The Bairn of Brianag

"Now, ladies, you must entertain me!" said Kevin. "I have no banjo or fiddle, and I cannot sing! Jessie, recite to us your poem about the Liberty Boys."

So I did, and the three of us sang Dainty Davie, and other silly songs that we knew.

The day passed pleasantly, and we returned home to prepare for supper and the guests who would come.

After supper, as Kevin and I sat in the drawing room playing cards with August and Alexander, we heard the sound of horses in the driveway; we all went to the windows to see who had arrived. Darkness had fallen; we could not see who it was. We waited for the knock on the door, but instead we heard the door opening, and the sound of boots on the floor, and then Robbie strode into the room.

For a moment there was silence as everyone stared at him, then uproar as the Randalls and Cathy and then everyone else rushed forward to greet him.

I stayed where I was near the window; I could not move. I watched as he was embraced and kissed by everyone, and then embraced and kissed again by Cathy and Mrs.

Randall. At last he was set free, and I saw him look around. My heart began to beat heavily as he came toward me.

He was dressed in buckskin trousers and coat; he wore no cravat. His hair was loose and long; he had not been shaved in several days. To me he was utterly handsome. My eyes filled with tears. I wanted to throw myself into his arms, wanted to kiss him with all of my strength, and it took every particle of will within my possession to restrain myself. I held out my hand to him as he drew near, and trembled as he took it and kissed it. His own hand was rough and calloused.

"Mrs. Stewart!" he said, and laughed. I snatched my hand back.

"You look well," he said; "I am glad to see it!"

"And you, yourself, sir, appear to be quite recovered!" I said.

"Yes, indeed!" He turned back toward the room. "If you will pardon me, ladies, I shall have a bath and be properly dressed. Perhaps I might have a bit of supper, as well." His brogue was thicker than I had ever heard. But, he had been in the back country since the Harvest ball; perhaps that was the longest he had ever spent there all at once. It was no wonder he looked like a scout and spoke like a back country Scot.