PART TWELVE

Eliza…

It was a bit of a rough ride, Seasaidh liked giving Dafty, a beautiful bay colored Clydesdale horse, a bit of exercise, and so she let her trot occasionally, thus the carriage the two women were sitting in bounced up and down on the rocky road.

Eliza laughed, she was having fun, she couldn't recall the last time she simply had gone for a ride for pure enjoyment, not to find a clue, or solve a case, or to have someone arrested. Seasaidh looked over at her and grinned. Her red hair had mostly come undone and was trailing out behind her in the breeze.

They continued on in this way, only slowing down as they approached the market. Seasaidh tied up Dafty and passed Eliza a basket, "We should get some meats, and some of the vegetables that I can't grow in my garden…" She mused, walking ahead, studying the various foodstuffs on display.

Eliza watched her with interest, Seasaidh driving a hard bargain with some of the vendors, picking the best cuts of meat. It reminded her of Ivy, the rare few times she had gone with her shopping.

They didn't converse much, Seasaidh was very focused on buying what they needed and Eliza was content to watch her and the people wandering about. She was lost in her own thoughts when she felt Seasaidh take her hand, "Eliza! Come, time to get you a dress you can work in!" Smiling at each other, they headed to a shop at the end of the market. Their last stop of the day.


Eliza studied herself in the bedroom mirror. She almost didn't recognize herself, her gown was lighter and less elaborate than what she usually wore. She placed her hands on her waist, enjoying how shapely the brown bodice made her look, but feeling slightly exposed with a deeper neckline than she was used to. There was a rust colored handkerchief amongst the clothes, she wrapped it around her neck and tucked it into the front of her bodice. She smoothed her hands over the red skirt that ended above her ankles. Eliza enjoyed how much easier walking in it was feeling. I could probably even run in this! She thought happily.

Hesitantly she began to unpin her elaborate coif. Seasaidh had convinced her to wear her hair up in a less austere manner. Eliza watched it tumble down, wishing William was there to run his fingers through it. I miss his hands, she thought with a sigh, it feels so nice when he runs his fingers through my hair, and his hands over my body… "Oi, ELIZA! Are ye coming?!" She heard Seasaidh shout up the stairs. "On my way!" Eliza quickly called back, loosely twisting her hair into a simple knot at the nape of her neck, and hurrying back down to the kitchen.

When she stepped inside Seasaidh nodded approvingly at her, "Ye look wonderful! You're just missing one last thing!" Seasaidh passed Eliza a spare apron and handed her a carrot. Eliza looked at it, Do I clean it? Cut it up? Chop it? I feel so silly having to ask… she thought with dismay, realizing she had no choice. Seasaidh looked over at her and smiled, "First ye have to wash it, then just cut it up in rings, here let me show you." She had taken the carrot from Eliza and demonstrated, then she passed it back to her. Eliza carefully began to cut up the carrot with a smile on her face, pleased it was working.

"Ye never cook for Willie then?" Seasaidh asked, still barely believing it. Eliza shook her head, "Rarely, we're both afraid I'd accidentally poison him. Besides, he only just moved in with me a week ago, neither of us has had much time to adjust." "Ah. Well, I'll teach ye how to make a simple roast. He likes that, ye can make it for him when he returns." Seasaidh pulled out a piece of meat and began to season it. "What was he like? As a boy?" Eliza asked curious.

Seasaidh smiled and let out a sigh, "Too brave for his britches, he always stood up to Alis, and to Callum, that bully." She shook her head, "Never ended well for Willie. He was a skinny little thing, always got the short end of the stick. I cannae believe it was him when I first saw him, he grew quite a bit." Eliza chuckled at Seasaidh's comment, "He was gangly when I had met him too. I remember the first time I realized he was truly a man. He was 20 and it was his first day of police training, I had hugged him and I realized how grown up he had become, and I had thought my friend was gone…" "Why would he be gone?" Seasaidh asked confused.

