Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue-Chapters Eight and Nine: The Hunt Begins!

Heather and Tim continue their journey onward to Annan. They leave the barn just after dawn. For those of you keeping track, they still haven't eaten. Anyway, they continue walking until they begin passing Dornock and notice some constables meeting on the road. Two of them head toward Annan, which, as it turns out, is not a large town. If they limp into this town, they'll certainly be spotted and Heather will be kidnapped all over again. Heather makes the logical leap and asks how far Dumfries is. That is, it's logical because Dumfries is a large town and two more people heading there won't be noticed much. At least, I assume so. Heather felt that she had to ask that instead of Tim because she's walking in dancing slippers, which must be barely hanging onto her feet by now, and he wouldn't want to make her walk any farther in them. She knows they have to keep walking, though.

Eventually, they get to a stile where they have a conversation about broadening their characters. Or something. Heather is still practical and knows they can't stop and get food anywhere because they'll stand out and the constables will know where they are. Tim wants to be sure she doesn't faint on the way there. Heather promises that she won't. Then she tries to climb the stile, but her dancing slippers have terrible traction so she can't. Oh no, looks like Tim will have to lift her up onto the stile and back down on the other side. How awful for him....that he only gets to touch her for that reason.

When they're halfway across the field they've entered, Tim explains why he was so worried about Heather fainting. You see, back when his sisters were Heather's age, they would be very weak by lunch if they hadn't had breakfast. Heather makes the point that fashions have changed since then, which I assume means she's not wearing a corset. I certainly hope not, considering how far they're walking. Anyway, the point of Tim's story was that he didn't want Heather to think that he thought she was weak. Because he respects her, you see. What a refreshing change from the love interest of the last book I covered. Oh, also, Tim thinks about how the qualities that he had found obnoxious in Heather are now some of the ones that are making this escape possible. Also, after the next stile, Tim starts holding Heather's hand and she's totally cool with it.

Now we jump to a completely different point of view. Now that Heather and Tim are traveling together, we need to look at someone else for the opposing POV, I suppose. Anyway, we look in on Fletcher and Cobbins in jail and how the Highlander shows up to talk to them. He believes that the two kidnappers are not petty thieves and says that he'll arrange to have them out by jail by that evening, and leave a kind of nice bonus for them at the inn. Not the two thousand they had been expecting, but they didn't hold up their end of the bargain.

Then we follow the Highlander back to the inn for some detective work. He figures out that “Timms”, better known to me as Tim, probably took off with Heather and he figures out the direction they went because of how flat the land is. They would have had to use the stable as cover to avoid being seen. Also, there's a couple of times where the Highlander thinks about making it up to Heather, which is odd considering how his momma wants such crazy revenge on her. Maybe he's trying to kidnap one of the sinister sisters to draw off his momma's vengeance. Or this guy is someone else entirely. We still don't have a name, which is why I'm still calling him the Highlander.

Also, the Highlander has no trouble tracking Tim and Heather across stones, let alone the soft, muddy ground they've traveled on. Also, also, the Highlander notices that Tim is wearing super awesome riding boots, and he's generally caught on that Tim is not just a solicitor's clerk. The chapter ends with the Highlander reflecting on how easy it will be to find these two and calling for his horse.

Gotta love the trope of the incompetent police who can't solve a particular problem, but the not-trained person can.

Chapter Nine

The chapter opens with Heather and Tim, still holding hands, walking into Dumfries. They see some constables there, but since it's a bustling, big city, they have no trouble avoiding them. Tim is communicating pretty much only in grunts, which Heather attributes to him being a protective male and having a female he has to look after. She's okay with this for now, as long as he doesn't get crazy jealous and possessive. Seems legit. We also get a look into Tim's mind. Apparently, he hasn't felt guilty much before because he doesn't name that negative feeling that he associates with Heather's feet hurting her really badly. Not that Heather has said anything, but he can tell from the way she's walking that she hurts. So, after they're done eating, they head off to a nearby cobbler's shop. This gets a little racy, just to warn you. Yes, in a cobbler's shop.

