Page 80 of Laird of Twilight
“Mr. MacArthur is an old-school artisan,” Struan added. “Miss MacArthur is very skilled too. Admirably so.”
“Highland weaving is an ancient craft,” Fiona said. “It is nearly an art form in the Highlands. Here in the north, factories and workshops do not exist as they might in the south. Handwoven tartan is very popular now, so I imagine Kilcrennan weavers must be very busy. We can thank Sir Walter Scott for that—his popular books have helped to restore a sense of national identity and heritage to Scotland. After the king’s visit, everyone wants plaid, indeed anything so-called ‘Scotch.’”
“Aye, it seems so.” James silently blessed his sister for her defense of weaving, and the Highlands—and indeed Elspeth and Kilcrennan.
“You have an appreciation for the Highlands, Miss MacCarran,” Elspeth said.
“I love it up here,” Fiona said. “James and I spent some wonderful holidays at Struan House as children.”
“My sister dedicates her time to a Highland society, and travels about teaching English to native Gaelic speakers,” James added.
“You were both here as children? It is a wonder we did not meet sooner,” Elspeth said.
I wish we had,he nearly said. His life might have taken a happier course far sooner. “We were here for only a fortnight at a time, and not so often, though we wandered the hills with our grandfather and met some locals. We must have met your grandfather when we were children, as he knew Lord and Lady Struan. But I imagine you were too young to play with us at the time.”
He smiled. His whole heart went out to her, and he wondered if she saw it.
She laughed softly. “I may have been too young, nor did my grandfather bring me to Struan House when I was small. I met Lady Struan later. A lovely woman.” She turned to Fiona. “How good of you to teach English to Highland children. Some families speak both languages, as ours did, but it varies among homes, particularly among the crofters and such.”
Fiona nodded agreement, just as Mrs. MacKimmie entered the room, busying herself clearing the tea table. James handed her his empty cup with quiet thanks.
“Philip tells me the gardens here are spectacular, even in autumn,” Lady Rankin said, gazing out the window. “I would love to see them, and I’m sure Charlotte would too. Your manservant told Philip that there are fairies out in your garden. How quaint! We must go look for them. Little statues, I suppose he means.”
“Och,Mr. MacKimmie likely spoke of our real fairies,” Mrs. MacKimmie said as she cleared the tea things. Lady Rankin gasped, and James smiled—like Charlotte, his great-aunt was not used to household staff joining a conversation. Nor did she believe in fairies.
“Oh aye, the Fey are said to live in the hills nearby,” Elspeth said.
James lifted his brow, quite enjoying the stunned silence. He rather thought Elspeth had said so for Charlotte’s benefit, for that young woman simply gaped.
“The charming folderol of the Highlands,” he said lightly. “I did not believe it myself when I came here.” He saw Elspeth glance at him quickly. “But one begins to consider it after a while. Some of the stories are more than a little eerie.”
“Fascinating!” Fiona turned. “Has anyone seen real fairies here at Struan?”
“Some claimed to have seen them on the grounds and in the glen,” Elspeth said. “Traditionally, the fairies are said to visit Struan House at this time every year. It is said that they ride across Struan lands over a few nights. Lord Struan and I might have seen them one night.”
Now that went a bit far, James thought wryly, as the others turned to stare at Elspeth. Was she intent on shocking Charlotte in particular, or all of them? She was not aggressive, but she was frank by nature. Likely she saw the wisdom in saying something before rumors were heard. Sooner or later, he would marry the girl. His family would learn her outspokenness, and come to accept that some local traditions might seem too fantastic to believe.
“You…and Miss MacArthur…did what?” Charlotte squeaked.
“Saw the fairies at midnight,” Elspeth said. “Or at least what looked like them.”
“You and Struan were together at midnight?” Charlotte squeaked out.
“James,” Lady Rankin said. “I did not know you had entertained while here.”
“He did not. It was just me, and it could not be helped,” Elspeth said. “We were outside on the grounds, and saw something...quite eerie, as Lord Struan said.”
“Alone?” Charlotte asked.
James drew a breath, blew it out. “As a matter of fact, we were. Miss MacArthur was in a bit of a predicament that evening. I came to her assistance,” he explained. “I cannot vouch for seeing fairies. It was probably mist. But the rest, aye, that is true.”
“Lord Struan kindly offered me help when I was caught in a storm,” Elspeth said. “And that night we saw the fairies riding through. Or perhaps just I saw them.”
“Good God,” Philip said. “I was just out there, and saw nothing nearly as good!”
“Alone,” Charlotte persisted. “Here. At night.”
“And you saw fairies?” Fiona asked, head tilted.
