Free Wake Me With a Kiss: A Fairy Tale Retelling (Regency Fairy Twists Book 1) by Samantha Holt

allowing herself a brief respite from his intense
gaze.
    “No one has over spoken to me so.” She lifted her gaze to his. “I should
very much like you to court me.”
    His grin expanded. “I shall call on yer aunt soon and speak with her.”
    “I am sure she will have no objections.”
    “Hopefully not or else I shall have to find some other thief to tackle.”
    A scream drew Hamish’s attention from her. He whipped his head around and
groaned. A dog barked.
    “Rupert,” they both said.
    Hamish darted out of the alcove, and Rose waited but a moment before
following suit. The dog ran from person to person, scrabbling up gowns and
breeches and generally causing chaos. Drinks spilled and women cried out.
Rupert knocked over a candelabra as Hamish tried to grab him.
    The dog sprinted past, toward her. Rose put out her hands in invitation
but the dog, in spite of hardly being that large, refused to slow down and
caught her so that she tumbled to the floor. Rupert barreled on, buoyed with
excitement at the sight of all these people in his home. He did a few more laps
of the hall whilst Hamish aided Rose to her feet, then Rupert darted out of the
doorway into the entrance hall.
    Hamish cursed. “I dinnae ken how he got out. He was meant to be locked
upstairs. I knew he’d be too excited.”
    “You had better see if you can catch him.”
    He sighed and nodded, leaving the room. Aunt May came to join her. “Are
you all right, my dear?”
    “Yes, just a little tumble.”
    “What a wild dog.”
    “He’s just a little excitable.” Rose frowned and glanced up as something
caught her eye. A woman stood on the balcony, a twisted smile on her face as
she watched everyone below. Dressed in emerald green, she looked ready for the
party yet she had not seen her once. Rose recognized her as the late laird’s
mistress, but what was she still doing here? She caught Rose staring and her
bitter smile deepened before she turned and entered the upper chambers. What
was she doing in Hamish’s castle?
    Most of the guests were readying to leave after the dog had put an end
to the dance. Aunt May took her arm. “We should think of leaving too.”
    “I would like to make sure Rupert is well.”
    Her aunt sighed. “Very well. Let me say farewell to Lady Gladstone
before she goes.”
    Rose nodded absently and stared at the doorway where the woman had
vanished. Something about her unnerved Rose.
    By the time Hamish had returned to the Great Hall, all had left apart
from her and Aunt May. He grimaced. “My guests likely think me rude.”
    “Not at all. I think everyone has had an excellent evening,” Aunt May
assured.
    “Rupert slipped out of the castle. I fear he’ll run off again.”
    “Perhaps he will return in the morning,” her aunt suggested.
    “The mutt is daft, unfortunately. When he gets over-excited there’s no
telling what he will do.”
    “We should go look for him,” Rose announced, touched by the worry
grooved deep into his brow. “I will help.”
    Aunt May scowled. “It’s getting cold out, Rose, and likely to rain.”
    “Aye, I cannae ask ye to risk yer health for a dog, but I will have to
search for him. I apologize for my rudeness, but I cannae leave him out there.”
    “Aunt,” Rose pressed. There was no chance she was leaving Hamish to look
for him on his own.
    “Oh, very well.” She pulled off her shawl. “Wrap this about you and be
careful.”
    Rose nodded and did as she was told, bundling the shawl tight about her
shoulders.
    “I could find ye a jacket though I fear it would drown ye,” he offered.
    “Yes, it would and likely hinder me more than anything. I will be well
enough. It is not the first time I have been out in the cold.”
    He nodded. “I’ll be but a moment.”
    When he returned, he was wearing a thick, practical jacket and tatty
boots. Although she missed the elegance of his regimental wear, she rather
liked the plain look. It reminded her of when she had first met him. He