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…Your grandsire, too The casual words made her feel suddenly warm, in spite of the cool dimness of the entry hall

Frank Randall had been an only child, as had her mother; such relatives as she had were not close--only a couple of elderly great-aunts in England, and so-distant second cousins in Australia She had set out thinking only to find her father; she hadn’t realized that she ht discover a whole new family in the process

A lot of fa, a door opened and four s woman with brown curly hair

"Ah, run for it, run for it, wee fishies!" she cried, rushing forith outstretched hands snapping like pincers "The wicked crab will have ye eaten up, snap, snap!"

The children fled down the hall in a gale of giggles and shrieks, looking back over their shoulders in terrified delight One of the Ja in the entry and instantly reversed his direction, charging down the hallway like a runaway loco hiht hi little boy in his arms

"Now, then, wee Matthew," he said sternly "What sort of manners is this your auntie Janet’s teachin’ you? What will your new cousin be thinkin’, to see ye dashin’ about wi’ no led louder, not at all put off by the scolding He peeked at Brianna, caught her eye, and promptly buried his face in his father’s shoulder Slowly he raised his head and peeked again, blue eyes wide

"Da!" he said "Is that a lady?"

"Of course she is, I’ve told ye, she’s your cousin"

"But she’s got on breeks!" Matthew stared at her in shock "Ladies dinna wear breeks!"

The young woh she subscribed to this opinion as well, but she interrupted fir to take the little boy from his father

"Well, and I’m sure she’s a fine reason for it, but it isna proper to be et yourself washed, aye?" She set him down and turned hientle push He didn’t move, but turned back around to stare at Brianna

"Where’s Grannie, Matt?" his father asked

"In the back parlor wi’ Grandda and a lady and a man," Matthew replied promptly "They’ve had two pots of coffee, a tray of scones, and a whole Dundee cake, but Main’ on in hopes of bein’ fed dinner, too, and good luck to theh today, and dauiltily at his father--"and drat if she’ll gie the they stay"

Young Jalanced quizzically at his sister "A lady and a man?"

Janet made a faint moue of distaste

"The Grizzler and her brother," she said

Young Jaine Maet away from them, then" He nodded at Matthew "Go and fetch your Grannie, lad Tell her I’ve brought a visitor she’ll like to see And watch your language, aye?" He turned Mattheard the back of the house and slapped hiently on the rulances of intense fascination over his shoulder at Brianna as he went

Young Ja

"That’ll bewoman, "is my sister, Janet Murray Janet--Mistress Brianna Fraser"

Brianna didn’t knohether to offer to shake hands or not, and instead contented herself with a nod and a smile "I’m very pleased toith amazement, whether at what Brianna had said or at the accent hich she’d spoken, Brianna couldn’t tell

Young Jauess who she is, Jen," he said "Never in a thousand years!"

Janet lifted one eyebrow, then narrowed her eyes at Brianna

"Cousin," she uest frankly up and down "She’s the look o’ the MacKenzies, surely But she’s a Fraser, ye say…" Her eyes sprang suddenly wide

"Oh, ye can’t be," she said to Brianna A wide s up the family resemblance to her brother "You can’t be!"

Her brother’s chortle was interrupted by the swish of a swinging door and the sound of light footsteps on the boards of the hallway

"Aye, Jauest--" The soft, brisk voice died suddenly, and Brianna looked up, her heart suddenly in her throat