Read Online Fair Is the Rose by Liz Curtis Higgs - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Liz Curtis Higgs
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“Tell my sister the doors of Auchengray are always open to the McKies of Glentrool.”
Jamie’s eyes narrowed. “I had something rather different in mind. Leana and I—”
“Look forward to visiting with them.” Leana spoke with such haste that both men stopped in their tracks and turned to stare at her, prompting her to add, “Wherever that visit might take place.”
Her father shifted his gaze to Jamie, then back to her. “Leana, if you are thinking of traveling to Monnigaff, you are barely fit for a short carriage ride to Auchengray, let alone an arduous journey across the moors and braes between here and Loch Trool.”
“Perhaps I’m not ready at the moment,” she agreed. “But I will be soon.”
“Verra soon,” her husband added, his voice taut. “We will speak more of this after supper, Uncle.” Jamie pressed his hand against the small of her back and steered her toward the waiting chaise. Though he did not speak, his boot heels made sharp dents in the sod.
“Jamie, I’m sorry.” She ducked her head to avoid the hard look in his eyes. “I should not have interfered.”
“If I am to be laird of Glentrool, I must first be laird of my own family, aye?” When she nodded, he leaned closer and spoke in a gentler voice. “Trust me to handle things with your father, Leana. He will not like my decision, but he will learn to accept it.” Jamie patted the curve of her back once more, then released her, raising his voice and herspirits with it. “Come, dear wife. Willie stands ready at the carriage, and Bess seems anxious to head home to her bag of oats.”
The wide-eyed servant held the babe while Jamie guided Leana into the chaise. She gritted her teeth to keep from crying out in pain. Her father was right: She was in no condition to travel to Glentrool.
“Here’s yer bairn.” Willie relinquished Ian into her embrace. “Been mony a year since I held sae dear a bundle.”
Leana cradled the child against her as Jamie straightened his tricornered hat and yanked his gloves in place. “I shall follow close behind on Walloch, should you need anything,” he told her. “As to your sister …” He looked about, scanning the parishioners scattered around the kirkyard. Leana knew the moment he spotted Rose, for his posture stiffened, and the last trace of a smile disappeared.
Rose was engaged in conversation, looking up at Neil Elliot from beneath the brim of her bonnet. Laughing, flashing her teeth, twirling a tendril of hair round her finger—even from a distance Leana could see her sister’s formidable charms on full display. But for whose benefit?
Jamie watched but a moment before he stormed off in her direction. “Rose! Your sister has waited long enough. Come now, at once.”
Leana watched Rose make her apologies to Neil, then grab her skirts and parade past Jamie, her chin pointed straight forward. The two exchanged nary a word as they marched toward the chaise. By the time they arrived, both were red faced.
“You’re to walk ahead, Rose,” Jamie reminded her. He mounted Walloch as Willie urged Bess forward with a crack of his whip. Rose flounced down the main thoroughfare of Newabbey, not looking over her shoulder to see if the others followed suit, while Jamie rode alongside the carriage. “See that you keep up with her, Willie.”
The orraman pulled the chaise in line behind Rose as thunder rumbled in the distance. Duncan and the other servants, who’d started for home ahead of them, would be spared the worst of it. The kirkin party might not be so fortunate. As the rising winds lifted the brim of Willie’s bonnet and blew wisps of hair about Leana’s face, she prayed they’d not pass a soul on the road. On the day of a babe’s kirkin thefamily was obliged to stop and greet any and all who came along. They clattered past the corn mill at the edge of the village, crossed the bridge over the Newabbey Pow, and pressed on for Auchengray. As the rural road grew narrower and
Jamie’s eyes narrowed. “I had something rather different in mind. Leana and I—”
“Look forward to visiting with them.” Leana spoke with such haste that both men stopped in their tracks and turned to stare at her, prompting her to add, “Wherever that visit might take place.”
Her father shifted his gaze to Jamie, then back to her. “Leana, if you are thinking of traveling to Monnigaff, you are barely fit for a short carriage ride to Auchengray, let alone an arduous journey across the moors and braes between here and Loch Trool.”
“Perhaps I’m not ready at the moment,” she agreed. “But I will be soon.”
“Verra soon,” her husband added, his voice taut. “We will speak more of this after supper, Uncle.” Jamie pressed his hand against the small of her back and steered her toward the waiting chaise. Though he did not speak, his boot heels made sharp dents in the sod.
“Jamie, I’m sorry.” She ducked her head to avoid the hard look in his eyes. “I should not have interfered.”
“If I am to be laird of Glentrool, I must first be laird of my own family, aye?” When she nodded, he leaned closer and spoke in a gentler voice. “Trust me to handle things with your father, Leana. He will not like my decision, but he will learn to accept it.” Jamie patted the curve of her back once more, then released her, raising his voice and herspirits with it. “Come, dear wife. Willie stands ready at the carriage, and Bess seems anxious to head home to her bag of oats.”
The wide-eyed servant held the babe while Jamie guided Leana into the chaise. She gritted her teeth to keep from crying out in pain. Her father was right: She was in no condition to travel to Glentrool.
“Here’s yer bairn.” Willie relinquished Ian into her embrace. “Been mony a year since I held sae dear a bundle.”
Leana cradled the child against her as Jamie straightened his tricornered hat and yanked his gloves in place. “I shall follow close behind on Walloch, should you need anything,” he told her. “As to your sister …” He looked about, scanning the parishioners scattered around the kirkyard. Leana knew the moment he spotted Rose, for his posture stiffened, and the last trace of a smile disappeared.
Rose was engaged in conversation, looking up at Neil Elliot from beneath the brim of her bonnet. Laughing, flashing her teeth, twirling a tendril of hair round her finger—even from a distance Leana could see her sister’s formidable charms on full display. But for whose benefit?
Jamie watched but a moment before he stormed off in her direction. “Rose! Your sister has waited long enough. Come now, at once.”
Leana watched Rose make her apologies to Neil, then grab her skirts and parade past Jamie, her chin pointed straight forward. The two exchanged nary a word as they marched toward the chaise. By the time they arrived, both were red faced.
“You’re to walk ahead, Rose,” Jamie reminded her. He mounted Walloch as Willie urged Bess forward with a crack of his whip. Rose flounced down the main thoroughfare of Newabbey, not looking over her shoulder to see if the others followed suit, while Jamie rode alongside the carriage. “See that you keep up with her, Willie.”
The orraman pulled the chaise in line behind Rose as thunder rumbled in the distance. Duncan and the other servants, who’d started for home ahead of them, would be spared the worst of it. The kirkin party might not be so fortunate. As the rising winds lifted the brim of Willie’s bonnet and blew wisps of hair about Leana’s face, she prayed they’d not pass a soul on the road. On the day of a babe’s kirkin thefamily was obliged to stop and greet any and all who came along. They clattered past the corn mill at the edge of the village, crossed the bridge over the Newabbey Pow, and pressed on for Auchengray. As the rural road grew narrower and
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