My Highland Love: Highland Lords Series (27 page)

"Come now, you must comprehend that Marcus
isn't a man to make a commitment lightly."

"What I comprehend is that Marcus is a man
accustomed to having his way."

"That is true of any man with half a
wit."

Elise couldn't help laughing. "I suppose
you're right."

Sophie's expression softened. "You aren't
betraying your husband by loving again."

Elise nearly choked. "N-no, of course
not."

"There is no one for you to return home
to?"

She recalled the blood darkening Steven's
coat. "No."

"Your husband's family, what of them?"

"There is no one."

Sophie sighed. "A shame."

"Yes," Elise replied, and couldn't prevent a
picture of the two who waited for her at the bottom of the sea. Her
chest tightened and she rose. "Would you care for a drink?" She
crossed to the sideboard. "Marcus keeps an excellent Napoleon
brandy."

"Brandy?"

Elise paused, her hand on the decanter lid,
and twisted to look at Sophie. "Don't tell me you're going to
lecture me. Are all MacGregors so puritanical?"

Sophie's eyes lit with amusement. "I've heard
the MacGregors called many things—bloodthirsty, uncouth, barbaric,
ignorant—but never have they been compared to anything so noble.
Puritanical, indeed."

Elise couldn't resist. "There is port, if
brandy is too strong for you."

"Brandy it is," she said without
hesitation.

Elise poured two glasses of the brandy and
returned to the divan. She handed a snifter to Sophie, then sat
down.

"Did I mention that I tried escaping to
Australia?"

"I do not recall the story," Sophie replied
with such gravity that Elise couldn't help wondering if someone had
indeed repeated the tale in the short time the countess had been
there.

"Marcus's men retrieved me," Elise said.

"Retrieved you?"

"It seems strange now that I left," she said
more to herself than Sophie.

"What happened when my cousin's men came for
you?" Sophie asked.

"Cameron sent them. Marcus wasn't aware I had
left. He told me if he had come, it would have gone far worse for
me."

"I can well believe that. Why did you
leave?"

Elise grimaced. "The reason was sound."

"Do you mean to extract a little revenge
now?"

Elise looked at Sophie. "Things aren't always
as simple as they seem."

Sophie nodded once. "And often not as
complicated as we think. What stops you from leaving again?"

"He would only come for me again."

"But of course," Sophie agreed. "There is
nowhere you could hide from him. I do see your point."

Elise looked sharply at her. Merriment danced
in Sophie's eyes, and Elise realized she referred to Marcus and not
Price, as her imagination had jumped to think. She was
hallucinating—either that or drunk.

"Just how rich is my husband-to-be?" The
countess's eyes widened, and Elise cried, "Good Lord, that didn't
come right at all." She groaned and collapsed against the divan
back.

"I imagine you wonder what sort of reception
you'll receive once you leave Brahan Seer?"

Elise's heart jumped, but the reaction was
stalled by the honesty that shone in the countess' eyes. "I swear,
Sophie, as foolish as it sounds, I had no idea he was a duke. Here
at Brahan Seer… I knew him as Cameron's son and leader of the
MacGregor clan. I knew they weren't destitute, but a duke!" She
laid a hand on Sophie's hand. "I am no duchess."

"And I was no countess," Sophie replied.

"What?"

"I was only Lady Ashlund. Of course, my
family has money." Sophie's eyes danced. "All Ashlunds have money.
But, then, so does Justin."

"Ashlund," Elise repeated. "They are
MacGregors?"

"Oh, no. Ryan MacGregor married Helena
Ashlund about one hundred and fifty years ago. Helena was an only
child, therefore, the dukedom fell to Ryan when Helena's father
Coll Ashlund died." Sophie shook her head and a shadow passed over
her face. "That was a terrible time. The MacGregor name had been
outlawed."

"The clearances?" Elise asked.

"Oh, no. Those atrocities are much more
recent," she said. "There was a great deal of political
strife"—Sophie laughed—"when hasn't there been political strife in
Scotland? In any case, the crown seized MacGregor land, and the
MacGregors fought back. It is said in our family that, if not for
Helena marrying Ryan, his brand of the MacGregors, Marcus's line,
wouldn't be here today."

