Page 11 of An Enchanted Knight

“Very well.” Derrick didn’t seem altogether convinced; he watched her closely for a moment before continuing. “Would you like a tour of the lands? I would like to show you the estate and perhaps take you into town—you’ll enjoy the shops there.”

Gwen hesitated, unsettled by his invitation. “Will Edith be joining us?”

“She’s already in town. We’ll probably run into her there.”

Despite her misgivings, Gwen enjoyed the tour of the McRainey lands with Derrick more than she expected. He proved to be an excellent tour guide, pride in the family estate evident in his voice, a smile constantly playing on his lips as he described his childhood there. They stopped many times as he regaled her with stories of his youth and the history of specific areas and buildings.

Derrick drove slowly stopping frequently to point out different flora native to the land. He astounded her with his knowledge of it.

Finally, they stopped atop a small hill, and he climbed from the vehicle, making it obvious she was to do the same.

When she stood to look out, he waited in silence, allowing her to take in the view. She looked down to the large, proud, grey stonewalled home, the lavish gardens surrounding it, and the aged but well-kept stables. She couldn’t help but wonder. How different was it from when Tristan McRainey lived there so many years earlier?

Pointing toward the ocean, Derrick got her attention. “Over there, the large area between the stream and the shoreline is the perfect setting for a championship golf course.” He didn’t wait for her opinion, but instead pointed in another direction. “We’ll build new stables in this area below to allow plenty of room for riding trails into the wooded area and along the opposite bank of the creek.” The expectant look on his face told her, he wanted a reply this time.

“The land is beautiful. You’ll have to clear a lot of trees for a golf course,” she told him, looking towards the area he’d pointed to earlier. “I’m always saddened when trees are cut down, the victims of modernization.” She sighed and looked toward the stables. “I love the old stables; they are very old are they not? Can’t you just fix them?”

“Yes.” Derrick’s answer was terse. “But they’re hundreds of years old and require constant repairs.”

His face brightened as he motioned toward the home. “The main house will only require minor upgrades, as it must remain true to its history. To attract the right people, of course.”

“Of course,” Gwen replied, a forced smile on her face. What did he mean by “minor upgrades?”

Derrick stepped closer, abruptly changing the topic of conversation, catching her off guard. “You are a beautiful woman, Miss Lockhart. Your coloring is quite unusual. Very appealing.” His dark eyes lingered on her lips just a bit too long for comfort.

With a step back, she hid her uneasiness by turning back to the view. “My father is Native American. I get my olive skin and black hair from him.”

“Ah.” He moved closer again, a slight curve to his lips. “Which tribe?”

Damn it, he was trying to seduce her! “Choctaw… you’ve probably never heard of them.”

“I have. I studied in America—they are traditionally from the southeastern portion of the United States,” he said, reaching to touch her hair. “Lovely.”

It wasn’t anything new. Gwyneth knew she was an attractive woman. Through the years she’d become proficient at avoiding men’s advances. Pretending not to notice his hand on her hair, she swung away and headed toward his car.

“We better get a move on. I am anxious to see the Culross. We can’t be too long. I really do have to get back here to work.”

The drive into the small town gave her another opportunity to study the lush landscape of Scotland. The shades of green pulled at her heartstrings, impressing upon her how easy it would be to fall in love with the country.

When they arrived at the small town on the shores of Fife of Furth, the car bounced along the narrow cobblestone road until Derrick found a parking spot and pulled into it.

“This town is so pretty,” Gwen exclaimed, watching a woman pushing a stroller, shopping bags hanging from it, a small dog trotting alongside.

“Look at that,” She pointed out a small white building with a shingle hanging on the exterior wall. “That’s City Hall? How quaint is that!” Derrick nodded, smiling at her enthusiasm.

They walked to a café marked with a kettle-shaped sign that read Bessie’s Café. The interior was awash in white with wooden crossbeams overhead. Gwen took in the details, unable to keep from grinning. What was it about this country that every place brought delight?

Chapter Seven

During lunch, Derrick received a call from his office, regarding an urgent matter. He’d reluctantly left to attend to the issue.

It gave Gwen an opportunity to get to know Edith better and get the gist of the woman’s thinking. No matter how hard she tried to find something off about the older woman, she couldn’t find any fault with her hostess.

After a delightful lunch of soup, scones, and tea, Edith insisted on giving Gwen a tour of the town. They popped into a pottery shop next door, and Gwen picked up a few things before they drove back to the Dunimarle in Edith’s car.

Once in her room, Gwen went through her purchases and hung up a sweater she’d purchased. The day turned out to be quite delightful, so much so that she’d almost forgotten her reason for being in Scotland was to work and not a holiday.

After putting things away, she took a hot shower, planning to slip into warm pajamas for the evening. She’d make a pot of tea and settle in with a good book.