Page 33 of Sinbound to the Highlander
“Aye,” Evan agreed, “I am very concerned that the lowlands will have to deal with such hardships, and if they do go to England, it’ll be even worse. But while me sympathies go with them, I’m pleased that we willnae see such grief.”
“And ye courtship?” Freya asked, “How long do ye ken it will take now that ye have less pressure on ye?”
“More than a month,” Evan said, “if peace continues. But in the meantime, I will be making provisions to help. Wintertime is comin’, and though we havenea had hard winters in the past, we cannae predict how it will be this time. I’ve made plans to give yer village new wood and stone so they can fix their houses.”
The delightfully surprised look on her face had Evan smiling. He reached out and held her hand. She jumped at his touch, but did not move away, “I noticed the houses on me way during the first ride through Cillock. I cannae believe yer village slipped through me notice for so many years, while ye do so much for me Lairdship.”
Freya’s face colored, “On behalf of those in me village, thank ye.”
Charmed by her reaction, Evan added, “And, as the quota for the barley and oilseed has been fulfilled, or so I’m told by me overseers, I am going to order that the surplus be shared among the families. Winter is coming, and, as I said, we dinnae ken how hard it might be. Ye will all have more stores of flour and oil to make bread, and cook with.”
Her lips slipped open, and Evan felt inordinately pleased that he had made her happy. Nonchalantly, he brushed it off. “Ye have to admit; yer village deserves it.”
Freya’s hand was curling on his, and her lashes were fluttering. He noticed that she had trouble meeting his eyes without blushing, and that touched him deeply. “Did…did ye do those things because of me, what I did—or tried to do, for ye?”
“Partly,” Evan said, when what he meant to say was,entirely. But he did not want to scare Freya off anymore. She was just coming around with being brave toward him. Telling her that she was the reason he was so generous, might just do more harm than good. He met her eyes, “But yer village does deserve it.”
She looked away, and a thick lock of her hair broke from her tie. Reaching up, Evan tucked it behind her ear, brushing his fingers tips across her cheek in the motion.
She was about to say something more, but Lady Grace entered the room, and stopped short. “Laird Ruthven?”
Evan stood, and tugged at his plaid, “Lady Lobhdain. The meetin’ with yer husband ended, and I came to speak to Miss Milleson, but I’m told she is ill.”
“Just a little upset in her stomach,” Lady Grace said, her gaze flitting to Freya for a moment, then back to him, “Naething much, I believe. It might pass by the morrow.”
“I do wish her the best, and a speedy recovery, but I’ll be back on the morrow to see if she will be able to walk with me.” Evan said, “And, Miss Crushom, please take me at me word when I said that all will be done to protect our lands. Thank ye for yer hospitality, Lady Lobhdain. I’ll best be on me way.”
“Safe journey, Laird Ruthven,” Lady Grace said.
With a nod, Evan left the room, hoping the Lady would not question Freya too hard about his interaction with her. He expected that Freya would take his words to heart, and not add that worry about her village onto her list of fears.
His promises were also not going to go in vain. Evan decided on making all of what he said into reality. The moment he arrived home, he planned on meeting with his supervisors that ran the storehouses, and give them the directive to share the surplus back to the Cillock village, and any other town that the stores could stretch to and supply.
As for Elspeth, he trusted she would be adult enough to speak to him about their wedding as he was not going to thoughtlessly succumb to all that she wanted—as her parents had done. Elspeth had to understand that no one was going to give her all she wanted, all the time, and their marriage was going to be a lesson for her on compromise.
For the time being, he put the worry for Elspeth away and carried the joyful face Freya had shown him, warming his heart on the way home.
What can I do to see it again?
