Loving A Highlander by Aileen Wells Page A

home, it had been her safe haven. 
    Isabella stifled a yawn as her eyelids grew heavy.  With a sigh, she laid back on the bed and closed her eyes.  Soon she was lost in a world of dreams.

 
     
     
     
                 
    Chapter
    Five
     

 
     
    “Is she awake?” the voice of a little boy asked.
    “Shhhhhh.  I think she is still sleeping,” a little girl answered.
    Isabella awoke to the sounds of giggles.  She turned her head and saw two pairs of eyes peering at her over the edge of the bed.
    She sat up and rubbed her eyes as she looked at her visitors.  One of them was Eva and the laird’s daughter, Anne, and she knew the other little one with a headful of red curls must be their son, Nicholas.
    She attempted a smile.  “Hello.”
    Anne sighed as she turned to her brother.  “See, Nicholas.  I told you she was sleeping.  Now we are going to get into trouble for waking her.”
    Isabella laughed as she shook her head.  “No, you won’t,” she reassured the children.  “I won’t tell anyone.  I promise.”
    Anne looked at her.  “You won’t tell our governess?”
    Isabella shook her head.  “No.  I haven’t met your governess, so I could hardly tell her, could I?”
    The little boy looked at her with round eyes.  “Our governess is mean.  If we misbehave, she makes us go to bed without eating.”  He rubbed his tummy as he spoke.
    “She is mean,” Anne said, agreeing with her brother.  She studied Isabella.  “Perhaps, you could be our new governess?  Christmas is next month and I asked father if I could have a new governess as my gift.”
    Isabella giggled.  “And what did your father say?”
    “He said he would think about it,” Anne said, as she twirled about the room.
    A knock sounded on the bedchamber door, and before Isabella could answer, Gerard opened it and poked his head inside.  He smiled when his gaze landed on the children.  “I thought I heard wee voices coming from inside the room.”
    Both Anne and Nicholas ran over to give him a hug and Gerard bent down and hoisted Nicholas onto his shoulders.  “I passed your governess in the corridor.  She is frantic with worry.  Perhaps I should return both of you to the nursery before she alerts your father you are missing.”
    He straightened and his gaze landed on Isabella.  A soft smile curved his lips as he took in her disheveled state.  “That will give you time to change and then I will escort you to the evening meal.”
    Gerard turned, and with Nicholas on his shoulders, walked out the door.  Anne turned to wave at Isabella before she too disappeared down the corridor.
    Isabella quickly changed into the cream colored dress, taking a moment to admire its folds as the skirt fell softly to the floor to pool atop her feet.  She ran her fingers through her hair and wished for some way to secure the tresses, but having none, allowed the hair to fall to her waist in thick waves.
    A knock sounded once again on the door and she moved to open it.  Gerard leaned against the doorjamb and she took a moment to see details she hadn’t noticed earlier.  He had obviously bathed and changed his clothes in preparation for dinner.  Damp hair curled against the collar of his shirt and hung to his shoulders, creating damp patches on the material.
    Isabella was struck anew at how handsome he was.  Most men she knew only bathed a few times a year, but cleanliness appeared to be important to him and she found that she liked that.
    Gerard’s grin was slow and wicked as he looked over her shoulder at the rumpled bed.  “We could skip the evening meal, lass, and spend our time in much more pleasurable pursuits.” 
    His voice was low and deep and sent a shiver down Isabella’s spine.  She took a step back.  “I don’t know what you mean,” she said, even as her pulse raced at the thought. 
    Gerard straightened and chuckled.  “I’m just teasing, lass.  I wouldn’t miss the evening meal.  The cook is one