An excerpt from Just Wait For Me where Jillian meets Isobell from Just in Time for a Highland Christmas...
∞∞∞
The raven-haired beauty dropped to a green velvet-cushioned
chair and propped her legs on a small embroidered footstool with a heavy sigh
of relief. The skirting of her purple gown hiked up, providing Jillian a
glimpse of a pair of very modern-looking Fair Isle knit leg warmers made with
synthetic fibers. Certainly not of the time period.
“I have recently given birth to a fine son.” Lady Isobell’s
smile glowed with happiness. “My ankles and hands still swell on occasion.”
Jillian shut an open mouth with a snap.
When the other woman noticed where Jillian stared, she
smirked. “Do you like my leg warmers? They were a gift from my mother-in-law,
Mairi, when we visited my husband’s family in a place called Anderson Creek a
couple of Christmases ago. Have you heard of it?”
“Uh…yeah. I live there, Lady Isobell.”
“No need for formality. Please. Just Isobell. I am sure we
will become bosom friends.” Isobell beamed. “Do you ken the MacLachlans? Mairi
and Iain? Patrick and Laurie? Elspeth and Finn?”
“I know them all. Laurie is my business partner. We own Foxgloves Garden Center along with our
friend Caitrina.”
“Ah. That explains much.” The woman’s violet eyes
brightened. “I have fond memories of the orchid room.”
“Yes. It’s lovely. Full of color, especially in winter.”
This was all too bizarre. Had she fallen
into a 1960’s episode of Twilight Zone?
“And so verra warm.” Isobell fanned herself as if the
memories made her hot.
“The orchid room has state of the art environmental controls
encouraging peak performance from the plants.”
“The plants? Oh, aye, they are nice. And the cushions are
verra comfortable, if you understand my meaning.”
“Oh.” Jillian raised both eyebrows. Had the woman and her
husband used the orchid room for a…an encounter? Obviously, based on the
suggestive expression Isobell wore.
She patted Jillian’s arm. “Now, you must tell me all about
my niece and nephews. I miss the wee bairns
terribly. It has been some time since we visited.”
“You make it sound so normal. Time traveling, that is.”
Jillian swallowed uneasily.
“Far from normal, but I have come to terms with fae activity
since marrying Archibald, having our wee adventure, and living at Castle
Lachlan.”
“It boggles my mind.” Jillian looked beyond her hostess to
scan the hall, wondering what happened to Stephen and the children. Not seeing
them, she returned her attention to Isobell. “You mentioned the faerie knoll.
Is that how you traveled back and forth from…” Jillian glanced around again to
see if anyone listened to their conversation. No one seemed to pay them any
mind. “Anderson Creek?”
“Oh, aye. But only once. According to my father-in-law, a
person can only travel through the portal once in each direction. Our faerie
knoll sent us to Laurie’s garden then the garden gate returned us to the
knoll.”
“That isn’t how I came to be here.”
“Nae? Do tell.”
∞∞∞
Hope you enjoyed this wee excerpt from Just Wait For Me, a Highland Gardens Novel.
Just Wait For Me at Amazon.
At Barnes & Noble.
~Dawn Marie
No comments:
Post a Comment