Highlanders (58 page)

“The girl is of sturdy stock.” His father’s voice intruded upon the intimate visions. “She will give you a horde of sons.”

“Good God, sir, you make it sound as if I am marrying a horse.”

“There are similarities. I will have no complications with this marriage. You will marry her three weeks hence, after the bans have been read.”

Erroll shook his head. “I’m afraid I cannot do that.”

“Why not?” His father looked nonplussed and Erroll didn’t blame him. He wasn’t accustomed to anyone disobeying his orders, least of all his son.”

“I am going to marry Miss Eve Crenshaw, sir.”

“I forbid it.”

“You did say you wanted a virgin for a daughter-in-law. The lady meets your one requirement.”

“What do you mean?”

Erroll smiled. “This time, I
am
guilty of compromising a virgin.”

Chapter Fifteen

Erroll found his mother in her chambers, fifteen minutes later. She looked up from the secretary where she was writing. Her face lit with a smile. She laid down her pen and extended her hands as he neared. He grasped her fingers and pulled her up and into a hug. Erroll’s gaze caught on the sheet of paper she’d been writing on and the list of names enumerated there. She stepped back, then drew him to the couch near the warmth of the hearth.

She sat down. “To what do I the honor of this visit?”

He sat beside her and draped an arm over the top of the couch. “We have had no chance to speak since I arrived. It is a son’s duty to pay his mother a proper visit when he hasn’t seen her in two months.”

She snorted. “This is about the sisters.”

“I do wish to discuss them,” Erroll admitted. “But first, my guests are settled, I presume?”

“They are. I arranged for the ladies to have a bite to eat in their rooms, and baths. They did look a bit bedraggled.”

“It was a long trip. Thank you for seeing to them. Now, tell me how you are.”

“You can see I am well. There is nothing new to report since I last saw you, so let us dispense with the small talk. I understand I am to prepare for a wedding.”

“So I am told,” he said. “We only arrived a few hours ago, but you seem to have made good progress on the guest list.” Erroll nodded toward the secretary. “One would think you already had a list in hand.”

His mother laughed. “The marquess informed me days ago there would be a wedding. Since the wedding will be held here on Mull, I am shortening the list. That isn’t a bad thing, I think. Do you have any guests you wish to include?”

Erroll shook his head. “I imagine Ash and Olivia are on the list?”

A shadow flitted through her eyes. “Of course.”

Erroll cursed his stupidity. Of course Olivia and Ash were invited. His mother knew how important it was to have his sister and brother there…just as much as it would have been important to have Val attend.

Erroll smiled. “Invite whomever you like. All of Mull, if it pleases you.”

Her eyes twinkled. “That would cost the marquess a pretty penny.”

“He is insisting I marry, after all.”

“Therefore he should pay?” she asked.

“Your words, madam, not mine. Now, as to the bride, I do have a preference.”

Her brows arched. “You should have thought of that before you ended up in Gretna with two prospective brides.”

“I see you are up to date on all the latest
on-dit
,” he said.

“When the gossip concerns my son, I am.” Her expression sobered. “Erroll, I like the ladies, but I admit to some concern that one of them shot you.”

“A mere flesh wound,” he said.

“That does not change the fact she shot you.”

“To be fair, I was a stranger who broke into her room at night and, well…woke her.” His mother’s mouth twitched in either satisfaction or amusement, he couldn’t be sure, for nothing ensured a son must marry like getting caught in an unmarried woman’s bedchamber. “To make matters worse,” Erroll went on, “her father caught us in a rather compromising position.”
Literally
.

“More compromising then when you
woke her
?” his mother asked.

“To my discredit, yes. Like any good father, Tolland was enraged and, in self-defense, I began to beat him half to death. He is quite fit, for a man of his age.” Erroll recalled the baron’s fist in his stomach. “She didn’t intend to kill me. In fact, I suspect she intended to fire in the air.”

“What makes you think that?”

“It was close range.”

“And you are a large target.”

“Exactly,” Erroll said. “In any case, I have told my father that I will not marry the younger sister.”