Heather saw a pair of boots in the window that should be small enough for her feet, so they head inside so she can try them on. But, you see, there's a problem because Heather is wearing dance slippers. Ruined dance slippers, so she's got to be careful about letting the cobbler help her put those boots on. Well, there's nothing for it them but to have Tim put these shoes on her. Because I guess she can't put on her own boots? Although, Tim's back does help hide her feet, and dance slippers, from the cobbler's view, so I guess that is good.

It happens when Tim grabs her foot to put the shoe on her. Both of them jump at the contact and Heather starts blushing. This is what happens when you keep your lustiness inside. If they'd at least kissed by now, it might not be so exciting to have him hold her foot. ...or maybe it would be. I'm not here to judge about people's fetishes, I suppose. They get the second boot on with a little less “sensual drama” and Heather walks about the shop to break the boots in, or you know, to try to recover from the sensuality that swamped her. I told you it got a little racy in there. Tim pays and they head to a coffee shop to plan their next move.

On their way to the coffee shop, they conveniently pass a market and Heather buys them some food for the road. How nice. Once they reach the coffee shop, they order some food and some drink and bust out the map. They want to get to Carsphairn which is a village. Oh yeah. That's where Heather's relatives live. Right. As they look over the map, they decide that they need to continue on foot because it's easier to hide that way. Also, they're going to take the road less traveled. It will make all the difference. So their route follows the main road to Glasgow for a little bit out of town, and then splits off. They pay and head out the door. Heather puts her shawl over her hand and, hand in hand, they leave town.

The Highlander, meanwhile, is coming into Dumfries somewhere behind them. He knows he's looking for a couple, but doesn't tell the constables that because he wants to be able to take the opportunity to kill “Timms” quietly with no one knowing about it. Okay, that's kind of unsettling. It almost seems like he thinks he'll be rescuing Heather from “Timms” but I'm not really sure what the Highlander is thinking. I'm assuming that when we actually learn this guy's name, it will be something significant for folks who have read the rest of these books, but will mean nothing to me. Oh well.

With a supernatural detectiving ability, the Highlander manages to find the tavern where the couple stopped for food, the cobbler's shop and, finally, the coffee shop where they ended their stay in town. The serving girl remembers that they asked for the road to Glasgow and the Highlander remembers that “Timms” was supposed to be traveling that way anyway. So, he finds their trail out of town, but decides to pursue them in the morning. There are plenty of flat, open stretches on that road, so he can find them with little trouble and the road is not so busy that he won't have time to take care of “Timms”. How rude.

In the next chapter, I predict that the Highlander will continue stalking the couple, and will notice when they take the little road, but will not catch up with them just yet. He'll probably find them during a storm, or some other kind of problem to add to the drama. Also, Heather will decide that she really needs to find an opportunity to kiss Tim. She won't quite do that yet, but she'll realize that she's okay with the idea.

Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue-Chapter Seven: A Brush with the Law

This chapter opens with Heather telling Tim that it's time for her to leave. Finally. Oh, also, she waited a good long time to go downstairs so Tim would already be in the cloakroom with a candle lit. It's hard for her to control herself when he's grabbing her in the dark. Oh baby. Anyway, Tim reveals what he learned about Fletcher and Cobbins' two thousand pounds bonus and she freaks out as well. Also, this will make it much harder for her to escape partially because the highlander is very well funded, and partially because Fletcher and Cobbins are very well motivated to hand Heather over.

They talk about where they can run and have her be safe, but their options are limited. With no real way to prove who he is, Tim could easily end up in jail while the highlander makes off with Heather. Even if they were able to prove who they were, Heather's reputation would be ruined by this adventure. Also, Tim had wanted to swing by his estate, where his father is, so Tim could tell the man about his imminent engagement, but that's out the window now. Then Heather remembers her relatives, Richard and Catriona, have a place about a day's ride from where they are, and the two of them are likely to be there. Problem solved. Then Heather asks when she'll escape. Tim tells her that it won't be tomorrow. They'll need something that will keep Cobbins and Fletcher busy for a full day, if possible and it'll take some time to come up with that. Heather remembers that she should be able to go for a walk the next day and Tim reminds her not to shatter the illusion that she's some helpless girl from the upper crust.

With all of this sorted, Tim grabs the doorknob to leave the room, but he takes a really long time to decide to turn it. It's not an awkward moment, though, it's a sexually charged one. You know, I had forgotten the outline of most romance novels. They're going to fall into all kinds of situations where they decide not to kiss or bang or whatever until the very end of the book when they finally get married and can admit they love each other. And then, finally, make out. So, of course, Tim does leave the room without kissing her and the story continues. Le sigh.