"Ashlund money," Elise murmured.

"You have it," Sophie said.

Indeed, Elise thought.
Now what am I to do
with it?

Chapter Fifteen

Much later that evening, Marcus pushed past
the cluster of men outside the library doorway watching Elise and
Sophie, each with a glass in hand as they sat on the floor in front
of the fire giggling like school girls. He stopped and looked from
the women to the decanter on the floor beside them. On the
sideboard, other decanters sat in disarray. Some had been left
uncovered—one actually lay empty on its side. Marcus turned his
attention back to the women. He could scarce believe his eyes. They
were drunk.

The women looked up as he strode toward them.
"I suppose 'tis my fault for not looking for you here first." He
stopped before them.

Elise and Sophie looked at one another and
shrugged.

"I told you to inform someone of your
whereabouts."

"Told me?" Elise's brows rose sluggishly. "I
seem to remember you as-as-" Her gaze cut to Sophie. "A difficult
word—asking me," she got out in a quick breath, then looked at him
again. "But, then, I'm not surprised you remember it
differently."

Laughter emanated from the men.

"And in case you hadn't noticed," she went on
between hiccups, "I haven't left the confines of the castle."
Despite the slight slur in her words, they were said with
emphasis.

Another ripple of low laughter came from the
men and Marcus shot them a quelling look. Cameron coughed and
Kiernan raised a brow while the others' mouths twitched with
amusement. Marcus turned his attention to Sophie.

"I see you are introducing my future wife to
the niceties of polite society."

Sophie looked at Elise, who said, "I do
believe he is blaming you." Leaning into Sophie, Elise added in a
loud whisper, "Just like a man, wouldn't you say?"

The gales of laughter that swept the room
increased when Elise gripped the seat of the chair with one hand,
while clutching her glass with the other, and began scrambling to
her feet. Marcus reached to assist her. She batted his hand away
and rose onto unsteady feet. She swayed, grabbed the back of the
chair, and leveled her gaze on him.

"Now see here, Marcus MacGregor, we'll have
none of your lectures tonight." She pushed at his chest with the
hand that held the glass. "Lady Whycham and I are enjoying
ourselves and we don't need you or anyone else telling us what we
should do. Isn't that right, Sophie?"

"Right," agreed Sophie. "We don't need you or
anyone else."

"If you will excuse us." Elise reached down
and grasped Sophie's hand. She pulled, nearly falling onto Sophie
before finally helping her to her feet. Sophie smoothed her skirts
as Elise faced Marcus. "Lady Whycham and I are going to see to the
preparations for the banquet."

Shoving her glass into his hand, she headed
for the door, Sophie on her heels. A picture of the two women
falling down the stairs and breaking their lovely necks flashed in
his mind, and Marcus sat the glass on his desk and started after
them. The men parted for the ladies, stepping back an extra pace
when he charged past. He grabbed the women as they reached the
stairs, pushing Sophie toward his son and scooping Elise into his
arms.

"Put me down!" she sputtered, but he ignored
her, hurrying down the stairs and into the great hall. When he
reached the table, he dropped her into a chair.

"He's peeved," Elise commented to Sophie, who
had been set in the chair beside hers.

"Serves him right," she replied.

Marcus stifled an oath and ordered a kettle
of tea. When the strong brew began to clear their senses, he
watched with satisfaction as they rubbed their temples.

"Brute," Elise muttered, casting a dark
glance in his direction. She rose and headed for the stairs, adding
loud enough for all to hear, "I wager Sophie agrees with me."

"Damnation, Elise," Sophie paused in rising,
"must you shout?" She, too, started for the steps.

Elise paused at the stairs and glanced over
her shoulder. Marcus met her gaze, but she only shook her head and
turned to go up the stairs.

"You're to be married in two days," Sophie
said, taking the first step behind her. "Perhaps you should give
serious thought to your decision, Elise."

Marcus jumped from his seat at the table. By
God, he would strangle her. He strode across the room. Halting at
the bottom of the stairs, he called up to them, "Sophie, you would
do well to keep your thoughts to yourself." His voice echoed up the
narrow staircase and both women halted, covering their ears.

