Page 42 of Kilgannon #1

A LEX CAME HOME AT LAST, SAILING INTO LOCH GANNON early in the afternoon on a brilliant day.

I shielded my eyes from the sun, which danced on the water, turning the tiny peaks into diamonds, and waved to him as the brig approached, my heart considerably lighter.

It was hours before all the work involved in a trading trip was done and the crew dismissed.

Then Alex and Angus and Calum sat over whisky in the hall, going over the last of the details.

There was an underlying tension in them that I could not understand.

I sat next to Alex, waiting, the boys with us as well, and when the conversation dwindled he suggested that the four of us climb the headland behind the castle.

We climbed silently, the boys running before us and then behind us.

My hand was in his, but his mind was elsewhere.

We reached the top of the ridge and stood looking out over the outer loch and toward the sea, the wind pulling at our clothing and hair.

I was not the only one who had noticed his mood.

Even the boys were quiet for once, glancing nervously at their father.

Alex sighed and dropped my hand to reach out and pull Jamie back from the edge.

“Dinna go so close, Jamie,” he said in a calm tone.

“Was it a bad trip, Da?” Ian looked up at his father. Alex smiled down at him and ruffled his hair.

“No, lad, it was a good trip. I would have ye tell me what ye did in my absence.” He hoisted Jamie onto his shoulder and lifted Ian sideways with his other arm.

Both boys giggled as he brought them back from the edge and sat on an outcropping of rocks.

I joined him and listened while the boys talked about what they’d done for three weeks, mostly little-boy adventures concerning insects and caves and animals.

“I see ye’ve been as busy as I’ve been,” he said.

“And ye deserve a reward. I’ve a grand surprise for each of ye waiting below.

” He grinned at their excitement. “Murdoch helped me choose them.”

“What, Da?” They stood in front of him now, all attention.

He grinned and poked their stomachs. “Puppies. Go and see them if ye wish.” They whooped in delight and raced away. Alex looked after them, then glanced at me. “Wolfhounds,” he said. “I asked Murdoch for two of his pups. The boys will be happy.”

“No doubt,” I said, wondering how we could manage two more dogs, and wolfhounds at that.

We sat in silence then, watching the sea.

He wrapped an arm around me and looked out over the water.

I watched his profile. He ’ ll tell me soon enough, I thought, and then turned to the view.

Blue water, blue sky, blue islands, blue mountains; there had to be twenty shades of blue visible.

I turned to meet his eyes. Twenty-one, I corrected myself, and lifted my mouth to meet his kiss.

Three weeks without touching this man. We started to make up for the time we had lost.

“Mary,” he said after a bit. “I’m sorry I was gone so long.”

“Me too,” I said, and watched the wind lift his hair and the plaid at his shoulder.

Behind him the sky was clear except for a few skittering clouds that only emphasized the blue of the sky and the water.

He sighed and leaned back against the rock, stretching his legs out in front of him.

“What is it?” I asked. He glanced at me in surprise.

“I should ken ye better, lass. Ye miss nothing.”

“I know something’s bothering you, Alex, but I don’t know what it is.”

He nodded, then looked out over the water.

“I stopped at the Macleans’ on my way home,” he said flatly.

“Murdoch says that for months Malcolm’s been telling anyone who will listen that I’m-very hotheaded nowadays and am in financial difficulties and that despite his best efforts, I’m ruining Kilgannon. ” He turned to look at me.

“Where is he saying this?”

“In Edinburgh, in Glasgow. In Clonmor when he goes there. That’s his land, in the eastern Highlands. It was our mother’s.”

“I remember. What will you do?”

“I’ll have a talk with him. I’ll tell him to stop making himself out to be the grand brother saving the stupid one. I’ll tell him to tell the truth of it.”

“Why not mention how disloyal he is?”

“Aye, well, ye ken he would not see it like that. I dinna think he means to demean me so much as to make himself look grander. It’s difficult to be the one that did not inherit.”

“My father was happy even though he was a younger son.”

“Yer father wasna a Scot.”

“Yours is not the only race with pride,” I said sharply.

He laughed. “Yer right, lass, and I’m sorry for the slur.” He pulled me to him. “Do ye ken how good for me ye are?”

I relented. “Yes, Alex, I do. You’re a very fortunate man.”

