Part 6 (1/2)
Piper remembered Catie and gasped. ”I forgot. She completely upstaged my news with her own news.”
Mellie looked on with interest, always eager for gossip, and Piper knew she wondered what was so juicy it could upstage Lachlan's sister. Evie narrowed her eyes at her before Mellie pulled her pewter crucifix from the neckline of her top and kissed it.
”I swear I'll keep it a secret until you release me from the burden.”
Evie and Piper laughed at the wording of the vow. No one in Castle on Hill could possibly keep a secret for long, so it would have to do. After Evie shared her good news, and Mellie finished squealing with glee, she cracked a few more eggs into the bowl, eyeing Evie's midsection.
”No, I'm not going overboard with this one,” Evie swore. ”I gained way more than I needed with Mags. And Piper's cracking the wedding whip, so we'll have to choose a date soon.”
”Why don't you just wear one of those Jane Austen style dresses? Do that as the theme?” Mellie asked absently, not looking up from the frying pan.
Piper exchanged a look of wonderment with Evie, and she almost heard a choir of angels and feel the light of heaven s.h.i.+ne down on the fantastic idea. Evie was so crazy about all those books and movies, Piper didn't know why they hadn't thought of it before, even before the threat of the belly overtook them. The flowy Regency style would give them a few extra months of planning time.
”Holy c.r.a.p, that's a brilliant idea,” Evie said, holding out her arm. ”Look, I've got gooseb.u.mps.” She turned to Piper. ”We can have a carriage.”
”h.e.l.l yes. Carriages for everyone. I feel weak right now. I can't even feel my arms, I'm so excited.”
”Slap some more b.u.t.ter in that pan, Mel,” Evie said. ”A loose Regency dress will cover it all up nicely.”
”Let's name the new baby,” Mellie suggested. ”Since it'll be a girl for sure, I vote for Allessandra.”
”Probably not,” Evie said, helping her slice bread for toast.
”Catriona!” Piper breathed when Catie peeked her head around the door and looked like she was going to beat a hasty retreat.
”Better, but it doesn't go with Magnus,” Evie said.
Piper ran and pulled Catie into the kitchen, offering her a cup of tea. To her dismay, the girl still looked angry and upset, and kept a stony demeanor as she sat at the table.
Mellie laughed and told Evie she still hadn't been informed yet, as they'd been sidetracked once again by wedding talk. Piper introduced them and Catie sat there looking miserable, only offering Mel the weakest of smiles.
”Another Ferguson in the castle, that's wonderful,” Evie said, sitting down across from her. She raised her eyebrows questioningly at Piper. Why was there another Ferguson in the castle? Piper shrugged, not sure and not convinced it was so wonderful.
”Are ye the mother of the wee lad whose pictures are everywhere?” Catie asked.
”The wee lad is mine, yes,” Evie said, whipping out her phone and scrolling to a vast alb.u.m of pictures.
She handed it over, always glad to show off Magnus, and Catie seemed just as eager to look at them. Piper felt a small knot of jealousy that Evie got smiles and interest, when Catie barely looked at her. She knew she had to calm down before she started acting like a weird, desperate stepmother, trying too hard to get Catie to like her. It was completely natural that she be aloof until she got to know her better. And realized she wasn't a witch. Her headache flared and she nearly dropped the cup she held.
”So, what brings you to this century?” Evie asked overly casually, her cheeks going red at the prying question.
”That is what I'd like to know as well.” Lachlan entered the kitchen, causing Catie to jump as he frowned ferociously at her, before switching gears and amiably wis.h.i.+ng the rest of them a good morning.
Just having him in the room soothed Piper's nerves and she wanted to hug him, but didn't want a miniature Ferguson death glare aimed her way.
Mellie hurriedly slid the scrambled eggs onto a plate and slithered from the room, the coward, and Evie looked like she was torn between fleeing and making popcorn for the show that was sure to begin.
He kissed Piper, which made her uncomfortable under his sister's oppressive side eye. He noticed and turned his wrath on Catie.
”Speak, la.s.s,” he boomed, planting his hands on the table and leaning over her. ”Ye've had your good night's sleep. Now tell me why ye've done such a fool thing as come here.”
Not to be intimidated so easily, she shoved the bench back and scrambled to her feet. ”Do ye dare to try to boss me around?” she asked, her eyes a paler blue than Lachlan's but just as stormy. ”I'll tell ye why I came. Because I thought ye'd been put under a witch's spell and brought here against your will, that's why.” Catie stamped her foot and took a deep breath. ”I found it's only half true, though. Ye're not here against your will,” she spat, glaring at Piper.
