Chapter 12
Having dinner with the Galbrith family was a pleasing change of pace for Trevor.
For so long now, he had been used to eating alone, surrounded by stony silence broken by the occasional slurp of soup or rumble of his belly.
Being on this farm was a reminder of what life could be, of what it should be.
Conversation flowed easily between them, and he enjoyed talking to Lyndsay about the fair lands of England.
The laughter was loud, and they shared a number of stories.
He wasn’t about to broach the subject of her decision yet, for he could tell that there was still some tension regarding the matter, and he didn’t want to ruin the mood or make Emma upset again.
It had been difficult enough to earn the grace of her forgiveness in the first place, so he needed to tread carefully.
He noticed that Douglas remained taciturn through the meal.
He sat there like a statue, with a grim visage on his face, staring into space as the conversation revolved around England.
Lyndsay didn’t seem to mind, but if things were going to progress, then he knew that the entire family needed to be on board with the idea.
Besides, he wanted things to be better for Emma as well.
He got the sense that some of the anger she displayed wasn’t just because he had pulled away from her at the creek but because his presence had caused tension to rise between her family.
Ah, the creek. It had been so difficult to pull away from her.
The moment her fingers touched his flesh, something had stirred within his heart.
If he were not such a gentleman, then he would have pulled her to his body and tasted the flavor of her lips.
She had a way of making his skin burn that was wholly new to him, and all he wanted was to be close to her… if he could be close to her.
But if her mood were going to be improved, then he would have to be on good terms with her parents.
He hoped that helping out on the farm went some way to improving their opinion of him, although he wasn’t entirely sure that anything would serve to soften Douglas’s view.
Trevor remained undeterred, though, and engaged Douglas in conversation.
“Emma hinted that you and Lyndsay suffered a lot in your youth and had a grand adventure. I’d love to hear more about it,” Trevor asked.
Douglas sniffed and scratched his beard. “It didnae seem like a grand adventure at the time. We were running from our lives, and no thanks tae yer kind,” Douglas said.
“Solicitors?” Trevor suggested, hoping that his jest would help Douglas to relax, although it had the opposite effect. Lyndsay and Emma both found it amusing, though.
“Come, Emma, I have heard this story too many times to hear it again. Let us clean up now while the men revisit the past,” Lyndsay suggested.
Trevor shared a smile with Emma. He was sorry to see her leave the table, but at least she was not going far.
Douglas sighed as he leaned forward, placing his mighty hands upon the table, clasping them together.
Though he was older, he was still a strong man.
His body looked as though it had been hewn from rock, and Trevor would have loved to have met Douglas when he was in his prime.
It would certainly have been a test to go up against him in the fighting arena.
“Are ye sure ye want tae hear our story?” Douglas asked.
“I would love to,” Trevor said earnestly. “Emma has hinted at it, and of course, I know the ending, but I’m interested in hearing the details.”
“Well, perhaps after ye hear it, ye will realize why we dinnae hae any love for England or any great desire tae return.” Douglas then launched into the story, enchanting Trevor with his words.
He spoke of how their paths had crossed and they had eventually fallen in love, and how in the end they had to turn their backs on the world they knew and came across the people of this village.
“They hae always been good tae us,” Douglas said toward the end.
“I dinnae know what would hae happened if Hamish haed nae found us and if Leigh haed nae offered us this land.” He laughed a little.
“There was a time when I thought I would nae be happy unless I was laird. I wanted tae rule the whole world, but then I met Lyndsay and, well, nothing mattered except being with her.”
“So does that mean you would travel with her if she decided to go to England?” Trevor asked in a low voice, summoning the courage to brave the subject with the intimidating man.
While Douglas had been regaling Trevor with the story of his youth, his expression had changed.
Now that the present matter reared its head again, the scowl that Trevor was used to seeing returned, and the arms were folded across that broad chest of his again.
“My home is here. I’m a Highlander. Always hae been, always will be. The English dinnae care for my kind, and I doubt they would be happy tae hae me in their midst.”
“Attitudes have changed over time. You may find that the hostility you think exists isn’t as bad as it used to be.
Besides, it’s not as though you would be a part of some rampaging army coming to conquer our towns and estates.
You are the husband of a landed woman, and you benefit from all of the privilege and respect that comes with it.
It might even be good for the wider relations between the countries.
I daresay that much of the fear comes from not knowing each other.
If people in England could count a Highlander among their friends, well, they may be reluctant to hate the rest of the Highlanders. ”
“I’m nae gaeing tae England tae make them feel better about themselves. The Highlands hae always been kind tae me.”
“But have they always been kind to your daughter?”
Douglas flinched at this. “What dae ye mean?”
“Forgive me if I speak out of turn, but during my time here, Emma has shared certain things with me, like the fact she used to be bullied because she is different from the others here. Have you not noticed how she hides her hair from view? I know the Highlanders have been kind to you, but I’m not sure the same can be said for your daughter.
Surely it’s only fair that she should be able to at least visit England?
