Page 15 of The Highlander's Alluring Spy
He was sure, at least, that her care for Elaine was utterly genuine. Not many noblewomen would strip to their underclothes and dive into a loch instead of fetching help. She seemed to make Elaine happy, and she kept her safe, and what more could a Father wish for?
However, it was none of that which kept Nathair’s mind occupied with her delicate features whenever he lay down to rest. It wasn’t her beauty or her kindness that kept his thoughts straying back to her over and over.
Nay. More than that, more than any o’ that, it’s whatever she’s hiding from us. I want to ken what it is. That, and whether or nae it’s a threat to me bairn.
The girl had a secret. He had known that from the first day when he’d deduced that her name was false, but it was more than even just the lie she was telling.
Those blue eyes o’ hers. They’re always guarded, always wary. They’re hiding worlds from us.
Even as Magnolia was outwardly open and friendly, something hid within those eyes. Just below the cerulean surface, there lived a grim determination Nathair could not understand. Something scared her. Something kept her steadfast even as she ran from it. She had a whole life of secrets he knew nothing about.
What surprised him more than any of that was how much he wanted to find out what scared her. To help keep her safe, if need be.
He ran a hand through his hair. Enough of this. Elaine was having a nap after the long trip to the kirk this morning, followed by a large lunch and games with the clan children. Since she slept, and the people were occupied with their Sabbath rest, Nathair had some unexpected free time. He would use it like he always did–in the library.
He used to spend his free time there with Catrina, facing each other in their leather chairs by the fire, taking turns reading the best excerpts from their books.
I miss yer company among thon books, Catrina.
He couldn’t let himself get melancholy, however. Elaine suddenly having a nanny once more had freed up much of his time for the matters of Lairdship. He had spent much time of late poring over books, trying to prevent a repeat of disaster in case war should befall them once more.
Some of his people were poor, dreadfully so, and when fighting happened, the poor were always the first to die. He never let his army fight alone, but many a time even he had barely escaped each battle with his life.
Then it was his duty and William’s to return home and inform grieving widows and countless children that their only source of bread had perished.
Despite that, the clansmen had proven resilient, doing twice or thrice the work to make up for the deficit of workers. It had been a dark time. The MacFoihl Clan had barely survived. Nathair would not have been surprised had they cursed his name, but instead, they welcomed him into their homes and onto their fields. He and William had spent many days working side-by-side with the young farmers who remained.
The clan recovered and was slowly building itself back into something resembling its old strength over the last three years. Nathair felt pride for the sons and daughters of his people like he did for his own daughter. In a way, they were all his children, and it was his duty to care for them well.
So, he would read of warfare, of battles successful, of the food provisions and the employers of the ancients, and he would help his people. He did not yet know how, but his land would flourish. For Elaine, and for his clan. For all of Scotland.
But as he walked along the corridor, he was ashamed to admit that it wasn’t his people who resided at the forefront of his mind. As he always did on this walk, he envisioned the ghost of his dark-haired, gentle-voiced wife walking alongside him, her gray eyes knowing his thoughts. He could imagine her speaking even now.
“Magnolia’s in yer thoughts near as much as me these days, Nathair. What does that tell ye?”
Nathair answered out loud, but quietly, glad nobody was around to hear him talking to an imaginary ghost. “It isnae like that, Cat. She’s got a secret. I need tae ken what it is. To keep Elaine safe.”
The image in his mind’s eye smiled with those soft red lips, a spark in those gray eyes. “And that’s a’ it is, aye?”
“Aye,” he said, a little more firmly. “Aye, that’s a’ it is.”
“As ye say, love,”Catrina’s voice seemed to dance around his ears as the image disappeared. It was barely more than a whisper as she added, “But dinnae forget what I’d want for ye. For both ye and our Elaine.”
What she’d want? What she’d want was to be there with him. Instead, she lay cold and dead under the ground, and he’d put her there with his carelessness. He should have found a better doctor, should have returned home sooner, or…
He cleared his throat and emptied his mind of fancy and fear. There was no time for it now. He moved through the final large wooden doors into the library.
He was surprised as he entered to see it was already occupied. Magnolia was in a casual day-dress, the kind women wore when they weren’t planning on traveling at all, and her hair was tied in a pretty knot on the top of her head. She stood immersed in front of one of the shelves, a book already in hand, scanning for others.
He approached quietly but spoke at a standard volume as he said, “Well, I wasnae expectin’ to find ye here on yer day off. It’s nae often I find another woman who likes tae read.”
Magnolia jumped, obviously frightened by the sudden words, and spun to face him. She relaxed visibly as she realized who he was, but only marginally. He could still feel the tenseness in her as she responded. “My Mother taught me, My Laird,” she said, bowing her head deferentially. “My Father bolstered my education after she passed.”
Nathair considered her for a moment. Perhaps that was true, but it wasn’t the whole truth. If she was here to read for pleasure, this was a very strange shelf to select for browsing.
“Aye?” he asked. “And will ye teach me wee Elaine how tae dae it in turn?”
“I hope so,” Magnolia agreed. “She’s a very bright girl. She already told me she would like to teach me some Scots and maybe even Gaelic, too. I would love to learn with her. I think it would be fun.”
