Page 1 of Kiss Me, Macrae

Chapter 1

Inverness, Scotland

December, 1823

Miss Allegra Smithson, formerly of New York City, pulled her hooded, fur-lined cloak close around her body and tucked her chin to avoid a direct onslaught of freezing rain. Her boots made precarious contact with the icy ground as she rushed from her carriage to the shelter of a small Scottish inn.

Pausing within the small vestibule, she stomped the numbness from her toes. Sounds of a great revelry overflowed from the inn’s common area.

Her driver had explained the lodging was nearly full, with only one room still available to rent for the night, but he’d failed to mention there appeared to be some sort of celebration taking place at the inn this night.

Allegra briefly considered continuing on to search for quieter accommodations. But it was already after midnight and the villages had become scarcer the farther north they went. Although some people seemed perfectly content to sleep in a swaying, bumping carriage as it rumbled over rugged country roads, she was not one of them.

She required the comfort of a soft, warm bed. As tired as she was, it was doubtful even the raucous noise flowing from the room beyond would keep her awake.

Stepping from the vestibule, she crossed into a large open space. It was immediately apparent that all the boisterous laughter and loud talk was coming from a relatively small group of men seated haphazardly around the large stone hearth at the far end of the common room. Dressed in the earthy tones and functional style of tradesmen and farmers, the men looked to have been celebrating for several hours judging by their loose manner and the many tankards littering their tables.

One man, a short fellow with a balding head and rounded cheeks, hoisted himself up to stand on a chair that rocked precariously beneath his swaying form. Loudly clearing his throat, he waved his hands to gain the attention of those around him.

Allegra continued toward the stairway at the far end of the room, hoping to pass by unseen.

Her lodgings had been procured by her driver and her traveling trunk had been unloaded before she’d left the carriage. A fire was likely being lit in her room at that very moment. Soon, she’d climb between clean sheets and cozy woolen blankets to claim some much-needed slumber.

“Now, now, everyone! Let’s take a wee moment to reflect on the joys of this gatherin’ as we express our gratitude toward the man who made it all possible, the man of the evenin’, and one o’ the best mates anyone could have. To Macrae!”

Everyone shouted in response to the slightly slurred toast except one man who released a rich, rolling bellow of laughter. The sound was so deep it reverberated through Allegra’s chilled bones and stiff, tense muscles—warming her in an instant. Stunned by her reaction, she stopped to glance over her shoulder as a large man rose to his feet.

Her breath caught at the sight of impossibly wide shoulders, a tousled shock of red-blond hair, and a full beard in a slightly darker shade. The Scotsman, who she guessed to be around thirty years of age, wore no coat and the sleeves of his simple linen shirt had been rolled back to reveal thick-muscled forearms and large hands.

He gave another laugh as those closest to him clapped him hard on the back though he barely seemed to feel the hits that easily would have caused a lesser man to stumble.

“Come now, gentlemen,” the large Scotsman said as he lifted a hand to settle the group. “It’s George here who’s celebratin’ his engagement to the fair Miss Winters. I simply provided a few rounds of ale tae assist in the revelry.”

“Dinnae forget the whisky,” someone shouted from the group.

The red-haired man winked. “A worthy Scotsman never forgets the whisky.”

The comment prompted more shouting laughter and a few tables slaps.

Allegra suddenly realized she was openly staring at the overgrown man with his heavily muscled physique, bright eyes, and wide grin. That her body was so oddly affected by the Scotsman’s voice only proved just how sleep deprived she was. A human body simply could not hum in harmony with a man’s laughter.

She was being ridiculous and Allegra Smithson was rarely ever that.

Gathering herself, she strode across the hall and rushed up the stairs. A good night’s sleep would see her returned to rights prior to her arrival at the Earl of Darrow’s estate. Her driver had assured they’d reach their destination sometime tomorrow afternoon.

The thought brought a weighted sigh. After everything that had happened in the last year, she was ready for life to be a bit steadier and more uneventful…or at the very least a bit less challenging. Though Allegra was not the kind of woman to avoid challenges, even the most ambitious person needed a rest now and again.

Her oldest and dearest friend, Susanna, the current Countess of Darrow, had assured Allegra that a visit to the Scottish Highlands would provide all the quietude she could desire.

So far, that had not been the case. Being from New York, she was no stranger to winter storms. But she was a city girl and traveling along rustic roadways during bad weather was not her idea of serenity.

At least her journey was nearly over. Just one more day.

Allegra’s eyes struggled to retain focus as fatigue threatened to overwhelm her. She stumbled into her rented room and closed the door behind her. The fire in the grate filled the modest space with warmth and the large bed with turned down bedding was a simplistic yet inviting luxury after so many hours sitting upright in the jostling carriage.

Allegra quickly removed her cloak, then sat on the edge of the bed to untie her boots. Anxious to shed the stiff traveling outfit in favor of something more comfortable, she set her chilled fingers to the long row of buttons running down the front of her gown.

She glanced about for her trunk and saw it in a dark corner across the room. If her personal maid hadn’t abandoned her in Edinburgh—one of the many trials to plague her on this journey—everything would have been laid out for her. Lacking the strength or will to dig through the tightly packed clothing for a nightgown, she simply stripped down to her chemise and released the pins from her hair before falling back onto the bed with a sigh.

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