The Highlander's Choice Read Free Page B

thus.
    “Is something amiss, lass?” Liam’s barely controlled laughter tightened her muscles. Had she not known better she would have sworn he’d made up that name merely to unsettle her. But this was Scotland. No doubt there would be such a place in the village.
    She narrowed her eyes at him. “Not at all. A piece of sausage merely went the wrong way.” Waving her hand in dismissal, she took a sip of tea.
    The rest of the meal passed in pleasant conversation, but Sybil kept herself on alert for Liam’s next attempt to test her. He’d thrown down the gauntlet, and she was more than prepared to pick it up. Matching wits with the Highlander could be quite entertaining.
    Once the other ladies had arisen, the three of them and Lord Somerville entered the well-sprung carriage and headed to town. Liam and Duncan rode their horses, the weather having cleared since yesterday’s storm. Bright sunlight beamed down on the group, the countryside freshened with the previous day’s rain. Once again, Sybil was charmed by the beautiful countryside. As far as the eye could see, rolling hills of grass, dotted with sheep and snug little stone cottages gave the area an appearance of a carefully painted landscape. She had to admit the sight was truly beautiful. Too bad Scotland was inhabited by Scots.
    As she gazed out the window, her view was suddenly blocked. Duncan and Liam rode next to the carriage. She studied Liam, the nearest to her. He certainly sat a horse well. His bulging thighs gripped the horse’s side as he held the reins gently, allowing his legs to drive the animal. The two men were deep in conversation, which gave her the opportunity to study the rest of the man.
    Despite the cooler weather, Liam rode with only a shirt, jacket, boots, and breeches. The wind plastered the jacket to his chest, outlining the man underneath. Today his hair was pulled back into a queue, tied with a ribbon. Her breath caught as his horse moved up farther and she got a glimpse of his backside. Heat rose in her face, and she quelled the urge to fan her cheeks.
    Without warning, he turned his head and gazed directly into her eyes. He broke into a disarming smile and gave her a slight salute. Drat! He’d caught her staring again. Flustered, she drew herself up and leaned forward as if someone across from her were speaking. How embarrassing!

    The village was delightful. A couple dozen shops, all connected together, lined both sides of the street. They passed a draper, milliner, dry goods, blacksmith, and boot maker. On the opposite side stood a small schoolhouse, a lovely stone church, and a rather large general store with a painted sign stating Jennie Awthings . At the very end of the street, up on a small hill, was The Maydenhead Inn . So he hadn’t made the name up.
    The carriage rolled to a stop in front of the milliner. Lord Somerville climbed out first, then turned to assist his wife and the other two ladies. Duncan and Liam tethered their horses and joined the group. “What shall it be first, ladies? Ribbons, hats, gloves?”
    Lady Margaret and her mother opted to visit the milliner. Sybil elected to visit the bookstore between the church and schoolhouse.
    “Bookstore, lass?” Liam’s raised brows almost reached his hairline.
    She eyed him coolly. “Yes. I do know how to read.”
    “I never doubted ye for a moment.” He grinned at her. “Mayhap I’ll join ye. ’Tis been a while since I’ve visited the bookstore.”
    She smiled sweetly. “Do you know which one it is, or do I need to read the shop’s names for you?”
    Liam burst out with laughter. “Nay, lass. I ken which one the bookstore is. ’Tis the one with the books in the window.”
    “How very clever, my laird.”
    “Liam,” he responded. He extended his arm to Sybil, and she took it even though she didn’t want to be so close to the Scot. Her stomach performed a small little ballet, and her breathing sped up. Perhaps she had caught a chill, after all. Her skin