There with You (Adair Family 2)

Surprised, I said, “It was?”

“Oh, aye. It was nothing like how you see it now. Lachlan invested a lot into the castle and estate to make it the grand, luxurious building it’s become. But when we were children, it was baltic—freezing,” he clarified. “Some fireplaces were unusable because nests and other critters blocked the chimneys. We’d congregate around the one in the reception area with blankets and books and games.” He grinned like the memories weren’t so bad. “We were what you call land rich but cash poor.”

“I can’t even imagine that.”

“Lachlan knew changes had to be made after our father died. Dad had raised us to be very aware of our responsibilities as Adairs. We were custodians of a rich history. And Lachlan felt that responsibility deeply, but he knew if he didn’t do something, we’d lose everything. We owned land all over the Highlands and even in the Lowlands, some of it particularly lucrative because of its resources. Lachlan sold it all, divided the earnings between us, and then he invested his Hollywood earnings into the estate. Created the club. A percentage of its earnings goes toward the rest of our inheritance.”

Impressed by my sister’s fiancé, I said, “He’s very savvy. I mean, the club’s reputation precedes itself.”

Thane grinned. “My brother is a born showman. And the club is just one big show.”

“So if Ardnoch is better than Dunrobin, why are we going?” Lewis asked.

Thane glanced at him over his shoulder before returning his eyes to the road. “In just a few minutes, you’ll see why.”

Intrigued, we waited, and then as we turned a bend on the coastal road that followed the cliff’s edge, Thane pointed out the window. “There, do you see it? Eilidh-Bug, do you see it?”

I sucked in a breath. In the distance, stretching up above the trees, perched near the cliff’s edge, was a castle straight out of a storybook. It was white with conical spires.

“Oh, Daddy!” Eilidh gasped as she caught sight of it.

I turned to look at her in the back seat, grinning at how big her eyes had gotten. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

She nodded, amazed. “It’s the Beauty and the Beast castle!”

“I’ve seen it before,” Lewis piped up. “We’ve driven this way before, Dad.”

“We have. But Eilidh was too young then to notice it. Do you like it, Eils?” her dad asked.

“Yes!” She gave me an excited “well duh” look that made me giggle.

I sat back in my seat and shot Thane a grin. “She likes it.”

His pleased smile made my heart flip in my chest.

“It’s the seat of the earls and dukes of Sutherland,” Thane told us. “And the Adairs have some family connections to them.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? Are you guys aristocracy?”

“Not quite. We’re what you would call landed gentry. That means—”

“I know what it means.”

He raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged and admitted unashamedly, “I read a lot of historical romance.”

Thane shot me a quick look, saw I was serious, and then grinned that stupidly sexy smile of his. “Okay, then.”

“So not aristocracy, but you have links to them?” I prodded. I found this fascinating. British royalty and aristocracy were like something out of a fairy tale.

“Yes. We have an ancestor who married the younger brother of the Duke of Sutherland.”

“Are we there yet, Daddy?” Eilidh asked impatiently.

“Nearly, sweetheart. Nearly.”

As Thane turned off the road, the castle appeared before us, imposing and beautiful. There were cars parked on the wide drive before it. Upon closer inspection, I saw the castle wasn’t white but more of a sandstone. Still, it was freaking beautiful. “It’s amazing,” I whispered.

“It’s inspired by a French chateau,” Thane said, “which is why, Eilidh, you think it looks like something out of Beauty and the Beast. The castle gardens were inspired by the gardens at the Palace of Versailles. It was a fort back in the day, but in the Victorian era, the earl hired the famous architect Sir Charles Barry.” He looked at me. “He designed and rebuilt the Houses of Parliament after they caught fire.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Impressive.” I could see why Thane, the architect, loved this place so much.

“Very. He turned Dunrobin into what it is now, and he also designed the gardens.”

“Ree-Ree …” Eilidh got our attention with her worried tone. She stared at us from the back seat with that deep frown furrowing her brow.

“What is it, sweetie?”

“I’m not dressed right!”

Confused, I studied her for a second in her adorable red winter coat and matching hat. Underneath she wore a navy dress and navy ankle boots. The kid couldn’t be any cuter. “You look beautiful.”

“But I’m not dressed like a princess.” Her eyes flew toward the castle. “I should have put on my unicorny dress.”

Thane and I looked at each other, both of us clearly trying not to laugh at how cute she was. Then suddenly I realized how close our faces were. As if Thane realized it, too, a strange, hot tension sparked between us, and we jerked back in our seats.