by Platt, Meara
“Augustus can handle it.” He clapped Malcolm on the back as they both headed toward the vessel to greet the others. “How’s Robbie? Is he with ye?”
“Aye, but he has a lame leg. Tripped over a cannon wheel aboard ship and fell hard on his knee. So he’s now on the injured list.” Malcolm’s grin faded and he cleared his throat. “At least he’s alive. We’ve only brought back the injured. The dead will be returned home eventually. Wellington decided it was safest to bury them in Flanders for now. Their loved ones won’t be pleased, but there’s no help for it. Disease is too widespread. We’ve lost more men to cholera and dysentery than to actual battle.”
Thad nodded. “This was my greatest fear.”
As they strode up the gangplank, Malcolm continued filling him in on all that had transpired. “Well, at least we’ll get the injured home faster. The best medicine for them is to see the Highlands again.” He patted his breast pocket. “I have the list of the dead. As soon as we’re home, Caithness and I will ride from croft to village until we’ve paid our respects to every last family who’s lost a soldier. Have ye seen our Uncle Caithness?”
Thad nodded. “Aye, in London a few days ago.”
After greeting Robbie, he told his cousins all that had happened to him in these past days. “So we’ll be stopping in Wellesford while ye court Lady Penelope Sherbourne?” Robbie scratched his head. “Does she have any sisters?”
“No.”
Robbie was as big as Thad, and had an eye for the ladies, just as they had for him, for he was considered quite handsome by most. “Too bad,” he said with a frown. “Malcolm’s also in need of a wife.”
His brother cuffed him. “Worry about yerself. I’m not in need of a wife.”
Thad sighed. “Aye, ye are. Robbie’s right.” He told his cousins the rest of Castlereagh’s plans for quelling the Scottish instability.
When he finished, Malcolm grinned at him. “Are ye keen on leg-shackling yerself to Lady Penelope?”
“If she’ll have me,” Thad said, frowning. “I hope she will, but I’ve handled things badly. She won’t be pleased.”
Malcolm shook his head in dismay. “And what of me? Has Caithness truly agreed to my marrying a Sassenach? I won’t believe it until I hear it from his own lips.”
“He’s set on it. He was left no choice but to agree to Castlereagh’s demand. In truth, these Sassenach women aren’t all bad.” He ran a hand through his hair in consternation, something he seemed to be doing a lot lately. He wasn’t afraid of battle. He wasn’t afraid of facing an enemy. He was afraid of one thing only…facing Loopy.
His stupid lie was going to hurt her.
She’d been toting around The Book of Love, believing in connections and deep commitment, and what had he done? Told everyone about his proposal except the one person he needed to tell.
She’d never forgive him for spouting the lie.
After making a quick inspection of the injured, he and Malcolm arranged for carts to carry those who couldn’t ride. Since the Greys were a light cavalry regiment, most of the men had horses brought over on the same vessel and would be able to travel fast on horseback despite their injuries. Those who’d lost their mounts in battle were assigned to ride in the carts for now.
It took several more hours to arrange for food and supplies, but all the men were eager to return to their homes, so the regiment began their journey north by midday.
Thad considered what he would say to Loopy.
Perhaps the sight of injured soldiers, and the knowledge that his cousins were alive and healthy, would temper her anger. He’d introduce her to Malcolm and Robbie, of course. Perhaps Robbie’s limp would soften her heart.
She didn’t have to know he’d been injured tripping on a cannon wheel.
Well, he had a few days before they reached Wellesford, for the carts would slow them down. He knew what he needed to say to her. He was a Scot, after all. Not a false-tongued London dandy. The Scottish way was to be direct. Loopy, I love ye. Forget Wycke and marry me.
Then he’d kiss her.
He’d already kissed her once and knew she’d liked it.
How hard could courtship be?
*
“Holy Hannah,” Thad muttered two days later as he dismounted from Thor and saw Penelope marching toward him. He, Malcolm, and Robbie had ridden ahead to Sherbourne Manor, hoping to arrange an encampment for his injured men in one of the meadows outside of Wellesford.
He knew Nathaniel would agree to anything he asked. Beast and Olivia would also lend assistance, offering the field behind Gosling Hall since the land was flatter and had a stream running behind it with fresh, flowing water.
The entire regiment would arrive tomorrow. Thad had purposely left them behind, allowing them to rest overnight in one of the quaint market villages a short distance south of Wellesford. Today was the day of Olivia’s surprise party, and the Sherbournes already had a swarm of guests, including Wycke and his family, to entertain.
They didn’t need a horde of bedraggled Scots jumping naked in the stream and ruining their party.
