My Heart's in the Highlands by Angeline Fortin (ebook reader screen TXT) 📕

“Thank you,” she responded automatically,though her mind latched onto something she found familiar. “Youfought in Crimea?”

“Balaklava, actually,” he amended. “We werejust being sent out to put a siege on Sevastopol when I was calledback.”

“You just missed it,” she said.

“I wouldn’t have thought a lady such asyourself would be versed on the details of our wars,” Ian’s said,his brows rising in surprise, “but, aye, I missed the battle atBalaklava by just a week. Many of my friends and comrades werekilled there.”

Half a league, half a league, half aleague onward, all in the valley of Death rode the six hundred.Forward, the Light Brigade! Mikah thought, remembering herhistory and English literature classes. “You were lucky. Thecasualties were very high.”

The marquis just nodded, and she felt that hewas uncomfortable with the topic so she let it go. “How long haveyou been here, then?”

“Just over a month,” he told her. “I like itvery much already though.”

“It’s hard not to,” she sighed with heartfeltfeeling. “I’ve missed it here.”

As if he caught the wistful tones, Lord Ayrwas quick to assure her. “You and your father are certainly welcometo stay for as long as you like. It is your home, after all, and Iwould be thankful for the company.”

A feeling of elation washed over Hero, asthis was exactly what she was hoping for, and she bestowed aradiant smile upon Ian. “Thank you, my lord. We will endeavor notto intrude upon your privacy.”

“Not at all, Lady Ayr. I am happy to have youhere,” the marquis assured her. “You are my cousin. You and hisgrace are my family now as well.”

Mikah could feel Hero’s joy as the worries ofbeing ejected from the property, which had been weighing her down,released, unleashing her buoyancy. Pushing herself fully to thefront of Mikah’s consciousness, Hero suddenly asked, “Have you seenthe dungeons yet?”

Dungeons? Mikah wondered, though amental image immediately followed.

“I have not,” Ayr replied, grinning boyishlyin response to her enthusiasm. “I believe my steward mentionedtheir presence, but I hadn’t thought they were of much note.”

“Oh, but they are!” she rejoined earnestly.“I’ve been telling Papa all about them, about Cuilean and the Firthand the gardens. The dungeons are vastly interesting and quiteunlike anything I’ve even read about. You simply must seethem!”

“And so we shall. It will be too late to doso when we arrive, but perhaps you might join me for a walk in themorning?” he asked politely, and when she nodded, he added, “andperhaps dinner tonight if you’re not too fatigued from ourjourney?”

Mikah felt a rush of blood in her cheeks andknew Hero was blushing over the masculine appreciation in LordAyr’s eyes and voice. Had she been more naïve, a blush might havebeen her first response as well. Even so, she was positively giddyat the thought of his company tonight, tomorrow, and in the days tocome. “Yes, my lord, that would be lovely.”

Turning to look out the window once more,Mikah’s breath caught at the sight of the old castle breakingthrough the dense trees. Dùn Cuilean! Her heart leapt in time withHero’s.

Home, they thought together, andHero’s joy mirrored Mikah’s own.

Chapter Five

Later that evening, Ian stood in the pillaredcircular hall that marked the center of the castle, waiting for themarchioness to join him for dinner. The sweeping central staircasehad become a symbol of the majesty of Dùn Cuilean to the newmarquis, a visual focal point for the pride that engulfed himwhenever he thought about being the Marquis of Ayr. That prideflooded him whenever he put a foot on that first tread or descendedthem, as he just had.

Dùn Cuilean was a magnificent castle, ancientin history yet glorious. This central hall, for example, wascomprised of a wide white marble staircase to the first floor splitat the landing into two white wings that wrapped back around to thefirst floor, curving along the sides of the oval. On each level,the balustrade was made up of an ornate railing of wrought ironshields upon long spikes that awed visitors with their metaphor ofpower. Twelve Corinthian columns and arches encircled the oval hallon the ground floor and were topped by Ionic columns on the firstfloor in a reversal of classic style that emphasized the height ofthe hall. At the top of it all, a glass-domed cupola allowed ashaft of light to beam down at the marble floor of the lowest hallas if the place were under the grace of God himself.

To know that it was all his was empowering.Ian felt his chest expand with that knowledge as he waited for themarchioness. The way she had looked at him during the carriage ridehome was just as empowering, he realized. The attraction betweenthem had been instantaneous and intense. He couldn’t remember everfeeling anything like it.

The urge to touch her, to hold her hand orcaress her cheek, had been almost overwhelming. It had beendifficult not to act on that attraction, to assume the familiarityhe felt. Instead he had settled for watching her. Watching herexpression as she’d looked out the window of the carriage asCuilean had come into view had enthralled him. Her anticipation andexcitement had been palpable, rousing an answering anticipation inhim. But it was her expression when she looked at him thatenthralled Ian the most. She looked at him as if he were godlike,like something she’d never seen before, and Ian felt the same whenhe looked at her. It was intoxicating.

It was magical.

So magical that he wanted to grasp it in hishands and never let it go. He wanted her to stay at Dùn Cuilean,wanted to share it with her. Wanted to share more than he cared toconsider just yet.

Not the least of those things was her bed.The attraction he had felt for the woman in the portrait in hischambers for the last month had become undeniable lust since seeingHero in the flesh. Ian shook off the arousal that gripped him atthe mere thought of her and seized again on the puzzle that wasHero Conagham.

Though it pleased him that she loved thecastle as