HISTORICAL ROMANCE: Scottish Romance: Scars of a Highlander (Highlander Alpha Male Romance) (Historical Fantasy Scottish Time Travel Romance Short Stories) by Cassandra Michaels Page B

healthy.
    Her eyes were a pale green like her mother’s. She watched herself unmoving, until she was forced to blink and then she turned away from the mirror. She looked out of the window that overlooked the garden and noticed that the sky had turned an inky blue since dinner.
    She walked over to her bed and sat down. The mattress felt soft under her weight and she lifted her legs up onto it. Her room was on the furthest side of the house that largely went unused and the only sounds that Lucia could hear were coming from the fire and embers crackling.
    She put her head against the pillow and closed her eyes. The day had felt as though it’d had too many hours and Lucia’s mind felt weary. She let her thoughts drift, until she found herself in the palace and then she was asleep. Her thoughts guided her into dreams that were full of what it might be like to be somewhere that she was wanted.
    *****
    The night of the ball came quickly and before Lucia had properly prepared herself. She had meant what she had said to her father. She fully intended to find a suitor at the ball, but not because her family wanted it so, but because she knew she had to get away from them.
    She knew that she wasn’t the most well behaved daughter. She knew that her existence alone caused her stepmother great discomfort, but that wasn’t her fault. None of what her family blamed her for was actually her fault, and she was tired of being blamed for it.
    Lucia stepped away from the two maids who were helping her into her dress. She smiled as cool silk ran across her legs. She turned and looked in the mirror. It was shimmering in the light. The teal color matched her eyes and made her hair look lighter.
    “Do you think I look okay?” Lucia asked as she turned back to the maids.
    “You look beautiful, Miss.” One of them said.
    “Thank you.” Lucia said with a gentle smile and then she dismissed them.
    She looked in the mirror again. She could feel her hands shaking slightly over the anticipation of going to the ball, but she steadied them before it was noticable. God forbid any potential suitor take her hand and find it trembling. She had never really thought that it would happen like this. She had always thought that love would find her, not that she would go out seeking it, but if it truly was the only way to get away from her family then she would do it.
    She took a few deep breathes and then she walked out of her bedroom door and across the manor to the lobby. Her father was already dressed and waiting. She walked over to him and for a moment she wondered whether he was going to acknowledge her at all.
    “Hello father.” She said when she was quite sure that he was ignoring her.
    “You look nice tonight.” Her dad said, but he didn’t look at her.
    “How would you know if you can’t look at me?” Lucia challenged him.
    “Because you look just like your mother and she was timelessly beautiful.” Her dad said simply.
    Lucia didn’t say anything. She very seldom heard her father speaking about her mother and she found herself a little shocked. She sat down on one the long chairs that lined the room and waited for the rest of the family to join them.
    After some time, the family was ready and they set off. Lucia’s father had taken four of the best horses the stable had to offer to pull their carriage. They looked impressive as they rode down the country roads and towards the great palace that sat on top of the hill face.
    It took enough time for the chill of the air to seep into Lucia’s bones to get to the palace. The carriage pulled to a stop and Lucia was the first to step out. Her legs ached from being sat so long, and she was desperate to stretch them out.
    The palace was lit up with hundreds of candles that had been placed in the trees and throughout the great gardens that led up to the front doors. The castle itself looked as good as it always did. It was built tall and proud with white stone bricks and tall towers. It