Page 92 of Hard-Hearted Highlander
“And you might want to comb your hair,” Charles added, and walked out of the room.
She glanced at the children. Their gazes were fixed on her. She tried to smile. “You mustn’t pay him any mind. He’s rather...” She tried to think of a word. “He’s a bit occupied.”
The little girl glanced uncertainly at her brother. What were their names, again? Fiona, yes, and...what was it? Ualan! Yes, that was it. How old were they? Bernadette guessed the girl to be around six, the boy a year or two older than that. She approached them nervously, still rubbing her palms on the sides of her gown, studying them. She hadn’t even the faintest thought of what to do with them.
She reached them, and they watched her, but neither of them would speak. Bernadette sank down on her knees before them.
Fiona was quite comely, with strawberry-blond curls that framed her face and lovely blue eyes. Ualan’s hair was more golden. He stood stiffly, but Bernadette could see the tremble in his hand. Was he afraid of her? Lord, she must look a fright, and she unthinkingly put her hand to her head again and felt her hair’s unruliness. “Please forgive my appearance,” she said.
“Aye, we know,” Fiona said. “You’re quite sad.”
The girl’s observation startled Bernadette. “Ah...yes,” she agreed. “And I’m a bit surprised, as well. I wasn’t expecting children.”
The boy said nothing. He looked wise beyond his years, really.
“Areyousurprised?” she asked them.
Fiona shook her head. Ualan didn’t give her any indication of his feelings.
“Well, then.” How did one speak to children? She hardly knew. “Are you hungry?” she asked.
The two children looked at each other. Fiona shook her head.
“Miss Holly?”
She glanced around. Charles had stuck his head into the room. “You must do something about the kitchen girl. She hasn’t a care for the china nor the slightest idea how to pack it.” He disappeared just as quickly as he’d appeared.
Bernadette was grateful for the task and rose to her feet. “Come,” she said, and held out both hands to the children.
Fiona readily slipped her hand into Bernadette’s without a moment’s hesitation. Ualan kept his hands at his sides.
She led them to the kitchen, where Ina was sweeping up what looked like a broken teacup. “I did my best, I did,” she said irritably to Bernadette. “He didna tell me how he wanted it done, did he?”
“Don’t think of it,” Bernadette said. “I’ll do the packing.” She would rather have something to occupy her hands than to stare at her two unexpected wards.
Ina put her hand on the small of her back. She seemed to notice the children then, and spoke to them in Gaelic.
Fiona responded.
Whatever she said caused Ina to smile, and she began a lively conversation with them. Fiona laughed and even Ualan had a small smile on his face. What in blazes had Ina said? What magic words had she uttered?
After several minutes of it, Ina said, “They’re hungry, miss. Shall I prepare them a wee bite?”
Bernadette looked with surprise at the two of them. Why hadn’t they admitted it to her? Did they think she might poison them? “Yes, please, if you’d be so kind.”
So it was that Ina fed the children and laughed with them while Bernadette packed the china. She couldn’t understand a word they said, but she listened to their young voices, the sound of their laughter, and her heart ached with longing. It was a cruel thing for Rabbie to have done. What did he think, that she would magically forget her misgivings and agree to this outrageous plan?
The very idea annoyed her, and she glanced irritably at Ina. “What else do they want? They don’t seem to want to tell me.”
Ina blinked. She looked at the children and asked them something. Both of them shook their heads. “They donna want a thing, miss,” Ina said. “They are quite happy to be here.”
Bernadette snorted. “They may tell you that, but trust me, this is some grand jest.”
“Oh, no, they mean it, they do,” she said. “They were bound for Inverness and a stranger there. They are happy that a Mackenzie has taken them in.”
“Inverness?” Bernadette repeated, and looked around.
“Aye, we were,” Fiona said. “Because we havena any parents.”
