It had been everything he could have wanted and yet nothing he would have ever known to ask for.

After the storm had quieted, they had remained in the cabin for a time, until her clothing had dried enough that she could put it back on. Yet, still, the air had somewhat cooled with the storm, and Adam saw her shiver in spite of the sun that was now visible in the late afternoon sky. After helping her onto her horse, he made sure the plaid was wrapped tightly around her, and with a smile he left her and mounted Sloane.

As they made their way, now at a slow trot, the remaining distance to Darfield, Adam’s thoughts raced. Rebecca was such a contradiction. She was small, yet so strong. She loved her pretty dresses and fine things, and yet she wanted to know more about how things worked and seemed to be determined to support herself if she must. She loved the affection of others, and yet seemed to be so alone in her world.

And after everything, he kept asking himself — what was he to do about her now? He had never felt this way about a woman before. There had been women interested in him, of course, from the village or from nearby towns. He had been to some of the big cities, but the women there held no attraction for him. They were too pretentious, too concerned with their place in society. When Adam invested himself in something, be it an invention, a project, or, now, a woman — he did not take it lightly. Everything he did, he put all of his time and effort into, and this was no different.

Except usually he planned so carefully, and with Rebecca … with Rebecca it had been so unexpected. He had allowed his emotions to control him, from the first time they had met. And without a plan, he now felt somewhat adrift.

“Adam?” he heard Rebecca call out to him, and he realized it had been some time since they had spoken, as Darfield was already in sight.

“Aye?” he replied, looking back at her.

“You’ve been … quiet. I mean, I know that is normal for you, but at the same time I just wanted to make sure everything was all right?” She spoke softly, with hesitation, and Adam realized she likely had been questioning herself to the same extent as he, if not more so. He cursed. He should have been more understanding, more reassuring following their time together in the cabin.

“All is fine,” he said, trying to flash what he hoped was a reassuring smile back at her. “How do you feel? I didna hurt your leg at all, did I?”

“I feel just fine,” she answered, though he could see the bright blush creep up her cheeks. “Physically, I mean, more than fine. However, I do feel somewhat … confused. What becomes of us now? What happens from here?”

He reined in his horse so that they were side by side, allowing him to look at her, truly look at her, while they spoke. He took in the crystal blue of her eyes, which were now wide and searching, as if she expected him to hold the answers to all of the questions that now plagued her.

“Do you think your father would allow you to stay here? If you should want to, that is? I know you talked about working, and if you stayed here — with us, with me — there would certainly be work, though perhaps not exactly what you had in mind.”

“What are you saying?” she asked, and he swallowed hard. What was he saying? Was he actually asking her to stay here with him — to marry him? For that’s what it would mean, of course, were she to stay in the Highlands because of him.

“I — I suppose I am asking you to —”

“Rebecca!” The voice cut through the trees around them, causing them both to jump, so intent they had been on one another and their conversation that they had not heard the horse approaching.

“Darling, I have been ever so worried about you!” It was Vincent Thompson, damn the man. If there were anyone he wanted nowhere near the two of them in this moment, it was this man. And yet, here he was.

“Vincent,” she said, nodding her head at him as he rode up and stopped shortly in front of them. “You needn’t have worried. I was in good hands.” She smiled at Adam, and he thought he felt his heart stop beating for just a moment. What was wrong with him? Never would he have thought that a woman could have this sort of effect on him, especially an Englishwoman. Callum had married an Englishwoman and they had all thought him slightly mad. Now here he was, pining over one himself.

“We knew you were to arrive today, and then the storm blew through. We were worried, and I told your father I would ride out to see to your safety,” he said, as he pulled the reins to lead his horse around so that he came between Adam and Rebecca.

“How did you suppose you would find me?” she asked him, looking up with confusion. “And if you did, what could you have done that Mr. McDougall could not have?”

He didn’t seem to have an answer to that, but simply held his somewhat large nose high in the air and sent his horse forward toward Darfield.

“Thank you, McDougall, but I can take her from here,” Vincent said, without so much as turning to look at Adam, though he could see Rebecca try to peer around the man to catch his eye. It didn’t seem she was as eager to get rid of him, which he was grateful for.

