Free Blue Bonnets by Marie Laval

smile. He was making fun of her. Again.
    â€˜What, you’re not calling me monkey names today? I rather like it when you say I’m a macaque or a baboon.’
    She clenched her fists so hard her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands. If only she could punch him! But the sleeves of his coat were so stiff she couldn’t even bend her elbows.
    Still smiling, he took a few steps towards her.
    â€˜What are you smirking at?’ she hissed, stepping back until her bottom hit the table, with a bump. ‘You don’t care one jot if you just ruined my reputation, if people believe I’m your fancy woman.’
    â€˜Shh, graidheag , be quiet and trust me for once.’
    He lifted his hand and pressed a finger to her lips. She shivered at the contact, no doubt because all she wanted right now was to bite him! His finger lingered on her mouth. She held her breath, parted her lips.
    â€˜Can we come in?’ a timid voice asked as the door opened. ‘I hope you’re not upset because of us.’
    Alana McKenzie and her mother-in-law walked in, followed by the children. The women looked at her and Lord McGunn in turns, their expression full of curiosity.
    â€˜Of course not. Please sit down near the fire. You must be frozen after travelling in the storm.’ McGunn gestured towards the table and turned to Rose. ‘My sweet, will you make tea for our guests while I go out to help the men? I’ll need my coat…’
    Seething with rage, she pressed her lips in a hard line, unfastened the coat and handed it to him.
    â€˜Thank you, graidheag .’ He caught her hand and lifted it slowly to his lips, holding her gaze all the time as if daring her to pull out of his grip.
    She could hardly slap him now, not with the two McKenzie women and the children staring, so she forced a smile as he brushed the back of her hand with his mouth. It was only a light caress but once again the contact sent shivers along her arms and back, all the way down to her bottom of her spine. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and leant towards him, almost craving more of his heat, his strength, his touch.
    What was wrong with her? Her eyes flicked open, she snatched her hand away and took a step back.
    A smile twitching at the corner of his mouth, he slipped his coat on, dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out something blue she didn’t immediately recognise.
    â€˜By the way, I believe this belongs to you. I found it in the mail coach.’
    It was her old bonnet – the one she thought she’d lost. He had found it and brought it back to her! She mumbled a thank you and snatched it from him.
    â€˜I think you should hurry before it gets dark and there’s nothing left for you to do, my graidheag ,’ she said, mimicking his earlier term of endearment.
    He arched his eyebrows but didn’t reply. As soon as he closed the door behind him, the McKenzie children burst out laughing. Even the two women chuckled. She turned to look at them in surprise.
    â€˜What is it? Why are you laughing at me?’
    â€˜It’s obvious you’re not from round here, miss,’ the elder girl replied, her eyes sparkling. ‘You shouldn’t have called him graidheag . That’s what boys call girls. You should call him graidhean .’
    Annoyed and still disoriented by her body’s strange reaction to McGunn’s kiss, Rose clutched her bonnet against her chest and pursed her lips.
    â€˜Well, I don’t speak Gaelic, and right now, I can think of a few words I’d rather call him other than graidhean !’
    McGorilla, for one, she thought, proceeding proceeded to list more names in her head as she added wood on the grate, hooked the cooking pot full of water above the fire and placed tumblers on the table.
    Alana McKenzie sat down and looked around the cottage.
    â€˜We used to have a croft house very much like this one back in our village. Now we have nothing.’ Her