Eliza shrugged, "He's three years older than me, I think I had just felt as though I had lost him. We had spent so much time together when we were young. Then after our falling out…" "Oh? What's that then? You hadn't mentioned that earlier." Seasaidh asked. Eliza sighed, "He tried to tell me he loved me and wanted to marry me, I brushed him off and changed the conversation. I had hoped he would convince my father to let me work with him at his Private Detective Agency. We had had a huge fight, he had said I was a woman and it was impossible." Eliza shrugged, now able to laugh at what had happened, but at the time, it had hurt.

"Well, you proved him wrong for sure!" Seasaidh said with a grin. "Yes, shame we lost near 10 years of our friendship." Eliza said. Seasaidh wrapped her arm around Eliza's shoulder, "Well ye have each other now, all's well that ends well!" Eliza smiled at her, "True! And maybe we'll be able to get married soon." Seasaidh nodded, then looked horrified at the cutting board, "Eh, Eliza, you chopped those up mighty fine." Seasaidh said holding up a paper thin piece of carrot. Eliza blushed, "Sorry! I don't think I'll ever get the hang of this…"

William…

William woke up early and yawned and stretched with a huge smile on his face. He was still on a high from punching Callum the previous night. As a boy he had dreamt of being able to stand up to him, and win, and though it had taken close to two decades, it had been well worth the wait.

He packed his things and made his way to the barn to collect Angus. Callum was standing by the entrance to the barn, seemingly waiting for him.

"Madainn mhath Callum!" William said cheerily, it was certainly a good morning for William, he wasn't sure if the same could be said for Callum, his eye was swollen shut and a nasty shade of purple. William loosely held his bag, ready to drop it and fight if that had been Callum's intention for meeting him.

The men stood a few feet away from each other, Callum eyeing William up and down. Whereas William had grown taller, broader, and muscular, Callum was still tall but heavier, and not from muscle. William knew he stood a strong chance against him, and he would happily bet on himself with some rather good odds.

"It really is you." Callum said, "I dinnae believe it last night. I had thought yer were a ghost." Callum shook his head and chuckled ruefully, "I'm not here for a fight Willie, er, sorry, William." William raised an eyebrow questioningly, "Why are you here then?" He asked.

Callum looked down at his feet and scuffed them into the ground, "I take it you came back 'cause of Cat?" "One of the reasons." William replied vaguely, "I should've done more than just punch you in the eye for what you did to her." Callum nodded, "I dinnae blame you. Could you tell me, did she have a boy or a girl? Please? I… I never found out. I did try to find her, but she just vanished. No one would tell me where she had gone. I had tried asking Seasaidh, she had nearly taken me head off with a hoe!"

William laughed, "Aye, I'm not surprised. A boy, she had a boy Callum. Andra. And to be honest, he's probably better off without you." William said, angry again for how Callum had treated Cat. Callum nodded, then took a deep breath as he pulled something out of his inside coat pocket. "I know ye have no reason to, but… could you give this letter to Cat? Please? I don't expect her to ever forgive me, I know I wouldn't, but I would like to meet my boy, even if just once…"

William had been ready to say 'no', and that Callum had gotten the treatment he had deserved, but something in the man's voice stopped him. Callum looked miserable, holding the letter out, his hand shaking slightly, that William took it from him without even thinking. "I can't promise she'll read it though." William said. Callum nodded, "Aye. Thank ye William." William nodded and started to pass Callum to enter the barn.

"Eh, William, I'm sorry for how I treated you, and Seasaidh, when we were children." Callum said. William stopped short, caught off guard, "Oh. Erm… Thanks… I hope things work out for you Callum." Callum nodded and headed off into the morning mist.

William shook his head, baffled by the exchange. I never in a million years could have imagined Callum apologizing. I wonder what Cat will decide to do… he was a heel to leave her like that, but to never meet his son, I cannae even imagine how horrible that would be.

William was starting to feel like a messenger man. With both letters safely tucked into his coat pocket, he mounted Angus and headed out, hoping to make the remaining journey in half a day.