plate.
Reluctantly, the teenager nodded. "Aye. 'Twas all right."
"And ye see what I meant? Ye could do worse out here for a future husband, ye know."
"I know, mum. I know."
1775
"Dinner was wonderful this evening, Kathleen."
"Thank ye, Mr. Stevens. I'm happy ye enjoyed it."
The pair were seated on the newly added front porch of the McGlashan homestead, enjoying the evening. Inside the cabin could be heard the sounds of the teenager's family cleaning up from the meal, settling in for an evening before the fire. Tonight, Rachel had made sure that their visitor was aware of her daughter's contribution to the meal.
Stevens' weekly visits were a regular occurrence, as were the after dinner discussions between the couple. More and more as time progressed, they were gently pushed together by Kathleen's parents. Neither of them were ignorant of the reasons.
The man inhaled deeply of the night air and looked at his companion. She's a beautiful lass. Young and healthy. And her parent's are willin'. Coming to a decision, he leaned forward in his chair and took the teenager's hand.
Kathleen eyed him carefully. There'd been many a time that they'd held hands, but his blue eyes seemed more... intense than usual.
"Kathleen," he began, "I would like to ask yer father fer yer hand in marriage." When there was no immediate response, Stevens continued. "It seems the right thing to do. Neither of us have many other options out here. And I'm not gettin' any younger. I can't promise you that it'll be an easy life, but it can be a rewardin' one."
The blonde swallowed, her heart in her throat. Well, it's finally come. She dropped her gaze to her lap, her brow furrowed in thought.
Stevens squeezed her hand tenderly. "I'll not expect an answer this trip, Kathleen. I know it's an important decision fer ye. I don't want ye to feel pressured inta somethin' ye don't want."
"Thank ye, Mr. Stevens," the teenager murmured in a low voice.
Releasing her hand, he brought his fingers up to her chin and raised her head to look at him. He'd never touched her in this manner before and her blue eyes were wide as she peered into his own.
"Please, Kathleen. My name is Adam."
There was a long pause. Slowly, the girl nodded. "Aye, then. Adam."
Stevens' smile widened and he rose to his feet. "'Tis time fer me ta be headin' home. Ye'll confer my thanks ta yer family?" He settled his wide brimmed hat on his head.
"Certainly... Adam," Kathleen responded, blushing at the use of his first name. She stood as well, and stepped off the porch with him towards his horse. Once there, she was astonished to find him kissing the back of her knuckles.
"'Til next week then, my Kathleen." And then he was on his horse. With a tip of his hat, he grinned at her before wheeling the horse around and trotting away.
Kathleen crossed her arms in front of her and watched him go.
It had been a long week of soul searching for the teenager. She tossed out feed for the chickens with only half a mind. The voices of others filled her head with praise, making it hard to think, to decide.
Her mum. "He'd be a wonderful husband, Kathleen. A good provider and father."
Her da. "Ye know, Rach, that Stevens is a right smart feller. He's figured a way of rotatin' the crops that puts out a higher yield all 'round!"
Even bratty Stewart. "Da! Mr. Stevens wants to use Caleb as a stud fer his cows! Says he's the biggest bull this side of the big lakes!"
"I wish ye'd all just shut up!" she mumbled in exasperation.
"I've not said anythin'," was the argued response.
Kathleen turned to see her little brother watching her curiously. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I was talkin' ta myself, Stew." She returned to her chore, clucking at the hens and hoping her sibling would drop it and leave.
But such was not the case. The youth set the empty pails down and moved to sit on a nearby stump. "What's up, Kath? Ye've been actin' daft all week."
"It's none of yer concern."
Stewart shook his
Reluctantly, the teenager nodded. "Aye. 'Twas all right."
"And ye see what I meant? Ye could do worse out here for a future husband, ye know."
"I know, mum. I know."
1775
"Dinner was wonderful this evening, Kathleen."
"Thank ye, Mr. Stevens. I'm happy ye enjoyed it."
The pair were seated on the newly added front porch of the McGlashan homestead, enjoying the evening. Inside the cabin could be heard the sounds of the teenager's family cleaning up from the meal, settling in for an evening before the fire. Tonight, Rachel had made sure that their visitor was aware of her daughter's contribution to the meal.
Stevens' weekly visits were a regular occurrence, as were the after dinner discussions between the couple. More and more as time progressed, they were gently pushed together by Kathleen's parents. Neither of them were ignorant of the reasons.
The man inhaled deeply of the night air and looked at his companion. She's a beautiful lass. Young and healthy. And her parent's are willin'. Coming to a decision, he leaned forward in his chair and took the teenager's hand.
Kathleen eyed him carefully. There'd been many a time that they'd held hands, but his blue eyes seemed more... intense than usual.
"Kathleen," he began, "I would like to ask yer father fer yer hand in marriage." When there was no immediate response, Stevens continued. "It seems the right thing to do. Neither of us have many other options out here. And I'm not gettin' any younger. I can't promise you that it'll be an easy life, but it can be a rewardin' one."
The blonde swallowed, her heart in her throat. Well, it's finally come. She dropped her gaze to her lap, her brow furrowed in thought.
Stevens squeezed her hand tenderly. "I'll not expect an answer this trip, Kathleen. I know it's an important decision fer ye. I don't want ye to feel pressured inta somethin' ye don't want."
"Thank ye, Mr. Stevens," the teenager murmured in a low voice.
Releasing her hand, he brought his fingers up to her chin and raised her head to look at him. He'd never touched her in this manner before and her blue eyes were wide as she peered into his own.
"Please, Kathleen. My name is Adam."
There was a long pause. Slowly, the girl nodded. "Aye, then. Adam."
Stevens' smile widened and he rose to his feet. "'Tis time fer me ta be headin' home. Ye'll confer my thanks ta yer family?" He settled his wide brimmed hat on his head.
"Certainly... Adam," Kathleen responded, blushing at the use of his first name. She stood as well, and stepped off the porch with him towards his horse. Once there, she was astonished to find him kissing the back of her knuckles.
"'Til next week then, my Kathleen." And then he was on his horse. With a tip of his hat, he grinned at her before wheeling the horse around and trotting away.
Kathleen crossed her arms in front of her and watched him go.
It had been a long week of soul searching for the teenager. She tossed out feed for the chickens with only half a mind. The voices of others filled her head with praise, making it hard to think, to decide.
Her mum. "He'd be a wonderful husband, Kathleen. A good provider and father."
Her da. "Ye know, Rach, that Stevens is a right smart feller. He's figured a way of rotatin' the crops that puts out a higher yield all 'round!"
Even bratty Stewart. "Da! Mr. Stevens wants to use Caleb as a stud fer his cows! Says he's the biggest bull this side of the big lakes!"
"I wish ye'd all just shut up!" she mumbled in exasperation.
"I've not said anythin'," was the argued response.
Kathleen turned to see her little brother watching her curiously. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I was talkin' ta myself, Stew." She returned to her chore, clucking at the hens and hoping her sibling would drop it and leave.
But such was not the case. The youth set the empty pails down and moved to sit on a nearby stump. "What's up, Kath? Ye've been actin' daft all week."
"It's none of yer concern."
Stewart shook his
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