Echoes From the Mist Read Online Free PDF Page B

showered, each wearing clean blue jeans and soft, lightweight, cable knit sweaters that Kayla had purchased at a gift shop in Gatwick Airport. Liv’s was a dark charcoal color that contrasted nicely with her fair hair and pink-tinted skin. Kayla’s was a classic ivory crew neck
    Liv finished her sandwich first. "Mmm." She wiped the crumbs from her lips with her fingers. Her eyes rolled back in their sockets as she relived each glorious bite. "That was sooo good."
    "I could tell." Kayla’s eyes twinkled. "You were almost moaning as loud as this morning."
    Liv chuckled in embarrassment. "When I like something, Kayla," she shrugged, "I’m not shy about showing it. I’m sorry if—"
    "Don’t even go there," Kayla warned semi-seriously. "I love that about you."
    Liv beamed at her partner and patted her stomach. "Good. Because at this moment I am supremely sated in every way."
    "Me too, sweetheart."
    The sun was shining brightly and gulls swooped playfully overhead, flying circles around the woman as they walked, and making frequent detours to the surf to look for fish. The bulk of the tourist season had ended a couple of weeks ago and it was just early enough in the day that Kayla and Liv had the beach nearly to themselves.
    Liv wrapped her arm around Kayla’s waist as they strolled along.
    "I have a surprise for you." Kayla wiggled her eyebrows.
    "Really? What?"
    "Well.…"
    Liv pinched her partner’s hip. "No torturing me this morning. I’m in too good a mood."
    Kayla jumped. "Yeow!"
    "Spill it," Liv laughed, lightly rubbing the flesh she’d just goosed. She doubted Kayla felt anything through that thick denim.
    "Would you have any interest in seeing the Cobb family ancestral home?" Kayla ate the last bite of her sandwich.
    Liv stopped walking. "You mean Faylinn’s family home from the history? Wow. That would be great," she said excitedly. "But, Kayla, that wouldn’t still be standing."
    "It would have to be over three hundred years old, I know. But look around you, Liv." Kayla gestured broadly towards the row of old but well-maintained homes that lined the beach. "It wouldn’t be so unusual here."
    She was, Liv admitted, right about that. The ‘new’ buildings in Edinburgh still managed to be one or two hundred years old. Something from the late seventeenth century wouldn’t be unheard of. "Can we look in the phone book or—"
    "Make an appointment to go over and see the place?" Kayla finished triumphantly. "A taxi should be waiting for us back at the Bed & Breakfast by the time we get there." She grasped Liv’s hand and swung her around in the opposite direction, reversing their course.
     
    *  *  *
     
    The Cobb family estate was about six miles outside Edinburgh proper. And, as in Faylinn’s day and age, it was still known for its small but well-respected horse breeding business.
    The taxi chugged over a small hill and down the winding dirt road that led to Cobb Manor. They were dropped off at the front gates. The cabby tipped his hat then held out his hand for payment. "Enjoy your day, ladies."
    "We will." Kayla took a moment to write down the driver’s cell phone number, promising to call him back when they were ready to leave.
    Liv had already ventured a few paces forward and was talking to a young man standing in a small wooden booth at the house’s gate. As Kayla approached he stepped out of the booth.
    He wore a loose-fitting, homespun shirt, ankle boots, and a pale-blue, red and green check tartan kilt. He was half a head taller than Kayla with full sensual lips that made him look almost feminine, despite his well-built frame. His hair was long and shaggy and tied back with a plain leather strap. In short, he looked like he had just crawled out of the seventeenth century. Only his digital wristwatch gave him away.
    Liv turned and grinned at Kayla when she stepped up behind her and peered over her head at the talkative young man.
    "You see," he intoned, fully immersed in his role, "the family name