“I am that.” He grinned and kissed my neck. “Ah, lass, I am that.” I thought we would leave then and go back to the castle, but he made no move and I sat with him, wondering what was next.

“Alex,” I said when he sighed to himself again. “What else?”

“Ah, well, I’m just being melancholy, no doubt, but I keep thinking of what yer Robert Campbell said.

He was correct. I am the last of a dying breed, lass, and I ken it.

I just dinna know how to stop it.” I could not think of an answer but took his hands in mine and watched him as the afternoon sun glowed above us, his eyes narrowed against the glare, his hair a golden halo around his head.

Most of the clan would never know the depth of his acceptance of responsibility for their future.

Most would never doubt that life as they knew it would stay the same.

And it was his duty to see that it did. But I knew, as he did, that Robert was right and that the world would come to our door and bring with it the things that would change Kilgannon.

I just didn’t want Malcolm to be the bearer of the changes.

Or the beneficiary. I sighed, catching his somber mood, but a moment later he smiled.

“Well, we’ll just do the best we can, no? I dinna have a better solution and there is not a better man to do it.” He laughed then, his grin infectious. “I am a fortunate man, Mary Rose.”

“Oh, yes, my lord,” I said, and stroked my hand up his thigh under his kilt. “Very fortunate,” I said. “Very, very fortunate.”

“I am that,” he said, and kissed me, laughing. And then moved my hand where he wanted it. “But I’m willing to share my fortune.”

When the afternoon cooled we left our perch and started back to the castle. At the top of the hill he stopped and turned to me.

“I’m going to have an interesting discussion with Malcolm.”

“Oh?” I said, hearing the worry in my voice.

He laughed. “Dinna fret, lass. I can manage Malcolm.”

That night there was music and dancing. Alex did not speak to Malcolm, but he watched him.

For his part Malcolm stayed in his corner with his friends, which suited me.

But I didn’t think about Malcolm long. We were too busy with the puppies.

Entranced, the boys debated long and hard over their names and finally decided.

Alex raised his eyebrows at their choices and teased them, “What, named after Lowlanders?” But the boys were pleased with their decision and as stubborn as their father, so Robert the Bruce and William Wallace came to live with us.

Later, alone in our room, Alex kissed me and went to bathe. I fell asleep while he was gone, but when he climbed between the covers, trying to be quiet, I raised my head and greeted him.

Ah,” he said. “Yer awake. I was wondering if it would be rude to wake ye just so I could attack ye. Three weeks, lass. I dinna think I’ll be going on many of these trading trips, Mary Rose. I missed ye too much this time,” he said into my hair.

“I missed you terribly,” I said, stifling a yawn.

“Am I boring ye?” He chuckled in the dark.

“No, but I did have to share you this evening with the entire clan. Apparently I do not have the same attractions as they.”

“Aye, well, that’s die truth of it,” he said, kissing me.

“And glad I am that ye do not.” He kissed my neck and shoulder and slid his hand down my side and then up again.

“I am here now, and, Mary Rose, since I can never tell around here when there’ll be another opportunity to be alone with ye, let’s not miss this one, aye? ”

We didn’ t.

Alex was downstairs before me the next morning.

The hall was full, but Malcolm was nowhere to be seen.

I sighed contentedly. I’d had a wonderful night’s sleep.

Alex sat on a bench, quiet and contemplative, leaning against the table, one long leg crossed over the other, the boys playing at his feet.

He watched the rain through the open hall door and greeted me with a quiet smile. “Good morning, lass. How are ye?”

“I slept very well,” I said with a smile. He nodded.

“I’m sure ye did, Mary Rose. Ye snored considerably.

” I laughed as I sat next to him. He gestured to his sons.

“I’m thinking it’s time to get a tutor, lass.

I know ye’ve been teaching them their letters and numbers, and I have as well,but Ian’s almost six and he’ll be needing more schooling.

Have ye any objection?” I shook my head, surprised at his topic, and followed his gaze to the boys where they sprawled on the floor with the puppies.

“Where will you get a tutor?” I asked, watching Ian pet his dog with loving strokes.

“I’ll write to St. Andrew’s and see if they have a recommendation. I dinna finish, because my father died and I had to come home, but I still write to some of my teachers. One of them will know someone. And Angus and I think it’s time Matthew went to university.”

“You’re sending him away?” I asked, startled.