“Donald has a point, he does,” Neal said, nodding wisely.

“Whist now, all of ye,” Hamish said in his quiet way. “Miss Kat looks loverly in her habit, she does. And that’s all she needs to hear from us.”

The others nodded their agreement.

Simon appeared relieved the moment had passed. “There ye are, Miss Kat. We all agree ye looks wondrous.”

Kat had to smile. Over the last few years, these men had become her family, and she loved them dearly. It was wonderful how they each added to Kat’s life and livelihood. After years of practice, Simon was better than she was at glazing, his touch delicate and smooth. Both Donald and Hamish had a way with soldering that made her shake her head in wonder. Alistair could get the most cuts out of a pane of glass. Neal was a marvel at etching, while Douglas’s ability to trace and replicate a design was almost uncanny. He had but to see a picture to reproduce it. And Will’s exquisite woodworking skills made suitable frames that blended the beauty of the glass with the more functional aspects of the windows and doors Kat’s patrons demanded.

But for all the talents of her apprentices, none had her eye for design and not one understood the use of color, though she’d tried time and again to explain it to them. It was the combination of all their skills that made the glasswork so unusual, so exquisite.

A noise arose outside, and Simon crossed to the window. He frowned. “There’s that Sassenach again. Does he have nothin’ better to do than come here?”

“He came to see me. We are going riding.”

The warm glow of approval evaporated as quickly as it had come. “Riding?” Donald said. “With a Sassenach?”

“With one of Malcolm’s guests,” Kat said a bit defensively. “Besides, I get to ride his gelding.”

“’Tis a bonny horse,” Simon said, “but I hope ye’ll have a care. I don’t trust any of Lord Macdonald’s guests, particularly not the Sassenach ones.”

Kat placed the hat on her head, tilting it to a jaunty angle, then she went to the door. “I will take care, Simon. You have my word on it.”

“Like ye’ll remember oncet ye’re cavorting with the Sassenach,” Simon said sourly.

“I promise not to let the ‘cavorting’ go to my head.” She grinned at the lads. “I will be back soon, and then we’ll begin working on the designs for the windows for that London church. I’ve an idea for a panel that will leave them all breathless.”

With that, she waved a good-bye and then almost danced out the door, closing it behind her.

Chapter 9

Most men are trustworthy providing you trust them only after they’ve proven themselves worthy.

Miss Elizabeth Standon to a rather distraught Lady Lucinda Sutherland upon discovering Mr. Poole’s duplicity