Then we jump to the next afternoon when Heather finally gets her walk. She and Martha go to a hillside not far from the inn and Martha lays down a rug for them to sit on. After a bit, Martha tells Heather that she's going to take a nap, but Heather had better not run off because Martha is a light sleeper. Heather thinks back to how she's snuck out of her room just about every night on this adventure but, of course, doesn't tell Martha that. This makes me wonder, though, if Martha is actually awake when Heather leaves, listens in on their conversation, and heads back up to the room before Heather to pretend to be asleep again. It would keep Heather busy and because she kept insisting that it wasn't time to leave, Martha wouldn't have to worry about anything. That would be devious.

Anyway, while Martha is snoring, Tim walks up with a map and while he and Heather pretend to talk about how to get to Glasgow, she traces out the route to Catriona and Richard's place, which should actually be about a day's ride away. Perfect. So, with that settled, Tim makes Heather sad by telling her they won't meet that night; he needs the time for the distraction he's setting up. Then he tells Heather to be ready at some point tomorrow. How specific. When they're done, he wanders off back to the inn as if they'd said nothing of consequence to each other.

That night, Heather has trouble sleeping. The only reason Tim wouldn't want to meet that night is because he's not in the inn, so where the hell is he? Heather, and the reader, get no answers until the next day. Tim is noticeably absent. Heather doesn't want to ask about him, but Martha does, so we learn that he told Cobbins and Fletcher that he's getting himself ready to go to Glasgow. You know, not the way he's actually going. Nice. After lunch, Heather and Martha are banished to the parlor again. However, they haven't been there long when the fuzz arrive. Heather cracks open the parlor door to see what's going on, while reminding herself that she can't ask the police for help. It seems that two candlesticks were in one of the rooms, which just so happens to be the room where Fletcher and Cobbins where staying. The candlesticks belong to the magistrate, so they're totes in trouble.

After the po-po leave with their suspects, Martha rushes upstairs and Heather follows her. Martha throws everything in a bag, except Heather's stuff which she gives back, telling Heather that the two of them are likely to be named as accomplices so Fletcher and Cobbins can keep Heather there for the laird. Martha wants no part in this, so she tells Heather her planned route of escape, and leaves the inn. Not sure why she told Heather where she was going so specifically, but whatever. Heather packs her things as well. The kidnappers gave her a little bag with a few things as well. How thoughtful. Then Tim comes in the room. Heather almost bashes his head with a poker, but she recognized him first. When she explains the situation to him, he also freaks out and they head to his room to pack. They can't take his trap or pony because he had told the innkeeper he'd be there for a few more days and if he takes them now, he'll be considered a suspect too and they'll be able to track him. Good thing he has enough money to get another carriage somewhere.

Heather watches Tim throw his clothes, pistols, and more clothes into his two bags, and then they sneak down the servants' stairs and out the back door. They're walking to Annan off-road because the Man will be searching the roads for them. As they're walking across fields and such, Tim thinks about how Heather isn't complaining, which is what pretty much any other lady of her class would be doing right now. How wonderful Heather is. And how pretty and... Yeah. Then Tim strikes up a conversation, by asking if Heather rides horses. They chat about that for a few sentences before Heather says something about how she loves “the exhilaration when one gets pounding along...” and Tim decides to change topics. Because, you see, he's sexually repressed and this is reminding him of that fact. So, he talks about dancing instead. Heather lists a few dances she likes, even some that are less fashionable now because “there's a certain...reined power in them...” Oh baby. No, Tim, no topic will be safe for you.

Then they have to duck behind some bushes to avoid the riders on the road seeing them. Heather takes this moment to tell Tim that she'll need some new shoes at some point. Her evening slippers aren't actually built for walking across fields. This is her first complaint, and it's not whiny at all. Nicely done, Heather. Anyway, they walk a little further when Heather says how she would have liked to have seen this mysterious highlander. Tim replies that he looked for a good place to see this guy without being seen, but there wasn't one. Heather is glad that he at least tried. Eventually, they make it to Dornock, but they realize that because it's such a small town, they can't just ask for somewhere to stay. They're fugitives and that's a sure way to get turned in. So they find a nice hayloft in a barn to sleep in.

