A Laird for All Time (7 page)

Leaving the women to their work, Emmy begged a coat from the butler and decided to take a walk down by the water.  This time she went around the right side of the castle and along the edge of the low wall that stretched perpendicular to the castle until it tapered away.  Here the grade to the lower plain was still steep and rocky but traversable. Gathering all her skirts up in one hand, Emmy used her other hand for balance as she picked her way down the slope.  Inwardly laughing at the sight she presented, she was grateful to drop the skirts when she got to the bottom. 

The plain area stretched about 100 feet to the water
’s edge.  Off to her right, just behind the castle, the terrain was rocky but to the left, where the shoreline curved in, there was a pebbled beach where the waters of the sound lapped gently against the rocks.

Emmy headed in that direction
, marveling at the beauty of the October afternoon.  The overcast skies of the previous day were gone, leaving blue skies with just a few high clouds. The air was crisp and cool with a gentle breeze. The waters in the sound were fairly calm; the coastline of mainland Scotland was clear and seemed closer than the long ferry ride had suggested.  This is what she had come to Scotland to see, to feel.  Rugged beauty.  It seemed so untouched.  The power lines that had looped their way along the shore on her arrival were absent, leaving her view of the Sound unobscured.

The wind
was brisk and, as Emmy drew in a deep breath, she found the chill of the air in her lungs to be energizing in contrast to the peaceful feeling the natural stillness around her inspired.  Drowsiness from the big lunch and lack of sleep faded away.  Margo had told her that most of the ladies of the castle took long naps in the afternoon, which Emmy had thought curious before, but now understood.  Such a big meal did leave a person thinking about sleeping it off, but it was a bad habit.  A vigorous walk was a much healthier response, she thought, as she continued up the coastline in long strides.

The sounds of activity from the castle faded as she continued.  There were no signs of other people
, and she felt for a moment like the only person on earth.  Her mind calmed; the mental churning of the past thirty-six hours receded against the call of the gulls and roar of the wind and water.  No machinery, just nature.  She wasn’t sure she had ever heard such a complete absence of technology.  No hum of airplanes or cars.  No one talking on their cell phone. Emmy breathed in the fresh, clean air and closed her eyes.  Just peace.

Of course it wasn’t meant to last. 
It was not long before the sound of hoof beats had Emmy turning north up the coast expectantly.  Two riders approached.  As they neared, she recognized Connor and Ian.  What magnificent men they were, Emmy thought.  Real men.  Oh, plenty of the male residents she had worked with had worked out at the gym regularly, but none of them had the natural manliness these brothers displayed.  Despite the lack of convenience in the nineteenth century, perhaps there was something to be said for this time, she thought. 

The men pulled up their horses next to her and dis
mounted.  Their garb was more formal today.  Jackets, vests, ties, and hats as well.  Though it all hung easily from Ian’s relaxed frame, Emmy thought Connor seemed as uncomfortable in it as he had in his evening wear the night before.  Ian gave her a formal little bow.  “My lady!  How goes yer day?  I am surprised that ye’d venture out into this cold when few ladies would do so.”

Since it was probably near fifty degrees, Emmy wasn’t sure how to respond to that so offered only, “It’s a beautiful day. 
I did not sleep well last night at all.” She slanted a look toward Connor.  “I thought the cool breeze would be refreshing.  What have you guys been up to today?”

Ian looked uncomfortable with the question.  “We
visited one of our neighbors this afternoon.” 

He glanced uncertainly at Connor
, who showed no hesitation in responding.  “I ha’ been courting the daughter of one of our neighbors and thought it fitting to give them the courtesy of a personal visit to inform them of yer return before they heard of it through the gossip mills.”

Emmy stared at him as the word sunk in.  “Courting?  As in dating?”

“I dinnae know this word ‘dating’ ye use, but aye, courting.” Connor gave her a hard look.  “I was considering marrying again… until ye returned, of course.”

Emmy arched a brow.  “Of course.  I’m not much of a legal mind,” she offered, “but wouldn’t that be considered bigamy?”

“It has been widely accepted for some time, my dear,” Connor clarified, “that ye had met with some misfortune over the past ten years since no one had seen or heard from ye in all that time.  None of the investigators we had hired had been able to find signs of ye. I myself had traveled to the Americas twice in search of ye.”

“I’m not
…”

Connor waved his hand
, cutting her denial short.  “I dinnae wish to hear yer arguments and denials again today.”

“Maybe I
wish to voice them!” Emmy countered, hands on her hips, ready to do battle.

“Perhaps I should leave ye to
yer argument,” Ian turned away, leading his horse.

