Page 38 of A Scot to Wed

“Do ye live alone here, Alice?” Katie asked.

“Nay. My husband is a bookseller and has a store in the village.” She waved to seats at the small table in the corner of the room. “I can see by yer face yer surprised to hear we have a bookstore.” She bustled around, quickly placing three cups and saucers and a plate of biscuits and scones on the table.

“Aye. I must admit I am a bit surprised that such a small village would have a bookstore. I imagine it must be hard to get books shipped out here,” Katie said.

“My husband was a professor at Edinburgh University. That is where I met him. I’m a Cowan, ye see. We lived there for many years, but when he left teaching, we returned to his home here in Fife.” She poured boiling water that she apparently kept hanging in a pot over the fireplace into the teapot sitting on the table. “He brought quite a few books with him, and then he returns to Inverness twice a year to buy more books and have them shipped.”

“How verra interesting,” Katie said as she fixed her tea. “What subject did he teach at university?”

“He taught legal practices in the law school.”

Evan immediately filed away that information for future use. If Richard Armstrong did arrive with his fake paper, it was helpful that someone well acquainted with the law lived right here on MacDuff land.

After a few minutes of social chattering, hearing more about this Mr. and Mrs. MacDuff, and learning there were no problems that a land steward would have to deal with, Evan took a final sip of tea and placed his cup on the saucer. “Alice, are ye aware of any cottages that are empty? We have a number of people from Katie’s clan who need homes.”

“Aye,” she said. “There are several behind us on the other side of the hill. An entire branch of the clan left for Australia several months ago.”

Evan leaned back in his chair and smiled. “Is that so? Do ye have a few minutes to show us which cottages are empty?” He looked over at Katie, who beamed back at him.

The three of them left the house through the back door. They walked over the hill, and Alice pointed out the cottages that were vacant. There were six of them, and Evan worked hard to banish the impulse to dance a Scottish reel.

Chapter Seventeen

“Oh, how wonderful!” Katie almost hugged Alice at the sight of all the lovely cottages. Truth be known, she, too, was weary of the crowds in the castle and all the animals who didn’t seem to stay in the stables. Plus, she kenned Evan was at the end of his patience with the constant noise, confusion, and stream of people showing up at the front door. She turned to Evan, who looked even happier than she felt. “We can begin to move families in right away.”

“Aye,” he said. “I think ’tis only fair to move those who arrived first and then go down the line.” Evan was all business now that they had somewhere to move the people who had appeared so far. She was also relieved. The sooner everyone got settled, the sooner she could take over her duties as land steward. And Evan could return to Argyll.

A lump grew in her stomach. Why did that thought disturb her? She’d only known the man for a very short time, but the idea of watching his back as he rode off left her quite bereft. She’d never felt the need for a man before, especially not the one who had shown up at her house with a false betrothal agreement.

Of all the lads in her old village, none of them had ever made her think about marriage and a family. The few kisses she’d received had not left her wanting anything more. Unlike Evan’s kisses, which left her frightened yet longing for something she knew he could provide but would only lead to trouble and heartbreak.

Another thought was her much-valued independence. She’d been on her own without assistance from her da for a long time. She made the decisions, she answered to no one. Even though she would have to answer to Evan once she took over the land steward duties, she’d still be in charge.

Marriage changed those things. Answering to a husband would be far harder than answering to a laird who was miles and miles away.

“I am almost certain there are more empty cottages on the north side of the village,” Alice added as she pointed in the general direction. “Maybe another three or four.”

“Alice, if ye weren’t a married lass, I’d kiss ye right now,” Evan said.

“Oh, now go on with ye!” The woman flapped her apron and actually blushed.

They said their farewells, Alice waving them off, having gained a promise from them that they would stop by another time to meet her husband.

“I suggest we travel on to the village. Mrs. MacDuff’s biscuits were verra good, but I need more than that. There must surely be a pub where we can get something to eat and then take a quick look at the cottages north of the village.”

“We won’t have time to move anyone today.” Katie looked up at the sky. “In fact, if those clouds keep building, we might be in for a downpour.”

They rode swiftly to the village. Two rows of businesses lined a center square. Blacksmith, baker, shoemaker, the bookstore Alice MacDuff had mentioned, a doctor, a ferrier, wheelwright, a general store, and a butcher sat comfortably side by side. Several shoppers moved from store to store, carting bags of purchases. At the end of one row of businesses was a building set apart from the others. The Hound and the Hare was apparently an inn and ale house.

“We can get food there,” Evan said as he headed in the direction of the inn.

Katie followed Evan as he directed his horse behind the building to the small lean-to that housed the animals of visitors to the inn. He jumped from his horse, helped Katie down, then tossed a coin to the lad who was brushing one of the horses. “Give them some oats and water.”

The lad nodded and pulled on his cap. Evan escorted Katie into the inn, where they were immediately greeted with the smell of something wonderful. Katie’s stomach rumbled. She hadn’t realized she was hungry until then.

Evan led her to a long table at the back of the room with several men and two women already sitting on the benches. They sat and Evan waved the serving girl over. “What smells so good?”

The lass smiled. “’Tis my mum’s steak-and-kidney pie. She makes it every Thursday, and we usually sell out by seven o’clock.”