Page 40 of The Eagle

A long sigh escaped at the thought of Stuart leaving soon. As much as she had tried to fight against it, she was deeply fond of him. Accepting his offer to go to the new house still meant she would not see him for a long while. According to what she’d heard, it would be months before the house on his land was habitable.

So, she had to wait. Her mother would not withstand living in a temporary shelter, exposed to the elements. Although it was early fall, it rained often and there was no guarantee all would be completed before winter when the weather would become decidedly colder.

The sound of a horse’s nicker brought her out of her musings. She stepped sideways from the path to avoid being seen. Then peering around the tree, she saw Stuart. He held up a pair of ducks. “For yer mother.”

He beamed with pride and she couldn’t help but smile. “She will be delighted. Thank ye.”

“I will take them to her now.”

When he rode around her and went in the direction of the cottage, Cait wasn’t sure if she should follow. Instead, she decided to continue toward the keep.

It wasn’t much later when he returned and reported that indeed her mother was quite happy with the offering. He dismounted and walked alongside her.

“I have been thinking,” he started. “That I did not properly make ye an offer to come with me.”

Cait held out a hand to stop him from speaking. She wanted to accept, but first she had to find out as much as she could, as this move would not be only for her, but her family as well.

“Tell me about yer lands.”

He nodded. “It is not as flat as here. There are tall hills and a deep valley. Near the hill furthest from the seashore is where the larger house sits. The nearby village is by the shoreline and a bit smaller than the one near here, my family has a smaller house there. The people there are a hardy lot. A bit rough, but I suppose that is the way of living by the sea.”

“Where will ye live?”

“At the larger house, which is in dire need of repairs.”

He became animated as he spoke. “I wish to clear the land and raise livestock and have fields of wheat and . . . well, lots of other crops. To be honest, I am leaving that portion to men who understand farming.”

“It will take ye a long time to have everything repaired and ready then?”

“Aye,” he met her gaze. “It will take months.” Stuart took her hand, and she was too shocked by the action to do more than allow it. “Come let us sit for a moment.”

They walked off the path and into a small clearing. Like most highlanders, he had a tartan in the bag that hung from the saddle. He spread it on the ground and motioned for Cait to sit. Then he produced a carrot and gave it to his horse. Finally, he pulled a wineskin from the same bag and sat down next to her.

“I understand yer reasons for hesitating. It is all my fault. To help ye understand, I must explain that compared to my brothers, I have felt adrift. It is as if each of them has accomplished something. This move, to take control of what is mine and rebuild it, has given me purpose. I wish to share my life there with ye.”

Cait met his gaze. There was so much in his eyes that she didn’t understand. It was as if he wanted her as a woman, but at the same time, she sensed he held back.

“I do not know what to say…”

“Say that ye will consider it.”

She smiled and nodded. “I am considering it but understand that I have to think of my mother and brother first.”

“Of course. They are welcome to come as well. It may be late fall, perhaps winter, before the house will be habitable.”

A noisy flock of birds flew overhead, and they both looked up following their flight. Cait wished time would stand still and that for a while longer, she could pretend Stuart was a man who could be hers. Someone she could trust with everything. Her heart. Her body. Her soul.

“What are ye thinking about?” he asked.

“What I have noticed about ye,” Cait replied. “Each of yer brothers look to ye for council. They trust ye to keep a level head and see predicaments from all angles. Even the villagers and servants, when presented with a particularly difficult situation ask to speak to ye.” She let out a breath. “Ye have been fulfilling a very important role in the family all along.”

His eyes widened and he studied her before finally nodding slowly. “Thank ye for saying that. It was not something I had considered.”

“I am right in what I say. I have observed as much,” Cait said, enjoying the moment. Spending time with him there that afternoon was like a gift.

“Ye are a good woman Cait. It would be an honor if ye would accept my courtship.”

“I-I…” She wanted to accept, to think he was sincere. Yet her mind and heart conflicted with one another, and she was left without words.