Page 69 of Sighs of the Highland Wind
“That would be me,” he replied, crossing his arms over himself as if to form a barrier between them. “Who are you?”
“I am Davina Henderson,” she replied. “I believe we are to be married.”
Cameron had been expecting a visit from the woman to whom he had been unwillingly promised, but he had not expected it quite so soon. He said nothing, merely studied her for a while. She was an attractive woman, somewhat foreign-looking, with her long dark hair and eyes, as well as a curvy, womanly figure.
He supposed many men would leap at the chance to marry her, but he was not one of them. There was only one thing wrong with this lovely woman, and it was something that no one could mend. She was not Ava.
At last he spoke. “Aye, I believe so. Is the Laird any better?”
“He has good days and bad days,” she replied. “But I believe it is only a matter of a short while now - maybe months, weeks, or even days.”
Cameron nodded. He hoped it would be longer, so that maybe he could figure out a plan to get both Ava and the Castle. He had been thinking about it incessantly, but he had come up with nothing.
“I brought us some wine and cakes to celebrate,” Davina said, smiling. “Do you have anywhere to sit?”
Cameron was uncomfortable. They could not sit on the ground, or on a tree stump. The only proper place was on the rough chair in his cottage, and he was reluctant to let her inside, since he knew that she would think it was a hovel. As well as that, he felt a certain possessiveness for the place. It was his home, the one his mother had sacrificed so much for. He did not want to let strangers - and she was a stranger - into his home. Nevertheless,it had to be done, and he opened the door for her, then led her inside.
Davina noticed one thing about the small one-roomed cottage as soon as she entered it. It was scrupulously clean. The straw on the floor was fresh, the table and two chairs were free of crumbs and other detritus, and all the plates, pots and spoons were nearly stacked away. Looking for his bed, she saw a pallet neatly rolled up in a corner of the room, where there were some shelves for his few clothes. There was even a small cracked earthenware vase with a bunch of heather in it on the table.
She was amazed. She had heard that peasants lived like animals, and she had not been prepared for this amount of neatness and cleanliness.
Cameron brought out two earthenware cups and laid them down on the rough surface of the table, after which Davina took the stopper from the flask of wine and poured it into them.
He laid down a clay bowl on the table and Davina scattered some honey cakes into it, then waited for Cameron to taste them. He said and did nothing, however, and she began to wonder if he was being polite, or genuinely did not know what to do.
“Eat,” she instructed, smiling as she took a cake and a sip of wine. “The wine is from France, and is one of our best, and our cook makes the cakes herself from an old family recipe.”
Abruptly, he said, “why are ye here?”
“To introduce myself, of course, or do you want to marry a perfectly strange woman?” She laughed. “Do you not want to get to know me a little? I would like to know you better. After all, we are going to be together for a very long time.”
Cameron nodded slowly. “I suppose ye are right.” He took a sip of the wine, deciding that its aromatic, fruity flavor was absolutely delicious, and ate one of the spicy cakes. There were half-a dozen on the plate but he ate only one, not wanting to make himself look like a glutton.
Davina felt awkward, and searched around for a topic of conversation, but began to panic when she could think of nothing.
“Are you no’ afraid o’ marrying someone like me?” Cameron asked suddenly. “I am no’ exactly a refined kind o’ person. I don’t speak like one o’ you. I might embarrass ye.”
Davina thought for a moment. “You are courteous and clean,” she told him. “And I have no doubt that when you are dressed properly and not covered in dirt you will be the handsomest man in any room. I will be proud to be seen with you, especially at our betrothal ceremony, then our wedding.” She reached out a hand and put it over his on the table.
Cameron took another sip of wine to cover his expression of embarrassment. He did not want to be the most handsome man anywhere. He knew that he was good-looking, but it had never mattered to him; he merely wanted to be with Ava. He knew that he would do his best to be a good husband to Davina, but she was just not the woman he wanted. He felt a deep, numbing sadness settle over him and he finished the wine in one gulp.
Davina poured him another glass. This was proving to be much harder work than she had expected.
11
They talked for a while longer, with Davina making most of the conversation. When Cameron spoke, it was to answer a question that Davina asked, and no matter what she did she could not seem to draw him out. He never asked her about herself, and although she shifted her chair to be nearer to him, and put her hands over his on the table, he would always subtly draw away from her.
Cameron was weary of Davina’s constant questions and eventually he stood up and said, “I must get back to work now. I have a lot to do before nightfall. Thank ye for the food an’ wine.”
“It was my pleasure,” Davina answered, smiling. She was feeling rather discouraged, since she had come to become acquainted with her new husband, but had been roundly rebuffed at every turn. “Will you come and see me at the castle? The Laird and my father will be most eager to welcome you, as will I, of course.” She smiled encouragingly at him, trying not to look as desperate as she was beginning to feel. This man seemed to be immune to her charms!
As he emerged from the doorway, Davina did something she had never done before in her life. Before he could stop her, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. For a frozen second he stood immobile, then he pushed her away none too gently.
He was so angry his face was crimson and his hands had balled into fists, and he was just about to begin yelling at Davina when he looked over her shoulder and saw Ava. She was standing, staring at him, her mouth open in shock, but as he watched, she turned and ran in the opposite direction as fast as her legs would carry her.
Davina looked over her shoulder and smiled.
“Ava!” he yelled. He tried to push her way past Davina but she placed herself awkwardly in front of him, delaying him for the time it took for Ava to disappear into the trees.
