A Laird for All Time by Angeline Fortin (room on the broom read aloud txt) 📗

Ian got the gist of what she was saying and started back to the castle at a trot shaking his head.  About a hundred yards away though he suddenly stopped and stared back at her.  “A big ‘O’!” he let out a loud snort and laughed heartily.  “Oh, lass, that is prime good humor!”  He waved a hand at her and continued home.

Emmy laughed as he finally caught on.  How…Victorian they were when it came to discussing the human condition.  No talk of body parts or sex out loud lest you make someone uncomfortable.  Well, with sex mentioned on TV every twenty seconds or so, she supposed it was easy to become immune to what was once considered inappropriate topics.  Between Dr. Phil and Oprah there had been no topic left unexplored.  Mentally shrugging, she continued up the shoreline to a large rock where she took a seat and stared out over the water.

Farther northwest a ferry was leaving the island and heading toward the mainland.  It was nothing like the larger ferry she had taken which carried eighty cars and nearly a thousand people.  She wagered it took much longer than the forty-five minutes her modern ferry had taken as well.  No power lines, no big ferry and probably no big pier in Craignure to dock said big ferry at.  She was definitely out of her own time.  Out of her element.  She couldn’t even have a conversation without shocking someone.  Pulling her legs up, she wrapped her arms around her knees and propped her chin on them.

What was she to do?  Did she even have a choice?  If she kept trying to convince Connor that she was not Heather and he finally believed her, what would happen to her?  Would he kick her out of the castle?  Where would she go?  The questions mounted in her mind.  It was terrifying, this uncertainty.  If she were a weaker willed person, it might bring her to tears.  As it was a tear of self-pity escaped and she reached up to wipe it away.

Chapter 13

“Finally feeling some guilt over yer behavior?” Connor asked as he seated himself next to her.

Despite the fact she hadn’t heard his approach; Emmy refused to jump in surprise.  Of course he would come back to fight some more!  “Just don’t, Connor.  Or do you not remember how to have a conversation that doesn’t involve picking fights with people?  Really,” Emmy continued with a raised brow, “who was the last person you had a normal conversation with?  Other than your brother,” she added as he started to answer.

He exhaled the start of his reply in a huff.  “My solicitor, then,” he replied.

“Okay, someone who isn’t employed by you or completely cowed by you,” she amended.

Connor paused a moment then admitted a bit sheepishly.  “Ye’ve made your point.  I’ll admit I may have made a habit of being an aggressor in conversation.  Perhaps without even realizing that it was so.”

“It’s a classic defense mechanism,” the professional in her told him.  “Once bitten, twice shy.  The first strike mentality.  I don’t know the medical side too well, but you seem pretty textbook to me.”

“I do?”  Connor had no idea what she was talking about but loved the soft husky sound of her voice.  It flowed over him but did not soothe.  Rather her voice thrummed across his senses birthing an awareness that he had not felt in many years.  While she frustrated him a great deal, in the end she almost brought peace to his mind when he allowed it.  He felt alive and good.  He had forgotten how that felt.  Despite the anger and arguments they seemed to have, he could not stay away from her.  Could not resist coming after her when Ian had returned without her.

“Let it go.  Remember?” she whispered softly resting her cheek against her knees so her face was turned toward him.  “You are fairly likable when you relax a bit and I bet you’d do pretty well as a happy man.”

“A happy man?” he repeated as if the words were foreign to him.  Now how would that feel?  Good, he supposed.  Connor took her hand and flattened it between his two open palms.  His skin tingled and warmed next to hers.  This is why he could not stay away from her.  Indeed, he wanted her so.  He was wholly enthralled by her.  Two sleepless nights had shown him that.  He knew that he should stay away from her, knew it and eschewed it. He wanted to be near her.  The morning had been a long one without seeing her. But it wasn’t just desire any longer, he admitted to himself.  He simply liked her.  Liked that she felt comfortable enough with him, with everyone, not to put on a polite façade to the world.  She was what she was.  And despite her endless sarcasm and occasionally biting remarks, didn’t seem to have a mean bone in her body.  She wanted to help him despite the animosity that should have existed between them.

And how soft and comfortable she seemed today!  Perched on the rock with her knees to her chest and arms wrapped around them as he had approached.  Face turned to the sun and cast in its brilliance.  She had not risen or thought to rise and greet him formally.  She was just like that.

The breeze teased a strand of her long hair from its clasp creating a rippling effect that was almost hypnotic.  He wanted to touch it again to see if it was as soft as he remembered.  When a strayed farther to tease her cheek and nose, he took the opportunity to tuck it back behind her ear. Her bright blue eyes met his wide with awareness.  At the open neck of her blouse, he could see her pulse beating rapidly tempting his fingers to trail down her throat to feel the throbbing as it increased.  A