Free Love Beyond Dreams (A Scottish Time Travel Romance): Book 6 (Morna's Legacy Series) by Bethany Claire

though I’d rather not go into why I think that right now, but I’m certain they do. They thought you were dead, and I know it will come as a shock to them to see you.”
    “Aye, I’m sure it will.”  
    I glanced over at Anne who stood leaning against the door of my bedroom, her arms crossed, as she silently took in our exchange. I hoped she would voice the perfect solution but as I watched her, I knew that she considered herself an onlooker in the strange exchange, not an active participant. I was on my own.
    “I don’t think tonight would be the best time to spring it on them. Would it be okay with you if we wait until morning, give me a chance to talk to them and then bring you all together?”
    Voices from downstairs suddenly seemed to approach my bedroom, and we could all tell that a commotion of sorts was taking place downstairs. Anne quickly stepped out into the hallway to check on things. A few seconds later, she re-entered with a very frustrated Aiden at her side.  
    He was visibly drained and so frustrated that he didn’t even notice Orick sitting at the small table by the door.  
    “I am a fool to have signed up for that mess. I think they bought it, but I havena been in a room with that much palpable angry tension since our wedding, Anne. And then, it was only because you were angry at your sister for wearing white. That old man is a crazy, hateful bugger.”
    Aiden stood with his back toward Orick while he talked to Anne and didn’t stop talking for some time.
    “I canna imagine why Jane and Grace went to all this trouble for his benefit. Why, the way he talked to ye and Gillian…I wanted to punch him in the teeth. He’s left, along with the old woman. They dinna like that Grace refused to send Cooper back with them for schooling in the States, and they left in a heated fury of curse words. Why the poor lad certainly learned a few words to toss around the school yard this night.”
    Anne, who clearly didn’t know how to address everything Aiden said, just responded as if Orick and I weren’t there.  
    “Oh, that’s terrible. Everyone gone off to bed then?”
    “On their way there. I know that ye meant to stay up with Gillian so the two of ye can pretend like yer fourteen again, but I need ye with me. The whole evening was too much for me to take.”
    I decided to interrupt before he made everyone uncomfortable with further bedroom talk.  
    “It’s fine, Aiden. You can take her, but first, I think there’s someone you should meet.”
    He spun quickly. His face gave way to his embarrassment for one quick second before he saw on Orick. Then, his eyes turned to horror, and he backed into Anne and knocked her flat on the ground.  
    I rushed over to help her up as Aiden stuttered and sputtered his words.  
    “Wha…It…I…Gillian, I told ye to no go speaking about ghosts. Ye invited him in ye did.”
    Anne, once standing, laughed and rubbed her husband’s back gently.  
    “He’s not a ghost, you silly man. He’s just not dead like everyone thought.”
    The fear in Aiden’s face dissolved at once as he spoke to Orick.  
    “Oh. Well, good on ye then. I suppose ye are glad about that.”
    Then, with as much matter-of-fact attitude as I’d ever seen from him, Aiden turned to address me, an ornery twinkle in his eye.  
    “Gillian, I think I’ve dealt enough with this family tonight. This bloke here and whatever ye mean to do with him, is on ye. I’m going to take my wife to bed and intend to stay there until the whole lot of them have left.”
    I started to protest but he didn’t give me much chance, swinging Anne over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing at all. I called after her for help but apparently, a night spent making love to her husband was more appealing to her than the complicated situation that sat in my bedroom. All she did was lift her head and wink at me as they walked out the door and closed it behind them.
    Orick and I were now all alone.

CHAPTER 12

    I