Kilgannon (8 page)

"Oh, aye, lass, he is. I dinna ken why the man hesitates, but it's fine with me. Now, what do ye want to talk about, if not kilts and cats and mountains?" I moved to the sofa and sat down. Alex joined me, and the cat jumped on his lap at once.

"You've made a conquest," I said, petting the cat on his lap.

"Again? First the Duchess and now ye? Or d'ye mean the cat?"

"The cat. I suspect you make a lot of conquests."

He nodded. "Aye. Cats like me. Dogs too."

"That's not what I meant."

He grinned. "Duchesses are mad about me."

"Yes, and she told me why. You saved the Duke's life. You were very brave to help him, very heroic. Tell me what happened?"

He shrugged. "It was years ago, lass, and it doesna merit the telling. I came upon three men attacking one and I lent a hand. It was no'an act of heroism. It was an act of courtesy."

"I think you're wonderful. And so do the Duke and Duchess."

He laughed. "I am. But, Mary, what I did was the only thing a decent man could do. Who would walk away from an outnumbered man?"

"Lots of men would."

"Then I dinna want them walking by when I need helping. Remind me of that, will ye, at the appropriate time?"

"I will. I'm sure the Duchess will continue to adore you." "Aye, but I don't pay attention to other men's wives."

"Not even the ones like Rowena? She is very beautiful."

"Aye." He grinned and suddenly I felt hideously ugly, thinking of the lovely Rowena looking up into his eyes. I tried to smile. His grin faded and he watched me for a moment, then leaned toward me, one arm stretched along the back of the sofa. "Mary," he said, his tone quiet. "Rowena isna a tenth as beautiful as ye. Ye looked verra beautiful last night. Ye looked like a goddess. Ye look like one today." I stared at him. He leaned back against the cushions and then smiled broadly. "But a woman must have more than beauty to recommend her. What are yer talents?"

"Talents?" I looked at him blankly.

He nodded. "Aye. Can ye cook?"

"No."

"Can ye fish?"

"No." I laughed when he shook his head as though that were a serious deficiency.

"Can ye tend cattle?"

"No," I said, laughing harder.

"Can ye sew?"

"Yes. And embroider. And all the needlecrafts." "Aye, well, I canna picture Rowena with a needle in her hand. So ye see, yer ahead of her there too."

"And what are your talents?" I said, feeling much better. "Besides reading French and having duchesses and cats adore you?"

"I can skip a stone on the loch seven times." "That's very important."

"It is when yer ten and yer cousin's fifteen and he canna." "Angus?"

"Aye. It bothers him still, no doubt. Dinna shame him by asking." He shook his head as though it were a sad thing, but his eyes were laughing. "I canna think of any other talents."

"Can you cook?"

"Aye." He was watching my lips.

"You can? What can you cook?"

"Whatever I can catch. If I'm hungry I find a way to cook it."

"Don't they feed you at home?"

"I'm not talking about when I'm home."

"Oh. Well, can you sew?" "No, but with a plaid ye don't need to. Ye just need to know how to fold cloth. I can do that."

"Can you fish?"

"Aye. Ye dinna grow up on the water and not know how to fish."

"Can you tend cattle?"

He laughed ruefully. "I have done it, but I'm not good at it. I get bored."

"Then you do have some talents to recommend you as a woman."

"Oh, those were womanly virtues?"

"They were when you were asking me."

"No, actually," he said, his voice growing husky, "I was wondering if I might hire ye for Kilgannon. Ye have the look of a fisherman about ye." He put the cat on the floor.

"I'm not for hire," I said primly, smoothing my skirts.

"Aye." He leaned toward me again, his eyes dark. "I think I'd have to marry ye." His face had almost reached mine when the door flew open and Ellen entered with a tray. Alex sprang up, standing a foot from the sofa.

"I brought you some tea. Madam said to interrupt you," Ellen said cheerfully, her eyes missing nothing. She set the tray on the table before the sofa while Alex withdrew to the window.