“Why?”

“I believe it is my prerogative to choose a bride,” he said. “Is that not enough?”

“Yes—usually. But you will admit this case is unique.”

“Be that as it may, I am still within my right to exercise that choice, and I am quite adamant on the point.”

“Your choice is between a liar and a would-be murderess,” she said.

He shook his head. “No ocean shall hinder the speedy flight of gossip.”

“You are a sensation!”

Erroll couldn’t prevent a laugh. “And that pleases you.”

“It does. But on a more serious note, I will not like it if Miss Crenshaw develops a habit of pointing a gun at you.”

Erroll grinned. “The threat of facing your wrath may well stop her from trying it again. I daresay, the only difference between Miss Crenshaw and most other women is that she shot the groom
before
the wedding.”

“I am not saying you didn’t deserve it,” his mother said. “But I will not countenance it.”

“But of course,” he said.

Something flickered in her eyes and Erroll wondered if she remembered a time his father deserved to be shot. 

She smoothed a wrinkle from her skirt. “So it is agreed, you will marry Miss Eve Crenshaw.”

“I wouldn’t say ‘agreed,’ but that is the case.”

“Ah, the marquess is not pleased.”

“No, but he didn’t have all the information. He’ll come around once he has time to consider.”

She snorted. “I suggest you don’t wait for him to agree, but make haste and marry.”

“The reading of the bans takes three weeks.”

“I will say no more,” she said. “If you feel certain he will change his mind in a short three weeks’ time, who am I to argue? Oh my, I had better contact the parson. He will begin reading the bans tomorrow, and we cannot have him marrying you to the wrong woman.”

“That would be a sensation,” Erroll said.

Her eyes widened in horror. “That would be a disaster! And if you think of doing any such thing I will shoot you myself.”

“I promise not to change brides at the last minute.”

“At this point, I do not doubt you are capable of it. Now that you mention it—” Erroll had the feeling what was to come did not bode well for him “—is not Grace Crenshaw under the impression she is to be your bride?”

“She was hopeful,” he replied. “But she knew I was not amenable to the connection. Did she say something?” He would strangle the girl.

His mother shook her head. “No, but given the latest version of the story—” Erroll had no desire to hear the latest version “—and the fact that I sensed she feels secure in the notion, I assumed it was true.”

His mother sensed Grace Crenshaw felt secure he would marry her? Would wonders never cease? “No such indications from Eve Crenshaw?” he asked.

“Not a one.” His mother’s gaze grew shrewd. “What an interesting turn of events. She does not wish to marry you.”

“Can you imagine?” he said.

“I am obligated to say, ‘no, what woman wouldn’t want you?’”

“For a mamma who has worked with such vigor this last year and a half to marry off her son, you do not seem to think he is very marriageable.”

“Don’t get me started on your marriageability. I know you too well.”

That she did. His mother had no illusions where he was concerned. Yet she loved him nonetheless.

Her eyes twinkled. “Has it occurred to you that if I had truly decided a particular lady would do that you could not have escaped me?”

“I think, madam,” Erroll said with care, “that I am glad not to have tested that theory.”

*****

Early that afternoon, a muffled, angry male voice filtered up the staircase as Eve descended. She slowed, discerned the indistinct reply of a quieter, more composed female voice, then another heated retort from the man. She yanked up her skirts and hurried down the stairs.

“I said he wasna’ here.”

Leslie
.

“Out of my way!” the man ordered.

Eve took the last two stairs and whirled left. With her second step toward the massive foyer, Leslie said, “If you canna’ speak kindly, then leave.”

A large man towered over her, but she stood her ground, glowering up at him. His head jerked in Eve’s direction. “Who are ye?”

Eve hurried to the maid’s side. “Miss Eve Crenshaw, my lord.”

His gaze sharpened on her. “First a maid, then a
Sassenach
—where is the marquess?”

“I cannot say, sir. But I am sure we can find him.”

“I told him the laird is no’ here,” Leslie said with heat.

