Page 10 of The Shadow of a Laird
She watched his eyes soften into an answering smile and thought for the hundredth time how handsome he was. She could easily fall in love with someone like him, she thought, if it were not for his anger and arrogance, yet she sensed that behind it lurked a deep sadness.
“Can ye tell me what the reasons were?” she asked gently. “If ye want to, of course. I know we dinnae know each other very well, but you can trust me. Nothing ye tell me will ever go beyond these walls. I can see that ye’re troubled, an’ believe me, I know just how ye feel. Naebody’s life is perfect.”
He smiled at her, and all of a sudden, he knew that he could, indeed, trust this astonishing woman who had come into his life so recently and transformed it completely. He could imagine pulling her into his arms and kissing her, but somehow he knew that any show of that kind of affection would be instantly rebuffed.
“Thank you,” he said softly. “I feel as though I have been carrying such a weight on my shoulders for such a long time. It would be wonderful to share it with someone.”
Maura looked into his sad eyes and wondered how she had misjudged him so badly. Suddenly, he looked intensely vulnerable, and every one of her instincts was telling her that he needed her; not only that, but she was beginning to suspect that she needed him too, although not in the same way.
“Come wi’ me,” she said, then took his hand and led him away to the end of the corridor where his own sleeping place was and up a flight of wooden stairs. They entered a small room where a cheerful fire was burning, lending it an air of cosiness and warmth.
There was a single bed covered by a colourful patchwork quilt, a chest of drawers, a small table, and two worn armchairs on either side of the fire. Each of the chairs had a circular patchwork cushion on it, and Gavin noticed that each had been stitched and embroidered with intricate patterns. A skilled seamstress had been at work here.
“Did you make these?” he asked in wonder.
“Aye,” she answered. “My mother taught me when I was a wee lassie. She was an artist. She spun an’ dyed her own thread an’ used old clothes for the patches. But we didnae come here tae talk about her. Tell me what happened tae you.”
Gavin put his elbows on his knees and covered his face with his hands for a moment, then he looked into the fire, casting his mind back into the past.
“I was fortunate to have a very happy childhood,” he began. “My parents loved each other very much. I am their only child, and they spoiled me a lot. In fact, they treated me like their favourite doll sometimes!” He laughed at the thought, then he became solemn again. “They used to make a great fuss of me on my birthday when I was a bairn. I do not think I will ever love someone more than them.”
“You will when you have bairns o’ your own,” Maura said confidently.
“If I ever find a woman who would put up with me,” he answered, with a little laugh. “Maybe if I meet some lady who is brave enough to take me on, I will have some in the future.” However, he could never see any possibility of that.
There was silence for a moment, while Gavin gathered his thoughts. Should he tell Maura who he was? He had thought he could trust her, but what if he was wrong? He dithered for a moment, then decided that the safest course of action was to say nothing about his true identity. Maura might have the best intentions in the world, but she was only human and could let his secret slip unintentionally.
“Where is your mother an’ father now?” she asked, as she saw the glitter of tears forming in his eyes.
“They died two years ago,” he replied. “My father and mother were returning to Duncairn after visiting some friends. They were travelling back, but that was the year we had that terrible rain. There was a dreadful storm as they left Dundee and the bridge over the River Tay was only just above the river. We think they decided to risk the crossing, but it gave way and they both drowned, along with the driver. He was a farmer’s son, only seventeen years old.”
He paused to wipe his eyes, and once more he gazed into the fire, remembering. It was common knowledge that Laird and Lady Forsyth had died when their carriage had overturned, sohe had changed a few of the details to make them sound quite different. His pain was no less acute as he told the story than it had been when it happened; he felt an almost physical pain assail him.
Maura reached over and grasped his hand. “I am so sorry for your loss,” she said gently. If only he knew how much she could relate.
Gavin nodded slowly. “Thank you, Maura,” he said. “I suppose you are right, but nothing will ever make up for the loss of my parents, especially my mother. She was an angel, and I miss her every day.”
“I lost some o’ my family an’ a’,” Maura told him, “but I always found the best thing tae dae was tae get stuck intae somethin’ else. Work always takes your mind off your pain, at least I think so. I told ye that my mother taught me tae sew, make the cushions an’ embroider them. When I start tae think o’ sad things, or I am worried about somethin’ I pick up my sewin’. I have taught a few o’ the other ladies in the village how tae dae it, an’ sometimes we get together tae sew an’ chatter. It is a good way o’ makin’ useful things an’ meetin’ friends at the same time. Can ye dae anythin’ like that?”
“Not anything useful,” he replied with a heavy sigh. “My father taught me how to use a sword and a bow, but those are things that need a lot of practice.”
“An’ I think half the fellows livin’ here would kill each other!” Maura gave a rueful laugh.
“You might be right,” Gavin agreed. He looked up at her thoughtfully. “When my parents died, I became so bitter that I took my frustration and anger out on everyone else, and I became the arrogant so-and-so you see before you. I lost my home because it came with my father’s job, and I couldn’t find another place to live, or paid employment, which is why I ended up here. You have helped me greatly and for that, I thank you.”
While Gavin was speaking, he watched her closely and saw that she looked surprised. In fact, Maura was absolutely stunned, feeling that she had actually inspired someone. She was a nobody, an ordinary woman who lived in a small village where no one respected her at all and thought she was weak and lived under the thumb of her uncle, a drunken bully.
“I think ye are giving me too much credit,” she told him. Maura would not let him know about her own sad story, which also involved the loss of her parents. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel sorry for her. If Gavin wanted to admire her, she would not stop him, since his admiration would likely not last for very long. “But I am glad tae have helped ye, Gavin. I want to do whatever I can for you,” she told him, then she did something very unexpected and hugged him tightly. It was only a brief, momentary contact, but it had a profound effect on both of them, since it was the first time they had really touched each other. “Now ye are my friend,” she said, smiling.
“Thank you for that,” he said gently. “I have not had a friend for a very long while, so I am glad to have you, Maura. I promise you that I will be the best and most loyal friend you ever had.”
Maura thought the words sounded a little like the vows in a wedding ceremony, but she did not say so. Instead, she yawned. “Time tae sleep,” she said wearily. Then she picked up the cushion from the chair and offered it to him.
“For me?” he asked, puzzled.
“A gift tae celebrate our friendship,” Maura answered, smiling. “I can make another one for myself.”
“I will treasure it,” he told her. “What can I give you in return?”
