My Heart's in the Highlands by Angeline Fortin (ebook reader screen TXT) 📕

Granted, Hero wasn’t as familiar with Ian’stemperament as she should be, but somehow she didn’t think such arage was typical of him. She couldn’t picture him yelling at all.Of course, when the safety of the household was threatened bynegligence, alarm often resulted in a more emotional reaction.Certainly that’s all it was.

“I’m sure that after the veritable delugewe’ve had these past several days, Lord Ayr is merely seeing to thewelfare of the estate,” Hero offered as explanation. “I have heardthat several of the northern fields were flooded.”

“I would image the marquis’s work is neverdone on a property this large,” Kennedy said after a few minutes.“I can’t imagine why Daph would want it so badly. Work, work, workall the time. She’d hate it in the end, I think.”

Hero pursed her lips but couldn’t keep fromasking in a low tone, “Then why does she want it so? Does she trulylove it so much that she would marry a man she doesn’t care forjust to have it?”

Kennedy raised a mocking brow. “You thinkDaphne wouldn’t enjoy her duties as Ayr’s wife? Oh, I think shewouldn’t mind that part of it at all.”

Swallowing back the bile that rose in herthroat at Kennedy’s mocking words, Hero pushed her queen into a badposition, anxious for the evening’s end. Of course, Daphne wouldn’tmind that aspect of marriage, especially with a man like Ian. Anywoman would feel lucky to espouse such a handsome, virile man. ButHero was certain Daphne would never have truly appreciated Ian—ifshe ever actually got to know him at all. She wouldn’t have takenhis kindness as an asset. More likely she would have seen it as aweakness.

Mandy’s chatter over the last couple of daysof her confinement to the sick bed had provided enough householdgossip for Hero to know that Daphne had been a strict mistressduring her short tenure at Cuilean. She ruled on the principle ofpunishment being a stronger motivator for quality of work thanreward. If she were to rule by Ian’s side, they would lock hornswithin days.

Luckily for the staff at Cuilean, such aunion wasn’t in the cards. Ian had asked Hero to marry him. By hisown admission, he’d done so without coercion because he loved her.Catching her lip between her teeth, she bit back the emotion thatrushed through her at the thought. How had she gotten so fortunate?It had never occurred to her when Robert died that she might everfind real love. Certainly not so quickly. Certainly not a love soconsuming.

Daphne’s voice rose then above Hero’sthoughts and she listened as Daphne read with surprising passion,“‘No mockery in this world ever sounds to me so hollow as that ofbeing told to cultivate happiness. What does such advice mean?Happiness is not a potato, to be planted in mould, and tilled withmanure. Happiness is a glory shining far down upon us out ofHeaven. She is a divine dew which the soul, on certain of itssummer mornings, feels dropping upon it from the amaranth bloom andgolden fruitage of Paradise.’”

Camron groaned loudly. “Bloody hell, Daph,must you read such balderdash? You are making my head ache.”

“It is not balderdash, Cam,” Daphne rebukeddefensively, clutching the book to her chest.

Hero had to agree with her niece for once.She rather liked Villette and found the tale’s theme to befar more reaching than some critics thought. The story implied thata person, rather than Fate, was responsible for providing meaningto his or her life. That the power of one’s own will could changethat Fate into whatever suited one best. It was a formidableconcept that had in some ways influenced Hero’s decision to returnto Scotland.

“I like Lucy,” Daphne continued hotly. “Theway she struggles to be free and to take what she wants from life.She even questions whether a man is necessary for suchhappiness!”

“It’s thoughts such as those that get you introuble,” Camron retorted as he rocked back in his chair, foldinghis arms behind his head. “You should listen to Father and be happywith what you have, rather than fighting for something beyond yourreach.”

Daphne followed his gaze to Hero and thenlooked back to her brother with a sneer, but it was enough for Heroto know that Daphne recognized his implication and that she wasnone too pleased with her progress at Cuilean thus far. “You’re afine one to talk! You hate the law and yet there you are, followingmeekly in Father’s footsteps. Lucy shows that wanting somethingbadly enough and pursuing it wholeheartedly can change yourlife.”

The front legs of Camron’s chair thudded backdown on the floor. “Like you are changing yours?”

“Yes!” Daphne said. “I am making thingshappen, not waiting for them.” She flipped through the pages of thebook until she found what she was looking for: “‘While I looked, myinner self moved; my spirit shook its always-fettered wings halfloose; I had a sudden feeling as if I, who never yet truly lived,were at last about to taste life. In that morning my soul grew asfast as Jonah’s gourd.’”

The corner of Hero’s mouth turned up at thatand the squabbling of the Kennedy siblings faded away. That was oneof her favorite lines from the book. She had almost forgotten it,but now the words took on a whole new meaning, given recent events.Since her arrival at Cuilean, it was her spirit breakingfree, her life that was finally truly being lived.

Where Lucy had struggled, wondering if shecould be free and love a man at the same time, Hero knew thatstruggle would not be hers. Ian’s love was the key to her freedom.He was her other half, making her life complete.

Angry shouts drew Hero back to the moment.The two Kennedys were now toe-to-toe, arguing with one another, butHero only gave an inward shrug. Nothing new in that. They’d beenthat way for years, and Hero was certain that on some level theyboth enjoyed it. But with Daphne’s words, Hero’s eternal annoyancewith the young woman seemed to have lowered—if only a notch.

Though Daphne had always wanted more than shehad, or even had rights to, Hero had never considered that Daphnewas reaching for that kind of happiness. Obviously Hero wasn’tabout to turn Ian over to her niece