PART FOURTEEN

William…

After boarding Angus at a nearby barn, exhausted, William knocked on the door of the address on the last letter that Seasaidh had received from Catriona. A maid opened and took in his disheveled appearance. "Can I help you sir?" She asked, looking ready to close the door in his face.

William tried not to sigh, he knew he looked a right mess, covered in dust from the road, he hadn't shaved for two days, and he was pretty sure he had horse slobber down his shirt, Angus had tried to eat his collar after William had refused to give him a second apple.

"Feasgar math, my name is William Wellington. I am Catriona Reid's cousin. I was hoping I could speak to her." William said, trying to sound as polite and dignified as possible, despite his appearance.

The maid hesitated and then a man approached the door, "Did you say you were Cat's cousin?" he asked William curiously. "Aye, are you perchance Mr. Kerr?" The man's eyes widened in surprise, "Yes, please come in, Cat should be back any moment now, she and my wife had taken the boys to the park." "Thank you kindly." William said following the man inside.

"Did you come from afar?" Mr. Kerr asked William as he lead him to the drawing room. William chuckled, "From London actually, but I rode here from Edinburgh." William rolled his neck to the side, it cracked loudly, "Oi, sorry, I'm not used to riding for so long." Mr. Kerr chuckled, "Please sit, I'll have some refreshments brought." He called out to the maid and she nodded, scurrying off to prepare tea.

"Are you Mr. Reid?" Mr. Kerr asked curiously. "No, apologies for not introducing myself, my mother was Cat's father's sister, my name is Wellington, William Wellington." William explained, then his face lit up as the tea tray was brought inside. There was an assortment of biscuits.

"Please, help yourself." Mr. Kerr said, gesturing to the tray. "Thank you!" William said, then chuckled as he bit into a biscuit, "Caramel! My fiancé's favorite." "Did you fiancé not come with you?" Mr. Kerr asked as he sipped on his tea.

"Aye, she did up to Edinburgh, I couldn't leave Alistair alone, he…" William heard a gasp and the sound of young voices as the front door had been opened.

"My father… is he alright?" a woman's voice asked panicked from the drawing room entryway. William stood and turned around, a hesitant smile on his face. Catriona took a few steps forward, confused. "Do… I know you…?" Her hands flew to her mouth in shock, "Willie?" William nodded and she closed the gap between them and hugged him tightly.

"Is it really you? You had just vanished one day. I… would've thought you had died if Seasaidh hadn't finally given in and told me you had run off to London!" She drew back to look at him. "Er… what happened to you?" She asked, seeing how disheveled he looked. "Angus!" He said with a chuckle. "Ah, say no more! Is… is my father…?" She asked hesitantly. "He's fine, for now. Cat, he can't stay alone, he won't admit it, but he misses you. I have letters for you…" William began to say before he got interrupted.

"Mama, mama, mama…" A tiny voice piped up. A young boy had timidly walked over and had begun to pull on Catriona's skirt. He looked up at William and waved shyly. William waved back with a grin and knelt down in front of the boy.

"Hello there young man! I'm your…" he paused to think about it, "second cousin, Willie!" William said. "Hi! I'm Andy!" He said cheerily. William studied his face, then looked up at Catriona, "He takes after Alistair…" William said surprised. Catriona smiled, "Aye, I'm thankful he dinnae look much like Callum." She scowled as the name crossed her lips. William sighed, wondering how she would take to the news that he had a letter for her from him.

"There is so much I have to tell you." William said, about to stand up, when Andy stuck his arms out. "Up-up!" He demanded. William chuckled and groaned loudly, pretending that Andy was very heavy as he lifted him and rose from the floor. Andy giggled and pulled on William's beard. "Teddy bear!" He said as he tugged. William crossed his eyes and made a silly face, but he was starting to wonder why he kept getting compared to bears and woolly mammoths.

"Mr. Wellington, you must join us for dinner and stay for as long as you need." Mrs. Kerr said. Her husband had briefly explained to his wife what had transpired in her absence. William's face lit up, "Thank you, that's incredibly generous of you. I will only impose for one evening though." Catriona's face fell, "Cat, I left my fiancé with Alistair, she can hold her own, Jes is with her, but I dinnae want to leave her for too long." William explained.

"Fiancé? Congratulations Willie! When is the wedding?" Catriona asked. William let out a guffaw, "Last week, but it fell through. She had to rescue her friend's abducted child on our wedding day. Had me and our friends chasing after her most of the day!" William shook his head ruefully. Catriona blinked, "What…?" "Long story, she's a private detective." William said.

"A lady detective…? Wow… And you? What ever became of you?" Catriona asked, not knowing where to start with her questioning. "Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard." He said proudly. "Oh Willie, that sounds wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Before Catriona could ask anything else, the maid had returned to announce that dinner was ready.

Torence, the Kerr's son, looked up at Andy, still in William's arms. Andy had stopped tugging on William's beard and had started to drift off, tired from his day in the park. "Me too?" Torence asked Will, holding his arms up. William looked over at Mr. Kerr who was biting his lip from laughing.

