envelope was from her uncle, Reverend Carriston. “This one is from Sir Edgar.” She read it quickly. “He will arrive here in a day or two.”
So her work would truly be done. Her hopes were crashing to an end quickly.
“Och, Sir Aedan willna like that, but what can we do?” Mrs. Gunn shook her head. “The laird isna here, and Sir Edgar is coming. Where will we put him?”
“We’ll be nice to him, of course,” Amy said, “and give him a guest room, and show him that old hill. He might even come and go before Aedan returns.”
Christina frowned. “I am sure Sir Edgar would wait for him.”
Amy shrugged. “Well, if Edgar Neaves is here and Aedan is displeased, we will just smile sweetly and be forgiven.” She lifted her pale brows to feign innocence. “Though Aedan is less susceptible to that than other men,” she added with a little pout.
Christina nodded and sipped her coffee, scarcely noticing it had gone cold and she had not added sugar. But nothing would seem sweet to her again after last night’s flood of joy, for it seemed over this morning.
Opening the second letter, she scanned it rapidly and tucked it back in its envelope. “Where is my brother this morning, do you know?” she asked Amy. “I’ve had a letter from our uncle.”
“I saw him in the library, looking through some books. I would have offered to help,” Amy said, “but I was very hungry this morning and came ahead to breakfast.”
“I will go find him,” Christina said, and hurried out of the room.
