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She laughed and patted his arm gently. “I meant buying’ new thin’s are my favorite things to do. Do not worry, My Laird. You will learn.”

Jack couldn’t hold back the laugh that left his lips as he stood there with her. Isla Lambert made his heart lighter than it had been in years.

Isla exchanged her gold jewelry and items for more dresses and earasaids than Jack had intended to get her. By the time she changed into one of the green color dresses and came out of the stall, Jack was standing right on the same spot waiting for her.

She curtsied in front of him, then lifted her hands and patted her hair back. He didn’t say anything for a while as he stared at her, but she saw his eyes drift down her body before his gaze landed on hers again.

“Do I look that bad?” she asked, with a small frown that made her lips pout. Jack shook his head and sighed.

“Ye look perfect,” he said to her. Isla smiled and he responded with a matching grin. He couldn’t hold it back. Besides, there was that tingle that raced through him in that moment. A kind he had never felt before.

The green dress blended with her creamy skin and made her look beautiful. Jack’s finger itched with the urge to touch her bare skin and stroke it. Her full lower lip called for his attention.

Does she know what she does to me? Did she even realize it?

He didn’t think so. There was an innocence surrounding her that he admired too. It made the sensations of heat stroking through him more intense than ever.

“We should head on,” he said after looking away from her and controlling his heated thoughts.

They continued their journey for the rest of the day, and by the time they finally reached the gates of the Castle, Isla was dozing on the horse with Jack behind her to steady and make sure she didn’t fall off.

Her eyes slowly opened when she didn’t feel the horse’s movements beneath her again. Isla rubbed her hands over her eyes, yawned and turned to look behind her.

Just then, men clothed in kilts and léine rushed out of the Castle and came to stand in front of their horse. They bowed their heads all at once. Jack got off his horse and helped her down first before he walked to them.

“My Laird,” one of the men stepped forward. “Welcome.”

Isla watched the scene before her in disbelief. She was aware that she now lived in the seventeenth century, but each time she saw these people it was a reminder that this was no dream.

She was still quiet behind Jack when she suddenly felt a curious gaze on her. Isla averted her eyes immediately and lowered it, not knowing what to do next.

Jack then took her hand and gently pulled her forward, so she stood by his side. “This is Lady Isla Lambert of Deumont,” Jack introduced her. “And she is my betrothed.”

Isla sucked in a deep breath after he made the announcement. She didn’t know if she had expected a more open reaction to his absurd plan or if she had hoped that she would return to her time before they even arrived his Castle, but here she was standing with a laird from the seventeenth century and dressed like a lady of that time.

Isla chuckled. Her outburst surprised everyone as they all turned to look at her, and it seemed only Jack understood why she laughed because his eyes turned solemn on hers and he shook his head, gently passing a message for her to stay calm with his cool gaze.

“Prepare her a chamber on my wing of the Castle. I want her comfortable, fed and well rested.”

“Aye, My Laird,” his men chorused, then Jack released her and walked away.

Standing alone, Isla suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable.

She didn’t know if she ought to curtsy or extend her hand to the man staring at her with wide, curious, and intent dark eyes.

“I am Jamie Norwood,” the man introduced when she met his gaze briefly. Isla slowly lifted her hand to him for a kiss and when he released her again, he added, “I will show ye to the wing and have ye assigned a servant for yer help.”

“Thank you, my lord,” she answered.

Jamie shook his head. “Nay a lord,” he said in his thick Scottish accent. “Sir Jamie it is, My Lady, and welcome to Humphreys.”

Isla hooked her hand when he extended a braced arm and he led her up the stairway, past the second landing to the third where he showed her to her chamber.

“As the Laird has requested, we will make sure ye are comfortable here, My Lady.”

“Thank ye Jami… Sir Jamie,” she corrected herself before she made the slip of calling him by his first name like it was so commonly done in England in 1973.

Jamie smiled at her. “Mar sin leat.”


Tags: Maddie MacKenna Historical