Flint paced nervously in his room, waiting for Jaye to come, so that they could go downstairs for breakfast together. He looked around the massive room; most of his home back in Kansas could fit in it. A large four-posted bed dominated the room, around it, red velveteen curtains, hung loosely to prevent any drafts. Paintings filled some of the walls: pictures of horses, Scotland and people. He wondered if any of the people in the paintings were from Allie's family. Two comfortable chairs, stood beside the fireplace, where a warm fire had been started by the bedchamber maid.
From the moment he woke up, he must had counted at least seven servants coming and going into his room, making sure that all was well, and he found everything to his satisfactory.
Orion had stationed himself by the warm fire, watching Flint pace the room back and forth. He could easily imagine what the dog was saying, "What a stupid nervous human."
The dinner had gone off at a rocky start, he was so nervous that he accidentally spilled the wine goblet. Most of the dinner was silent, which was wonderful for his part. Jaye kept sending him reassuring smiles. But he was so relieved when dinner was finally over, they took a stroll though the garden, before returning to their rooms. He had called Duke, and from their conversation, the field commander was about to chew heads. Mainly one redhead.
His thoughts traveled on what Lord Burnett was planning for the day, would they sword fight? Hunt? or worse, the dungeon. 'He probably had a room of dead bodies.' he joked, 'All of the men that Allie brought home.'
The dog whimpered, Flint heard footsteps approach the door. He gulped.
Jaye stuck her head inside the door spotting the dog then turned and saw Flint. She smiled and walked in. She was wearing a spaghetti strapped summer dress that accentuated her skin and curves perfectly.
He wondered if her father would have a fit about the dress.
She walked over to him. "You know you don't have to spend all your time in here."
His face brightened, "I don't know, I think it is much more safer in here." he joked.
She playfully pouted at him. "But you don't get to see me." She said in a sultry voice.
A twinkle came in his eyes, "Who said I am going to stay here alone?" taking her into his arms, his lips meeting hers.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and her fingers intertwined with his hair. She let his hands wander forgetting they left the door open.
"Ahem." came a voice behind them, "Me apologies Lady Alison, but yer father is waiting for ya for the morning meal."
"Shall we?" Flint said, extending his arm to her, "Lady Alison?"
"You can just call me Allie except when in the presence of my father or my uncle who you will meet tonight. Then call my Lady Alison. Proper etiquette." She laced her arm through his. "Come on let's not keep Daddy waiting.
They walked down the stairs and into the small dining hall. "Morning Daddy." Jaye said and walked over to her father and gave him a kiss on his cheek.
"Morn'ng Lass." Robert Burnett greeted his daughter, he nodded towards Flint.
"Good morning, Lord Burnett." Flint greeted him with a smile.
Flint pushed Jaye's chair in for her, before he sitting himself across the other side of the long table. Two servants brought them a large silver plate filled with several different delicacies. Most of which Flint did not even recognize.
There were two different types of sausages, eggs, bacon, sliced tomatoes, and something black, that looked about to jump off his plate and devour him! He whispered towards Jaye, "Allie, what is this black thing?"
"Try it. You might like it." Jaye said with a shrug. She watched him. "The bigger sausage is very good."
Robert Burnett's voice spoke, "That Lad, is what we Scots call, 'Black Pudding'. It's made with blood, milk, onions, herbs, cayenne pepper, salt and a pinch of nutmeg for flavor." He watched his future son- in-law's face change into a green color, "Go on Lad. Try it."
Flint gulped, Did he just say blood? taking his fork, he took a small portion of black pudding and put it in his mouth, "This is tasty." he managed to say, swallowing hard and taking a long sip of his coffee.
"That's not a bite, Lad! Take a good one. Try the gut!"
Guts? Oh man, how he wished for Roadblock's cooking right now. He nodded to the older man, his face growing greener.
Jaye burst out laughing, watching Flint's fork tremble as he stabbed one of the larger sausages and took a taste. She was laughing so hard she nearly fell out of her chair. "Oh man!!!" She chortled. "Maxwell bring in my camera!!!"
