Page 28 of How to Woo a Highlander

Lain forgot all about her as the children began to yell excitedly.

"Lain! Lain! Lain's here! Lain's here!"

He laughed and took his hand away from her to hug the children. They all laughed as he lifted some of the little boys and girls off the ground and turned them around in the air, while the other kids excitedly giggled and screeched with outstretched arms

"Dae me! Dae me!"

“Nay, me next!”

“I want a hug too!”

Jane watched fixated, a smile growing as the children laughed while Lain made funny noises, pretending to be in pain as he lifted a chubby child off the ground. He feigned a backache and bent forward, his hands on his waist. The children erupted in fits of laughter, and some of the little ones mimicked his movements, giggling to themselves. It was such a pure, sweet sight to see.

Jane's eyes turned to the chubby child, who pouted as she tapped Lain's arm nervously.

“I didnae really hurt ye, did I? Are ye alright?" the little girl asked in a small concerned voice, thick with the Scottish accent.

Jane felt her heart instantly reach out to the round little girl whose eyes were large with worry. Her eyes turned to Lain, silently reprimanding him for causing her to worry about him.

She watched as Lain bent to the little girl's level. "I am alright, Larissa, ye cannae hurt me," he said in a firm, yet soothing voice. He cupped her chubby cheeks in his hands. "I am strong! Ye will have to get bigger to threaten me, lass!"

Jane felt her heart melt as a broad, happy grin spread across the little girl's face.

“It’s good that ye’re okay, Lain,” she said and hugged him. Jane touched her hand to her chest, deeply moved. Larissa was a sweetheart.

“I am stronger than ye, Lain!” A boy beside Larissa announced. Lain chuckled as he raised his head to the others whose eyes were fixed intently on him. "Dae ye all want to try to challenge me?” he asked. He had just finished speaking when another child suddenly punched him hard, right in the gut.

Jane could not help the sharp gasp that escaped from her lips as Lain groaned and bent over again.

"Dayne!" The children chorused in anger, and one of the older boys smacked the offending child on the back of his head.

"Owen!" Dayne wailed and turned to the older boy who hit him. "He said we could punch him!" The boy answered defiantly.

"He said if all of us punched him, he didnae ask ye to punch him, ye cow!" Owen answered. In no time, the matter had escalated into a small brawl between the boys.

As someone who had never been around large groups of children, even when she was a child herself, Jane was at a loss. She felt like a stranger in their midst, observing them and feeling concerned as they quarreled, but not knowing how to stop them or if she even should step in. Thankfully, Lain spoke up.

"Och, lads! Get off that, will ye?" he finally interrupted, much to Jane's relief.

"I dinnae expect that kind of attitude from ye lads, and I've told ye that before, now ye bet I'd be giving ye a stern talkin’ to later." The kids bent their heads in shame and nodded their heads as Lain scolded them.

"Nay more punches around here, dae ye hear me, Dayne?" he asked.

The child mumbled in agreement, and Lain made Owen apologize, and he returned the gesture. As the two boys hugged and the other children clapped and laughed, Jane could not help herself as she laughed along with them.

It felt like she had just experienced magic. She was equal parts hesitant and equal parts excited. Her laughter drew attention, however, as the children turned wide-eyed, noticing her for the first time.

"Who is she?" a little girl with crutches said, pointing directly at her. Jane recognized the little girl as one of the first to be lifted by Lain.

Lain suddenly remembered Jane was there and turned back to the carriage door and gave her his hand again.

"I’m so sorry, Jane, I got so overwhelmed with the children I almost forgot ye had come along with me," he admitted.

Jane blushed at her clumsiness, and arranged her dress,

"No, I am sorry. I should have come down myself. I'm perfectly capable of doing so. I just got carried away watching the children,” she said.

The children were all staring at her with wonder.