would be most kind of you, should we find
ourselves able.” The man bowed slightly and slipped the paper in
the pocket of his suit jacket. “Our address, should you need us.”
He handed her a fresh sheet.
“Ah, our host.” The older man said with a
smile.
Edwina turned and saw Mr.
Dunnegin coming toward them. Wasn’t he
supposed to be gone by now?
“Sorry to be late,” he said without a
smile.
Oh boy, things were not
good. Edwina started for her seat when she was grabbed at the elbow
and propelled forward. What
now?
Before she knew what was happening she was
seated in Ilana’s chair. The Scot then stepped around the table to
settle the elderly woman in her chair, waited for the man to be
seated before he took his own. Where in the world was Ilana going
to sit? Surely she would toss Edwina out on her head if she were to
come in and find her position occupied. Her eyes slid back and
forth from the doorway to the Scot to the elderly couple.
“She will not be joining us,” he said
pointedly with a stare. “Stop fidgeting.”
Edwina set her hands in her lap, eased to the
point that at least the fiancée would not be yanking her hair out
strand by strand. Perhaps she was out purchasing the lace for her
storybook wedding dress.
Breakfast was served and
eaten in good spirits, at least with the couple and Edwina... the
Scot’s thoughts were else- where and he barely spoke. And Bertie.
Well, she made up for the lack of smiles and good humor. Edwina
just stared at her. The woman was smiling at every turn, quick to
serve them, almost glowing. Glowing?
The Scot was angry, Bertie was happy. Such
things that went on in castles these days. Edwina almost shook her
head.
When the plates were removed and the small
talk had pretty much died down, Edwina excused herself to the
library.
Sunk deeply in the leather chair with the
World War II volume still heavy upon her lap, she started to doze.
She laid her head back, shut her tired eyes, and relaxed. She
wasn’t even worried about tomorrow. Her mind drifted to hills and
dales and women in fanciful, flowing dresses.
Something pulled her from her reverie. Slowly
she opened her eyes, stretched her arms outward, and found herself
in the presence of Alex Dunnegin. He was sitting in the chair
opposite her, his booted legs stretched out in front of him...
looking at her.
“What?” She came awake alarmed.
He lifted his hand as though to stop her. “I
came in to bid my guest bye-the-bye and found ye dozing.”
“Oh.” She closed the book
and started to rise. How long had he been
there?
“Remain seated. I have much to do and must be
on my way. Reardon will see ye to Edinburgh this evening or in the
morning, whichever ye wish.”
“Thank you,” she said quietly, still
mush-minded.
“It was kind of you to offer yer sister’s
accommodations for my friends.”
“ Oh, it’s nothing. Not
after all you’ve done for me. And for my sister, indirectly,” she
added smiling. “She planned the trip.”
“The cause of yer predicament, eh?”
“Exactly.” she said. “You see my sister is
rather elegant, English and beautiful. It was her picture that
arrived by fax and no one believes she is me... as well they
shouldn’t.”
“Will ye have trouble tomorrow... on the
tour, I mean.”
“Probably, but I will insist, absolutely
insist that I be let on.” She smiled at her ability to make light
of the problem.
“Ah, a lass in a man’s world.”
Edwina thought about that for a moment.
“Well, not exactly,” she admitted. “Cecelia, my sister, she’s one
of those.”
“Ah, another one,” he said
and looked past her through the windows deep in thought, the smile
gone from his lips. Lips much too pretty for a man. Where had that come from? I’ve never noticed a
man’s lips before. But then, she
reasoned , I’ve never seen so much
handsomeness wrapped up in one man before either.
The Scot stood to his full height. “Hope you
enjoy the rest of your tour in
ourselves able.” The man bowed slightly and slipped the paper in
the pocket of his suit jacket. “Our address, should you need us.”
He handed her a fresh sheet.
“Ah, our host.” The older man said with a
smile.
Edwina turned and saw Mr.
Dunnegin coming toward them. Wasn’t he
supposed to be gone by now?
“Sorry to be late,” he said without a
smile.
Oh boy, things were not
good. Edwina started for her seat when she was grabbed at the elbow
and propelled forward. What
now?
Before she knew what was happening she was
seated in Ilana’s chair. The Scot then stepped around the table to
settle the elderly woman in her chair, waited for the man to be
seated before he took his own. Where in the world was Ilana going
to sit? Surely she would toss Edwina out on her head if she were to
come in and find her position occupied. Her eyes slid back and
forth from the doorway to the Scot to the elderly couple.
“She will not be joining us,” he said
pointedly with a stare. “Stop fidgeting.”
Edwina set her hands in her lap, eased to the
point that at least the fiancée would not be yanking her hair out
strand by strand. Perhaps she was out purchasing the lace for her
storybook wedding dress.
Breakfast was served and
eaten in good spirits, at least with the couple and Edwina... the
Scot’s thoughts were else- where and he barely spoke. And Bertie.
Well, she made up for the lack of smiles and good humor. Edwina
just stared at her. The woman was smiling at every turn, quick to
serve them, almost glowing. Glowing?
The Scot was angry, Bertie was happy. Such
things that went on in castles these days. Edwina almost shook her
head.
When the plates were removed and the small
talk had pretty much died down, Edwina excused herself to the
library.
Sunk deeply in the leather chair with the
World War II volume still heavy upon her lap, she started to doze.
She laid her head back, shut her tired eyes, and relaxed. She
wasn’t even worried about tomorrow. Her mind drifted to hills and
dales and women in fanciful, flowing dresses.
Something pulled her from her reverie. Slowly
she opened her eyes, stretched her arms outward, and found herself
in the presence of Alex Dunnegin. He was sitting in the chair
opposite her, his booted legs stretched out in front of him...
looking at her.
“What?” She came awake alarmed.
He lifted his hand as though to stop her. “I
came in to bid my guest bye-the-bye and found ye dozing.”
“Oh.” She closed the book
and started to rise. How long had he been
there?
“Remain seated. I have much to do and must be
on my way. Reardon will see ye to Edinburgh this evening or in the
morning, whichever ye wish.”
“Thank you,” she said quietly, still
mush-minded.
“It was kind of you to offer yer sister’s
accommodations for my friends.”
“ Oh, it’s nothing. Not
after all you’ve done for me. And for my sister, indirectly,” she
added smiling. “She planned the trip.”
“The cause of yer predicament, eh?”
“Exactly.” she said. “You see my sister is
rather elegant, English and beautiful. It was her picture that
arrived by fax and no one believes she is me... as well they
shouldn’t.”
“Will ye have trouble tomorrow... on the
tour, I mean.”
“Probably, but I will insist, absolutely
insist that I be let on.” She smiled at her ability to make light
of the problem.
“Ah, a lass in a man’s world.”
Edwina thought about that for a moment.
“Well, not exactly,” she admitted. “Cecelia, my sister, she’s one
of those.”
“Ah, another one,” he said
and looked past her through the windows deep in thought, the smile
gone from his lips. Lips much too pretty for a man. Where had that come from? I’ve never noticed a
man’s lips before. But then, she
reasoned , I’ve never seen so much
handsomeness wrapped up in one man before either.
The Scot stood to his full height. “Hope you
enjoy the rest of your tour in
Similar Books
