“Aye.” His grin widened. “Just naewiseones.”
“I can too.”
Jamie raised a brow. “Like hying off to the park with the Frenchman and nae escort except yer maid?”
“I did not know Effie would become ill.”
Jamie’s face darkened. “I have my suspicions about that, lass.”
“You do not honestly believe that Nicholas would deliberately sicken Effie, do you?”
“Aye, I do,” Jamie answered, all playfulness gone from his tone. “The mon meant to put ye in a vulnerable spot, and I was nae there to protect ye.”
“Protect—oh, never mind. I told you Nicholas did not take advantage of me.” Mari decided not to count the kiss. It had not led to anything. “I returned home, safe and sound.”
“Amidst a potential scandal. I have observed yer English Society likes to blether on about such things.”
She could not argue with him about that. Too many people had seen her with Nicholas looking like they were alone. It was probably good that she’d come to Scotland. “The gossips will have something new to talk about by the time we return,” she said, sounding somewhat lame even to herself. Time to change the subject before she got a lecture. She looked around quickly and then pointed. “What is that tall tower-looking thing?”
“’Tis a tribute to Bonnie Prince Charlie raising the Scottish flag before Culloden. Since King George dinnae perceive Scots to be a threat to England any longer, he allowed Alexander MacDonald to begin building the monument just this year.”
“I thought the Scots wanted to forget about Culloden.”
“Nae, lass, we will never forget, although most of us have accepted we canna change what happened. Mayhap the king thinks it will establish peace finally.”
“You know most English think the king is quite mad?”
Jamie nodded. “Aye. The mon’s talking to a tree made fine storytelling even this far north. But mayhap his madness brings insight, nae?”
Mari considered. “I had not thought of it that way.” She looked toward the water. “Can we walk down to the shore?”
“Aye.” Jamie motioned toward a vendor not far away hawking meat pies. “Would ye like a pasty to take with us?”
Mari suddenly realized she was famished as a whiff of the spicy meat concoction filled the air. “That would be nice.”
Jamie purchased two and stopped for a moment to tell Shauna to keep an eye on the twins and Fiona not to buy anything until they returned. Instead of bristling under his mandate, both sisters nodded, although Fiona watched them leave with wide eyes.
“Do you really think Fiona is going to obey you?” Mari asked as they walked toward the water.
Jamie shrugged. “She can only look. Shauna has the coin.”
“Then why did you tell Fiona not to buy anything?”
Jamie looked at Mari as though she were slightly addled. “So Shauna kens nae to let Fiona have any money.”
“And Shauna will obey you? I thought you said women here learned to make their own decisions.”
“Well, aye. In matters which pertain to them. Shauna kens well enough that times are hard until Ian’s accounts are settled in Cantford. Fiona is a headstrong lass, given to wheedling like ye do—”
“I do not wheedle.”
“Nae? We could debate the point.” Jamie grinned. “I would win of course.”
“You would not.” Mari was tempted to stamp her foot but gave it a second thought since the ground was rocky and uneven. The last thing she needed was to land on her bottom and have Jamierescueher in front of his sisters whom she suspected were both watching them. “Has anyone told you that you are impossible?”
“Just ye,” Jamie answered amiably.
“Well, you are. If Shauna is aware spending needs to be watched, then whytellher? She is intelligent.”
