Page 29 of Falling for Her Highland Steward
A pretty blue-eyed face topped by dark brown hair head peeked around the doorway. “Milady, ye have a visitor,” she announced, giggling, before opening the door and stepping inside.
“Maura!” Erin cried delightedly, rushing forward to embrace her cousin. “Where did you come from?”
Maura was Erin’s first cousin on her mother’s side. She was small, curvy, and vivacious, and her presence had always been guaranteed to bring cheer into Erin’s life. Since she had no sisters, Maura was her only confidante, and they had shared many secrets and sought each other's advice many times while growing up. She was exactly the person Erin needed at that moment.
“Well, I was going back to Dundee, and I thought I would just drop in,” she replied casually, but her eyes were twinkling.
“But the Dundee road is twenty miles away!” Erin gasped. “Are you mad?” Then she realized how ungrateful she sounded. “I am sorry, Maura, but this is such a surprise. Come. I will send for some mulled wine. I know it’s your favorite drink.”
“Ah!” Maura laughed. “That is why I am happy to come twenty miles out of my way! Your cook makes the best mulled wine in Scotland!”
“I will not deny it,” Erin laughed. “Now, I want to hear all your news!”
“No.” Maura cupped Erin’s face in her hands, searching her face. “Let me ask you first—how are you feeling now that you have had a few weeks for Nairn’s death to sink in?”
Erin smiled sadly. “I am sorry that he is gone but very happy that he is not suffering anymore. I miss his wise counsel, and I miss his arms around me at night. Everyone thinks that being married to a much older man is a penance, but it was not like that for me. We made each other happy.”
Maura put her arm around Erin, and they went into the parlor, then they sat comfortably in front of the fire while Maura told her what had befallen her since the last time she had last seen Erin at Nairn McCaskill’s funeral. At the end of her narrative, Erin was roaring with laughter.
“Please tell me you made that up!” she giggled as her cousin told her the story of a cat who brought her presents of mice every day until he crept into her heart and she gave him a home.
“No, it is true!” Maura assured her. “He is a great big ginger tomcat who is now called Master because he has taken ownership of the household. And no, I did not make that up. If you had ever been owned by a cat, you would understand. He ownsus,not the other way around. He truly thinks we are his slaves.” Maura suddenly looked up as the door opened, and Caillen walked in carrying a sheaf of papers.
“I am so sorry,” he said to Erin. “I looked in your study, but I had no idea you had visitors.”
“Do you need me to sign those?” Erin asked.
“Yes, but there is nothing vitally urgent,” he replied. “I need them by this afternoon.” He glanced at Maura and gave her a brief smile and a nod.
“Maura, this is my steward, Caillen Johnstone,” Erin said politely. “Caillen, this is my cousin, Maura Fleming.”
Caillen bowed and smiled. “Pleased to meet you, mistress.”
“And you, sir.” Maura looked quite overwhelmed. Her eyes were devouring Caillen.
“Maura will be staying for a few days,” Erin informed him. “So we can show her a little of what we do here.”
“Delighted.” He gave Maura a brief smile then left.
“Who is that utterly gorgeous man?” Maura asked in disbelief. “Where did you find him? Does he have a brother?”
Erin laughed heartily. “I was looking for a steward, and Michael found him for me. The tenants love him, and he is fast making the estate profitable again.”
“A man of many talents,” Maura remarked. “As well as being a treat for the eyes!”
Erin laughed, then her face grew somber again. “I am glad you came, Maura, because there is something I would like to talk to you about.”
Maura leaned forward and took Erin’s hands. “You look troubled, Erin,” she observed. “Tell me what is amiss.”
Erin launched into the story of Laird Grieve and his proposal, and when she had finished, she looked into her cousin’s eyes for guidance. “What shall I do?” she asked.
“I can only give you my thoughts on the matter,” Maura answered. “What you do with them is up to you.”
Erin nodded. “I understand.”
“I would wait until the end of the mourning period and give him an answer then. If I was still not sure, then I would say no.”
“That sounds like very sensible advice,” Erin had to admit. “More or less the same advice that Cal gave me.”
