Robbie had been terrified of the old man, and Keir had defied him as much as he’d been able to—he’d— worn the bruises to prove it—but nothing had made any difference to how James Strachan treated his sons. Not until he’d become ill himself and seen the gates of death beckoning. By which time, of course, it had all been too late. How Moira Guthrie had stayed working for such a man—never mind nursing him after he’d got ill—Keir had never understood. He’d asked her once, and her reply had frankly stunned him.
‘I saw that he had good in him,’ she had asserted, in— her quiet yet forthright way, and Keir had had to acquiesce that the woman had far more forbearance and forgiveness in her than he could ever hope to have.
For himself, he couldn’t ever foresee a time when he would be able to forgive James Strachan his transgressions. The man had simply not been fit to be a father.
A muscle throbbing at the side of his temple, Keir grimaced before answering Georgia’s question. ‘In an ideal world I suppose families should stick together,’ he remarked. ‘But as we both know this world is far from ideal, and people who have no business even contemplating having children sadly do, and screw up their kids’ lives as well as their own.’
And God only knew what pretty Georgia Cameron— with her passionate adherence to family loyalty and love would have made of his completely un-natural— family! He shuddered to think.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, would you please find your seats as the concert will resume in three minutes’ time…’
Relieved by the instruction that meant their conversation— had to come to an end—because it was touching upon things that made him uneasy—Keir inclined his head briefly towards his companion. ‘Time to get back.’
‘Yes.’
Seeing a look that might have been concern in her pretty eyes and steeling himself against it, Keir took Georgia’s glass, deposited it beside his own and, unable— to resist the opportunity to touch her, put his hand beneath her elbow to steer her back towards their seats.
‘All the worry and stress has gone from your eyes.’
‘Has it?’
Her relaxed stroll coming to a stop on one of the myriad footpaths throughout the gardens, Georgia turned to regard her tall, blond, blue-eyed brother, and— couldn’t suppress the effervescent bubble of happiness— that rose up inside her at the sight of him.
He’d arrived at Glenteign only last night for the weekend and she had been thrilled to see a familiar, smiling— face.
‘This place has done wonders for you…I can see that.’ Looking thoughtful, Noah reached out and fingered a curling tendril of her chestnut hair. ‘You’re a different girl…and you’ve lost that grey London pallor!’
‘Who wouldn’t love it here?’
Turning slightly away from him, Georgia leant forward to smell the scent of a drowsy yellow rose, drooping— heavily on its stem beside the footpath. The path was resplendent on all sides with foliage, plants— and flowers—some past their best, since September was swiftly approaching, but still lovely all the same.
Roses had always been her favourite. She supposed it was because her mother had loved them so, and had always brought one or two into the house from the garden to light up a room when she was feeling a little melancholy. Even though she and Noah had been on their own for years now, Georgia still found it hard sometimes to realise that their mother was no longer there…her father too. They had been such wonderful, loving parents.
For some reason just at that moment the memory crept into her mind of what Keir had said at the concert. Something about not living in an ideal world, and how some people should never have children because they not only screwed up their own lives but their kids’ as well. Was that what had happened to Keir and his brother Robbie?
Her brow creased with renewed concern. She’d already concluded that the Laird of Glenteign was not exactly the happiest of men. Sometimes she glimpsed such singular sadness in his riveting blue eyes that she longed to be able to banish it for good… But she knew it was a very dangerous impulse, and one that should definitely be curbed if she didn’t want to find herself not just hurt but out of a job too…
‘And what about the Highlands? What about where you’re working now?’ she asked Noah, determined— to focus on her brother’s visit above all else while he was there. ‘Do you like it as much as Glenteign?’
‘Oh, it’s beautiful enough, all right—and the couple I’m working for are very down-to-earth…despite— being landed gentry! But I enjoyed perhaps some of the best months of my life working here.’ Noah lapsed into a reflective stroll again and Georgia joined him. ‘Keir was great to work for. Easy to discuss my ideas with, and very fair. I enjoyed his company. How are you finding him, Georgie?’