Read Online The Highlander by Elaine Coffman - Free Book Online

accustomed to it in time."
    "It rains a great deal, does it not?"
    "Only twice a year—October to May, and June to September."
    She laughed, thankful for the gift of humor that was suddenly bestowed upon her. "Well, at least it is easy to predict the weather then."
    "Aye, if ye can see the Grampians it is going to rain. If ye canna see the Grampians 'tis already raining."
    She stared at him, wide-eyed, and completely captivated by his chiseled features. All this and humor, too, she thought.
    He kept her under his scrutiny for a moment or two, then kissed her lightly on the nose before he stood and pulled her up with him.
    "You should get dressed. I need to see to the horses and bring in more wood."
    She pulled the plaid around her and gathered up his sister's clothes that he had brought down for her.
    It felt strange to think about wearing another woman's undergarments as well as her clothes, but Sophie was thankful that Jamie's sister was about her size, and that her taste in clothing was very similar to hers. Considering the fact they were of very different nationalities, she found that one little tidbit made her feel optimistic. Perhaps they might have a few other things in common, as well.
    As she made her way trudgingly up the stairs and down the hallway to her room, she could not help wondering about this strange, enigmatic Scot. Who was Jamie Graham really? One moment she felt as if she had known him forever and that she could practically see straight into his heart, only to find the next moment he had become a complete stranger—cold, aloof and distant.
    Once in her room, she saw he had built up the fire and the room was much warmer than when she had left it earlier. The fire was warm and tranquilizing, and the bed so inviting she could not resist. She decided to lie down only for little a while, not to sleep, mind you, but simply to rest her eyes.
    The moment her head touched the pillow, she was overcome with drowsiness.
    When she awoke, she knew she must have slept longer than she should have, for the sun had dropped lower in the sky, and the fire that had burned so brightly before was now nothing more than smoldering ashes.
    Although still plagued with a feeling of fatigue, she did feel a bit better. As she donned her borrowed gown and dressed her hair, she wondered how long she would continue to be exhausted of both strength and energy. She knew it was vanity on her part to long for a looking glass so she might see how the dress of gold brocade looked on her. And for a moment her weariness was forgotten.
    Feeling like a woman for the first time since her ordeal, she went below stairs. Jamie was not in the kitchen, so she wandered about, looking in several of the rooms. Sophie ended up taking a rather lengthy tour of the beautiful rooms that made up the first floor of Danegaeld Hall, although she still did not find Jamie.
    It was only when she returned to the kitchen that she found him standing in front of the window with his back to her.
    She glanced at the table and saw two places set. A pot bubbled merrily over the fire. The kitchen was warm, she was clean and wearing a dress. She inhaled the delicious fragrance of food, unable to believe she was feeling famished again.               
    She would have felt the promise in the moment, but when she looked back at the black silhouette of him against the pale gray of the sky outside, he appeared touchingly solitary to her, and something about it reached out to her.
    As if drawn to him by some unknown force, she crossed the room quietly, her slippers making no sound, and came within mere inches of his back.
    She lifted her hand to touch him but stopped short of doing so. She had no idea why she'd come so brazenly to where he stood, or what she expected to happen now that she had been so bold. It was as if something or someone had taken control and was guiding her steps, and she was powerless to do anything but obey.
    What was the commanding influence