After they're up in the loft and discuss how they can't have a fire and don't have food, Tim admits that he had expected hysterics from Heather. She replies by saying they wouldn't do any good. Wait. Is this a practical heroine in a romance novel? What?! Although, that does just make her more attractive to Tim, so maybe it's serving a higher purpose for the writer. Anyway, Tim tells Heather that he's going to have a look around the building and that he'll be back soon. This gives Heather a moment to think about how he's protective, but not in a smothering way. And how dreamy he is and... Yeah.

When Tim gets back, Heather tells him that she's going outside for a bit, using his same words. He doesn't like it but, she's got to pee sometime and apparently she hasn't since lunch time. Poor thing. So she heads outside to relieve herself and he's waiting for her at the door when she comes back. Inside the barn, he wasn't watching her. Then the two of them get back in the loft and he pulls up the ladder. Heather admires his muscles moving as he's working.

They put their cloaks down on the hay and settle in for the night. Except there's mice in the loft and Heather hates/fears mice. So, she picks up her cloak and the dresses she's using as blankets and gets closer to Tim. The mass of two of them should make the mice avoid them and this way it's half as likely she'll get nibbled on. Well, by the mice, anyway. She also mentions how she's cold. Well, there's only one thing for a gentleman to do in this situation. Tim waits about a minute before he pulls her to him and they snuggle together. He tells her it doesn't mean anything, but it totally does. He stays awake until, by the full release of her tension, he can tell she's asleep. Aw. I know, guys, I thought they were going to do something too, but they have to follow the Code of the Romance novel. I mean, The Devil Earl didn't follow that because they started banging pretty early on, but I suppose in this period romance novel, they take the consequences of sex a little more seriously. Or the author is just like that.

So, for the next chapter, I predict that they'll make it to the next town, have a couple of close calls with the lawman out searching for them, and at the end of the chapter, they'll run into the highlander and all of their plans will be ruined.

Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue-Chapter Six: Two Thousand?!

The chapter opens with Tim chilling in the tap, sitting at the table next to where he knows Heather and co. will be sitting. He listens to their conversation while pretending to read a newspaper, but all he learns is that the four of them will be waiting at least an extra day for this highlander to show up. This book is 427 pages long (by far the longest book I've done on this blog to date) and I guess I know how it got so many pages now. Not a whole lot happens in this chapter, but let's go over it just the same.

Heather and Martha get banished to a private parlor in the inn where Martha knits and Heather frets and asks questions. First, though, we focus on Tim and how he's playing cards with Cobbins and Fletcher. Lots of time passes with cards, lunch, some drinking, and more cards. Tim makes sure that Cobbins and Fletcher have quite a bit of ale and then he asks them about the highlander. They don't reveal that much more, just that he's really big and pretty intimidating. There is some nice dramatic irony as the two kidnappers tell Tim that you can just tell when someone is a “nob” and that's how they knew the man who hired them was a laird. You know, as they're talking to a nobleman from England whom they think is an out-of-work clerk.

Meanwhile in the parlor... Martha actually does reveal a little bit about herself (My prediction was a little bit true!) but says nothing about the seaside (so close...). She is usually a nurse working for older folks, but her most recent charge died recently, and she had know Fletcher and Cobbins for years, so when they asked she agreed to this caper. Martha also backs up that this highlander is probably dangerous and intimidating.

Then there's dinner. Because Tim has charmed Cobbins and Fletcher, they invite the undercover man over to eat dinner with them, after ordering Heather not to say a word. So they have a nice, cheery meal where Tim talks about brutal cock fights that he's seen and Heather tries not to think about that while she's eating. Oh, we also get the continuing realization that it's not just Tim's looks that make Heather think about him all the time. Even when he's disheveled, she still wants him. Yes, they're going to get married. We know. The three captors drink quite a bit until Martha is almost falling asleep. Then Martha and Heather head up to their room.

