Page 29 of How to Woo a Highlander

"Oh… she's so bonny!" they whispered, causing her to blush from the compliment.

As she took Lain's hand and came down, she noticed Alastair standing beside the carriage. He gave her a concerned look, although he did not speak. She almost snorted. It was the first time he’d met her gaze since the beginning of the trip.

She caught herself staring at his lips as he stood directly in front of her, and she blushed even harder and tried to move away and closer to Lain. She caught the odd look that appeared on Alastair's face, and he frowned and turned away.

"Is she yer wife?" the little girl on crutches suddenly asked, drawing her attention back to the children before her. Her eyes widened in shock.

"What?!" she exclaimed at the outrageous question.

She blushed again and shifted out of Lain's arms even as he guffawed at her, not bothering to correct the child.

"Nay, she is most definitely nae," Alastair growled, speaking for the first time since they arrived, and she turned to see him frowning at the little girl.

"Oh, so she's yer wife then, mister?" the girl asked again.

Jane turned to Alastair again to see him smirking, and she gave him a disbelieving look. So he could ignore her but knew how to be possessive?

Without bothering for an answer, the little girl continued, "So then why would ye leave yer wife in the carriage instead of helpin' her down yerself?" at that Alastair's smirk disappeared. Lain continued to laugh.

"And ye also let somebody else be the one to help her down, that's nae very carin' of ye mister," the girl with crutches finished. Jane wanted to cheer her on but settled for eyeing Alastair instead.

He looked almost pitiful being put on the spot, but the little girl fired on, squinting at him with recognition.

"Ye have been here before, right? I recognize ye, ye're friends with the Laird! Ye came with the Laird when he visited!" she announced.

Owen spoke up as well. "Aye, and he has come before too. Lain said he was a messenger lad. Are ye the Laird's messenger lad?" Lain snickered behind his hand, and Jane just knew he had something to do with that title.

Larissa nodded and pointed to a little boy beside her "Larson said ye are a messenger lad. He saw ye talkin' to one of the mistresses one day about the Laird's gifts."

The girl with the crutches clicked her tongue judgmentally.

"And ye've just been standin' beside the carriage and didnae even bother to play with us. I'm sure ye dinnae even recognize Larson. Ye gave him a piece of goat milk's cheese the other day. He split it with me, then I walked up to ye and told ye Larson doesnae like goat's milk, but I dae, so he split it with me and gave me the bigger piece, dae ye recognize Larson?" She prattled.

Alastair looked to be as much at a loss as she had and looked to Lain with a horrified expression. She laughed; he was not used to large groups of children, either. Thankfully Lain was with them. He was right at home in their midst.

"That's enough, Cynthia, ye will scare the poor mister to death if ye keep talkin'," Lain said, saving Alastair from the girl. Jane could not help but smile as Cynthia clucked her tongue in judgment before leaving Alastair alone. Jane had never met a more outspoken child in her life.

Once again, it was Cynthia who first asked, "What did ye bring for us, Lain?" and the children picked it up as a chant.

She realized that she had not brought anything for the children even as Lain began to distribute candy, struggling to keep the children acting in an orderly fashion.

She saw Alastair sneak away to meet with the woman by the door of the orphan house. It seemed she was one of the mistresses who took care of the children. She made a note to give Alastair coins for the children as Lain took her by the arm and led her to play with the children.

Although she had never done it before, with Lain's direction, she was soon able to have fun playing with them. Before long, it felt natural, seated in the grass with the children around her, plaiting flowers in her hair.

"Are ye a princess, miss?" Larissa asked as she worked on the braids, taking the flowers from Cynthia's hands as she worked. Jane laughed, showered with the children's attention and awe.

"No, sweet one, I am not a princess," she said.

"But ye look like a princess," Cynthia pointed out. To that, Larissa nodded.

"Yes, mistress said princesses are the most bonny women who wear beautiful clothes." she explained.

Jane could not help but laugh. "Well, that description is somewhat accurate, I suppose," she chuckled.

"A princess is also supposed to have a prince! Dae ye have a prince, Miss?" Larissa asked.

Jane's eyes found Alastair of their own accord. He was looking over some books with the mistress, and as though sensing her stare, he turned, catching her gaze. She looked away, flustered.