“As hermother, one would have expected thatshe would not waste time in seeing her.” Colin said heatedly.
“If you are saying she might have come to theHighlands, then I say we don’t know her situation.”
“I don’t give a damn about her situation.Considering the significance of the news, what mother would nothave started out instantly to see heronlydaughter.”
“Lady Evelyn’s letter says that she is jubilant athaving regained her daughter.”
“Some scribbling on a bit of parchment does notsound like jubilance to me. And to whom was the letter addressed,anyway? To you and not her own daughter. How can we stand by andallow Tess to be…”
Colin went on with his ranting, and Alec Macphersonleaned back heavily against the carving above the open hearth. Whenhis son turned away momentarily, the laird eyed his wife’s attemptat keeping a serene expression on her face in spite of their son’sobvious unhappiness. Sitting across the room, Fiona was trying tolook busy studying a drawing of a new storage barn she wished tohave built. But Alec knew his wife had not given the drawing amoment’s thought since they’d begun to speak to Colin…and shecertainly wasn’t thinking about it now.
The armed band of men that had arrived late lastnight were Burnetts, supposedly a distant kin to Tess’s mother.With them, they had brought the cursed letter from Evelyn Lindsay,requesting…nay, demanding that Tess be sent immediately to theBorders in the company of these same men.
In a way, the laird had been happy that his sons hadnot brought Tess back from Ravenie Castle last night. He had notbeen looking forward to passing on the message. With good reason,he thought now, watching his youngest son.
When they’d arrived, Alec had requested that Tesscome in to speak to them first. The lass had been quiet the wholetime that he had explained her mother’s wishes. As one would haveexpected from a dutiful daughter, the young woman had only given acurt nod to his statement that the Burnetts had orders to leave assoon as possible. After that, she had practically run from thechamber.
An instant later, Colin had stormed in, angry as awounded bear.
“How does Tess feel about all this?” Fiona’s quietquestion drew the laird’s gaze and momentarily silenced theirson.
“You and father talked to her. How doyouthink she feels?”
Alec Macpherson started to answer, but caught thelook Fiona was giving him and stopped. He’d seen this look before.They needed a united position—and it would probably be a morecompassionate one than he was preparing to voice.
He shrugged. “The lass said nothing, Colin. Shedidn’t say a word.” He looked at his wife. “And I have been trainedto read the unspoken language of only one woman. And that is yourmother.”
Fiona faced their son. “Are you telling us that youhave come here with all these complaints without any regard forthat child’s feelings?”
“She is no child, mother. Tess is seventeen.”
“Very well,” she conceded. “You’ve come in herewithout knowing for certain the feelings of that young woman.Colin, you have no right to assume or to accuse or to complain whenTess might be perfectly happy with the arrangements made for her byher mother.”
“But she isnothappy,” he assertedpassionately. “She was crying when she left this room. She was veryupset.”
“Then perhaps you should go to her,” the lairdsuggested. “I’ve always found that ‘tis wise to go to…”
“Before you go anywhere near her,” Fiona cut in,“Perhaps you should first sort out in your own mind the confusionthat exists between you. ‘Tis always better to offer comfort whenone has a solution to a person’s problems.”
The laird almost asked ‘What confusion?’ but heldhis tongue as the lad seemed to understand perfectly what hismother was saying.
“I believe that has already been straightenedout.”
“Has it? And for how long?” Fiona pressed. “Is thisthe heat of the moment speaking? A momentary lapse into some sortof noble behavior?”
“I am speaking up because I love her.”
The laird’s head snapped in Colin’s direction.“You…?”
“Love?” Fiona persisted. “Is this the love where twopeople spend the rest of their lives together?”
“If she’ll have me.”
“And what of your other plans? Plans of strapping onthe sword of your ancestors. Years of sailing free? Of terrorizingevery Spanish merchantman and treasure ship? Of…”
“Father didn’t choose that path. He married and fellin love and settled happily. What is wrong with that?”
“Fell in love and married.” Alec managed to get outthe words before the two went at it again. “We shouldn’t forget theorder here.”