"Alison!" Robert Burnett's voice thundered, "Ye do not conduct this type of manners at ta table!" But Jaye was laughing so hard, ignoring to what he just told her, that the old man shook his head; Then he began to chuckle, the chuckle turned to a laugh and the laugh became a large guffaw. He glanced from his daughter to Flint.
Flint glanced at Jaye, in the middle of such a fit of the giggles that she was now banging her hand on the table, holding her stomach with the other, face bright red and tears streaming down her cheeks. Then he looked at Robert Burnett, who was looking at him and also laughing. The warrant officer felt a chuckle come out of his own mouth, turning into laughter, joining in the comical moment.
Jaye calmed down then took a look at Flint and burst out laughing again.
This went on for several minutes until finally she calmed down enough to eat her black pudding and haggis. Finally full she pushed the plate away from her slightly. "Maxwell tell the cook breakfast was delicious as always."
"I will Milady." Maxwell said and took her plate. "Are ye done as well, Master Faireborn?"
"Yes Maxwell, thank you." Flint said as the servant took his mostly full dish away. Causing another round of laughter in the room.
Robert Burnett's voice interrupted the laughter, "Lass, have ya taken the lad around the Manor?"
"No Daddy." Jaye said. "It is not proper to escort a man around without permission or without supervision." She stood up. "Now if you will excuse me. I will see you both later." Jaye gave Flint a sweet smile then kissed her father on the cheek and whispered in his ear, "Now play nice, Daddy. I want to keep this one. James made sure the library is available." With that she left.
Flint eyed Lady Jaye watching her go up the grand staircase, the dogs in tow. 'Sure. Leave me alone in the frying pan on the fire.' he thought to himself. He glanced at Robert Burnett's features, who at the moment resembled Hawk on a good day. "Laird Burnett, I would love to learn more about the Manor." He prayed the man would not chew his head off, or lock him in the torture chamber room.
"Ye and Ah need to have a wee chat boyo." Robert said and stood. "Follow me."
Flint nodded and stood up, ignoring the feel of his jell-o legs. Sure, he could fight two dozen Cobra soldiers, scream at a bunch of irresponsible Joes, bark orders, command a large army of elites; facing Allison's father, he only thought of one thing: 'I'm a bloody coward'.
They walked in silence, Robert Burnett's hand behind his back, Flint a few steps behind him, following him like one of the dogs. He was silent, waiting for the man to speak, he wouldn't dare say a word.
Robert lead him into the library. The room was huge and all the walls were floor to ceiling bookshelves bursting with books. Robert noticed the look of appreciation on Flint's face. "I see ye like books." He said and walked over to the fireplace and there was another oil painted
portrait. This one was a wedding picture of Robert and Alison's mother, Alicia. To the right is one that was of a young girl with Robert. The young girl was a three year old Alison. There were pictures of Alison all over the room as well. It was obvious that she was very loved by her father. There was a big picture of Robert, Jaye and Hawk, when Jaye was about twelve years old. Robert looked up at the portrait of him and the three year old Jaye and sighed. "This portrait took forever to paint. She wouldna hold still for more than five seconds."
Flint laughed, "That is Allie for you, never sits still for a single second, always wants to be part of the action."
Another portrait caught Flint's attention, the picture stood far apart the others, was three times as large, covering most of the wall. A gentleman sat on a velvet chair, his eyes, black as pearls, his features serious. He had short brown thinning hair and looked very dignified in a black long cloak. With the gentleman, there were two young girls, not older than five years. One of them had auburn locks around her shoulders, and wore a green dress that matched her green eyes. Her hand rested on the gentleman's shoulder, her eyes indicated that there was much love for the man in the painting. The other, who wore a lavender dress had almost the same auburn hair, only a tint darker and her eyes were the color of hazel. Her chin was rested on the gentleman's lap, her eyes showing some sadness to them. Flint wondered if one of the girls was Allie, "Sir, who is in this picture?" he asked.
"That be me wife's brother James. The girl in the lavender dress is me niece Victoria and the other be Alison. They be very close. Ye will be meeting James tonight at dinner." Robert said. "Now boyo." He said getting serious. "Why should Ah let ye marry me baby?"
Flint felt his blood stop cold for a second. He was dreading that particular question since he first set foot in Scotland. He had prepared for it, sure. But at that moment, his whole entire brain stopped. He forgot every line that he had rehearsed. He cleared his throat. He had to win over Robert's blessing, or die trying.
"Sir, I can understand the way you may feel towards me. I'm not part of a Clan nor a Scot. I'm not part of Allie's class, or world. But all I can tell you, sir, is that I love your daughter with all my heart and soul. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of her. Make sure she is safe, cherished and taken care of. When I first met your daughter, both of us came from two separate worlds, lives. Now, all I can see in front of me is our world together. And nothing can stop that. We will face everything together. Just to see her face every morning, close to mine, that is all I want. I will do anything for her, even die. Allie, is my world, my life and my heart.
"She is not an easy person to deal with, me daughter. She is smart as a whip and twice as sharp. She has to constantly be doing something or she will go stir crazy. Are ye sure ye can deal with that?" Robert Burnett still had not looked at Flint.
"Sir, I wouldn't be here if I could not deal with Allie. That is what makes her special, her sharpness, her loyalty for others, her independence, her creativity and even her way of words, all make Allie special to me. I will never let Allie go through anything alone. I promise you that, Sir."
"Ye hurt me baby girl and Ah will rip you apart limb from limb. Ye will rue the day ye hurt her. Am Ah perfectly clear, Dashiell?" Robert walked over to him and looked down at the shorter man. His face was dead serious. He meant what he said. Flint now understood what Hawk meant about how protective he was.
Flint took a step back. "Clear, Sir. I would never do anything to harm Alison, I love her too much to hurt her." Did he just hear Allie's father say his name? He hoped the man would allow this marriage. He could never picture his life without the woman he loved.
Suddenly his expression changed and Flint was greeted with the famous Scottish charm. He smiled brightly and put his arm around the shorter man and hugged him. "Me daughter does love ye." He let him go and pat him on the back. "Now son ye have me permission to go on a tour with me daughter, but ye will be chaperoned."
Flint went in shock, did the man just hug him? He wanted to jump for joy. He was so thrilled he could even kiss Beach Head, no scratch that.. He couldn't wait to tell Allie! At least he allowed the tour, even with the babysitting, he was too surprised to say anything more than, "Thank you, Laird."
"Remember Ah will be gettin reports all throughout the day." Robert warned. "So no funny business. The cook is fixing ye a picnic." Robert smiled. "Now go. Me daughter probably thinks Ah killed ye."
"You have my word, Sir. No funny business. And my deepest thank you, Sir."
The other man nodded, and left Flint alone. The warrant officer gazed once more at the painting of Uncle James and Allie with her cousin. Those piercing eyes were somewhat familiar, but he could not place them. Shaking his head, he wondered back to the foyer and up the stairs to the east wing. He headed straight to Jaye's bedroom chambers. The door was slightly ajar and he walked inside.
He smiled, as Jaye was sitting in one of the large chairs near the fireplace, the dogs, sleeping soundly next to her. A phone was in her hand, talking to Scarlett he thought.
"Allie." he whispered, not to disturb her conversation
Jaye looked up at Flint. "Shana I gotta go. Dash is back...yes he's still alive." Jaye rolled her eyes as she looked at Flint. "Alright I'll talk to you tonight. Have fun singing." She said then hung up
and walked over to him. "Well?"
"Singing? Why is Shana singing?" He asked puzzled, "And well what?" he teased.
"Punishment." Jaye said then pushed Flint a little. "And what do you mean well what?"
Flint grinned, "Well, how about you and I go on a nice tour of the Manor, and have a picnic, all care of your father."
Jaye's face brightened and her emerald green eyes sparkled brightly. "Really? Daddy gave his consent for a tour?" She grabbed her sweater.
"Where do you want to start?"
He look down at her, "Anywhere you wish, but not in the torture room down in the dungeon, alright? And there is a catch. No funny business and we are going to be babysat."
A knock on the door interrupted them, "Master Dashiell, Lady Alison. I have cook's basket with me. Shall we start our outing?" An English gentleman stood in the doorway.
Flint smirked, "Man this place puts even Breaker to shame-- nothing gets missed."
"Thank you Commander Wallace." Jaye said and they were off.