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"I don’t kno you did it"

"Och, lass" --Kat surprised Lily with a quick and clu "-- you’re the one who did it I just ken how to find the beauty that you so like to hide"

Both of the wo fro unabashedly at Lily "I …"

Lily aze and felt a jolt of electricity crackle between the that she tried to convince herself was merely the effects of the corset

Kat bit the corner of her mouth to suppress a smile "Now, Lochiel, you need to knock whilst the lady is in her dressing rooht Ewen back to his senses "Aye, I … I need to ready otten away from me "

Thatby the laird ’s standards, and Lily was beginning to feel a bit triuine why

"I… that is, Lily, I wanted to request your presence in mystudy before dinner Please "

Then, just as abruptly as he entered, Ewen turned on his heel and disappeared, the door sla behind him

Lily and Kat turned to each other and the tension and uncertainty and fear that Lily had felt in the past days erupted in a release of full -bellied laughter As Kat joined in, Lily thought just how thankful she was to find such an unlikely friend in this ti, was not short on surprises

Lily could barely hear her own knock on the immense door This was her first visit to the laird’s private rooms and all of the confidence she had felt earlier with Kat evaporated as she stood there with her heart ha for Ewen to open the door

When he finally did, it was her turn to feel speechless Dinner with the Cameron laird was no informal occasion, and in the space of an hour Ewen had transformed himself His hair, still dale warrior’s queue A white silk shirt replaced his usual coarse linen one The hound brooch was pinned at his neck, over a short spill of lace that cascaded down the front panel of his shirt and ended just short of his formal black vest and waistcoat

Lily couldn’t help herself as her eyes roaure He wore black leather shoes with laces that wound their way up his calves and strained over muscles that couldn’t be concealed even by the white hose that ended at his knees Her gaze came to rest on his fur-tasseled sporran, and she was

She looked back up at the laird and was surprised to see a s at the corner of his eyes Ewen ’s s

"Come in, Lil’ " He stepped aside so that she could enter Lily faltered for a fraction of an instant Noher naht to her stomach He sensed her hesitation and instinctively placed his hand on her shoulder to usher her in, which didn ’t exactly help with the whole butterfly situation

"I’ll escort you to dinner, but first I ’ve so for you" His deep voice wasuneasy "I ken how hard it’s been for you John can be a rascal and I ’ve not been the most …well, you’ve not had the h was so shocked by his admission she was struck speechless He looked intently at her, the crackling of the fireplace the only sound in the rooed for all you do for John And, lass, I ade you’ve shown "

The situation suddenly felt overwhel there alone with hiive her It see alone together always felt like an overly privatehis chin ot to I think it ’s seeing that dress again My mother wore it but once …"

His voice trailed off, and Lily felt a surge of sympathy for the man He lost both parents so early in his life, had such responsibilities placed on his head at too young an age Then lost his wife and, no matter what his relationship with her was like, it meant that he was left alone to raise his son Lily wondered if she hadn’t ed the man, that perhaps his brusque manner was merely adopted as a way to mask some deeper pain in his life

He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face aon the dark-paneled walls Goose buentleness of his touch He produced a fine gold necklace out of his sporran and draped it on her neck