AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His face held concern but also a smirk.
Amelia straightened in slight defiance. “I will be perfectly well, thank you. I was just visiting my mother for the night and am returning to the castle.”
William replied, “Aye, Mr. Fletcher has told me about it. Well, let me accompany ye to back to the castle if ye don’t mind. I’d feel better about it. Never let it be said that a young, handsome, strong Scotsman left someone out tae freeze on their own.” He laughed, and they began to walk together, William leading his horse by the reins.
Amelia smiled at his open confidence. She coughed in embarrassment. “Mr. Fraser do let me apologize for the mistake of thinking you were Laird James. I was very embarrassed.”
William turned to her with a smile as they walked. “Och, lass, that was about the best thing I’d heard all month. I was in stitches! And I think it knocked Jamie down a peg or two. He’s needin’ a bit o’ that.” William winked at her.
“Yes, Laird James...Jamie does seem to have a confident streak.”
William roared with laughter at her attempt at politeness. “He is a bit of an arse, I’ll tell ye. But pay him no mind. Now, have ye been enjoying it here at Kinnaird? Despite the existence of the blaigeard?”
Amelia told him about her time at the castle, and William regaled her with a few tales from his childhood. She forgot all about Jamie’s nearness and her embarrassment with William and laughed out loud in the cold air. She admired such ability to find humor in almost every situation in life. But the conversation eventually turned to more tragic topics. “May I ask what happened to Lady Kinnaird’s husband, the former Laird?”
“Och, now that is a sad topic. Old Laird James fell in the Battle of Culloden. It was the final Jacobite uprising against ye English.”
Amelia’s hand fled to her heart. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I had assumed it was an illness.”
“No, that man was a strong as an ox. Jamie was there as well. Most of the men were felled by English muskets, but some were kept as prisoners and executed or tortured. Jamie fell into the latter group.”
“Laird Jamie was tortured by English soldiers?” Amelia felt a rush of sympathy for the bastard.
“Aye.” William nodded somberly. “Those English bastards had nae mercy for most o’ the men. But, he was allowed to return to the family home, as his mother’s English and of noble English birth. His grandfather was an English viscount. So, he is the laird and chief, but the English have reduced the clan leaders tae naething more than landlords.”
Amelia shook her head in disbelief. “I’m very sorry for what the English have done. We were always taught the nobility of soldiers. I had no idea. Unfortunately, ladies in England are not taught much about politics and what’s going on in the outside world. Our heads are stuffed with balls and husband-hunting.” She smirked. “But, I much prefer your rough world of Scotland. Were you not in the battle?”
Here William paused. “Me da was there and was killed as well. As well as Jamie’s uncle. I had been injured before and was lying up sick. It broke my heart tae not be there tae help them, noble lads, the lot o’ them.” Amelia apologized once again and laid her hand on his arm. But, suddenly, William shed the frown he was wearing and returned to his jovial self, enjoying the warm presence a young woman’s hand and smile could bring.
“And so now, it’s me and Jamie, two non-gentleman, left tae sort out for ourselves.” William winked at her knowingly. Amelia flushed. “And, there’s Jamie’s cousin, Donald, who ye’ll be meeting soon enough. He’s a bloody bore and idiot, so I wouldn’t waste me time with him.”
Amelia smiled, but inside was pondering over the tragedies of the Kinnaird clan.How could the English have done such horrible things? Shoot down clans of men who only wanted to protect their lands? And Laird Jamie--tortured. And Lady Kinnaird--widowed.It was almost too much for her to bear. Her own financial troubles seemed small in comparison. At least her parents were still living.
William and Amelia finally arrived back at the castle to find Jamie and Fiona eating breakfast in the main hall at a long wooden table.
“Hello, my dear! Do join us for the morning meal and warm yourselves.” Fiona motioned warmly to the seat next to her.
When Jamie looked up to see William and Amelia entering together, he gave William a confused look, and William winked. Jamie asked from the head of the table, “And what are ye two doing together so early in the morn?”
Fiona tsked at her son. “Jamie do be polite to our guest. How am I to show you in polite society with your impertinence? How can I possibly explain you at the upcoming dinner party?”
Amelia removed her scarf and cape and sat down next to Fiona. “Mr. Fraser, William, just met me along the way as I was returning from my mother’s house.”
Jamie turned to William who also sat at the table with a large grin on his face. “Is that so?”
William shrugged with innocence. “What’s a red-blooded Scotsman warrior to do but to help a lass along her way?” He started to eat with barely controlled glee.
Fiona smiled. “Quite right.” Jamie looked suspicious, and clapped William on the back which made William spill his ale as he sipped. “And what would we do without such good Scotsmen about?”
Amelia narrowed her eyes at Jamie’s odd behavior, but eventually settled into a side conversation with Fiona about their plan for the day.
Jamie didn’t like the look of William and Amelia entering together, so quite at leisure with one another. And as they’d come in, Amelia was laughing about something William said: a happy, light sound, like a mountain brook. She had been refreshed by the morning air and exercise, and her skin shone healthily. Her blue eyes nearly jumped out at him, their icy blue entrancing. And as she’d taken off the scarf and cape before sitting, he noticed the tight fit of her bodice. It was too small for her, but that just gave him an eyeful of her thin waist and ample breasts that he hadn’t seen before. He didn’t want to notice it.
Jamie turned to William and whispered, “And so, yer planning on being a bastard aren’t ye?” William lifted his hands in mock innocence. “Me? Yer best friend for all these years? The bet said nothing about me not being able tae talk tae the lass.”
Jamie mulled over a response. William continued and leaned back in his chair with an air of cockiness. “Aye, this bothers ye, it does. May the best man win, I suppose.”
Jamie lifted his cup in admiration. “To William Fraser, my best friend, who will find a loophole wherever there is one, especially if a woman’s involved.”
They laughed, and Jamie excused himself from the table. His gaze lingered over Amelia, and as if he’d willed it, she connected her eyes with his. For a moment, they paused, Amelia’s neck reddening until Amelia tore her gaze away, and Jamie headed to his work room.
So, she’s not so immune to my charms after all.He smiled to himself, and at the same time squashed down the feeling of pleasure that rose in his gut.