Emmy glared at Connor but turned to Ian.  “Actually Ian, I’d like to talk to you about something, if you have a moment.”

“To me?”

“Yes, a little something has come up with Dory.”

“She’s well?” he asked anxiously. “Nothing has happened?”

“She’s fine,”
Emmy assured him quickly.  The look of panic on his face said a great deal.  Clearly he cared deeply for his wife, which would be useful since he would be more likely to sacrifice for her wellbeing.  “Just something else, if you don’t mind a quick walk together?”

“
Nae at all.” He looked relieved and offered his arm to Emmy.

“Shoo, Mr. Cranky-Pants
.” Emmy waved off Connor with a frown as he scowled down at them.  “We don’t need any of your negative vibes around right now.”

“Cranky-Pants?” Connor echoed with a
haughtily raised brow.

“Just go!”  She made little shooing motions with her hands
.  “Go!” He shrugged and remounted in a smooth motion that impressed Emmy.  Taking the reins for Ian’s mount, he spurred them into motion back to the castle.

Connor wondered what had just happened.  He had not intended to fight with Heather today.  The visit to the neighboring estate had been an uncomfortable one and he had been awash with irritation over that unpleasant duty on the entire ride back to Duart.  And there had been Heather.  Walking along the coast, looking lovely beyond belief in the afternoon sun with her cheeks and nose reddened by the cold winds.  She had looked so relaxed and comfortable… so cheerful in fact that she had immediately rubbed him the wrong way.  Why should this be so easy for her when she was turning his life upside down?  She did not seem to care that she had interrupted the course of his life with her return at all.  And then to deny her identity once again!  It had been the last straw.  Connor galloped back toward the castle, aware that Heather and Ian’s eyes followed him along the way.  He fumed silently once again.  And what were negative vibes?

“What are negative vibes?” Ian
asked, unable to contain his curiosity as they turned to stroll farther north.

“You know,”
Emmy said, waving her hand, “his nasty little habit of bringing everything down to a fight when others just want to go happily along their way.”

“Ye ha’
developed an interesting way of speech in yer absence,” he noted.  “It is most curious.”

“Let’s not have you take up his fight right now, ok
ay?”

“He likes ye
, ye ken?” Ian said, allowing the subject to change.

Her heart raced like
a schoolgirl’s at the possibility, though her mind denied it.  “What?  That’s ridiculous!”  Want her, yes.  Like her, no.  Nobody ever said the two had to go hand in hand.  There was certainly little else about her that he seemed to care for.  Indeed, all they had done so far was fight. “Not that I believe you, but why do you say that?”

“Oh, small comments he has made today
.” Ian shrugged.  “He seems to admire yer forthright commentary and new earthiness.”

Emmy’s eyes widened in surprise.  It was hard to imagine Connor voicing admiration
, though she had seen it in his eyes, but assumed it was only admiration for her looks.  Other than that, his dark eyes had reflected either anger or desire every time she had met his gaze the previous day, and even just now.  He was angry with his wife and it showed.  He wanted her… and it showed in the deep turbulent heat of his brown eyes.  He wanted her and it angered him more.  When he’d had her backed up to the wall the night before, the want and need in his eyes had been so compelling she had almost lost her self-control.  “He does?” She tried for a nonchalant tone.

“
Aye, ye used to be much more like Dorcas.  More serious-minded.”

“Hmm
.” She shook the lustful thoughts off and tucked that all away to think about later. “Well, Dory is what I wanted to talk to you about.  But first, I am curious, how did you meet?”

“Dorcas arrived about
ten months or so after ye left… verra well,” Ian sighed at her arch look, “after Heather left.  She had nae been able to come for the wedding as their mother had been ill and then she stayed home afterward to nurse their father through the illness that ye… Heather’s departure had prompted.  An illness of the heart, I understand.  When he died, the properties nae entailed came into Connor’s possession as her sister’s husband since Heather was the elder daughter and there were nae other heirs.  Dory was his responsibility at that point so, naturally, she came here to live.”

Another
dependent here to live off the earl.  Emmy had much she wished to say about relatives who came to Duart to sponge off Connor but kept her opinions to herself.  “So she came here, met you and you married,” she summed it up.

“Aye, that’s about it.”

“What did Connor think of that?” she couldn’t resist asking.

“He was
nae here when she arrived,” Ian confessed, looking a bit regretful.  “He had gone to London searching for… regardless, he was nae here.  By the time he returned, I had already asked Dorcas to be my wife.”  He stared pensively off over the waters, shoving his hands deep in his pockets.  “Ye should ha’ seen him when he returned and first saw her here.  He naturally thought her to be Heather and his rage was terrible.  It was years before he would… could address her directly.  I confess they ha’ ne’er got along well as I am sure you can tell, but Dorcas…” he trailed off with a little sigh.