"It's stopped raining," he said.

"Oh, yes, sir, ages ago," answered Ellen, and giggled as she crossed the room. "You were probably not looking out the window." She closed the door behind her. Alex turned from the window with a smile, and I returned it as I watched him approach. If he'd asked me to fly away with him at that moment I would have said yes.

"There are three cups," he said, pointing to the tray. "That means Louisa will be here soon. We'd best be well behaved." He sat in a chair at the end of the sofa, but a moment later sprang up and came back to me, sitting where he had been before. He put one hand behind my back, wrapped the other in my hair, and pulled me to him. "Before we're interrupted again, lass," he said, and kissed me, gently, and then again, more insistently. I had been kissed before, but not like this. His lips were soft and I yielded to him as I had never done with another. What was it about this man that affected me so? My head was spinning, but somewhere in the back of my mind a little voice was shouting a victory song. He paused and smiled, and I looked into his eyes and willed him to kiss me again.

"I've wanted to do that since the first time I saw ye," he said quietly as he pulled a strand of my hair over my shoulder and rubbed it between his fingers. "Yer hair is like silk. I knew it would be." He kissed me again. I put my arms around his shoulders to hold him to me, but he was already drawing away, and I watched him go to stand again at the window while I wondered what had gone wrong. At last he turned to me with a wry smile. "Mary, forgive me. I have overstepped myself."

I paused, then shook my head. "No, Alex, you have not."

He looked at me for a long moment. "Yer a one, Mary Lowell," he whispered; "What will I do with ye?"

"You'll think of something," I said, and his smile in return was radiant. Dear God, I thought, he lights the room.

The door opened then and Louisa entered, looking from one of us to the other. We spent the next half hour discussing English and Scottish politics over tea. Mostly I listened, thinking of his kisses and the feel of his shoulders under my hands, the way his eyes had closed as he leaned in to me. I wanted to pull him to me and kiss him again. I watched his lips as he spoke and tried to focus my attention on the discussion. Soon Will and Betty joined us, and the conversation became general. Betty pouted quietly except when addressed. Alex was subdued but behaved like a gentleman. I acted like a ninny. I could not concentrate and answered all the wrong questions. Alex watched me and wrestled with a smile. At last he pleaded business concerns and excused himself. Will walked him out and a moment later returned, saying he was going with Alex to the wharves to see Alex's brig. He ran out to join Alex like a small boy.

I sat listlessly while Louisa and Betty talked about clothes, and at last I excused myself to walk in the gardens. The fresh air did not. help. I could not focus my thoughts, or rather, I could not unfocus my thoughts. I felt like a fifteen-year-old. I told myself I was being an idiot, but I kept remembering his kisses.

The day dragged toward evening and at last Will returned, fired with enthusiasm about Alex's ship. Apparently the brig was one of several, and these were Alex's trading vessels.

"He's leaving in two days for the Low Countries," my brother said, beaming. "He says he'll bring back chocolate for you."

I did not hear what else Will said. Alex would be gone in two days. I could not believe he had not told me. Robert, Louisa was saying, had written and invited us to dine with him and his mother in two days. In two days, I thought, Alex would be gone. A week ago I hadn't known him, and now his departure left me lonely. I told myself I was ridiculous and tried to listen to the others.

The next day dragged endlessly. Louisa, Betty, and I had a full schedule, calling on friends in the morning and visiting the landscaper Louisa had employed for her new garden in the afternoon. I thought the gardens lovely as they were, but Louisa wanted them renovated for Randolph's return. Randolph probably would not even notice. I truly tried to pay attention to the conversations around me, but everywhere I turned I saw a tall blond man with a radiant smile. Could he really be leaving without a farewell? I must be the greatest fool ever born or, perhaps even worse, just one more in his list of conquests. I would forget him, I decided, and if I ever met him again I'd pretend I couldn't remember his name.

