CHAPTER 9

It didn't matter whether they were in their own home, or guests in someone else's, Lord and Lady Roberts made a point of spending every evening after dinner with their children, until the children's bedtime. Now, especially because the family was in the process of relocating to Scotland and a new home, this practice continued. The children's lives were disrupted enough, so the Robertses kept up their visits with the children as usual. Along with Catherine being their governess, these nightly visits with their parents were something the children could think of as something normal, something from home.

After parting ways with Duncan MacLeod in Houghton Hall's gardens, Catherine and the children returned to the nursery. Catherine gave the children their usual early dinner, then helped them bath and change into their night-clothes, gowns and slippers. At six o'clock Catherine escorted them to their parents' rooms and handed them over to their care.

Catherine returned to the nursery alone, relieved that now she had some time to herself. It was not easy to think seriously with little children running around her all day. She had to think, had to figure out what she was to do in the Duncan MacLeod department before things got truly out of hand...

The two or so hours that the children were with their parents, were Catherine's own. She was free to do what she wanted – read, take a walk, practice her sword skills, whatever. This time was her own, and the Robertses let her have it.

Catherine let herself into the nursery and locked the door behind her. She added a few more pieces of wood to the fire burning in the hearth, then sat down in an armchair in front of it. She had a new novel lying on her lap, but the book went unnoticed. For a long time she simply sat staring into the flames, her mind miles away...

It was quite obvious that he was falling in love with her. His actions, his words, his big brown eyes told her as much. And Catherine was... She was... She had to admit that her head was turned a little bit, that she did think that he was incredibly handsome and sweet. Instinct told her that underneath that educated gentleman's veneer he kept up, there lurked a wild barbarian type, and Catherine would be the first to admit that she liked it-

NO! She couldn't fall in love with Duncan MacLeod, no matter what. She would be leaving Houghton Hall behind soon, either in a train of carriages with the Roberts family, or, if her plans worked out the way she wanted them to, in the middle of the night with Methos – depending on what the Old Guy had in mind. Either way, Duncan MacLeod could not and would not be figured into the equation. He would stay behind as Horace Walpole's guest, and she would disappear into the world, and they would most likely never see each other ever again. Better to break the man's heart now, than in about a week's time. That was that. End of story.

An image of the way Duncan had looked that afternoon flashed into her mind: Tall, powerfully built, dark hair framing his ruggedly handsome face, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he smiled at her so seductively.

Catherine's eyes closed and she smiled as she thought about it. If there hadn't been other people around, she would probably have kis-

NO!! Her eyes snapped open and she forced the image from her mind. To help her do this she got up and moved around the nursery, tidying up the toys and clothes that were strewn across the room. The distraction worked for about a minute, and then the image of the Highlander's smiling face filled her mind again.

Swearing softly in frustration, Catherine decided that she needed some fresh air. Quickly she pulled on her hooded cloak, strapped her sword-belt around her waist, then stalked out of the nursery. It was almost time to fetch the children, anyway. She might as well take a walk until then...

Thirty minutes later Catherine was on her way back to the nursery with the Roberts children. Lizzie and Philip walked ahead of her, exhausted. Little Maggie was already fast asleep in Catherine's arms. Catherine was quite relieved – it wouldn't be difficult to get the children to bed tonight.

They turned into the passage that led to the nursery. Taking her eyes off the children, Catherine glanced ahead at the nursery door to make sure that all was as she had left it: Yes, the door was closed and the two oil lamps flanking still lit the way. But no, it wasn't as she had left it: A huge bunch of flowers, tied together with a piece of green ribbon, lay on the ground right in front of the door. A folded piece of paper was stuck in amongst the stems.

Catherine looked around warily, but the passage was empty. Whoever had left the flowers was long gone.

"Who left flowers, Miss Langton?" Lizzie asked sleepily when they reached the door.

"I don't know, dear," Catherine said honestly, taking the key from her dress' pocket and unlocking the door. "Go in, quickly now. Don't step on the flowers!"

Philip and Lizzie did as they were told, and Catherine followed them into the nursery. She put the three children to bed first and blew out the candles around their beds first, before returning to the open nursery door and the flowers lying before it. She knelt down and picked up the flowers, then straightened. Her eyes scanned the empty passage once more, and then she closed and locked the door. She took the flowers to the nursery's dining area and set them down on the table. For a moment she just looked at them: Roses, lilies... She seen flowers like these in the greenhouse earlier that day and could only assume that they had been stolen from there as well. Smiling to herself, Catherine took the piece of paper from the flowers and opened it. It was a note from – who else? – the Highlander.

Dear Catherine

I am sorry if I embarrassed you this afternoon. That was not my intention at all! And you told me to improvise, so I did! Not my fault our stories didn't match!

Have sweet dreams tonight, beautiful Kate. I hope to find you happy and smiling tomorrow! Good night, darling.

Yours, Duncan

It took a moment for Catherine to realise that she was grinning, and then a few seconds more to realise that she couldn't stop.