I’m sure if the situation was reversed, you would be aching to see the Highlands and would hate anyone who prevented you from doing so. ”
Douglas had an uneasy look on his face and glanced toward the kitchen, where Emma and Lyndsay were washing the dishes. For a moment, Trevor thought that he had gotten through to Douglas, but only for a moment.
“I’m nae gaeing tae uproot my life when everything we need is right here.
We are happy, Trevor, cannae ye see that?
I know ye may nae believe that people could be happy in a wee village like this where there’s only one tavern, but we hae a quiet life.
I know things hae nae been perfect for Emma, but soon enough she will be married and will see that there is more tae life than England as well.
She may hae English blood, but it haes never done her any good.
She belongs here, in the Highlands, along with the rest of us.
We were all daeing just fine before ye arrived, and it’s only out of respect for yer intentions that I hae nae thrown ye out.
Why would ye want tae change any of this? ” Douglas asked.
Trevor thought on his words and glanced toward the kitchen, where he could hear Lyndsay and Emma laughing together, singing an old Highland song.
It was something of an idyllic life they had here, free of drama and hardships.
They had each other, and that was all they needed.
It was almost surprising at how simple an equation of happiness was when it stared at him so obviously.
When he had left London, it had been with the intention to bring closure to a woman who had been spirited away from her life, to grant a boon to someone who may have forgotten her heritage.
He had come with the best of intentions, but instead of bringing closure, he had only opened a raw wound.
Yes, Lyndsay had a right to the estate, but she also possessed happiness here, and was that worth risking for land?
Where he came from, the answer might well have been affirmative, but he was beginning to see that there were other things of importance in life.
He saw the pain in Douglas’s eyes, the fear of losing his wife and the life he had built.
Not only that but his daughter as well. At the mention of marriage, Trevor was almost tempted to bring up the idea of him marrying Emma, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to move his life to the Highlands, and he couldn’t let the man face the idea of his daughter being taken away from him either.
This house would seem vast when it was empty.
Trevor knew what it was like to live a lonely life, and he wasn’t prepared to curse Douglas with the same fate.
“I’m sorry that my presence here has caused such a distraction. I promise you that I did not think the matter would be this controversial, and I never wanted to cause such discord between your family.”
“Aye, well, ye could hae fooled me with the way ye carry on about England as if the sun shines on it all the time. It makes me think ye are feeding my wife with ideas and trying tae influence her.”
“I’m not, Douglas. I swear that to you. In fact, I can see that my presence has been disruptive, so I won’t bring up the matter again or push Lyndsay to make a decision.
I have said that I will stay here a few more days, and then whatever Lyndsay decides, I will respect.
If she wants to stay here, then I will return to England and never darken your doorstep again,” Trevor said.
He rose from the table as he could sense that it was a fitting time for him to leave.
“There’s just one thing I want to say, though.
I hope you understand how fortunate you are to have a family like this and to be able to live in a home that is so filled with love.
I have not been blessed in this manner, and I find myself envying you,” Trevor said.
The scowl relaxed from Douglas’s face, and he nodded. The men shared a mutual respect, and Trevor was glad that the man did not hate him entirely.
He walked to the kitchen door and announced that he was leaving.
“So soon?” Lyndsay called out. “There are still so many things I wanted to ask you about.”
“I will still be in the village for some days yet. I will be around if you want to ask me about anything,” Trevor said.
“I’ll show ye out,” Emma said, and escorted Trevor to the doorway. The stars framed his body as he stood outside while light from lanterns shone behind Emma.
“Thank you for allowing me to stay,” Trevor said.
“Well, in truth, if ye ever want tae come by and muck the stables out again, ye are more than welcome,” she said, and Trevor was relieved that her good humor had returned.
“Emma, I know that your life here has not always been perfect and that some people have been mean to you, but I hope you know how lucky you are to have such loving parents. I know it may seem as though they’re trying to control your life, but I can tell they care about you deeply.
You are the most precious part of them, and I think that’s the only reason why it seems as though they’re harsh. ”
Emma nodded. “Are there any other insights ye would care tae share with me?” she asked.
Trevor grinned. “Not at the moment, although I’m sure others will occur to me in the coming days.”
“Then I’ll be sure tae seek ye out.”
“I hope you do,” Trevor said, and began to turn away, hating to leave her again when he knew that their time together was fleeting.
“Trevor,” she called out. “Since ye are gaeing tae be here for the Beltane festival, I wondered if ye would like tae join me?”
Her voice wavered with unease, but her words were music to Trevor’s ears. A wide smile appeared on his face, and he agreed enthusiastically.
“But on one condition,” he said.
Emma tilted her head and looked at him with a puzzled look on her face.
“What’s that?”
“Don’t wear a shawl,” he said.
She looked a little shocked for a moment, but then the smile on her face widened, and she blushed a little.
Trevor turned to the cold night and the barren expanse before him and dared to allow a little love into his heart, even though he knew well the pain that was going to accompany him back to London.