“I will speak with the marquess, damn you,” he snarled.

“Perhaps I can be of assistance.”

Eve and Leslie whirled in unison to face Lord Rushton, who emerged from the hallway directly ahead.

“Are you the marquess?” the man demanded.

The earl approached, and Eve grasped Leslie’s arm and pulled her back two paces as he passed them.

He stopped in front of the man. “I believe it is customary for the visitor to introduce himself.”

“I am Lord Burns, ye fool.”

“Lord Rupert Burns?”

His mouth twisted downward in a deprecating frown. “Rupert is a poor cousin.”

“I see, and to what do we owe the honor of a visit from his more worthy relation?”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

Lord Rushton gave a slight bow. “Erroll MacLean at your service.”

“Where is your father?”

“Forgive me, he is indisposed.”

“I won’t be fobbed off to a bastard,” Burns spat.

“Ah,” Lord Rushton said. “You have me confused with my brother Ash. He is the one born on the wrong side of the blanket, not I. Sadly, he isn’t here either, so you are stuck with me.”

The man blinked, this time clearly a little more certain he’d been insulted. Eve, on the other hand, wanted to laugh.

“Where is Lady Hilary?” Lord Burns snapped.

“At last we make progress,” the earl said. “What do you want with my dear cousin?”

“I want her to stay away from my son. She is trying to get her hooks into him.”

“Hilary?” Lord Rushton laughed. “When last I saw the chit she had nothing resembling hooks.”

“She was free with her charms last night,” Lord Burns snapped.

“Indeed? I would have given a small fortune to see that. In any case, you cannot blame her. It is, after all, a lady’s job to display her charms. How else are we men to know what we are getting ourselves into?”

Lord Burns was struck dumb. Eve understood how he felt, though her reason was, no doubt, different. Butterflies flitted across the inside of her stomach with the memory of the charms Lord Rushton had so obviously noticed in her.

“My son is to marry a woman with strong
Scottish
roots,” Lord Burns said through tight lips.

“That goes without saying,” the earl said. “But what has that to do with the youngsters? Surely, you remember what it was like to be young and flirt with the ladies? And we aren’t in Edinburgh, after all. If she danced two dances with your son instead of one, no one here on Mull will notice, and I find it impossible to believe Hilary’s brother would allow anything more.”

“Her brother isna’ here,” Lord Burns said. “He’s off fighting the
Sassenach
war.”

A cloud passed through Lord Rushton’s eyes. “David gone to war?” He sighed. “Given that Bonaparte sailed to Prussia and marched from there to the Russian front in mere months, you might consider the possibility that if he succeeds in crossing the channel he will march into Scotland just as quickly. This war belongs to us all.”

“Bah!” Lord Burns burst out. “I’m not interested in your politics. If your father isna’ here, tell your mother to keep a better watch on the girl. She was at the ball with her last night.”

“There you are,” the earl said. “Lady Rushton is the embodiment of respectability. You have nothing to fear.”

“My son is betrothed, has been since he was a child,” Burns said. “The girl is wasting her time.”

“I see,” Lord Rushton nodded. “You’re afraid Hilary will misunderstand your son’s attentions. But what have you to fear? You know how these young people are, they go out of their way to aggravate their elders.”

Eve couldn’t escape the notion that his lordship referred as much to himself as his young cousin.

Burns’ brows snapped downward. “My son knows his duty.”

“Then count yourself lucky,” Lord Rushton said. “He is far wiser than many older men. As for Hilary, she isn’t old enough to be allowed to hook a man yet, and I never knew her to take the attention of a swain to heart. Now, may I ask what brings you to Mull?”

Lord Burns blinked, clearly caught off guard with the change of subject. “James Rose leased a house here. He invited us.”

“James, a good man,” Lord Rushton said. “Do you hunt?”

“Aye, quail, and deer, sometimes.”

“Excellent,” Lord Rushton said. “You must hunt on Ravenhall. We have an abundance of deer. I’m sure we can arrange a time. My father is an avid hunter, and an excellent guide.”