Chapter 53
Edwina heard voices. She must be dreaming. Cecelia’s laugh. She shook the sleep from her dazed head. The Scot had kept her awake too long last evening with his foolish demands. What did he care about her silly novel anyway? It was only a story.
She lifted her head off the pillow. Could it be?
On came the dress pants and blouse... buttoned correctly this time. Edwina flew out of her bedroom and down the stairs.
“Cecelia!” She threw herself at her sister.
“Ed.” They embraced.
“I didn’t know you were coming.”
“I know. I made him keep it a secret. Spencer’s here, too. They’re out walking.”
“Oh my.” Edwina sighed. “Have you met Paige yet?”
“No, she’s still sleeping. Alex said you’d kept her up late last evening, playing games and eating ice cream?”
Edwina shrugged. “Aye.”
Cecelia eyed her sister. “So you’ve taken up the Scottish accent?”
“Oh that.” She laughed. “It’s very hard not to.”
“Aye.” Cecelia laughed.
“I hear Mrs. Gillespie about the kitchen.” Edwina grabbed her sister’s hand and ushered her into the kitchen.
“Cecelia, Mrs. Gillespie. Mrs. Gillespie, you remember my sister Cecelia.”
“Indeed. We have such fond memories of Chicago and your hospitality, my dear. It was a most memorable time.”
Edwina could see the older woman’s emotions floating to the surface, and changed the topic.
“It is good to be here Mrs. Gillespie.” Cecelia’s voice was soft.
“We’ll get out of your kitchen so you can be about your work.”
“Well, lass, it is good to see your family here in bonny Scotland. Ye are welcome to walk aboot the house and the grounds, making yerself at home. Would ye like pancakes this morn?”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful,” both girls chimed at once. Mrs. Gillespie winked and hustled away.
“Here they come,” Cecelia announced, “back from their wanderings.” Spencer strode in and went straight to Edwina.
“Hey, Winnie. You look good.” He held her at arm’s length.
“You’ve changed, Spencer.”
“How?”
“You look more... more sophisticated.” She eyed him. “You’ve cut your hair. Nice. You look really good!”
“Thanks to your makeover sister. She’s not happy with having a degree in Architecture and Design, she has to mess with people too.”
Alex Dunnegin laughed. The kind of laugh Edwina remembered at the castle.
Hearing the commotion and new voices below, Paige called from her room. “Father, Miss Blair, who’s come to visit?”
Mr. Dunnegin went up to his daughter. Edwina lagged behind, giving them a few minutes alone.
“Is she all right, Edwina? Really all right?” Cecelia’s sympathy nearly undid her.
“Yes.” Tears sprang into her eyes. “Thank God because... well, things could have been worse.”
“I know, but they aren’t. Everything will turn out the way it’s supposed to.”
Edwina drew back. This was not Cecelia talking. Cecelia made things happen—she didn’t believe in letting God, or anyone else for that matter, decide anything she could control herself.
“You’re right, sis. Very right.”
“Come on, do we have time for a walk?”
“Would you mind waiting until after breakfast? I’d likeyou to meet Paige.”
“Okay.”
Cecelia waiting... that was interesting too.
“Did you know the Scot has a castle too? It’s fourteen minutes away.”
Cecelia stared at her sister. “You call him ‘the Scot’?”
“Yes. Well, not to his face I don’t. It’s just how I think of him, I guess. He has all sorts of titles—mister, laird. I got so mixed up, I just called him the Scot in my mind. Does it sound disrespectful?” she wondered.
“No, I’m just surprised that’s all.” She changed topics. “Have you had time to talk to him, Ed? Since he got back, I mean?”
“Not much. We... well, never mind.”
“You what?” Cecelia had picked up on her ambivalence.
“We actually got in each other’s way. It’s nothing.” Mrs. Gillespie called and, in effect, saved her. “I’m so hungry.”
“I’m starving, but you aren’t going to get out of it that easy, Ed. We’re going to talk later.”
Edwina pretended not to hear and dashed off to the kitchen.
“Lass, since we have guests, we will eat in the dining room.”
“Oh, right.”
“The lass is used to eating with the help,” Mrs. Gillespie explained to Cecelia.
“Does she wear shoes?”
“Nay,” came the curt reply. Cecelia laughed. Edwina could not remember her sister laughing. Perhaps the Scot had drawn her out. If that was the case she wished her sister happiness.
The Scot seated the women first, insisting the Gillespie’s eat with them.
Mrs. Gillespie nearly had a heart attack. In her day things were not done like this.
Edwina gently reminded the woman that the year was 2008, and it certainly was not improper to eat with one’s employer, most especially if they were invited by him.
“Aye, there is little respect for station and class in this manor,” Mr. Dunnegin said and gave Edwina a look.
Her eyes widened. She didn’t like him talking like this in the presence of her sister or Spencer. They would think her childish and not able to take care of herself.
Everyone started talking at the same time. Even Paige. Mr. Gillespie had rigged a chair for the lass and carried her down. She seemed so happy, and Edwina nearly cried when she looked around the room. Her loved ones were around her again. And Paige was here too. The only person she missed was her father.
“How are things with my father, Cecelia?”
“He and mother are doing fine. They paid off a huge chunk of their condo and are thinking of coming to visit this fall.”
“If I’m still here,” she reminded her sister. Indeed it would be Cecelia who stayed with the Scot. And then there would be no need for her, since the agreement ended in September.
Every head at the table turned. Edwina started to squirm. What had she said? Cecelia looked at her like she was moldy bread, then said the strangest thing to Spencer. “She doesn’t know,” she whispered under her breath, but Edwina heard it with her own ears because she was sitting right next to her.
So there was an engagement to be announced. She was probably the last to know.