Page 69 of Her Highland Prophecy
“Why?” he asked.
“Why?”
“Aye. Why should I nay tell me Son?”
“You’ll understand once I tell you. Just please keep an open mind,” she said. He nodded.
The easiest way to explain was to show him, so she pulled out the coin purse that she and Gordain had procured in Beauly when she sold her mother’s necklace.
The necklace was gone, but she had a large amount of money left over from that transaction. Money that she wouldn’t need now that she would be returning to the future.
“This is for the Clan,” she said placing the purse on the small table, which produced a heavy-sounding clunk when it touched the wooden surface. “I know that Gordain was able to sell a large amount of whisky and that he was able to save the Clan in doing so, but I also want to contribute.”
“This is verra generous of ye, Lass,” the Laird said, his look noticeable softer than when she had entered his rooms. “I wager there is enough gold in there for one family to make it all through the winter.”
She nodded, though in all honesty she was still not certain of the value money had in this time.
“Please don’t tell him,” she begged the Laird again. “He doesn’t need to know. Just say that one of the tenants paid his rent after all.”
Their eyes met and held, as she silently pleaded for him to understand. He leaned forward.
“I thought ye were wrong for him, ye ken,” he said. She nodded. She knew the man’s sentiments about her very well.
“I was wrong.”
Her head snapped up and her mouth nearly dropped open at the admission.
“Dinnae look at me like that,” he said. “I can admit when I am wrong and ye are clearly exactly what this Clan and me Son need right now. Despite the fact that I have arranged several betrothals for him, all I ever wanted was for me son to be happy.”
“I don’t—” she started, not understanding why she was telling her this now.
“It is guid to see how much ye love each other.”
Diana looked at him speechless. She wasn’t in love with Gordain. She couldn’t be. She liked him well enough, but she would be leaving for her own time in three days. So, she couldn’t love him.
Since when does timing have anything to do with falling in love?
She squashed her inner voice.
“Will you tell him?” she asked.
The Laird shook his head at her tenacity. “I’ll keep yer secret if ye wish me to, Lass, though I dinnae ken why ye dinnae want him to ken ye were the one to offer the gold.”
“I don’t want him to feel obligated,” was all she said.
The Laird looked like he didn’t understand, but he didn’t pursue the matter any further. She stood, and he followed suit.
“Thank you for this,” she said with a small curtsy. That was the right thing to do in that era right?
Gordain’s father laughed and escorted her out of his chambers.
She traced her hand against the walls gently as she walked down to the kitchens knowing that the people she wanted to find would most likely be there.
The smells were the first indication that she was nearing the area. It was a mix of rising bread, porridge and meats cooking. Knowing that breakfast had just been served for most people, the cook was likely working hard to prepare dinner for everyone in the Castle. The light chatter of female voices as she approached was the second indication she was in the right place.
She reached the archway leading to the kitchen and leaned against it for a moment taking in the scene. All three of Gordain’s sisters, along with a few other women were standing around a table that had a large mound of green beans on it. Diana had learned a few days ago that these were actually pea pods that had to be shelled before they were used.
She was going to miss them. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she could tell that Mabel had just said something inappropriate. Joan was blushing bright red while the other women laughed uproariously. Eleanor just shook her head with an exasperated look on her face.
