The Highlander's Accidental Marriage (Marriage Mart Mayhem) Read Free Page A

need some time to make other arrangements and to notify my brother of the two deaths. Since they were not regular servants, he will need to seek out their families to claim the bodies.”
    A chastened Alice eased herself down to the edge of the small cot against the wall. “Oh, my lady. I don’t know if I have the strength to carry on.”
    “Nonsense. All will be well. Now help me out of these gowns so I can prepare for my bath.” There was a slight scratching at the door. “Ah, that must be the bath now.”

    A fterward, Sarah donned a clean, dry dress the innkeeper’s wife had provided. While she’d bathed, Alice had dried her mistress’s clothing in front of the fire and cleaned herself up with the warm water in the bowl on the dresser.
    Feeling much better, Sarah sat while Alice twisted her mass of curls into a bun at the back of her neck, not bothering with letting it dry first.
    “My lady, the gentlemen await you and your maid in the dining room for supper.” Mrs. Barton arrived at their door just as Sarah and Alice were ready to proceed downstairs.
    “Why would we eat with those men?” Alice frowned. “We aren’t traveling with them.”
    “Alice, it is good manners. If they sent the invitation to us, it would be quite rude to refuse. After all, they did rescue us.”
    It was disconcerting to have a maid who had a stronger sense of propriety than she did. She and her sisters had oftentimes skirted some of the more rigid mores of Society—riding in breeches being one of them. Truth be known, if they were anywhere near London she would be more concerned herself, but they were in the wilds of Scotland where the chance of her running into anyone she knew was slight.

    B raeden and Monty stood as the ladies approached the table. “Ye are looking much better, lass.” Braeden pulled out a chair for Sarah. The smells coming from the kitchen had his mouth already watering.
    “Yes. A hot bath and clean, dry clothes make a great deal of difference in how one views the world.”
    Mrs. Barton arrived along with her two young daughters. They set bowls of some type of fragrant stew, warm bread, butter, and cheese in front of them.
    There was very little conversation while they ate, just comments on the good fare and their luck in being able to secure rooms.
    Sarah wiped her mouth on the napkin and laid it alongside her plate. “Professor McKinnon. Something has occurred to me.”
    He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “Aye. And what is that, lass?”
    “Are you, by chance, a relative to Laird Duncan McKinnon of Dundas?”
    Although startled by her question, he showed no surprise. “I am. The laird is my cousin. His da and mine were brothers.”
    “Do you live near him, then?”
    “Indeed, I do. My family has been in service to the lairds for generations. My mum and da, along with my sisters, work at the castle. My brothers each have a patch of land they live on with their families. They’re sheep farmers. When I am home from university, Duncan allows me to stay at Dundas to have access to the library.”
    He began to squirm as Sarah continued to smile at him. What was the lass up to now? For some reason he didn’t think it would bode well for him.
    Tilting his chair backward on two legs, with a niggle of concern deepening in his belly at the lass’s expression, he asked, “Why do ye want to ken?”
    “Because, sir, it relieves my mind quite a bit.” She placed her hands in her lap and attempted to look very innocent.
    He narrowed his eyes at her. “And why is that, lass?” Her innocent look didn’t fool him. He’d already decided this lass was someone of whom he should be leery. She had quite a bit of pluck, unlike most English ladies he’d met.
    “It so happens my sister, who I am on my way to visit, is married to Laird McKinnon’s friend and neighbor, Laird Liam MacBride.”
    “Is she now?” He glanced over at Monty who shrugged his shoulders. “And just why does