"Of all the nerve," Sophie complained as they
started up again. "Marcus, I never knew you to be so perverse.
Mayhap you should reconsider, Elise. I wonder if any of us know him
at all."

Marcus took the stairs two at a time and, in
a flash, reached Sophie's side. "You will retire to your chambers
now, Cousin," he growled.

Grasping her elbow, he hurried her up the
stairs ahead of him until they reached Elise. Marcus grabbed her
elbow with his other hand and forced them up the remaining steps
ahead of him. He escorted them down the corridor until they reached
Elise's chambers. He shoved Sophie in the direction of her room,
opened Elise's door, and thrust her inside.

"Don't leave this room the remainder of the
evening. I will have dinner sent up."

Elise mumbled something unintelligible as he
clicked the door shut behind him.

When Marcus reentered the hall a moment
later, the low laugher of the men cut short. Those sitting at the
table seemed absorbed in the odd task of examining the tabletop.
Marcus looked closer as he neared them and discerned the collective
struggle to keep from bursting into laughter.

"Out with it!" he boomed. "I couldn't live
with the guilt of someone bursting a blood vessel."

No one made a peep, and he threw his hands
into the air and headed for the sanctuary of his library. When he
was halfway up the stairs, the hall filled with laughter. Marcus
paused, torn between cursing the men and joining them, then shook
his head and hurried up the stairs.

* * * *

At the light tap on his library door, Marcus
ceased speaking to Harris. The door opened and Sophie peered
inside.

"Oh," she said, "forgive me. I didn't know
you were busy."

She started to back away and Harris said, "We
can finish later, Marcus. I have enough here to begin work." He
lifted his notebook to indicate his notes.

"No," Sophie began, but Marcus waved her in.
Harris rose, bowed to Sophie, then left them alone. She seated
herself in the chair Harris had occupied, and said, "You seem to
have accomplished a great deal this morning." She motioned to the
open ledger on his desk.

"I rise early," he replied.

"It is a beautiful morning."

Marcus gave her an appraising look. "I would
think after yesterday evening that this morning would not be so
pleasant for you."

Sophie smiled. "I have a strong constitution,
as you well know." She settled back against the cushion and
regarded him. "Do not say you are truly angry with me."

"Shocked. As Justin would be, I wager."

"My God!" she exclaimed. "Mayhap Elise was
right."

"Right about what?" he asked sharply.

"She commented on the puritanical
characteristic of the MacGregors."

Marcus tossed aside the quill he'd been
holding and lounged in his chair. "I assume this is in reference to
me?"

"You were the original topic of conversation.
But never mind that. I like Elise."

"Aye?"

"Yes. She told me the harrowing story of how
she came to be here. I am curious, though, what it is she is
omitting."

"What do you mean?"

Sophie's expression softened. "It is plain
you care for her."

"Sophie—"

"Don't become annoyed with me, Marcus. We
have known one another too long for such foolishness. I am pleased
you have found a woman to care for, and approve of the match."

Marcus raised a brow.

She gave him a dry look. "You comprehend what
I mean. Now, tell me, what is she hiding?"

He took a deep breath. "I have yet to find
out."

Sophie smoothed her dress. "She isn't given
to talking about herself, even half in her cups. Which do you think
is most likely: that she has committed a crime or has run away from
her husband? Either one would allow for her gentle upbringing."

He prayed to God she hadn't run away from a
husband. What would he do if that were the case?

"Those are not the only possibilities,"
Marcus said. "It may be her husband was in debt and she has no
means to repay the creditors."

"Quite right," Sophie said. "I hadn't thought
of that."

Thus far, his investigations had turned up no
record of a ship sinking in Solway Firth, nor had any ship docked
in the firth. There had, however, been a terrible storm the day
before Shannon and Josh found Elise. The ship may have sunk as
Elise said. The report of ships docking in Edinburgh and London
gave no clues as to what ship she might have sailed on. The report
on ships leaving Boston harbor had yet to reach him.

Marcus focused on his cousin. "I will have no
meddling in this affair, Sophie."