A Love to Discover (Loving in the Highlands 2)

Chapter 1

SCOTLAND HIGHLANDS, 1708

Elsie

I leave my bedroom with the first rays of the sun, and start walking down the dimly lit hallway towards the kitchen. I walk slowly and carefully, so that not to make any noise. I smile. I have many reasons to smile – at last, my sister Megan is happily married with the love of her life, the Laird of the castle, down the hallways of which I am currently walking. I am safe in Domnhall Castle, and there is nothing or no one that can hurt me. Every day I see Megan shining with happiness, and it makes me happy, as well. We still have no news from our evil Uncle Murgan, which is good – we would not want to know that he is looking for us.

Forba and Anabel are already in the kitchen, making breakfast.

'Good morning!' I say, making them turn around with big smiles on their faces.

'Ah, Elsie,' Forba says kindly. 'The breakfast is ready. You may be hungry.'

'Yes, I decided to get up early today, to have breakfast, and to go for a walk,' I say, yawning and sitting down on a chair. 'I will eat here, if you do not mind.'

'As you wish, my girl,' Forba says, as she lays the small table in the kitchen in front of me.

I eat silently, as Forba and Anabel chat about their upcoming plans.

I thank them, as I leave the kitchen and slowly walk towards the main doors of the castle. The cool breeze of the morning air gently slaps my face the second I open the door and go out. I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a second. The morning promises to be a good one. I am eager to start the day in my favorite way – to get out of the castle lands and to start roaming the surroundings on foot. I love the solitude and the silence of the nature, as it makes me feel at peace, and I can gather my thoughts together with ease.

Even though I am happy and secure in the Domnhall Castle, I know that I need to have my own home - a place where I can call home and stay there. I know that the Bedigalhall is my home, but I will never return there, as our evil uncle is currently living there. We have run away from him, and I cannot call it my home, not until he is dead. And this is not my home, too – this is Megan's home. Yes, I know, she is my sister, and I can live in her home, but still, I know that this is not right. I think I need to find someone who can make my heart melt, besides giving me home, love, and the sense of security that I need.

I walk down the meadows, slowly, smiling, taking in all the beauty of the surroundings, enjoying the smell of the flowers and the colorfulness around. The busy insects are buzzing around, filling the air with liveliness and joy.

'I know that I cannot stay in this castle forever,' I think to myself, as I kneel down and pick a beautiful red flower. 'I will have to leave the MacKinnon lands sometime in the near future, but I have no idea where to go. Maybe I will go to some monastery until I find someone who will marry me and will give me home…' The flower is so beautiful, that I stare at it for a few more seconds before getting up. It is only then that I jump up startled – there is someone standing behind me.

I turn abruptly around, my heart beating faster. A warrior is on his horse, and he has been standing right behind me I do not know for how long. He is looking at me. My heart jumps, beating faster. I am in the middle of nowhere, with a stranger warrior standing here with me on his horse. I have no idea who he can be, or whether he is dangerous or not. I try not to look scared, as I know that even if he is dangerous, I will have to cope with it myself. I look at him a few more seconds, and the feeling of fear wears off by itself, I do not know why.

He gazes at me without saying a word, and I feel calmness sweeping over me as I look back at him. I start to feel secure and safe in front of him that I have never felt before. He is a handsome young warrior, with bright blue eyes that shine under the morning sunlight. His magnificent white horse looks as fierce as its rider. He looks tough and rather rough, and I am sure as a warrior he is strong and brave. I can already imagine how scared his enemy is when they see him.