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uncle, being the oldest of his brothers, might remember Lincoln from when he lived in the Highlands, whereas the others might not. And she had so many questions about the man, thought of only after Lincoln had ridden away yesterday, so many things she should have asked him but didn’t.
    She didn’t know how long he was going to be visiting, didn’t know where he lived in England—even if he lived in England, though everything about him, including his accent, said he did. It would be the worst luck if he was there in the Highlands for a long visit with her leaving for London in a few days, and she could be gone for the whole of his visit and, even worse, come home just when Lincoln would be returning to England himself.
    She couldn’t cancel her trip, however, even though she was now of a mind to. Too much planning for it had been done, and the expense of a suitable wardrobe. Besides, Lincoln’s visit might be a short one, and she could as likely further their acquaintance in London. He might live there. Och, why hadn’t she asked?
    Ian couldn’t answer most of her questions, but he might at least know something of the man. She’d settle for anything at the moment, so sheasked him directly, “Did you know Lincoln Burnett when he lived a few miles from you?”
    “Burnett? Sounds American, or English.”
    “Aye, he’s all o’er an Englishmon.”
    “Ye’ve met him, then?”
    “Yesterday I did,” she said. “He’s verra nice—and verra handsome.”
    Ian chuckled. “And ye were obviously taken wi’ him. Are ye off tae London for nae good purpose now?”
    Ian hadn’t been one of the uncles who’d scared off her recent callers. He was much more reserved as he approached forty, and he tended now to let a man prove his worth before he passed judgment on him. Or at least he withheld warnings and threats until he saw a real need for them. He could still be just as hot-tempered as his brothers, but he usually wasn’t first into the fray anymore.
    “I only just met him, and we didna talk enough tae find out how long he’ll be visiting here. He could visit here often for all I’m knowing. I was hoping ye might remember him, is all, and could tell me a wee bit more about him.”
    “Remember him from when? There’s ne’er been a Burnett living in our area that I can recall. There was a Linc, which could hae been short for Lincoln, I suppose, but that fool lad was as Scottish as you and me.”
    “I’m only three-quarters,” she corrected him with a grin.
    “Och, and he was only half, come tae think on it, which is neither here nor there, since he was aRoss, no’ a Burnett. A lassie might be coming home wi’ a new surname, but a mon tends tae be keeping the one he’s born wi’.”
    “He claimed it was nineteen years ago that he lived here, though he didna say if he’d been back tae visit in all that time or no’. I was assuming he had relatives still living here, and that’s who he’s come tae see, but maybe his whole family moved away all those years ago and he’s only returned to look up old friends.”
    “Hinny, I would hae been around twenty m’self nineteen years ago, auld enough tae know if any English lived nearby—unless he was an adopted son and still a bairn.”
    “Nay, ten he said he was when he left here. Could he hae been the Lincoln Ross ye know, adopted and maybe returned to his real parents, which would account for a different surname now?”
    “The age is aboot right, but if ye’ve a true interest in the mon, Meli, then pray ’tis no’ the Linc Ross m’brothers and I came tae know.”
    She frowned. “Why?”
    “Because that lad was as stupid as they come, stubborn beyond comprehension, and, tae boot, vengeful, all o’ which would be hard tae outgrow, I’m thinking. He wouldna take the beating he deserved and let it go at that. Had tae keep coming back for more.”
    “What’d he do tae deserve a beating?”
    Ian sighed. “’Twas as much Dougi’s fault, I suppose, for