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“But ye did,” Alexander protested. “Ye did! Ye were right there in the road, an’ ye sent us off in the wrong direction! We right near crossed the border!”
Cicilia tilted her head. “But why would Ewan do such a thing?” she asked, sounding very confused. “Jeanie, was yer Grandda out last night?”
“Nay!” Jeanie said, surprised. “As far as I ken, he was in his bed all night. Ye dinnae sneak out again, did ye, Grandda?”
Ewan chuckled. “I’m tellin’ ye, I’ve never seen either o’ these men in me life.”
I dinnae ken why they’re lyin’ to me. Are they tryin’ to mess wi’ me heid?
The thought infuriated Alexander, especially when Nathair let out another laugh from the other side of the table. The Man-at-arms seemed frustratingly uninterested in this conversation. In fact, he was already turning his attention back to Jeanie.
“Are ye quite well, Laird?” Cicilia asked innocently.
Alexander scowled as a pleasant-looking, plump woman brought him some eggs and placed the plate in front of him. He thanked her in a low mumble and didn’t look up again from his plate until Jamie re-entered the room.
Luckily for him, the twins seemed less overly active this morning. In fact, they were like completely different children than the menaces who had tried to decapitate him by pig the night before. Alexander didn’t speak much, but he was impressed by how deftly Cicilia handled the children.
Even without being involved in the conversation, he had to admit it was a pleasant meal. The farmer’s children were friendly, as were the old man—despite his supposed memory loss—and his granddaughter. Cicilia asked enough questions to be polite, but not enough to pry when it became clear Alexander didn’t particularly want to answer.
Maybe I judged her too quickly last night. Mayhap I should try to make amends.
After the meal, the surprisingly well-behaved children jumped to their feet in excitement. “Will ye teach us now?” they begged Nathair.
Nathair laughed. “Aye, if ye want, an’ if yer sister says it’s all right.”
Cicilia nodded, and Alexander shot his friend a questioning look.
“Och, the bairns want me to take them outside an’ show them some fancy work wi’ me sword. I dinnae see the harm so long as they remember to stay back while I’m swingin’,” Nathair told him with a shrug.
“We’ll be good!” Annys said quickly. “So good, like ye dinnae even ken! I promise! We both do, dinnae we, Jamie?”
“Aye!” Jamie added quickly. “The best bairns in the whole wide world!”
Nathair chuckled again. “Oh, aye?” he asked. He winked at Jeanie. “How would ye like to come along wi’ us? To keep an eye on the bairns, o’ course.”
Jeanie giggled, her cheeks rosy. “Aye, well, if ye’d like that, Sir,” she replied. “I suppose I wouldnae mind.”
Nathair smiled at her, then shot a wink in Alexander’s direction before leading Jeanie and the twins outside.
Cicilia watched them go with some amusement. “Ewan, yer granddaughter is incorrigible,” she told him.
Aye, an’ it seems she’s found her incorrigible match in me Man-at-arms.
Ewan chuckled. “That she is,” he agreed. “I’m gonnae go check in wi’ me Angelica. Ye all right if I leave ye here?”
Alexander started, but Cicilia was still smiling as she nodded and waved the old man off. When they were alone, Cicilia turned to the Laird.
“What will ye do today, Laird?”
He swallowed as those strange eyes caught his gaze. The extra strip of gold, just like the peculiar hunk of black in her hair, made it nearly impossible for him not to stare. “Well,” he said. “I was hopin’ to get to ken a little about the farm.”
Cicilia’s expression didn’t flicker. “Aye? I’m afraid ye might be waitin’ a wee while.”
She’s cautious, but that makes sense. I definitely dinnae put me best foot forward.
“I apologize for all the yellin’ last night, Miss…er, Cicilia. It was uncouth o’ me. I was quite tired after a long ride, an’—”
But she was shaking her head already. “Dinnae ye worry yerself. I’m just a mite concerned tha’ ye traveled all this way for naught. Me faither will nae be back for days, maybe weeks.”
