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“Charlotte tells me what she has done. I hope ye dinnae mind her interference.”
Liam did not wish to speak of Elizabeth, but he knew his friend was attempting to be kind. “Nae, I dinnae mind, lad. Of course nae, when she has been so kind tae me. It was the only option. The other option was tae wallow in despair, but I wonder if that would have been more preferable. I find pitying myself rather enjoyable at times.”
He attempted to make light of his sorrow, and Angus chuckled, but Liam’s heart was heavy. At least if he knew how she had reacted to the letter, he could attempt to put her behind him and not think of the many times they had enjoyed each other’s company or think about the love that they had shared. He wasn’t sure what that kind of life would look like for him, but he had to trust in both Charlotte and Mrs. MacLean that all would be well.
John hadn’t returned to the Isle since the gathering, and Liam hoped that was a good sign. He wasn’t sure whether to apologize to the man or not, or if Angus would be upset that he had perhaps foiled business matters, but no one had said anything to him of the sort. In fact, most of his friends had left him to his peace, except for Fergus, who did not shy away from getting involved in others’ business.
One day when the sun was at its highest, the men resolved to take a break from their building and wash in the cool water of the Sound. Liam walked there, he thought alone, but Fergus followed after.
“Nae word?”
Liam shook his head, stiffly. “Nae word. I would surely tell ye if I heard anything. I dinnae think that I am normally so morose and unpleasant.”
Fergus grinned. “Nae always, but sometimes, of course. I thought perhaps ye were putting all yer unpleasant days together into one. Then, we could hope for a great stretch of good days for a while after.”
Liam smirked as he leaned down to splash water onto his face and neck. He could not be so sad for long once Fergus got a hold of him. “And what of ye, Fergus? How about we discuss the love matters in yer own life? Tell me all of what yer plans are.”
Fergus waded into the water and dove underneath the surface. “Bloody Hell, but it is a warm day.” He stared at Liam, squinting under the sunlight. “Well, ye dinnae give me the greatest confidence that I too should fall in love. Looks like it is bloody shite.”
Liam laughed, enjoying the feeling of it, even though he could still feel sorrow ache in his heart. He removed his sweat-sodden shirt and dove in after his friend. Once he surfaced, he walked back up onto the shore and sat on the edge, staring out at the strong, stalwart Fort across the water.
“Aye, I think it is meant tae be enjoyable. When ye ken well that the lady of yer affections loves ye back, and that ye are about tae spend yer lives taegether, that is when it feels like the sun has opened, and ye are as close tae Heaven as ye can get in this life.”
Fergus sat next to him and leaned his arms over his bent knees. “Och, and so that was the way it was with Elizabeth, then?”
Liam nodded. “But ye can imagine that when yer heart is wrenched from ye when the one ye love decides they dinnae love ye, or if they find a way tae become entangled with another. It is like ye have been sent out of Heaven and fall into the despair of Hell. It is the complete opposite feeling.”
“I see.” Fergus’s voice was grave. “I can imagine it, lad, but I dinnae wish tae for very long. What do ye think she will do? Will she return?”
Liam felt the softness of the Sound’s breeze, and he remembered when Elizabeth had pulled him to her on the hilltop, both of their hair ruffled by the sweet wind. The smell was the same that day, and it transported him instantly back to that moment. Fergus’ question waited to be answered. Liam felt empty; his gut no longer acted as his guide. There was a nothingness inside of him.
“I dinnae know. I cannae pretend that I dinnae hope for it. I hope for it with every fiber of me being.”
Fergus nodded. “Well, even if she has brought ye great sorrow, at least the lass has given ye something ye didnae know existed.”
Liam turned to his friend. “And what is that?”
“A heart.” Fergus smiled. “I think that there are plenty of lasses on Mull and over on the mainland who believe that ye never had one. Those ladies who had hoped tae turn ye intae a domesticated man. And here, the Sassenach has done it.”
Liam chuckled. He leaned back on the graveled shore, his gaze up to the sky, and his arms behind his head. “A heartless bastard suddenly meets a beautiful lass who transforms him, gives him a heart, and then leaves, breaking the very heart that she had created.”
“What a story, that.”
“Hmm…”
They sat for a few moments in silence. Liam was watching the white clouds scud merrily across the sky. He felt lighter, somehow, and he did not want that moment to go away.
“And so what of John? What will ye say tae him? Do ye think ye will shake hands with him again?”
Liam groaned. “I suppose one day I shall have tae, even if Elizabeth becomes his wife. I shall have tae be civil for the sake of Angus and for the sake of the clan. He and John are still friends. There is more than business there.”
“Aye, so there is. Well, ye gave him a jaw-bruising that he shall nae forget so easily.”
Laughing, Liam said, “I wish I had done even more. At the moment, I wanted tae grind his head against the flagstones, but I am glad I didnae if Elizabeth truly loves him.”
The sun was beginning to feel warm again as it dried the droplets of water from the skin of his stomach. Fergus laughed. “I dinnae pretend tae ken the ways of women, for they will never be understood by me, but I think that she doesnae love John and that she feels somethin’ for ye instead. I saw the way she kissed ye. Lasses dinnae kiss like that with just anyone. Especially nae Sassenachs with bloody fortunes, who have tae be careful of their reputations.”
Liam shrugged. “I cannae hope for it.”