“You love her,”
Emmy confirmed with some amazement, for it seemed he loved her dearly despite her prickly manner.

“
Verea much,” he grinned sheepishly.  “She is nae as stern on the inside as she portrays in public.  She is softhearted, if somewhat proper.  She believes deeply in the rules of our society.  She simply likes things to be as they should.”

“We call that anal and neurotic where I come from,”
Emmy muttered to herself.  “So you love her and she’s pregnant now,” she went on aloud, and then paused as Ian blushed. Obviously such talk wasn’t only taboo among the women of Duart. “But it seems that Dory has been risking her health and that of your child in an attempt to keep herself from appearing unattractive to you.”

“What?” he questioned
in surprise.  “I dinnae understand.”

“You haven’t had sex since she found out she was pregnant,” Emmy said
, matter-of-factly and had trouble hiding her amusement as Ian stammered and blushed.

“Connor said ye
were more forthright!” he choked in understatement, unable to meet her gaze directly.

“Yea
h, well,” Emmy shrugged, “I’ve never really seen the point of beating around the bush.”  Plus it was sort of amusing to watch the shocked faces of those around her when she said something like that.  “The point is, Dory feels that you don’t find her attractive in her pregnancy. She thinks that she needs to camouflage it as much as possible by still wearing her corset. But she’s not doing the baby any favors.”

“That woman!”
Ian shook his head ruefully.  “I had nae idea she felt that way.  She’s ne’er been one to… well, she’s ne’er been as forthright as ye are.  That maddening woman!” He ran a hand through his hair.  “Naturally I feel the same attraction toward her as ever.  But she’s already lost three bairns…”

“I
’m not saying that you’re not justified in your fears, Ian,” she went on as he trailed off, patting his arm.  “Given her history, you do need to be careful.  You are right to be cautious.  Without having examined her, I cannot say to what extent.  But I am pretty sure you’re a creative enough man to realize there are a whole load of activities that can take place in a bedroom that don’t involve actual intercourse.”  She shot him a wink and dimpled her cheek in a suggestive smile. 

He blushed
and blustered again in a way she had never seen on a grown man and she laughed out loud.  “Oh!  You should see your face!”

“
Yer mouth, woman!  ‘Tis almost too much to contend wi’!” he complained.

“Alright, alright!”  Emmy lifted her hands playfully to ward him off.  “I’ll try to lay off the shock factor with you
.  Seriously though, I think I can get her to lay off the corset but her stress over this whole situation between the two of you isn’t good for her or the baby.  I’m sure a little extra affection and a big ‘O’ will go a long way toward mellowing her out a bit.”

She gave him a nudge
towards the castle with an encouraging smile.  “Go on, Ian, git ‘er done.”

Ian got the gist of what she was saying and started back to the castle
at a trot, shaking his head.  About a hundred yards away though he suddenly stopped and stared back at her.  “A big ‘O’!” he let out a loud snort and laughed heartily.  “Oh, lass, that is prime good humor!”  He waved a hand at her and continued home.

Emmy laughed as he finally caught on
.  How…
Victorian
they were when it came to discussing the human condition.  No talk of body parts or sex out loud lest you make someone uncomfortable.  Well, with sex mentioned on TV every twenty seconds or so, she supposed it was easy to become immune to what were once considered inappropriate topics.  Between Dr. Phil and Oprah, there had been no topic left unexplored.  Mentally shrugging, she continued up the shoreline to a large rock where she took a seat and stared out over the water. 

Farther north
west, a steamer was leaving the island and heading toward the mainland.  It was nothing like the large ferry she had taken which carried eighty cars and nearly a thousand people. It was much smaller and probably didn’t carry many vehicles if any at all. She wagered it took much longer than the forty-five minutes her modern ferry had taken as well.  No power lines, no big ferry and probably no big pier in Craignure to dock said big ferry at.  She was definitely out of her own time.  Out of her element.  She couldn’t even have a conversation without shocking someone.  Pulling her legs up, she wrapped her arms around her knees and propped her chin on them.

What was she to do?  Did she even have a choice?  If she kept trying to convince Connor that she was not Heather and he finally believed her, what would happen to her? 
Would he kick her out of the castle?  Where would she go?  The questions mounted in her mind.  It was terrifying, this uncertainty.  If she were a weaker willed person, it might bring her to tears.  As it was a tear of self-pity escaped and she reached up to wipe it away.