A Love Without Limits (Loving in the Highlands 1)

'He did not say anything else. He seemed to be in a hurry,' she adds, as if trying to make me feel better. I nod silently. She also nods, then turns and goes out of the room.

'Ainslee,' I call after her, and she turns back.

'Yes?' She says.

'Thank you,' I say, smiling. 'You are the best.'

She hesitates for a moment, her smile bright on her face, then nods and leaves, closing the door.

I put the shawl on my unmade bed, straighten my earasaid, and walk to the round mirror that is on the opposite wall of the window. A brown-eyed girl is looking back at me from the mirror. I smile at my reflection – I look like my mother. She was really beautiful. I was always very proud and happy that I looked like my mother. I look at my reflection from different angles, different sides, thinking what to do with my hair. I touch it, thinking about braiding it, but then I change my mind – if Uncle Murgan seemed to be in a hurry, then I'd better go now, with my hair still undone. Besides, I do not care how I look if I am meeting him. The sooner I see him and learn what he wants from me, the sooner I will get away from him and return to my room. Perhaps I will even go to Elsie's room and have a chat with her if she is awake.

I open the door and go out into the hallway. Everything seems to be normal – the long hallway is dimly lit by wall-lanterns on both sides, and there is the smell of freshly cut hay that stands in the air most of the time. I breathe in my favorite scent and enjoy the solitary and the peace. My footsteps are heard as I walk along the hallway. The concrete floor is uneven, but I know where to walk carefully, as I have grown up here and know every corner in the big house, as well as the large yard.

I go down the spiral staircase and go along another hallway, which takes me to the main hall, where my uncle is. He's standing with his back turned towards me. I notice his broad shoulders and wide neck, and cringe. I dislike him so much. When he hears my footsteps, he turns around with a disgusting smile on his chubby red face.

'Ah, here comes the most beautiful girl of this castle,' he says. His edgy voice makes my hair stand on end. I hate it when he refers to our house as a castle, because it is not a castle. But he wishes it was a castle, and that he was the Laird. How disgusting can a person be?

I stand in front of him, a few steps away from him, and silently wait to see why he wanted to see me. The faster, the better.

'How is my beautiful lady?' he asks.

'Fine,' I snap, not wanting to have a small talk with him.

'Oh, that is so nice,' he says in a sugary voice. 'It is a nice day, isn't it?' he keeps asking his stupid questions.

'Yes,' I scowl. I wonder if this is why he wanted to see me – to ask about the weather. He can be so absurd sometimes. I wish he told me what he wanted to say and I could go back into the house.

'Let's have a walk in the yard,' he says, motioning the main door with his head. 'It’s a beautiful morning, and it's a pity to stay inside. A beautiful girl like you must shine in the sunlight,' he adds with a stupid smile on his ugly face. I roll my eyes – what does he want from me?

I reluctantly follow him out the door and into the fresh air, where the first rays of sun are starting to appear. I continue wondering about what he has to say. Most probably something very important, that he's preparing me for the speech for this long. And what's the most important thing in this world for him? Of course, the lands. My and Elsie's lands. What else?

'So, my pretty Megan,' my uncle says, stopping for a moment to draw a strand of hair away from my face. I back off and give him a disgusted look. 'How are you today?' His super-sweet voice makes me angry.

'I said I'm fine!' I snap again, this time louder. 'What is it that you wanted to speak with me about? You had better hurry up - I do not have much time.'

'Manners, manners!' His smile turns into a strict face. 'Or I will have to teach you manners myself! And it is going to be really soon, because soon you will become my wife!'

I stop short. What did he say? His wife? But I'm his niece. How is it even possible? Maybe I did not hear it correctly? I must ask, otherwise I will go crazy with these thoughts in my head.