Coll looked away for a moment. “I’m sorry, Darach. I know it was hard and it certainly wasn’t fair to ye, but ye were always meant to come home.”
“I was meant to come home when my training was done. It isn’t.”
Coll sighed heavily. “Da loves ye. Can’t ye do this for him?”
“Da has a funny way of showing his love. His new wife’s preferences and his desire for an alliance with Laird MacLeod came before the needs of his youngest son and only daughter. God’s bones, Coll, until tonight I had only seen him twice in the last five years. Once when I came home for Gavinia’s funeral and once when he came to Curacridhe for Lady Joan’s funeral. And I haven’t seen Claire since the day she left.”
“Da did miss ye. He missed ye terribly.”
“And Claire? Did he miss her terribly too?” His voice dripped with sarcasm.
“I’ve already told ye, he tried.”
“But he didn’t even bring her home after Gavinia died.”
“Claire was but thirteen then. Da had no idea how to manage a daughter, and over the years, Gavinia had convinced him the abbey was a better place for her. He did have every intention of bringing ye home when he went to Lady Joan’s funeral. But ye seemed to be happy and doing well under Laird MacLeod so he left ye there.”
“I’m glad he did. I was happy. I’m happy now. If he was truly concerned about me, he wouldn’t ask me to stay on here longer than necessary.”
“I’m sorry ye feel that way, but think on it. A decision doesn’t have to be made tonight.”
As far as Darach was concerned, the decision was made already. He would never choose to return to Lewis permanently.
Chapter 16
It had been nearly three weeks since Andrew had returned from the strait with the brokenhearted angel on his lap and had vowed to protect his heart. However, over the days since then, his betrothed had dragged him through a range of emotions equally as broad as those she had experienced on that day. From helping Mairi in accepting her betrothal to Tasgall, to determinedly shaking him from his self-pity and grief, Anna hadn’t held back. And once Ena pointed out the need to let his betrothed begin managing the household, Anna approached her new responsibilities with the same energy and good humor she brought to everything. For some illogical reason—for he had nothing to do with it—he felt pride in her accomplishments.
Admiration. Anger. Grief. Determination. Pride. His resolve to stay detached was slipping.
Perhaps he should have been pleased that his sister kept Anna away and occupied, but he wasn’t. He had begun to look forward to seeing her and talking with her, especially at mealtimes. For three nights, Ena had ensured that Anna was nowhere near him during meals, and Andrew grew more irritated daily.
Tonight, he would not allow that to happen. He had been hunting earlier in the day, but. Then after returning late in the afternoon, found Davy to take him for a brief ride. He fully intended to be in the great hall for the evening meal earlier than usual, so he could claim Anna himself. As soon as Ena entered with her daughters, Mairi, and a laughing Anna, he made his move.
“Good evening, ladies, ye all seem to be in a very fine mood this evening.”
“Aye, brother, it has been a most productive day. Fearghas tells me the hunt went well too.”
“Aye, to be sure.”
“Anna, we had fun riding, didn’t we, Da?” said Davy.
“Aye we did, son. Perhaps Anna will sit with us during the evening meal and ye can tell her all about it.” Even as he said it, he took Anna by the elbow and guided her to the seat she had always occupied until Ena arrived.
“I’ve missed ye,” he whispered, smiling at Anna’s puzzled expression.
“I didn’t go anywhere.”
“Aye ye did, angel. Perhaps it was just to the other end of the table, but Davy and I had gotten used to dining with ye. I fear my sister has completely stolen ye away.”
“Oh. I suppose I have spent a little less time with him recently, but he truly seems to be thriving, the more time he spends with ye.”
“Aye he does, but he adores ye as well.”
Anna nodded, but he sensed a shift in her mood.
“Andrew, I know ye didn’t want me to help run the household—”
“I was wrong about that.”
Anna looked surprise. “Ye were?” She shook her head a little. “I mean, I’m glad ye changed yer mind—”
“So am I. Ye seem to be thriving as well.”
