Free HISTORICAL ROMANCE: Scottish Romance: Scars of a Highlander (Highlander Alpha Male Romance) (Historical Fantasy Scottish Time Travel Romance Short Stories) by Cassandra Michaels Page B
Authors: Cassandra Michaels
my happiness.” Tilly said with a tilt of her head.
“But my manners still call for it not to be effected.” Peter said after a moment.
“I doubt your manners have anything to do with it.” Tilly countered him. She watched as he opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him before he had a chance to make a sound. “You did after all question whether girls like me even bathed.”
“You heard that?” Peter asked as he thought back to the night that they had first met.
“I think most of the inn heard that.” Tilly said with a slight wrinkle of her nose.
“So, you suppose I have no manners?” Peter asked.
“I suppose you have manners for those you believe are worthy, however, that it isn’t truly having manners.” She said.
Peter thought about her words. “I suppose I must agree with you.” He said.
“So, assuming that you care about your manners now, that must mean that you have decided I am worth more than you had initially thought.” She said.
Peter shifted a little in his seat. He could feel himself growing uncomfortable underneath the pressure of Tilly’s gaze and his cheeks were starting to pink.
“I suppose you’re right.” He said eventually when he realized that Tilly wasn’t just going to let her observation slide.
“Might I ask what changed your mind?” She said.
“I suppose in a way nothing has changed my mind.” Peter said after a moment.
“I don’t understand.” Tilly said with a soft wrinkle of a frown appearing on her forehead.
“I’m not sure I do either.” Peter said.
He looked at her and tried to find the right words to explain. He was just as confused as she was. He had no right to be changing his mind about her because that would give him a place in his mind. She was looking at him, though with her big green eyes and softly freckled skin and all he wanted to do was to explain.
“I guess I just got you wrong.” He explained finally.
“I’m sure I should be very touched that you have admitted that.” Tilly said with a gentle smile that didn’t quite match the wild hair that surrounded her pretty lips.
“How does a girl like you end up without a husband?” Peter blurted out before he had a chance to stop himself.
Tilly looked at him for a moment. She looked startled by his sudden question and the familiarity that was required to ask it in the first place.
“I’m sorry that was rude.” Peter said quickly.
Tilly shook her head. “It’s fine.” She said and she gave him a reassuring look. “I grew up on the streets. I don’t have anything to offer and we both know that marriage isn’t built on love alone.” She said with a smile that Peter could tell was masking sadness.
“I suppose that’s true.” He said. “Do you ever hope to marry?”
“I think I can do quite well without a man.” Tilly said after a second of thought.
“I’m sure you’re right.” Peter said. “Would you care to go for a walk after dinner?”
“I should need a long walk to settle my stomach after so much fine food.” Tilly said with a smile.
*******
They walked alone in the darkness for almost an hour before Peter made the suggestion to head back to his estate. Tilly had been concerned with his intentions at first, but when he pointed out her shivering body and the blue tinge to her lips she agreed.
The smell of dust had lifted somewhat from the air when they walked through the doors, and the coldness that had met him on his first night home was nothing more than a memory.
Peter showed Tilly in to the study that he’d sat with George in not two nights before. The room was small but cozy, and the books that lined the walls had filled the air with the smell of knowledge and old paper.
“You have a lot of books.” Tilly said as she looked up at the shelves that filled the walls.
“I like to read.” Peter said with a smile.
“I’ve read very little.” Tilly admitted. “But I’ve liked the little that I’ve had a chance to read.” She added
“But my manners still call for it not to be effected.” Peter said after a moment.
“I doubt your manners have anything to do with it.” Tilly countered him. She watched as he opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him before he had a chance to make a sound. “You did after all question whether girls like me even bathed.”
“You heard that?” Peter asked as he thought back to the night that they had first met.
“I think most of the inn heard that.” Tilly said with a slight wrinkle of her nose.
“So, you suppose I have no manners?” Peter asked.
“I suppose you have manners for those you believe are worthy, however, that it isn’t truly having manners.” She said.
Peter thought about her words. “I suppose I must agree with you.” He said.
“So, assuming that you care about your manners now, that must mean that you have decided I am worth more than you had initially thought.” She said.
Peter shifted a little in his seat. He could feel himself growing uncomfortable underneath the pressure of Tilly’s gaze and his cheeks were starting to pink.
“I suppose you’re right.” He said eventually when he realized that Tilly wasn’t just going to let her observation slide.
“Might I ask what changed your mind?” She said.
“I suppose in a way nothing has changed my mind.” Peter said after a moment.
“I don’t understand.” Tilly said with a soft wrinkle of a frown appearing on her forehead.
“I’m not sure I do either.” Peter said.
He looked at her and tried to find the right words to explain. He was just as confused as she was. He had no right to be changing his mind about her because that would give him a place in his mind. She was looking at him, though with her big green eyes and softly freckled skin and all he wanted to do was to explain.
“I guess I just got you wrong.” He explained finally.
“I’m sure I should be very touched that you have admitted that.” Tilly said with a gentle smile that didn’t quite match the wild hair that surrounded her pretty lips.
“How does a girl like you end up without a husband?” Peter blurted out before he had a chance to stop himself.
Tilly looked at him for a moment. She looked startled by his sudden question and the familiarity that was required to ask it in the first place.
“I’m sorry that was rude.” Peter said quickly.
Tilly shook her head. “It’s fine.” She said and she gave him a reassuring look. “I grew up on the streets. I don’t have anything to offer and we both know that marriage isn’t built on love alone.” She said with a smile that Peter could tell was masking sadness.
“I suppose that’s true.” He said. “Do you ever hope to marry?”
“I think I can do quite well without a man.” Tilly said after a second of thought.
“I’m sure you’re right.” Peter said. “Would you care to go for a walk after dinner?”
“I should need a long walk to settle my stomach after so much fine food.” Tilly said with a smile.
*******
They walked alone in the darkness for almost an hour before Peter made the suggestion to head back to his estate. Tilly had been concerned with his intentions at first, but when he pointed out her shivering body and the blue tinge to her lips she agreed.
The smell of dust had lifted somewhat from the air when they walked through the doors, and the coldness that had met him on his first night home was nothing more than a memory.
Peter showed Tilly in to the study that he’d sat with George in not two nights before. The room was small but cozy, and the books that lined the walls had filled the air with the smell of knowledge and old paper.
“You have a lot of books.” Tilly said as she looked up at the shelves that filled the walls.
“I like to read.” Peter said with a smile.
“I’ve read very little.” Tilly admitted. “But I’ve liked the little that I’ve had a chance to read.” She added
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