Later that night, Heather walks down the stairs to the coat closet where she met Tim last night and sees that he isn't there. She's not quite sure what to do about this, but no worries because Tim walks down the stairs and holds her to him again. Because the inn keeper is walking by and they're hiding in the coat closet, you see. Of course, Tim seems to hold her to him for a long time... The two of them chat about how it's a problem that this highlander is super powerful and such and they're trying to face him in his home country instead of theirs. Anyway, they agree to wait only one more day before getting Heather out of there. They almost kiss but Heather pulls back at the last second and asks about the wound Tim told the kidnappers about. He'd lied about it so he could stay. Heather is glad he's not hurt. Blah blah blah. They spend just a little more time not kissing and then Heather goes up to her room, leaving Tim to think about how much he wanted to kiss her but about how he's not comfortable revealing that desire to her.

The next day, Heather is super annoyed that she's supposed to sit in the parlor all day again with nothing to do. They won't let her go on a walk, either, partially because it rained all day yesterday and the ground is still muddy, and partially because it's easier to keep an eye on her if she's trapped. Still, how obnoxious to be stuck in one room all day with nothing to do. Bring her a book, damn it!

Once they're in the parlor, Martha offers to try to get Heather on a walk tomorrow, which is quite nice of her. Then Heather starts thinking about how she almost kissed Tim the previous night. She super wanted to, but she wasn't sure if he wanted her and that was what stopped her. She couldn't see his face to gauge his emotions. So, now Heather is worried that Tim sees her as a little girl with whom he couldn't possibly have any kind of physical relationship.

Tim, meanwhile, is out getting the lay of the land and trying to figure out which way to run with Heather when they do make their escape. For a guy with an old wound, he's sure out walking a lot. Eventually, he comes back to the inn to have a conversation with Fletcher and Cobbins, both of whom are getting really twitchy at being kept in one place so long. Tim is pretty sure it's because they're criminals. Who else would you get to kidnap somebody? Oh, interesting facts about them: Fletcher is good with knives and always has some on him whereas Cobbins is a fist-fighter who keeps going until no one else is left. What those in the gaming world call a tank. Surprisingly, I'm not making that part up to make it interesting, either.

So, anyway, fashioning it as an attempt to take their minds off of their captivity, Tim asks about the kidnapping job the two have going currently. Turns out they got all of the money up front to hire on Martha and the coach and whatnot. Why would they bother doing the job besides upholding their reputation, you may ask? Well, because of the bonus. Two thousand pounds. That number totally freaks Tim out, so I assume it's a lot of money. Also, while Tim is mid-freakout, they offer him some work sometime because they think they can clean him up enough to make him look like a gentleman. Hah. Irony.

In the next chapter, we will learn that Heather's and Tim's plans are going to go awry when the highlander shows up early and carries Heather off before she can escape. Now Tim must follow them on a much colder trail, using every clue he can to go and save his beloved. Well, either in the next chapter or the one after it.

Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue-Chapters Four and Five: We Reach a Destination!

Now, don't get too excited. This book has 21 chapters, so it's not likely we'll find out everything just yet. I mean, besides the obvious.

Chapter four opens with Tim sitting at the White Horse Inn in Bramham, watching the Red Lion Inn where Heather is. I've known bars with those names and the association in kind of disorienting, but anyway, back to England. Not much happens in the beginning of this chapter. We learn that they're still heading North and that Tim is still stalking them.

Heather questions her captors some more. She wants to know what McKinnsey looks like. He's got black hair, cold eyes of apparently no color, in his thirties, ruggedly handsome, with a sharp nose, Scottish, and large, with a devilish frown. I'm so very reminded of the Devil Earl and that turned out just fine. Heather has nothing to worry about, except getting locked in a castle tower with the man she has a thing for. Also, that's all the helpful info they have, although it is interesting that Fletcher and Cobbins don't know if McKinnsey is from the highlands or lowlands.

By that evening, they've left the Great North Road and Heather is very worried that they've left Tim behind as well. Can I just take a moment and marvel at that name? The Great North Road. Fitting. Anyway, Heather realizes again how much she's relying on Tim to help her through this venture and feels an overwhelming sense of relief when she sees him ride into the inn yard behind them.

