All these thoughts only added to the muddle that had become his life.
He had arrived at Fife with the full intent of hiring a competent land steward and returning home. No thoughts of marriage or interest in any lass had filled his mind for years. He’d been cursed in his three attempts at the wedded state.
But then Mistress Katie Stirling had appeared. She of the golden-red curls that escaped her hairdo daily, laughing blue eyes the color of a Scotland sky, and a light scattering of freckles over her perfect nose above her perfect lips. However, it wasn’t just her visage that had him ensnared. Her compassion, high spirits, and determination to do the best by her brother and her clan raised her in his estimation. She was not a lass to sit on her backside and weep about how life had treated her.
Were he ever to consider attempting marriage again, he would need a strong lass by his side. Someone who kenned how to make decisions, handle daily household problems, and most of all, return his enthusiasm in the bedchamber. In the few kisses he’d shared with Katie, he was convinced there was an underlying passionate spirit in the lass—and he was more than willing to unleash it.
They took their time just enjoying the view as they rode slowly down the hill. Off in the distance, he could see a small village that would most likely have a tavern or alehouse once they finished their visits.
They stopped at the very first cottage, which had flowers surrounding the front of the dwelling. Behind the small house, sheep grazed in the hills, and a healthy garden backed up to it.
A pleasant-looking woman exited the front door, wiping her hands on a cloth. “Good afternoon. Ye are the new laird?”
Evan jumped from his horse and helped Katie down. “Aye. I am Laird Evan MacNeil.” He pulled Katie forward. “This is Mistress Katie Stirling, who will be overseeing the estate in my absence.”
He’d been introducing them this way since the visits had started, but for some reason the words sounded foreign on his tongue now. Was he really prepared to leave Katie here to oversee the place while he returned to Argyll?
He shook off the uncomfortable feeling and smiled at the woman.
“I am Mrs. MacDuff.” She started laughing. “I’m sure ye’ve met more Mr. and Mrs. MacDuffs then ye ever thought ye would.”
He grinned back. “Aye. That is true.”
“Since there are so many of us, I suggest ye call me by my given name, Alice. Now, won’t ye join me for some tea?” She turned and led them into her house. He had to duck his head to clear the lintel. ’Twas small, but everything was clean and tidy. Just like the garden in the back.
“Do ye live alone here, Alice?” Katie asked.
“Nay. My husband is a bookseller and has a store in the village.” She waved to seats at the small table in the corner of the room. “I can see by yer face yer surprised to hear we have a bookstore.” She bustled around, quickly placing three cups and saucers and a plate of biscuits and scones on the table.
“Aye. I must admit I am a bit surprised that such a small village would have a bookstore. I imagine it must be hard to get books shipped out here,” Katie said.
“My husband was a professor at Edinburgh University. That is where I met him. I’m a Cowan, ye see. We lived there for many years, but when he left teaching, we returned to his home here in Fife.” She poured boiling water that she apparently kept hanging in a pot over the fireplace into the teapot sitting on the table. “He brought quite a few books with him, and then he returns to Inverness twice a year to buy more books and have them shipped.”
“How verra interesting,” Katie said as she fixed her tea. “What subject did he teach at university?”
“He taught legal practices in the law school.”
Evan immediately filed away that information for future use. If Richard Armstrong did arrive with his fake paper, it was helpful that someone well acquainted with the law lived right here on MacDuff land.
After a few minutes of social chattering, hearing more about this Mr. and Mrs. MacDuff, and learning there were no problems that a land steward would have to deal with, Evan took a final sip of tea and placed his cup on the saucer. “Alice, are ye aware of any cottages that are empty? We have a number of people from Katie’s clan who need homes.”
“Aye,” she said. “There are several behind us on the other side of the hill. An entire branch of the clan left for Australia several months ago.”
Evan leaned back in his chair and smiled. “Is that so? Do ye have a few minutes to show us which cottages are empty?” He looked over at Katie, who beamed back at him.
The three of them left the house through the back door. They walked over the hill, and Alice pointed out the cottages that were vacant. There were six of them, and Evan worked hard to banish the impulse to dance a Scottish reel.
Chapter Seventeen
“Oh, how wonderful!” Katie almost hugged Alice at the sight of all the lovely cottages. Truth be known, she, too, was weary of the crowds in the castle and all the animals who didn’t seem to stay in the stables. Plus, she kenned Evan was at the end of his patience with the constant noise, confusion, and stream of people showing up at the front door. She turned to Evan, who looked even