Piper wilted and moved a step away from Lachlan, her heart pounding at the words. She often wondered about the family he'd left behind, but always pushed the thoughts away.
It was his choice, and more than anything, she'd wanted him to choose her. But she would have gone to his time as well. Anything to be with him. Had he been a.s.sured of that? Did he make the right choice? Catie was just a child, really. Only seventeen. Maybe he shouldn't have left. Lachlan reached for her hand, taking away some of the guilt, but Catie still glowered at her.
”That's enough,” Lachlan yelled. ”Ye'll be respectful and apologize.”
Catie ignored that order as if it hadn't been given. ”I thought ye were in danger.” Her voice broke. ”Ye had to be in danger to leave your family, aye? Ye'd never do anything irresponsible or selfish,” she said, shaking her head in disgust. ”I came to rescue ye.” She put her head in her hands and laughed. ”How foolish I was. Ye're happy, not in peril, and certainly not giving us a thought. And I was left to think ye dead, and mourn ye.”
Lachlan dropped Piper's hand, looking utterly stunned. ”Ah, b.l.o.o.d.y Quinn making a mess of things as usual. I should never have left it to him-”
”Dinna ye dare blame Quinn,” she said, slamming her hand onto the table. ”If he made a mess of things, it's because ye left him with nothing but a mess to work with. Aye, he lied, but who would believe what ye did? I thought it madness until the moment it worked. Honestly, I dinna know which of ye I hate more.” Her face scrunched up as she struggled not to cry and Piper rushed forward to comfort her. Catie jerked away and turned to the door, but stopped, looking around wildly. ”I dinna want to stay here,” she said pitifully. ”I dinna want to be in this place anymore.”
Piper didn't have the first clue what to do after she was rebuffed. Anything else she tried would make Catie feel worse, but standing there doing nothing tore into her heart. She could tell Lachlan had a tight, but tenuous control on his temper, his mouth firmly shut, a muscle in his jaw twitching. A heavy silence settled over them all.
”She's welcome to stay with us,” Evie offered in a voice so small it barely made its way from the table where she sat frozen through the outbursts.
”Nonsense,” Lachlan snapped. ”We willna put ye out. Catie can go to her room until she can ask Piper's forgiveness and be reasonable.”
Piper gasped. She loved him completely, but couldn't he see how much worse he was making things? Would he be this tyrannical with their own children, if they ever had any?
Catie's mouth slowly dropped open and Evie rushed to a.s.sure him it wouldn't be any trouble. Piper put her hand on his arm, urging him to let her stay, at least for a night, so they could take a breath. This seemed to outrage Catie more, that she should get what she wanted, and even worse, to be a.s.sisted by Piper in any way.
”No. I dinna need your permission,” she said. ”Ye canna lie to me and then expect me to follow your orders.” She turned to Evie and smiled shakily. ”I thank ye for the offer. I shall just take a moment to gather my things.” With a glare at Lachlan and a grimace of distaste in Piper's direction, she slammed from the kitchen.
”Sorry,” Evie whispered.
Piper sat down on the bench and put her head on her arms, feeling as if she'd been caught in the middle of a tempest. Catie hated her and thought she was a witch. She didn't know what to do with that. Lachlan squeezed her shoulder and sat beside her, placing a comforting kiss on her forehead.
”She'll come around, love. She's got a bit of a temper is all, and doesna mean what she said about ye.” He sighed. ”She meant what she said about me, though. I didna handle it right at all, leaving the way I did.”
Piper wanted to remind him that he hadn't had much choice at the time, with the Glens wanting him dead and Bella needing to marry Pietro as soon as possible, but she still reeled with her own sense of responsibility in it. She'd only wanted him back with her, and hoped she hadn't had a hand in destroying his relations.h.i.+p with his family.
He reached over and patted Evie's hand. ”I hope ye know what ye've got yourself into,” he said.
”Oh, I'm sure she'll be fine with me,” Evie said. ”I haven't betrayed her in any way.”
Piper reached over and half heartedly swatted her for that crack. Much too soon. Lachlan groaned and ma.s.saged his temples.
”Hey,” Evie said. ”Did anyone bother to ask her how she got here?”
Chapter 8.
”I'm sorry you're going through this, Catie,” Evie said as they pulled up to her and Sam's little stone cottage. ”I admit I only ever saw it from the one side and was always so happy that Lachlan chose to stay. I never thought about who got left behind.”