Heather sees him again when they go to the dining room for dinner that night. Tim is chilling, reading a news sheet at a table. Cobbins and Fletcher dismiss him immediately. Heather thinks about how he'll always stand out to her and how he's so special and such. When she and her captors sit down, she makes sure she can see Tim. Then she tries to find out more about the man who hired the kidnappers, with not much luck. They also won't tell her when they're going to hand her over. The only other important thing that happens is that Tim signals Heather with his eyes where they're going to meet that night to talk about what she's discovered. They can communicate without words. It must be love. Or something.

Heather sneaks out late that night because her and Martha's room is next to that of Cobbins and Fletcher and she wants to be sure Cobbins and Fletcher are asleep. Does Tim just wait in these spots for hours, then? It's not like they give an actual time to meet. Anyway, she slides into the little room Tim told her to meet him in and she's somehow surprised when he grabs her arm and pulls her against him. He really seems to like doing that. Anyway, he whips a cloak over her to hide her smexy body and they make their way into the meeting place. They go over what Heather has learned, which isn't much, although they figure out that Cobbins and Fletcher would be familiar enough with Glasgow to know what a highland or lowland person would sound like.

But never mind the planning, we also get a peek into Tim's mind about his unavoidable upcoming nuptials. As far as Society is concerned, he and Heather have been on the road for two days unchaperoned, so they'd damn well better get married at the end of this to save her reputation. Because of course, men can be sluts and be fine but as soon as women do something a little shady they're ruined. Anyway. Tim thinks about how he and Heather might not get along all that well all the time, but she'd be a decent wife for him and it would be a “good-enough” ever after, if not necessarily a “happily” ever after. Whatever. He loves her.

So, they talk about what road Heather and co. might use and she mentions that her captors told her she'd pass some ruins and castles and such on the way. Fortunately, they can narrow the road just from that so Tim can continue his stalking, although he'll be in front of them so he has time to get some weapons and stuff; the latter part he keeps to himself. They also discuss how it's probably not something Heather's family did that caused this kidnapping. ...but I know that it is, so probably this crazy lady in a castle somewhere, who we saw in the prologue, is crazier than I imagined and is holding onto a slight from many years ago. I mean, it sounds about right for this kind of book.

Chapter Five

Heather starts her day off right by bothering Fletcher about Glasgow. She wants to know about it, but really she wants to know if he knows about it. Which he does, so there's that. Then she tries to ask directly where they're going to meet this devilish Earl-ish fellow, but Fletcher and Martha won't tell her. Oh, also Heather no longer sees Tim as a nemesis, but as a man she can rely on who also embodies safety. They're going to bang. Lots.

While the carriage rumbles onward, Heather thinks about how much she doesn't know about Scotland. Apparently, one of her married relatives lives there with his wife, but she's only been to visit them, not for a general tour of the country. Which makes lots of sense, but doesn't help her much now. Eventually, they stop for lunch and Heather ponders over how nicely her captors have treated her, yet also how well they've guarded her. Except, you know, when she wanders off to meet with Tim. But, plot point. Whaddya gonna do?

After lunch, the trio of kidnappers get much more alert and start paying attention and stuff. They're about to pass through the border town of Carlisle, so that might be why.

So, now we jump to Tim's perspective. He's waiting in the shadows near the road at Carlisle, so he can see everyone coming in. He's gotten a pair of pistols and changed his outfit again. Now he looks like a shabby solicitor's clerk and he's going to use this disguise to talk with Heather's captors himself. There's a bit of description of how he's made himself look so far below his station, but the important thing is that he did. And he did it all for Heather. ...just pointing that out.

Also, he thinks over why he didn't send a message to the rest of the Cynsters. Mostly it's to save Heather's rep. Because even though she and the guys didn't sleep in the same room ever, Society would still assume she was a “ruined woman”. Have I mentioned how much I hate these rules? Oh, several times. Right. Also Tim doesn't know which way Heather will answer if/when he proposes to her. I can see it now.... “So, I know we don't really get along well but, well, we've kind of been on the road at the same time for several days now and, you'll be a ruined woman if you don't marry me, so...let's get hitched! It'll be good enough, probably.” How romantic. I can tell this is a romance novel because one of the main outcomes is that they're going to get married. This other stuff with the crazy woman in the castle might be a big deal, or it might not be, but this part matters. I mean, that's the way it reads. Oh, also, when Tim thinks about how she might turn him down for marriage, he thinks about “that spark” that ignites between them and how convincing her that he's right might be fun. So, you'd convince her to marry you by messing around with her, possibly screwing her? How romantic.... Then Tim sees Heather's carriage pass by and take the road that goes North, so he knows which way to follow them.