“I am. That is to say, I like having purpose and being able to contribute to the life of the clan. But I swear to ye, it’s equally as important to me to see to Davy. I’m sorry if ye think I haven’t been doing that.”
It was Andrew’s turn to be puzzled for a moment until he realized she had misunderstood him. “Anna, I’m not upset with ye, and I see that ye are able to balance things quite well. Frankly, I’m impressed. I just realized that ye and I spend very little time together—usually just at mealtimes. I’ve missed yer company over the last few evenings, that’s all.”
She drew her brows together, looking wary. Andrew chuckled, took one of her hands in his and kissed the back of it. “It’s the truth.”
As the evening meal progressed, Andrew realized that it was truer than he’d realized. He enjoyed being with Anna, and he had nearly from the start. He smiled, remembering the first night he sat with her after her fever had broken. Too weak to lift her head from the pillow and knowing she was being held by her family’s worst enemy, she had openly referred to Curacridhe as “hell.”
Aye, he enjoyed her company and he would not let his sister rob him of it again.
~ * ~
With Brenda and Ena’s help, Anna’s life was settling into a comfortable rhythm. As she had promised Andrew, Anna still ensured that Davy was well cared for. Davy had followed the one rule she had given him perfectly. She always knew where he was and what he was doing, even if she wasn’t with him.
Anna also still devoted time every morning to teaching Davy and Mairi, but now Davy often spent afternoons doing something with his father.
She was even beginning to think Andrew might be softening a bit. The previous evening, she had been both surprised and pleased when he said he “missed” her. When he kissed the back of her hand, she felt a little flutter stir deep within.
It wasn’t a declaration of love, but it was nice.
As she entered the hall for the midday meal with Davy and Mairi, Anna felt the same thrill when Andrew met them halfway across the room.
He took her hand and walked with her to the table. “Has yer morning gone well, angel?”
Slightly better prepared for his attention than she had been the previous evening, she smiled. “Aye, it has.”
“I can write all my letters now and I know the sounds they make,” declared Davy with pride.
“That is quite an accomplishment, son. Ye should be very proud.”
“I can write all the letters too,” said Mairi.
Andrew smiled at her. “Well done, Mairi. Very few young women can say that. Ye should be proud too.”
Mairi beamed.
Andrew turned his attention to Anna. “That being the case, how is it that ye learned to read and write?”
“My da taught me.” Anna smiled at the memories of her beloved father.
Andrew squeezed her hand.
“He started teaching me after Tasgall went away to train. Aidan was gone too and I know Da missed them. Eoin had just returned home but he and Da butted heads.” Anna gave a wry smile. “Eoin was a bit full of himself.”
Andrew chuckled. “I might have been when I first came home after training too.”
Mairi threw her head back and laughed outright. “Might have been? Sometimes ye still are.”
Andrew smiled, simply shaking his head at his audacious little sister. “So ye think he taught ye to read because Eoin tried his patience and he missed Tasgall and Aidan?”
“All of those things might have been a part of i
t, but I think it was mostly because he missed Tasgall. He had taught all three of them to read, but Aidan and Eoin had always considered it a necessary chore, while Tasgall loved it. Our father had a small collection of books, as did our priest. Tasgall reread them over and over. He loved to talk about them with Da and I think that’s what Da missed most.”
“Did ye discuss books with yer da, once ye learned to read?”
She nodded. Again poignant memories of her father nearly took her breath away.
Andrew put a finger under her chin, lifting her gaze to his. “I didn’t mean to make ye sad, angel.”
Although she knew tears had filled her eyes, she smiled. “I’m not sad. I loved my da and I still miss him, but my memories are happy.”
After they were seated at the table, Mairi leaned forward and asked quietly, “Is that why ye want me to learn to read? Because Tasgall likes to read?”
Anna chuckled. “I want ye to learn to read because it’s a good skill to have. But, aye, I thought it might also be nice if ye enjoy reading as he does.”
~ * ~
As they ate their midday meal, Andrew was struck again by what a truly remarkable woman his betrothed was. She was smart and capable—the servants now deferred to her rather than Brenda or Ena. Not only had she already embraced the role of mother to Davy, she had firmly taken Mairi under her wing too.
