Page 19 of To Wed a Laird
Elspeth did not bother to knock, but opened the door at once, and saw her father in his usual place behind the desk.
Cormac looked up, startled to see them, since he rarely encountered his daughter and her governess before supper time.
“Elspeth has been doing very well in her studies lately,” Rose said, looking down at her. “Her French has improved immensely, and her history and English are much better too. Her arithmetic has really impressed me, my Laird. Elspeth will be teaching me soon. So, since she has been such a good girl and paid such careful attention to her lessons,” Rose went on, “she has a favour to ask you.”
Elspeth looked uneasy, and shifted from foot to foot for a moment before taking a breath and looking up, first at Rose, who gave her a reassuring nod, then at her father.
“Can we go for a ride in the woods, Da?” she asked softly.
Cormac gazed at Elspeth for a few moments, then stood up, frowning in puzzlement, quite obviously clueless about what to do.
Rose almost rolled her eyes. She felt like shaking him, hoping it would shove some sense into him, and wondered for the hundredth time what made men so stupid.
“Take her hand,” she mouthed, miming the gesture with her own hand.
He stared at her for another few seconds, then she saw the moment when light dawned and almost heaved a mighty sigh of relief. She nodded in approval.
Cormac walked around his desk then held out his big hand to Elspeth, and she slipped her little one into it.
“I would be very happy to do that, Elspeth,” he told her.
His voice was warm and husky, and if Rose had ever doubted his feelings for his daughter, she could no longer do so. He was every inch the loving father; it shone out of him.
Elspeth smiled at him, then looked up at Rose. “I want Rose to come too,” she said softly. Her voice was hesitant, and she had a pleading expression on her face.
Cormac took in a sharp breath, before he said, “As long as Rose would like to, of course.”
He raised his eyebrows in a question as he looked at her, and she imagined she saw something hopeful in his gaze.
“I would love to come,” Rose said, genuinely delighted.
Elspeth jumped up and down, clapping her hands and smiling from ear to ear, and Rose felt a sense of happiness and pride inside, knowing that she had helped in the little girl’s transformation.
Cormac was laughing with his daughter, and Rose wanted to leave the room to let them be alone for a while, but she could not do so without the Laird’s permission.
She waited and watched them enjoying each other until it was time to go for supper, then she took Elspeth to her bedchamber to wash and smarten up.
“Are we having haggis again tonight?” Rose asked hopefully as she fastened Elspeth’s clean dress.
“No, tonight is trout,” Elspeth answered. “Nell asked the cook. We cannot have haggis every night—there will be no sheep left!”
Rose made a theatrical moué of disappointment and Elspeth giggled, then gave her a hug, something she had been doing more and more often of late. Rose’s heart warmed; in some ways, Elspeth was becoming akin to a little sister.
After Elspeth’s lessons the next day, Rose helped her into her riding habit, noticing that she was having to stretch the fabric slightly to button it up at the back.
“I think you might need a new riding habit!” she said. “This one is becoming too small for you.”
“Nell says I’m growing very fast,” Elspeth said proudly. “I think I will need new shoes too.” She looked down at her feet with a disapproving frown, as if to warn them to stop growing.
“Then we will have to have new clothes made for you,” Rose said, smiling. “Maybe you can mention it to your father this afternoon.”
“Will you have new clothes too?” Elspeth asked.
For a moment, Rose was lost for words. How could she tell the little girl that she would never be able to buy new dresses? Cormac MacTavish paid her a generous wage, but more than half of it was sent to her father to pay off his debts, and Rose had no idea whether he was running up more or not. She might have to work for the rest of her life just to keep a roof over her sisters’ heads.
“Perhaps I can get some in a little while,” she replied evasively. “I have enough for now. Now, shall we go and get some food? Nell has asked the cook to make all your favourite things.”
Elspeth’s face lit up. Rose knew that Elspeth was absolutely thrilled about the picnic, and she was happy to fall in with her wishes.
