Her Scottish Love (A McFarland Clan & Friends Series #1) Indefinite Hiatus

Prologue

 Prologue

 Snow. It fell like tiny crystals descending through the night. It was a bitter night on Christmas Eve when a baby girl entered this world. She was the only child and daughter of Benedict Grayson and Lady Selina Crawley. Her father was the son of a vicar and her mother was the daughter of the late Duke of Ruddick.  Their marriage was a scandal.  The British ton could not believe that Lady Selina Crawley would marry a gentleman a station lower than hers. The duke was furious with his daughter and as he refused to acknowledge the marriage, he disowned her and severed ties.  So the young couple—being both in their mid-twenties—got married in a small church where they were wedded husband and wife. They soon retreated to Scotland where their sweet and beautiful daughter was born.

And beautiful she was! Inheriting her far ivory skin, dark brown eyes shading with curling lashes and inking night black hair from her mother, Benedict and Selina mesmerized with love for their beautiful daughter christened her Isabelle Adelaide Grayson.

Isabelle lived peacefully with her parents as she grew. Her father’s artist talent soon became recognized by Thomas Lawrence and landed him a teaching position at the Royal Academy of Art. They decided then to move to London, but it was mostly reluctant on her mother’s part, moved to Piccadilly close to the academy.  Because of his artist talent, he soon became well respected and famous to the point that the Prince Regent commissioned him to paint countless of portraits of him.  Isabelle herself also soon developed a taste in art, and with her parents’ encouragements, Isabelle blossomed in her talent and by the time she turned twelve, she was seen as gifted.

But then during one treacherous night, while Isabelle was staying with her caretaker, Old Lady Earl in their home in Piccadilly, her parents perished in an unfortunate carriage accident. Everyone was horrified that such a well-established and loved artist was dead. Isabelle was anxiously waiting at home unaware of the tragedy that has befallen her. 

When her twelve year-old cousin, Alexander Crawley, Earl of Grantham told Isabelle of her parents’ death her body shook with shock and she cried. As Alexander held her in comfort, she cried until her eyes became puffy and red and her voice became hoarse. Then she excused herself and went to her room and slept

 The funeral was a quiet one.  As her parents’ coffin was lowered down into the grave, Isabelle having her head down, hair spilling down to his her face. She still could not get the fact that her parents’ death meant that she now was alone.

As she stood, footsteps approached and a large hand was placed on Isabelle’s shoulder, and as she turned to see Alexander’s kind blue eyes look at her. As she stood up, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. As Alexander comforted his now orphaned cousin, Isabelle cried and cried until she could not cry anymore.

Alone…the word itself sounded cold.

As the priest bowed his head and closed the book, his stepped back, Isabelle walked up to her parents’ grave, now that the coffins were buried and kneeled as she placed the bundle of pink carnations on the grave, where the tombstone carved the names BENEDICT AND SELINA GRAYSON.

As she placed the flowers down, a tear trickled down her cheek. I’ll remember you always, her mind whispered, and I’ll miss you.

 As she stood, footsteps approached and a skinny hand was placed on Isabelle’s shoulder, and as she turned to see Alexander’s kind blue eyes look at her. As she stood up, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. As Alexander comforted his now orphaned cousin, Isabelle cried and cried until she could not cry anymore.

“You’re not alone, Izzy,” Alex said.

“I am alone,” whispered Isabelle, “We got no living relations.”

“Yes you do,” Alex replied firmly, “Uncle Harold will take care of you."

After the funeral, Alex took Isabelle to the residence of the Duke of Ruddick. The duke was furious at Alex for even daring to bring “his disgraced sister’s child” in front of him. Alex argued at pointed out that it was by law that Harold care for his niece until she reaches of age, which 21 years. Begrudgingly, Harold bitterly agreed and from that day forward, said month of April eighteen hundred and two, did the Duke of Ruddick take his niece in.

But it was not a jolly thing to Isabelle. In fact, as this lady may write, the Duke of Ruddick loathed his niece. Perhaps one reason as to why was because Isabelle reminded him very much of his sister Selina. And it was a valid reason to agree to the duke.  Being three and ten, Isabelle was a beauty like Selina. Fair-ivory skin, soft Cupid’s bow lips, eyes dark as chocolate, and hair black as night. One might think Isabelle stepped out a fairytale and herself was a princess

 Isabelle was well loved by the people of London, for she did have her father’s charm—and talent. As a very skilled painter, Isabelle painted for a living, and was very protective of her father’s painting, refusing outright to those who wish to have it sold to the British Museum. To help ensure that her father’s property remained untouched, at the age of eighteen, Alex hired her a trustworthy solicitor, who made certain that as long as she was unmarried, everything that entitled her to her father would remain hers.

Now as much as the Duke of Ruddick loathed his niece, he was not a man prone to problems. In fact, due to the duke being a heavy gambler, the duke fell into heavy debt and was told that he must pay it off or else was to face life in prison or worse. So in a desperate plea, the duke, devious as he is, made a plan to the Duke of Ryun concerning a certain young lady named Isabelle…

But that my fairest reader, you’ll find out. What could possibly the duke want with Isabelle? Can he just leave the poor lass alone? Now as we turn the pages, we meet Isabelle as a refined young lady of six-twenty, now that eight years have come to pass….