Page 276 of The Defiant Curse

When her brother was done harassing her, she was focused on Elizabeth again.

“Lass, you have the prettiest eyes. They are so icy blue. I can see the warmth in them. You have a good heart. I can tell,” she said.

“Can you?” she asked.

Catherine laughed.

“Nah, I only know that Gabs said you’re a sweetheart! What do I look like? Some weird witch who’s reading tea leaves and palms in my downtime? I trust my sister.”

Elizabeth snorted.

She was pretty entertaining, and she understood why Gabby was perfectly happy to settle here. Finn’s sister was a piece of work. She imagined all of them were the same.

Gabby shrugged.

“I mean, I told you not to believe what you’ve seen in the media. Elizabeth is a sweetheart. There’s not a mean bone in her body.”

When Michael laughed, finding that funny since he’d seen her eviscerate people when they got in her way, Elizabeth elbowed him in the stomach.

HARD.

The last thing she wanted was the truth getting out. She kind of liked the newness of people not judging her before they got to know her.

Yeah, Scotland was a good place, and she loved it here. This wouldn’t be her last time here.

Bet.

On.

It.

“Don’t make me hurt you,” she warned Michael. “You’ve gotten soft from not being forced to the gym every day.”

He snorted.

Wasn’t that the truth?

“Okay, Mom,” he said, rolling his eyes. Instead of the gym, he was getting his cardio in a whole other way.

A Scottish man.

As they finished up the introductions, Catherine held out her hand.

“I hear you have something for me to look at,” she stated, making the loop appear so she could do the inspection.

That she did.

Reaching around her neck, she pulled off the gold necklace that she’d worn to keep safe. It was between her breasts, along with the rosary she always wore.

When Catherine saw the rosary, she lifted a brow.

“Are ya Catholic, Lass?” she asked.

Elizabeth nodded as she handed her Ceit’s ‘heart’ to inspect for them.

“Yeah, can’t you tell by how many kids we have?” she asked, amused. “My house is filthy with children.”

Catherine lowered her voice.