Page 86 of The Highlander's Irish Bride

“I’d be happy to, milady. I can take ye upstairs to show ye where we start the mashin’.”

“Is Magnus about?” Graeme asked. “I’d like a word with him while you show the others around.”

“He was called over to the gristmill, sir, ’bout an hour ago.”

Graeme frowned. “Is there a problem?”

“I canna say, sir. He beetled out before I had a chance to speak with him. But his mam is in the office, if ye’d like to ask her. She’s goin’ over the inventory for the next few months, like ye asked her to.”

“I’ll just pop in and have a chat with her, then.”

Graeme strode over to a door at the other end of the distillery. When he opened it, a small bundle of gray streaked past him and straight to Dickie.

“You have a cat,” Jeannie exclaimed.

“Aye, that’s Mrs. Wiggles,” Dickie said, as the cat wound herself around his legs. “She’s our mouser.”

Jeannie crouched down, clicking her tongue. The sleek feline scampered over and pushed her head against the girl’s hand. “Can I pick her up?”

“Of course, dear,” Sabrina said. “Mrs. Wiggles is quite spoiled. She loves nothing better than to be carried and fussed over.”

“Huzzah.” Jeannie hoisted the cat into her arms.

Mrs. Wiggles promptly settled and began purring loudly.

As Dickie ushered the others up to the second floor, Kathleen paused at the bottom of the staircase, clearly waiting for Grant.

He raised his eyebrows.

“I’d quite like to hear that story about you and Graeme,” she said.

“Which one?”

She rolled her eyes. “The one you cut short.”

“It’s not for polite company, I’m afraid,” he said.

Well, it was more a story too stupid to relate to anyone with a brain. He couldn’t count the times he and his brother had acted like complete idiots back then.

Kathleen’s gaze suddenly lit up with mischief. “That’s exactly why I want to hear it.”

He couldn’t help returning her smile. Everything about her seemed to sparkle, as if she were a spangled scarf catching sunlight. Her very presence filled the room with vibrant, joyful life.

Grant couldn’t resist leaning down, coming within inches of her Cupid’s bow mouth.

“Och, ye’ll be wantin’ to hear all my secrets now, will ye?”

Her cheeks pinked up, making her freckles practically glow. Instead of retreating, she gave him that adorably saucy smile.

“You’ll be thinking me a forward miss, kind sir,” she said with her teasing Irish lilt. “But it’s that curious I am, and no denying it.”

My God.She was actually flirting back.

And wasn’t that a grand surprise? Grant would be happy to satisfy her curiosity about a number of things, and his own, as well. Like how far her freckles trailed down her body, and if they reached her—

“Hurry up, Kath,” Jeannie called. “Everyone’s waiting.”

Kathleen jerked back, knocking her elbow against the oak banister. “Ouch.”

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