Tired of the endless floral discussions, I waited on the steps outside the landscaper's office for Louisa's carriage. Louisa and Betty were still inside, and I knew I'd have several moments before they joined me. I looked idly up the street. And saw Alex. At first I thought I'd imagined him but soon realized he was actually there as he walked toward the office, his shoulders swaying with his long steps. He wore the hat with feathers today, and his hair, loose under the hat, shone like a flame against the gray wall behind him. He did not look like an Englishman. He moved easily through the crowd of people in the street. Many gave a second glance at the tall man in strange clothes, but he seemed unaware of their interest. And then, as if he felt my gaze, he saw me and grinned. He stopped on the step below, sweeping his hat off and bowing. "Good day to ye, Mary. How are ye this afternoon?" He seemed very pleased.

Be composed\ I told myself. It's only a chance
meeting. I'm
fine, thank you, sir. And your"

"Delighted to see ye waiting on the step for me."

"I am not waiting for you, Alex," I said crisply. "What are you doing here?"

"Coming to find ye, lass." He grinned up at me.

"How did you know where we were?"

"Yer brother. He's a great source of information." Alex stepped up to the stair I was on. The green of my dress was the same as his kilt, and he smelled like soap. I took a deep breath. So much for my nonchalance. Before I could gather my thoughts he opened the door and spoke to someone for a moment, then returned and, catching hold of my elbow, began to guide me down the stairs.

"What are you doing?" I asked, although it was obvious.

"Borrowing ye for an hour or two. I just left word with the girl to tell Louisa. Yer waiting on the stair made it vastly easier to spirit ye away, and I'm grateful for yer cooperation."

I stopped. "Alex, I can't. Louisa will be furious. She'll say you've compromised my reputation. You will have."

"Nonsense," he protested. "There's nothing wrong with a walk in the middle of the day in a crowded city. How can I possibly do anything to ye in a crowd? Forget yer reputation. Yer own view of yerself is more important than
others’ view
of ye, lass." I shook my head. "Mary," he said, his tone earnest now. "Listen to me. I leave tomorrow for the Continent. I couldna leave without talking to ye one more time. That's all I ask, just a walk in the middle of the day. I'm not going to cosh ye on the head and drag ye off to my lodgings."

"Louisa—"

"Louisa kens me better. Come, lass, I just wanted an hour with ye." He looked at me and then grinned. "Here are yer choices: my lodgings, willing or no, or a quiet walk through the streets of London with witnesses." He was laughing now, and after a moment so was I. Damn the consequences, I thought, and I took his arm.

AS WE WALKED, ALEX ASKED ABOUT MY DAY AND listened attentively, though I knew he couldn't possibly be interested. Still, his courtesy was charming. When we passed a park he led me into it and stopped under a tree, gesturing up at it with a smile. "How do ye like my lodgings?" he asked with a grin.

I laughed at him. "You're living in a tree?"

"No, but I thought if I took ye somewhere without walls ye might be less suspicious of me." His expression changed from merry to unreadable, and when he spoke again his tone was quiet. "I'll not harm ye, Mary Lowell, nor would I ever force ye. Ye can trust me." He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course, that's just what I would say if I had evil intentions, is it not? How do I let ye know I'm trustworthy?" I looked at his worried expression, at the way the vest emphasized the lines of his body and the way his hair lay against the soft wool of the plaid.

"If I did not think you were trustworthy, Alex MacGannon," I said softly, "I would not be here with you now, compromising my reputation."

Alex smiled. "Aye, well, there is that." He let his arms fall from his chest and straightened his shoulders. "Well, now that yer reputation is irrevocably compromised, what else d'ye suppose I can get ye to do, Miss Lowell?" he asked, his tone lively again.

"I think that's sufficient, Lord Kilgannon."

"Aye, probably," he said, nodding. "Just as well, since I'd have to admit I have no lodgings."

"Where do you live?" I gestured to the tree. He shook his head. "Then where are you staying?"

"On my brig."

"On your ship?"