Jenny gulped. "You're bride? Where I come from people usually get married before they- well, actually most of the time they don't get married first, but at least they talk to each other before they hop in bed together. I don't even know what you're doing here or who you are."

"Sure, I told you. I'm Charlie MacDonald and I've come to kidnap ye for me bride."

Jenny gasped. "I think you better put your clothes on Mr. MacDonald."

Charlie looked rueful. "You did seemed to be interested, lass."

She colored. "I didn't know you were real. I thought you were a dream."

"I'm better than a dream, lass. I'm your husband. Or at least I will be as soon as I've got you safe home to the islands. You'll nae mair be a Ross. It's a MacDonald you'll be by tomorrow night."

Jenny moved away from the handsome man and slid her feet out of the bed. She noticed his gaze moved with her. Looking down she realized that she was practically naked from the waist up.

She moved her arms across her chest and reached for the shawl she draped over the head of the bed. As she grabbed for it she knocked her trip brochure off the nightstand. It fell open to a description of the festival schedule.

'You'll be accommodated in your own highland cot where you'll be served with a light repast and given our special highland greeting. ' Some greeting! "I suppose you're local?", she asked moving away from the man who was now sitting quietly on her bed.

"I'm no Ross- I'm a MacDonald! He said pointedly. It's true I wasn't planning to climb in your bed. But I saw you playing your violin and your passion made me blood run wild. Then I came up to steal ye away and you looked so much like you wanted a kiss. What with one thing leadin' to another - well I'm sorry lass. I dinna mean to push for mair than ye were willin' to give. Will ye forgive me?"

"I suppose it's part of your job to sneak in here and pretend you're a reiver here to -" She stopped. The man had obviously overstepped his role and knew it. He looked abashed and he wasn't taking advantage of the situation anymore.

Besides, she had to admit that she had responded to his caresses. Jenny decided she had better forgive as well as forget what had happened. Unfortunately, her body was still sending out treasonous signals. She would certainly try to forget as soon as things calmed down inside.

Jenny smiled. "I forgive you if you'll forget you saw me so up close and personal."

"I dinna say I'd forget what I saw," he smiled, "its a pretty sight you were with your beautiful bare bosom heaving so and your legs thrashing about beneath mine."

Jenny colored. "Let's forget the narrative detail, shall we? I'll forget you messed up your job so far but don't push it. What's supposed to be on the schedule next?"

"Schedule?"

"You know, my special highland greeting. You're supposed to have jimmied the lock on my door and steal me away some place? I imagine we'll end up at the other side of the lake, I mean the loch, just in time for the festival in the morning. Do you wrap me in your pladdie and carry me shrieking and kicking down the stairs, or do I get to walk?"

He looked confused. "I'd must admit I thought I'd maybe have to put you over my shoulder, but if you're willin' to come on yer own, I'd be obliged." He eyed her generous form. "You've a beautiful form but you're no exactly a featherweight."

Jenny laughed. "What a gentleman!" She put her feet over the side of the bed. "I suppose I should put my festival clothes on?"

"Festival?"

She pointed to the costume hanging on the peg.

"Oh, aye. I don't expect to carry you hame in your shift. I'd be afraid some other lad would see what a prize I'd stolen and try for ye himself."

"Are you always such a charmer? Or is it just part of the act?" Jenny pulled a bra and pair of panties out of the chest and took them behind a screen along with the linen shift from her costume.

Charlie looked confused again but he kept his peace. He had heard that women weren't entirely sane for a bit after they were stolen away. At least the lass was willing to go.

Despite the encouragement he'd received at home he had promised himself he'd not take an unwilling woman. She had put him out of her bed but he wondered why she wasn't more concerned about his being there. She seemed to talk as though she were planning to go with him.

"You're quite agreeable then to goin' with me? Are there so few lads about?"

Jenny listened entranced. Like Elidah McTaggart his words slipped back and forth from the Gaelic-inspired English to a more standard form of the language. She pulled the shift over her head and laughed. "Few? Well, there are plenty of men at home but none with any interest in me. My husband-"

He choked."You're married! "

"No, not anymore."

Ah the girl was a widow. It explained why she was here alone. An unhappy thought entered his head. "Ye've no bairns aboot? I couldna take a woman from her child."

"No. My husband wasn't ready for children." She adjusted the cloth around her hips and stepped out from behind the screen to pull on her skirts.

He watched silently while she worked her way into the green petticoat, heavy skirt and bodice. The girl spoke in a somewhat daft way but she was bonny and seemed to want him. Charlie was content to love her.

Old time style or not, Jenny remembered she was going to need her money and credit cards the next day. She dropped her wallet into her festival pouch and strapped it around her waist. The man silently handed her the leather shoes she placed on the mat by the door and she slipped them on.

"OK, I'm ready. Oh wait, my shawl. Do you think it's p. c. ?"

"Peecee?"

"Will it be approved? By the costume police I mean?"

"It keeps you warm?"

"Yes."

Charlie picked up the shawl and took her arm. "We'd best be goin'. We've a long trip to make before mornin'"