Page 20 of To Wed a Laird
However, there was a purely selfish reason for Rose’s own anticipation, and his name was Cormac. She had seen him on his horse, a fearsome-looking black stallion, and the sight excited her in a way she had never experienced before.
He was the epitome of masculinity, and brought out her own femininity in response. She felt small next to him, not just in the physical sense, but in sheer presence, in the way he dominatedthe space around him. Yet, it was not an unpleasant feeling; rather, it made her feel protected and secure.
As well as that, her body responded to him in strange, but infinitely pleasing ways. Whenever she saw him, she began to tingle all over with an almost overpowering sensation of awareness. He was quite simply the most beautiful man she had ever seen, and the most desirable.
When they reached the stables, they found Cormac already waiting for them. He smiled at them, then came forward to speak to Elspeth, who looked up at him uncertainly, until he took her hand and led them both into the stables.
“I want you to meet someone,” Cormac told Elspeth.
“Who?” she asked curiously.
“Wait and see,” he replied, with a mysterious smile. He stopped beside one of the stalls, then opened the gate and led out a grey mare who tossed her head and whickered a little as if greeting them.
Elspeth looked at the horse doubtfully, then stepped forward and rubbed her palm against the velvety nose, smiling at the feel of it.
“She is so lovely,” she said as she stroked the mare’s neck. “What is her name?”
“Heather,” Cormac answered. “And she is yours.”
He waited a moment to let the news sink in, then watched as Elspeth’s face lit up with joy and disbelief. “Mine? Really mine, Da?” her voice was a squeak.
“Yes,” her father confirmed. “She has been here for a while, but I never told you because I wanted her to be a surprise for you. It’s your birthday soon, so think of her as a present.”
Rose gazed at him, amazed at the love and gentleness he was displaying. This was one of the most generous, loving gestures she had ever seen. This was not a side of him she had seen before, but she was glad it was there because it showed thathe was not as cold as he had seemed at first. Perhaps the wall around his emotions was cracking a little, allowing her to see the soft heart inside.
Elspeth hesitated for a moment, then threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Da! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
The joy in her face and voice brought out a beaming smile on Cormac’s face, and he kissed the top of her head.
“It is my pleasure, wee one,” he said, his deep voice infinitely gentle. “Now, would you like to mount up?”
Elspeth nodded eagerly, and Cormac lifted her into the saddle before turning to Rose. She had no chance to refuse before he clasped her around her waist and hoisted her up almost effortlessly. His hands were so big and her waist so small that the tips of his fingers almost met, and Rose was impressed by his sheer strength.
She was now sitting behind Elspeth, and put her arms around the little girl. “This is going to be fun, Rose. Da and I have not gone riding together since Mammy was here with us.”
Her voice sounded sad again, so Rose hastened to divert her thoughts.
“And I have not yet been to the loch,” Rose told her. “So this is an adventure for me. You must show me all your favourite spots.”
“I will,” Elspeth replied, hugging her tightly.
At that moment, Rose sighed in sheer contentment. Only one thing would have completed her happiness, but that, of course, was unattainable. She looked across at Cormac longingly and felt herself blush furiously as she found his gaze fixed on her with an unreadable expression.
She looked away quickly, hoping he had not seen the need in her eyes.
CHAPTER NINE
They rode slowly,since Cormac was being very careful not to startle Elspeth. She had not ridden a horse since her mother died, and he was worried because her skill then had been that of a complete novice.
He had seen Rose riding on one occasion when Nell had persuaded the head groom to allow her to borrow a horse, and he had seen that she was an accomplished horsewoman.
As well as that, there was no denying her care and affection for his daughter; out of all the ladies he had employed to care for Elspeth, she was by far the best. He thought so, and apparently so did Elspeth, so he had made up his mind; Rose Tewsbury was here to stay.
He had been thinking about both of them and the influence the Englishwoman was having on Elspeth. It was as though a happy spirit had awoken inside Elspeth and taken over her soul. He could see that she still had bouts of sadness and was sometimes very temperamental, but Rose seemed to have the ability to calm her down in a way that none of the other women had been able to.
This had a calming effect on him too. He had not realised how much of his time he had been spending worrying about hisdaughter, and now, almost without him noticing, the burden was lighter.
He could see the way Elspeth was clinging to Rose, how they laughed together and shared jokes, and it seemed to him that his daughter was regaining the brightness she had lost when her mother died.