And when she laughed—something he had seen far too little of—she practically sparkled.
He had the sudden strong desire to spend more time with her.
Near the end of the meal he said, “Davy, don’t ye think it would be a good idea if Anna went riding with us this afternoon?”
His son nodded exuberantly. “Aye, Da.”
“Anna, will ye join us?”
Her face lit with a smile. “I’d love to.”
Fearghas Chisholm called from the other end of the table. “Davy, lad, the weather is perfect to go fishing. Would ye like to come with me and my squire?”
“Fishing? I love fishing.” Davy exclaimed. “Oh, but Da and I were going riding with Anna.”
“Don’t worry about me. We can ride another day. Ye’ll both enjoy fishing.”
Andrew frowned. At the moment, riding with Anna was a much more appealing prospect.
Ena shook her head. “Nay, Anna deserves an outing. She’s been working very hard.” At her husband’s mock frown she added, “But Uncle Fearghas seldom gets to go fishing and even when he does, he has no wee lad of his own to fish with.”
Her comment was made to the table at large, but she fixed Andrew with a piercing look.
He had to force himself not to laugh. “I have an idea. Davy, you go fishing with Uncle Fearghas and maybe Uncle Graham too, and I’ll take Anna for a ride.”
Ena smiled broadly. “That is an excellent idea. I should’ve thought of it myself.”
Andrew arched an eyebrow at his interfering sister. Clearly she had thought of it herself—for which he was very thankful.
In no time at all, the meal was over, horses were saddled and Andrew was riding through the gates of Curacridhe with Anna at his side and several guardsmen at a discreet distance.
Surprisingly, Anna, who was never at a loss for words, seemed to have gone very quiet.
“Ye do like riding, don’t ye Anna?” He knew she did. “I didn’t think to ask.”
“Aye, I love it.”
“What else do ye like to do?”
She glanced sideways at him. “That’s an odd question.”
“Ye think? Rumor has it we are to be married. Learning a bit more about ye doesn’t seem so very odd to me.”
She grinned. “Rumor has it?”
“Well, perhaps it is more than a rumor. There may be the odd contract signed, but still, a groom should know a bit about his bride.”
“And shouldn’t the bride also know a bit about her groom?”
He nodded. “Now that ye mention it, I suppose she should. I’ll make ye a deal—ye answer a question about yerself and then I’ll do the same.”
“That seems fair.”
“So my question was, other than riding, what do ye like to do?”
“Hmm. Well, I actually do love needlework. That’s probably why I told yer da I was a seamstress right after I was captured. It was the first thing that popped into my head.”
Damn. He didn’t want her mind to linger on the events of that day. “Aye, Mairi has mentioned how very skilled ye are. Now I believe ‘tis yer turn to ask me a question.”
She thought for a moment and then shrugged. “I guess I’ll ask the same thing. What is something ye like to do, at which ye are very skilled?”
“Hmm. Well, I like to go hunting—I am deadly accurate with a bow.”
“Are ye?” There was a note of awe in her voice. “I’ve always wanted to learn to shoot a bow. Da wouldn’t let me. He said I was too small.”
“Well it is true, the taller ye are, the longer yer arms are and the longer yer draw will be, but ye could still learn. It’s just yer arrow won’t fly as far or have the same force behind it as a taller archer’s would.” He considered her for a moment. “Would ye like to learn?”
She grinned. “Aye, I would.”
“Well then, things are a bit hectic now with the wedding pending, but after that, I’d be happy to teach ye.”
She beamed at him, pleasing him beyond measure. It took a moment to remember it was his turn to ask a question. “Next question. What is—”
“I believe the next question is mine.”
“Nay, I don’t think so. Ye asked me what I was skilled at.”
“Aye, I did, and then ye asked me if I wanted to learn archery. So it’s my turn again.” She gave him a cheeky grin.
He chuckled. “I beg yer pardon, my lady. Ask away.”
She thought for a moment. “All right, I have one. Who is your most trusted confidant?”