We jump back to Heather's point of view for a bit more ruminating on how they're kind of going a way she knows. They end up stopping in the town of Gretna Green, which is infamous for all of the “runaway marriages” that happen over the anvil of the blacksmith's forge. Those marriages are legally binding, by the way. Now, if you're wondering why this is a widely accepted tradition, you're not alone. I'm not sure either. I'm sure it made sense to someone at some point. Also, it makes Heather super nervous that they're stopping here. They wander inside and Fletcher haggles with the landlord about rooms….which is when Heather finds out that they'll be in this town for a few days and that this is where they're handing her over. Well, looks like there's a wedding coming up sooner than Tim thought there'd be.

Oh, also, based on when Cobbins had sent a message of their employer, he's probably from further north than Edinburgh or Glasgow since he's still a few days out. I'm glad Heather knows her Scottish geography, because I have no idea about any of this. Then we get this disturbing rumination from Heather, wondering about the kind of consent a woman needs to make to be married here: “Did she have to make any statement of agreement? Or could she be drugged or coerced in some way to ensure the deed was done?” So many things wrong with this even being a possibility. So many.

After Heather and Martha troop upstairs to their room, Heather debates about leaving now, or about trying to time her exit so she and Tim can catch a glimpse of the man who organized her kidnapping. Of course, being the strong-willed heroine who keeps the plot going, she decides she still needs to know who's behind this.

Now we jump back to Tim. He's chilling in the bar underneath the inn where the trio of captors and their prey are staying. Tim is drinking with some of the locals and generally blending in. The bar and dining room are in the same room, so Tim sees Heather sweep in and he can tell she's worried. So, he starts putting the pieces together about the wedding smithy, even as he jokes with the folks he's sitting with. Heather says nothing during her meal, but on her way out, she and Tim agree on a meeting place again. Also, all of the men watch her walk by. Kinda creepy.

Tim buys his newfound friends a round and considers his options. He wants to chat with Heather's captors, but he doesn't want to be the one to approach them. Fortunately for him, not too much later, one of his drinking buddies invites the two kidnappers to their table and they accept. Fletcher tells the tale about returning Heather to her guardian and Tim is sad to see how believable it is. Hmph. They drink the night away and Tim manages to give a good excuse about why he might be there another day. Fletcher and Cobbins don't suspect a thing.

This time, Tim doesn't grab Heather in a dark room. The cloak room where they meet is lit, so she just walks in and joins him. Oh, he wraps her up in his cloak again, just in case you were wondering if he was any less distracted by her body. He isn't. They go over what Heather learned and figure out that this “laird” Heather is to be given to is one of the upper crust because he's likely studied abroad or at an excellent school. With more money comes more power... Anyway, Tim comes to conclusion that this laird is a highlander. I'm guessing not the kind that yells, “There can be only one!” before beheading someone. Probably.

Anyway, Tim tries to convince her to go back to London with him, but she is still set on seeing who this highlander is. Tim doesn't want to give in right away, so he asks her more questions before he agrees that she can stay a few more days. Anyway, Tim is enjoying this for the mental exercise, Heather's approval, and the adventure of it, but mostly Heather's approval. ...then we get a look at Heather's approval from her mind. She's always been attracted to him, apparently, but now she's actually gotten to know him so that attraction has deepened. Woo-hoo. She's also got the impulse to kiss him, which she does not give in to. She will soon enough.

Heather tells Tim goodnight and hands him back his cloak. They plan to meet in the same room the next night. Then she wonders about if she actually did kiss him and he kissed her back. She might not resist going further “And then where would they be?” Relieving sexual tension?

So, I'm guessing that Heather and Tim will get married at the anvil before the highlander can take her there. Of course, this book has barely started, so there's got to be more to it than that. It would be very easy for the highlander to take Heather back home to his crazy momma if she were married to him. I think this was still in the time of women as property, so if they were married, nothing Heather could say would put any authority on her side. I'm so very glad I don't live in that time. So very glad.

Also, next chapter, Martha will reveal something about herself. I expect a heartfelt confession about her one and only visit to the seaside.