The Passion of London [Highlander's Love #1]

Chapter 5

The castle was oddly quiet, which was it's usual state until the arrival of twenty odd Highlanders barely a few days ago. It was in this state that Evie remembered it most, and while she was quite disappointed that she could not join and see how a Highlander actually hunts (she scoffs at the way Englishmen used bloodhounds, especially after her mother had told her about the game hunts her brother and uncles used to set upon), she did thank the heavens for little blessings. After having been cooped up for so long in her room, it was a great boon to be able to escape her room.

When her father had left, the Viscount had stated that until the party returned, Evie could roam as she liked. The footmen was to call her only when their party returned, and for awhile Evie enjoyed the freedom as she wandered into the kitchen to steal a tart (and escaping Mrs. Fenton's spatula), before meandering towards the library.

Evie wouldn't call herself an avid bluestocking by any means, but after her mother's death, the library was the only way she could continue to listen to any more stories. There weren't many, and she's exhausted her resources over the past 4 years that many of them she's already been through multiple times. But she still returned, and as usual headed straight for the right most corner of shelves, where her most well-worn books sat.

The spines were familiar, titles Evie was now more then at home with. She picked her favorite Highland folklore, it's title emblazoned across it's spined in gold letterings. Settling in her usual settee, Evie had just begun to read the story of a maiden who turned into a seal when the heavy swing of the oaken doors made her look up - and an instant feel of panic gripped her.

With windswept hair and a flushed face beneath his darker exterior, Connor had thought to seek refuge in the library the Viscount's daughter had brought him to earlier the day before. Too worn out after a sleepless night, Connor had barely been able to keep up with the party, much to Hammond's disgust and consternation.

"What's the matter with you? You're usually on top form, but right now you make me ashamed to call you my first in command, Connor Gilroy." Hammond's tone of disgust was clear in his voice, a tone that Connor knew he deserved. Having trained together practically for life, Hammond knew his capabilities beyond anyone else, and Connor had never failed him before. Yet right now with his thoughts awash of his red-headed gealbhan, Connor found it hard to concentrate on anything else.

"I.. Maybe it's just me getting used to the English soil, Hammond. Found it difficult to fall asleep." It was a lame excuse at best, but Connor found himself unwilling to reveal the cause of his lack of sleep to anyone just yet.

His Laird levelled him a suspicious look, but scowled and motioned at him to keep his bow and arrows. "You're useless to us if you continue anyway, you may as well return. Lord Verrick, we'll continue our own."

"The captain-"

"He'll be alright. He knows his way around." And before the Viscount could protest (although both Hammond and Connor was quite curious as to why would he even protest Connor's early return to the castle), the imposing MacKenzie clan chief had ridden away, and the English lord was left with little choice but to follow.

Upon his return to Cavalon Castle, while he had dabbled with the idea of returning to bed, taking a nap seemed almost blasphemous to a warrior trained to function even in the harshest of weather. As such, he finally decided to search out the nearest point for port, or any form of hard liquor he could get his hands on to at least get some of it out of his system. Yet Connor had never expected to come face to face with the object of his obsession, on his quest to get rid of her for a little.

Taken by surprise, and having always seen her features in darkened lighting, he almost didn't recognize her in the day. The pale green day dress she wore clung to her every curve, it's simple cut doing nothing to hide her body when she jumped up in surprise, a gasp causing her to drop the book she held. Red hair fell in tendrils framing her pale face, and Connor was now bestowed with a full view of the green eyes that haunted his dreams.