He arched a brow at her. “That’s hard to answer. I am probably closest to my father and Graham. I guess it would depend on this issue. If it was something that concerned the whole clan, I would seek my father’s counsel.”
“But what if it didn’t concern the whole clan? What if it was something personal?”
“Hmm. Well, I suppose Graham. He would be more likely to consider what was best for me alone. My father’s decisions will always be tempered by what is best for the clan.”
She looked down. “Like forcing us to marry?”
Damn. When would he stop putting his foot in his mouth? Andrew reached out and grabbed her horse’s rein, pulling her to a stop. He looked into her beautiful green eyes, which moments ago had sparkled with laughter. “Anna, I didn’t mean to hurt ye. Still, now that ye mention it, I firmly believe Da’s decision was the best one for both of our clans. This will be a good marriage. Things have changed so much since that first day. Ye don’t fear us anymore. By all that’s holy, ye practically run Curacridhe singlehandedly, and I don’t think ye hate me anymore. It isn’t still the terrible fate ye thought it was, is it?”
She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Nay, it isn’t a terrible fate and I certainly don’t hate ye.”
“Good, because I find I quite like ye.” He let go of her mount and started moving again. “It’s my turn for a question. What’s yer favorite food?”
She chuckled. “That’s hard, I like to eat. I like quail but I suppose my favorite is lamb.”
He gave a small sigh of relief, having successfully steered her towards safer topics.
When they reached a heath beyond the village, he gave the horses a chance to run. It seemed to delight her. By the time they returned to the keep, her cheeks were flushed and the distressing topics seemed forgotten. He stopped in the bailey, dismounted, and lifted her from her mount.
“It’s turned a bit chilly. Go inside now and warm yerself. I’ll see to the horses.” But even as he bid her leave, he couldn’t take his hands off her waist.
“Thank ye, Andrew. I enjoyed the ride.”
&n
bsp; He smiled down at her. “I did too.” Staring into her eyes, he was surprised to see…was it longing? Or was he simply seeing his own longing reflected there. It was something he hadn’t felt in years. He couldn’t deny that right now he longed to take her in his arms and kiss her.
Her voice broke through his desire. “I, uh…I should probably…well it is a bit chilly.” She seemed as befuddled by his nearness as he was by hers—and that pleased him.
“Aye, ye probably should.” His lips brushed her cheek and he let go of her, stepping aside so she could enter the keep. “I’ll see ye at the evening meal, angel.”
~ * ~
Andrew had expected Ena and her family to arrive well in advance of the wedding but was shocked when, while he tended their horses, the watch announced the arrival of the Sinclairs. Joan’s parents were nearly a fortnight early.
He finished caring for the beasts before joining his father in the courtyard a few minutes before the visitors reached the gate. “Da, did ye know about this?”
“Aye, I invited them.”
“I knew ye’d invited them to the wedding, but did ye know they were coming so soon?”
“Aye, son. I wasn’t certain of the exact day but I thought they might like to spend a bit of time with Davy before the wedding. It’ll be so hectic after the other clans begin to arrive.”
Andrew frowned. “Ye could have warned me.”
His father raised his brow. “Warned ye? Why on earth would ye need a warning? They’re Davy’s grandparents. Do ye begrudge them a visit?”
Andrew shook his head. “Nay, Da.” His father was right. Davy’s grandparents saw him so rarely, Andrew knew his son would be thrilled. How could he explain to his father that the Sinclairs were just another painful reminder of the love he had lost?
Moments later, Anna hurried out of the keep with Davy at her side. “I’m sorry, Andrew, I would have brought Davy down sooner, but he was a bit of a mess after fishing with his uncles. I wanted him to clean up a bit before greeting his grandparents.”
Dear God. Andrew didn’t want Anna here. He wasn’t sure how the Sinclairs would react to her…or how he would react to the Sinclairs. “Ye needn’t have worried. In fact, ye’re probably still chilled from the ride. Ye can go back inside where it’s warm if ye wish. Da and I can handle this.”
Captured Hearts and Stolen Kisses Page 158