Her Rebellious Heart: A Scottish Historical Romance Read Online Free PDF Page A

Robert broke the silence, “Bridget, my dear, there is something I would like you to do for me if you will.”
                  She looked at him with a sweet smile,“What might that be, Robert? I’ll certainly do it if I can. Anything at all, just name it.”
                  Robert MacDonald drew his hand across the back of his neck, a custom of his when he was about to propose something and was not sure of the outcome. 
                  He looked at Bridget with a rather sheepish smile,“Well, lassie,” he began, “on the night of the dinner I am giving, I would like you to wear one of the dresses your grandmother wore when she was a young woman. This particular one was my favorite and I’ve kept it through the years. Will you do it?”
                  She and Aidan exchanged surprised glances. He shrugged his shoulders, then nodded his head indicating she should agree to Robert’s request.
                  “Wasn’t Grandmother very small?” she asked, trying to bring up memories of her.
                  “Oh, no smaller than you I think. Will you try it on for me now? I was sure you would come and had Besse lay it out for you. It’s in the bedroom at the head of the stairs. If you should need any help, I can send her up to you.”
                  Getting up from the floor Bridget said,“I'd better do it now then. I don’t want to be too late in getting back home.”
                  Crossing to the other side of the room, she started up the stairs, stopping on the turn landing to look at the portrait of her grandmother. For a brief moment, she thought she was looking at herself, or at an older, more delicate version. The woman's curly red hair was very much like her own and her eyes the same shade of sparkling green, a color that had inspired many to call her Kat even if her name had not been Katherine. But whereas her grandmother's eyes conveyed a sweet and carefree temperament, her clothes fine and her posture regal, Bridget felt herself a poor comparison in many ways.
                  With an odd feeling she went on upstairs and found the room Robert had indicated. She was very surprised to see how elegantly it had been furnished and wondered if it had been done in the event of her moving in. The décor was in gold and white with touches of deep orange throughout. Two windows on the west wall were hung with white lace curtains and heavy gold colored draw drapes. The floor was carpeted in the same shade of gold.
                  Going to the window, she pulled back the curtains and looked over at the beach and ocean beyond, and although it was gloaming now, she realized what a beautiful view there would be in the evenings of their long summer days.
                  Bridget thought, “If this room could be mine, all to myself, it would be worth it to move in with Robert.” Her face broke into a childlike grin.
                  On the four poster bed across the room lay the beautiful gown she was about try to on, the same one her grandmother was wearing in the picture on the stairway wall. It was made of ivory colored, rustling taffeta with an overlay of the same colored net. The bodice and front panel of the skirt were trimmed in gold metallic embroidery. It had a full crinoline skirt, tight bodice, a low cut neck line, and just a hint of a sleeve at the shoulders.
                  Picking up the dress and holding it in front of her, she walked over to the mahogany wardrobe and viewed herself in the full-length mirror on the door.
                  “What a beautiful thing,” she breathed, “but how amazing it hasn’t fallen apart through the years.” But there it was, indeed intact, just as when it was new.
                  She had no trouble getting into it and hooking it up the front. It was almost a perfect fit on her slender young