The Laird's Future Bride Read Online Free Page A

small single bed, a little table at one side and above it on the wall, a tapestry of the countryside. The other side had a window with a leathery-looking fabric pulled to the side, and the other wall had a fireplace with the embers just coming to life.
    “This is ye're room for the night. Tomorrow, ye’ll be in me son’s room. I dinna feel ye needed the more elaborate guest room.”
    “I’m not going to be in your son’s room tomorrow.”
    “When ye marry tomorrow, ye’ll sta—”
    “I can’t marry your son. I don’t belong here.”
    Magan smiled at her. “Ye will marry me son tomorrow. And yes, ye do belong here. The magic would nay have brought ye otherwise.”
    Holly didn’t argue back, knowing she would get nowhere with Magan. A young woman not much older than Holly came into the room with a bucket and an older woman behind her carried a large bowl and cloths.
    “Mistress, I’ve brought warm water for Lady Holly to wash with,” the older woman said.
    “Thank ye, Agnes. Put it on the table next to the bed. Ye can go after that. We will let Lady Holly freshen up.”
    Agnes nodded, and she and the younger woman placed the things on the table and left without saying any more. Holly stared at the bucket of water and bowl that reminded her there was no plumbing in this century. She needed to get away, to find a way home, somehow. Holly would rest now and wake later to make her escape when everyone was asleep.
    “Thank you for your help. I have had a huge afternoon. I’ll wash and go to bed so I can wake up early.” Holly placed her satchel on the bed and was surprised to see her small suitcase next to the bed. “Someone found my suitcase.”
    “Aye, Duncan found it and 'ad it brought up for ye.”
    “Thank you. I’d like to rest now, so I’m ready for tomorrow.”
    Magan’s smile was bright. “There ye go. I kenned ye’d come around. I’ll leave ye and come 'elp in the morning.”
    As soon as Magan left, Holly put the cloth over the window and removed her still-wet dress. She used the cloths to scrub the dirt and grime off herself, dried herself, then cleaned the dress as best she could, wrung it out, and placed it over the end of the bed to dry. Taking off the black Mary Jane style shoes, Holly put on some warm tracksuit pants and an old shirt of her father’s from her suitcase, feeling happy that she at least had some familiar comforts. She was lucky the snow they’d had melted and it wasn’t as cold as it usually was. The tourist place had told her they usually still had snow in February.
    Holly got into bed, pulled the covers over herself, and closed her eyes, hoping when she woke in a couple of hours, her world would be back to normal and what had happened would have been a bad dream.

    They hadn’t found anything. Well he had found the strange rectangle bag of Holly’s, but nothing else. Duncan and the others knew they wouldn’t. Whilst they were gone, they’d had time to come up with a story, and his brother and men had agreed to help him with Holly.
    Duncan wasn’t sure what he should do. Did he marry the lass from the future? He’d seen some of the strange things she’d pulled out of her satchel, and the rectangle bag with the metal was unusual. Would Holly survive in this time? She had spoken differently. Duncan didn’t want any attention on his clan; he had so many people to protect. His father was at Edinburgh castle now, and Duncan was due to replace him there at the end of the month. King James was fond of his father and seemed to feel the same for Duncan. It was a blessing and a curse. It brought him many men who respected him, but a lot of enemies also.
    Riding into the bailey of his keep, he noticed everyone seemed to be eagerly awaiting his return. They all would have heard about the arrival of his betrothed. Getting off his horse, he gave the reins to the stable boy and turned to face everyone.
    “As ye have all heard by now, I am to be married on the morrow to Lady