“If you dinna mind, I will accompany you,” Adam said. “I have some business to attend to with Rory.”

He did have to speak to Rory, but he also needed to find time to speak with Rebecca alone before she could leave.

Vincent shrugged his shoulders, as if to say that Adam’s activities were of no consequence to him, and together the unlikely trio rode down the hill into Darfield’s yard.

The great hall of the keep was rather loud with the many visitors, as well as Darfield’s own servants bustling to and fro as they fed everyone in a timely manner. As Adam entered, he nodded to Rory, who was standing against the brick wall, his arms crossed over his chest as he kept an eye on all that was happening in front of him.

Adam walked over to him, but before he could say anything was intercepted by Rebecca’s father.

“McDougall!” the robust man said, extending an arm toward him. “Thank you for seeing my daughter home, though you are a bit tardy, are you not? Well, never you mind. Come, have a drink with me. I have business I would like to discuss with you.”

Business? Adam looked to Rory to see if he knew what this was about, but Rory just shrugged his shoulders, looking as perplexed as Adam himself. Trenton led him over to a place at one of the long tables, where Vincent and Rebecca sat. Adam really had no desire to sit with the three of them, but he didn’t see any way of escape.

“Now, boy, I’d like to tell you a bit of our business,” he began, and Adam raised his eyebrows. Boy?

“I know some of it,” he said slowly. “You own a power plant in London, do you not?”

“I do,” said Trenton, seeming somewhat surprised Adam knew of him, but waved his arm. “You know how the business works then?” Seeing Adam nod, he continued. “We’ve made great inroads in the past couple of years but as we grow, so do our competitors, who are numbered and just as innovative. I’m looking to expand in ways that may not have been thought of yet, particularly in the countryside. The type of power we generate would never work there. Homes are spread too far apart. We need to think of a way to create power more effectively. I think you can help us.”

Adam started in surprise. What Trenton said was true. His wind machine certainly could help bring power to rural areas. But how had the man known of it? He looked over at Rebecca. There was no way she had time to tell him of it, had she? He felt a twinge of ire at the thought of her sharing his work with her father, though he hadn’t exactly asked her to keep it a secret.

She shook her head almost imperceptibly at him, however, telling him that no, she had not said a word. He looked back at the man, saying nothing, but allowing him to continue.

“I should like you to come to London. Come share your work with my partner. He will know more about how best to incorporate it into our operations. You will be paid handsomely, of course, if anything should come of it. Why, perhaps you can even join our business, could he not, Vincent?”

Vincent did not look convinced, but said nothing.

“Father,” Rebecca asked for him, as Adam sat there mutely, rather taken aback at the conversation. “How do you know of Adam’s work?”

“Adam? My, how we’ve become familiar with our hosts,” said Trenton with a glint in his eye. “When I was at Galbury Castle I happened upon some of his work. It was meant to be, I suppose!”

“You let yourself into my workshop?” Adam asked, gritting his teeth. There was no way anyone at the castle would have let a stranger into the building they knew Adam was so protective of.

“You could say I was led there,” the man said, letting out a bellow of laughter which shook the jowls of his cheeks. “Come, now, my boy, does it really matter? What matters now is the future! We have it within our reach. We return to London in two days’ time. What do you say?”

Adam wasn’t sure how to respond. He didn’t trust the man, that was for certain. Yet if what he said was true, this was an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many, to bring power to them and move them forward in the future. For once, the countryside would not be left behind, but rather, would be as advanced as the city folk.

“My invention … it’s not finished. And I would never work without being a partner myself,” he finally said, not committing either way.

“Aha!” said the man, pointing his finger and nearly jumping out of his chair as if it he found the key to what he had been searching for. “That’s the beauty of this! Together we can finish it. Together, we can find the answers you are searching for, as I have the resources at my disposal to help. We will create a partnership in its truest form. Will you come?”

Adam wasn’t sure what to say. There was something off about the man that bothered him — there had been since the moment he arrived to their land. But then he looked at the woman sitting beside him, her wide eyes framed by the petite face and freckles that had emerged to cover her nose. She looked at him, so hopeful, and he realized he could not say no to her unspoken question.

“Aye,” he finally answered. “I’ll come.”