“Who is she, Thad?” Malcom asked with a chortle. “That is the angriest woman I’ve ever set eyes upon in my entire life.”
Thad arched an eyebrow and winced. “That’s Lady Penelope.”
“Your beloved?” Robbie snorted. “Ye’d better run. I think she’s going to kill ye. I see steam pouring from her ears. Och, Thad. Ye’ve always had a way with women.”
“Shut up, Robbie.” He strode toward Loopy, hoping to draw her aside to speak in private. What had he done to rile her now?
This was going to be bad. She was already fuming and didn’t yet know about his London meeting with Castlereagh and his kinsmen.
He would have to rethink his courtship plan.
“Loopy, I–”
“You wretch!” She looked ready to punch him. “Are you deranged? Do you realize what you’ve done?”
He held his hands up in surrender. “Och, lass. Ye might explain it to me.” Bollocks. If she was angry now, and he hadn’t a clue what spur had pricked her very pretty backside this time, she’d be furious when he told her what he’d said to his uncles in London.
“You knew the Earl of Wycke was courting me.” Her eyes began to tear, but the lass had spirit and would never cry in front of him, and certainly never in front of his cousins who were strangers to her.
He took her arm, attempting to draw her toward the towering oak near the pond, but she refused to budge from her spot. His cousins were gawking at them, having too much fun over his discomfort to step away and give them a moment of privacy. “Who are those men?”
“Not important.” His cousins could wait to be introduced. Calming Loopy seemed more urgent. “Has Wycke said something to insult ye, lass? I’ll–”
“Him?” Her hands were curled into fists. Thankfully, she still made no attempt to swing at him. “He’s been a complete gentleman. It’s you who…how could you?”
“I’d answer the question if I had a clue what ye were talking about. Come with me.” He took her hand, giving her no chance to draw it away, and strode to the pond and the fallen log. He nudged her onto the gnarled trunk and stuck his booted foot beside her to keep her from running off. Not that she had a mind to run. No, she wasn’t finished railing at him.
“Did you or did you not tell your kinsmen that we were betrothed? And now they’re both here, demanding explanations why I am entertaining Wycke’s suit when I’m promised to you.”
Thad’s stomach sank. “My kinsmen? Ye can’t mean the earls, Caithness and Hume?”
She nodded. “The very ones.”
Well, that explained her temper. “Blessed saints! What are they doing here?”
“Besides checking my teeth and my gait? As if I were a filly at auction?”
He ran a hand through his hair and looked over her toward the manor house where the two old men had to be doing their worst. “Loopy, I’m sorry. I never realized–”
&nb
sp; She jumped up and gave a shove to push him away. “Don’t call me that. My name is Penelope. Lady Penelope. And I’ll never forgive you for humiliating me the way you have.”
She turned and ran back to the house.
Blasted kin had ignored him his entire life. Why did they have to take an interest in him now? He wouldn’t blame Loopy if she never spoke to him again.
He returned to his cousins who were waiting for him by the front door. “Ye should have kissed her,” Robbie said.
“Shut up, Robbie.”
“I would have kissed her,” Malcolm agreed.
Thad strode inside. He needed to find Nathaniel and explain this mess before Caithness and Hume realized he’d arrived and trapped him.
He made his way through the hall into the music room, his cousins following close behind, no doubt gawking at the elegance of this ‘simple’ country home. Few Scottish estates could boast such finery.
He paused to peer out the long windows that opened onto the garden.
The day was warm and sunny. Olivia’s party appeared to be a lively affair. Tables laden with food were set out in the rear field between the Sherbourne garden and the back road to Wellesford. Servants were running in and out of the kitchen carrying tankards of ale, bowls of ratafia punch, and trenchers laden with meat and fish.
Much of the town was in attendance.
The sun was shining over the garden, but Thad stood in the shadows, preferring to remain unseen. He continued to peer through the music room window, easily spotting Matilda and Lavinia holding court while seated beneath one of the large shade trees.
How much had Matilda told everyone?
Periwinkle was snuggled on Lavinia’s lap, as always.
Pip was in the distance, showing Monarch off to a group of village boys. Good. The lad needed to play with children his own age.
His attention returned to the two dowagers and the guests seated beside them. He recognized Lord and Lady Plimpton, Goose and Poppy. Wycke and his mother and sister. Standing just behind them were Beast and the two earls, Caithness and Hume.
Was it Castlereagh’s brilliant idea to have them come here?
Nathaniel approached him and clapped him on the shoulder. “I thought I made a fool of myself while courting Poppy. You, my friend, make me look brilliant. