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her. They had both seen smoke coming from the single chimney. The cottage was definitely occupied. Georgina chewed her lip a moment longer, then finally squared her shoulders. What was there to be nervous about anyway? She looked her best. She looked far better than Malcolm would remember. He couldn’t help but be pleased that she had found him.
    She let Mac lift her down, then followed him up the red-bricked walkway to the door. She would have paused another few moments just to get her heartbeat under control, but Mac wasn’t taking such things into account. He pounded smartly on the door. And thenit opened. And Malcolm Cameron stood there. His face might have become vague in memory, but she recalled it now, for it hadn’t really changed at all. There were a few squint lines about the eyes, the mark of a sailor, but otherwise, he seemed not to have aged at all, seemed too young to be twenty-four. But he had grown. He was much, much taller, stood six feet at least, as tall as that James fellow…For God’s sake, what made her think of him? But Malcolm hadn’t widened any to compensate for the gained height. He was slim, almost gangly, but that was all right. Broad chests and thickly muscled arms were on her list of dislikes just now.
    Malcolm looked fine, better than fine. He was still so handsome, she barely noticed the toddler he was holding, a pretty little girl of about two, with long blond hair and gray eyes. Georgina had eyes only for Malcolm, who was staring back at her as if, well, frankly, as if he didn’t recognize her. But of course he did. She hadn’t changed that much. He was only surprised, and with reason. She was likely the last person he would expect to turn up on his doorstep.
    She should say something, but her mind didn’t seem to be working quite properly. And then Malcolm glanced away from her to Mac, and his expression slowly altered, lit up in recognition, and he grinned in welcome, unaware of what this seeming slight did to the girl who had traveled so far to find him.
    “Ian MacDonell? Is it really you?”
    “Aye, laddie, in the flesh.”
    “In England?” Malcolm shook his head incredulously, but chuckled. “You’ve bowled me over, youhave. But come in, man, come in. We’ll have to have a long visit. Damn me, this is a surprise!”
    “Aye, fer all of us, I’m thinking,” Mac replied gruffly, but he was looking at Georgina as he said it. “Have ye nothing tae say, lass?”
    “Yes.” Georgina stepped into what was a small parlor, gave it a cursory glance; then her eyes came back to her fiancé and she asked baldly, “Whose child is that, Malcolm?”
    Mac coughed and looked up at the ceiling, as if the open-timbered roof was suddenly of great interest. Malcolm frowned at Georgina as he slowly set the little girl on the floor at his feet.
    “Do I know you, miss?”
    “You mean you really don’t recognize me?” This with a great deal of relief.
    Malcolm’s frown deepened. “Should I?”
    Mac coughed again, or was he choking this time? Georgina spared him a scowl before bestowing one of her brighter smiles on the love of her life.
    “You should, yes, but I forgive you that you don’t. It’s been a long while, after all, and they tell me I’ve changed more than I think. I suppose now I really must believe it.” She gave a nervous laugh. “This is embarrassing, that I must introduce myself to you, of all people. I’m Georgina Anderson, Malcolm, your fiancée.”
    “Little Georgie?” He started to laugh, but he didn’t quite make it, sounded more like he was strangling. “You’re not. Georgie?”
    “I assure you—”
    “But you can’t be!” he exclaimed now, looking more horrified than doubtful. “You’re beautiful! Shewasn’t…I mean, she didn’t look…No one can change that much.”
    “Obviously, I must beg to differ,” Georgina said with some stiffness. “It didn’t happen overnight, you know. Had you been there to see the change come about