when he and Elizabeth were getting ready for bed. “Cutting off a boy’s hair and forbidding any of them, boy or girl, to speak their native language!”
“I just didn’t think our first night together was the time to discuss it, Michael,” said his wife with a wry smile.
“And you were right, a ghra,” he admitted. “It is just that we have seen some of the results when we’ve visited Antonio and Serena. Remember her nephew who went back east to school? He came home in a suit and tie and could hardly speak Navajo. He didn’t feel at home with his own people and all those well-meaning people back east? Well, they were not interested in hiring him or introducing him to their daughters.”
“I know and I am very glad that Serena refused to send their daughter away.” Elizabeth sighed. “Maybe we shouldn’t have done it, either.”
“ ‘Tis hardly the same.”
“Oh, I know that, Michael. But clearly Cait does not see this as home anymore. Once she goes back east, she won’t be our daughter in the same way.”
“Well, what did ye think of the lad, Elizabeth?”
“He seems very intelligent. He is certainly handsome. And he obviously respects Caitlin as well as loves her. That is very important to me, Michael. That whomever she marries not hold her back out of some old-fashioned idea of what women should do.” Elizabeth hesitated. “But….”
“But what, a ghra?” asked Michael, putting his arm around his wife as she sat up against the pillows.
“It is hard to know much after just one day, Michael. I think he loves Cait. He showed affection to her at the station. It is just that she is such a passionate person and I sense that he isn’t.” Elizabeth was quiet for a moment. “He is obviously a fine young man, but I want Cait to have what we have, Michael.”
“And what is that, Elizabeth?” Michael whispered.
“A love that combines respect and affection with passion, Michael.”
“Ye can’t always judge by the outside of a man.”
“I know. He may very well be Heathcliff underneath his fine blue suit and spotless linen,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
They both looked at each other and laughed.
“Somehow I don’t see Henry Beecham as a lad who’d enjoy wandering over the moors in the rain and the wind, me darlin’. And don’t ye think Cait has grown up a bit?”
“Of course, but I think she is still our Cait, passionate about horses and books and ideas. She will need to have that passionate self welcomed in her marriage.”
“ ‘Tis too early to tell anything, Elizabeth. And we must assume that she knows what she wants.”
Elizabeth slid down and reaching under Michael’s nightshirt, ran her fingers down his chest. “I know what I want, Michael,” she whispered.
Michael sat up and pulled his shirt over his head. Then he helped his wife off with her nightgown.
“You are as beautiful to me as you were the first time I saw you, muirneach ,” he said softly, and pulled her down on top of him.
* * * *
The next morning Cait smiled as she watched her parents. Her father came in and put his arms around her mother’s waist as she stood stirring the oatmeal. He leaned forward and murmured his good-morning against her neck. As Elizabeth served Michael his breakfast, she leaned against him naturally and unconsciously. They had what Cait called ‘the look’ in their eyes. She had always rested secure in the way they expressed their affection for each other openly. But as she got older, she began to sense a special tenderness on some days. It must be that they have made love, she had decided one day when she was around fourteen. Not that she knew much about making love then.
Or now, for that matter, she thought, though she could certainly imagine it better, now that she knew the physical details. What would it be like with Henry? she wondered, looking over at him. They had had a few more kisses than that first one before she left Philadelphia. But he had always broken
“I just didn’t think our first night together was the time to discuss it, Michael,” said his wife with a wry smile.
“And you were right, a ghra,” he admitted. “It is just that we have seen some of the results when we’ve visited Antonio and Serena. Remember her nephew who went back east to school? He came home in a suit and tie and could hardly speak Navajo. He didn’t feel at home with his own people and all those well-meaning people back east? Well, they were not interested in hiring him or introducing him to their daughters.”
“I know and I am very glad that Serena refused to send their daughter away.” Elizabeth sighed. “Maybe we shouldn’t have done it, either.”
“ ‘Tis hardly the same.”
“Oh, I know that, Michael. But clearly Cait does not see this as home anymore. Once she goes back east, she won’t be our daughter in the same way.”
“Well, what did ye think of the lad, Elizabeth?”
“He seems very intelligent. He is certainly handsome. And he obviously respects Caitlin as well as loves her. That is very important to me, Michael. That whomever she marries not hold her back out of some old-fashioned idea of what women should do.” Elizabeth hesitated. “But….”
“But what, a ghra?” asked Michael, putting his arm around his wife as she sat up against the pillows.
“It is hard to know much after just one day, Michael. I think he loves Cait. He showed affection to her at the station. It is just that she is such a passionate person and I sense that he isn’t.” Elizabeth was quiet for a moment. “He is obviously a fine young man, but I want Cait to have what we have, Michael.”
“And what is that, Elizabeth?” Michael whispered.
“A love that combines respect and affection with passion, Michael.”
“Ye can’t always judge by the outside of a man.”
“I know. He may very well be Heathcliff underneath his fine blue suit and spotless linen,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
They both looked at each other and laughed.
“Somehow I don’t see Henry Beecham as a lad who’d enjoy wandering over the moors in the rain and the wind, me darlin’. And don’t ye think Cait has grown up a bit?”
“Of course, but I think she is still our Cait, passionate about horses and books and ideas. She will need to have that passionate self welcomed in her marriage.”
“ ‘Tis too early to tell anything, Elizabeth. And we must assume that she knows what she wants.”
Elizabeth slid down and reaching under Michael’s nightshirt, ran her fingers down his chest. “I know what I want, Michael,” she whispered.
Michael sat up and pulled his shirt over his head. Then he helped his wife off with her nightgown.
“You are as beautiful to me as you were the first time I saw you, muirneach ,” he said softly, and pulled her down on top of him.
* * * *
The next morning Cait smiled as she watched her parents. Her father came in and put his arms around her mother’s waist as she stood stirring the oatmeal. He leaned forward and murmured his good-morning against her neck. As Elizabeth served Michael his breakfast, she leaned against him naturally and unconsciously. They had what Cait called ‘the look’ in their eyes. She had always rested secure in the way they expressed their affection for each other openly. But as she got older, she began to sense a special tenderness on some days. It must be that they have made love, she had decided one day when she was around fourteen. Not that she knew much about making love then.
Or now, for that matter, she thought, though she could certainly imagine it better, now that she knew the physical details. What would it be like with Henry? she wondered, looking over at him. They had had a few more kisses than that first one before she left Philadelphia. But he had always broken
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