"Sorry Mr. Wellington, the boys are very close, they enjoy doing everything together." Mr. Kerr turned to address his son, "Torence, Mr. Wellington is a guest, he can't…" William laughed, "I truly don't mind, if it's alright with you." Mr. Kerr laughed too, "Be forewarned, he'll never leave you alone after!" "That's quite alright!" William said, carefully bending down to pick up Torence.

Torence poked Andy, waking him up. "This is fun!" Torence said as William carried them into the dining room, bouncing them up and down in his arms. Andy nodded enthusiastically. Mrs. Kerr smiled, "Mr. Wellington, you can place the boys in these seats." William nodded, "Please, call me William." He said as he set the boys down, much to their disappointment, "Sorry lads, I'll play with you tomorrow!" "Awww…" They both groaned.

William took a seat next to Catriona, across from the Kerrs. "I cannae thank you enough for having me." William said. "Cat's like family to us, it's truly our pleasure." Mrs. Kerr said.

They spent an enjoyable evening, William catching up Catriona, and the Kerr's, on the highlights of his life and relaying amusing anecdotes of his youth with Eliza. He left out the parts about the state the castle was in, and the letters he bore from his uncle and Callum, he would tell Catriona about those after dinner, in private.

After thanking the Kerr's once again for having him, he followed Catriona, carrying Andy, to put the little boy to bed, he had almost fallen asleep at the table. Once he was settled, William and Catriona sat at a tiny table in her small room. William with a whisky, Catriona with tea.

"There's more to tell, is there not?" Catriona asked. William gave a wry grin and nodded, pulling out the letters for her. She gasped in shock, then narrowed her eyes in anger as she noticed that one was from Callum.

"You must think me daft, Willie, to have planned on marrying that louse. I dinnae know what I was thinking… I had just wanted to get away from Father…" Catriona began to explain. William held a hand up, "Cat, we all do things we're not proud of, you don't have to justify yourself to me. Wait!" William cried out as he saw her about to tear up Callum's letter. She stopped, startled by his outburst. "I dinnae want anything to do with him." She said, but she didn't move to go back to tearing up the letter.

"That is entirely your choice, but, you might want to read it first. For Andy's sake, more than anything else. And, if it makes you feel any better, I punched him in the eye!" William said proudly as Catriona laughed, "Very well, I'll think on it. Now about my Father…" William took a deep breath and let out a long sigh and began to explain about the letter from the lawyer, the castle almost in ruin, and Alistair's ailing health.

Catriona sat silently, taking everything in. When William finally finished talking she slumped in her seat. "I dinnae know what to do Willie, I… I can't raise Andy around him… what if he… what if he treats him badly, like… like he did you?" She whispered, tears trickling down her face, "Willie, I'm so sorry I never helped you… I was so terrified of him…"

William shook his head, "Cat, there was nothing you could do, please, don't blame yourself. What's done is done. Cat… I honestly don't think he'll treat Andy badly." She looked up at him in surprise. William shrugged, "It's just a feeling I have. I still don't like him, but… I think he needs you, and you need him." He said softly. Catriona nodded, knowing William was right.

"I do miss him, for some strange reason, I miss him a lot." Catriona said crying. William rose and held her as she rested her head on his abdomen. "Shhh… Shhh… It'll be alright." William said softly, stroking her hair. He felt her nod. "Thank you Willie, coming back, it must have been so very difficult for you." She said. William released her and sat back down.

"Aye, t'was, if it weren't for Eliza…" He smiled at the thought of her standing up to Alistair, "I dinnae know how I would've managed. She's so supportive of me." Catriona smiled, "I'm so happy you have someone to love, and who loves you in return. You'll make a wonderful father Willie." William grinned at the compliment, "Thank you. One day… At the moment Lizzie and I are focused on our careers, hopefully when things settle down…" William smiled, recalling joking with Eliza about having children before they had even been engaged. A little Mary or Henry he had said. He hoped with all his heart that that would come to pass one day.

Catriona took a deep breath, "Willie, I'll return in a couple of days. With Andy. I dinnae know what will happen, I truly enjoy working here, but perhaps I can visit more, or work something out with Jes." William nodded, happy that Catriona was amendable to at least going home. "Do you truly only plan on staying here tonight? The Kerr's won't mind if you wish to extend your stay."

William shook his head, "I'll head back tomorrow with Angus, if that blasted horse cooperates. He nearly dumped me in a stream!" William scowled at the memory, "Lizzie and I can perhaps stay a few more days, I'd love for the two of you to meet, and I had promised to play with Andy more!" He left out the part that he wanted to make sure his uncle behaved himself around them.

Catriona nodded and William did his best to suppress a yawn. She smiled at him, "You'd best get to bed Willie, we can talk more on the morrow." "Aye, yer right." William stood, "Cat, it is wonderful to see you again." He said earnestly. Catriona nodded and embraced him, "Aye, it is. Sleep well Willie." "I will!" He said and headed to the guest room for some much needed sleep.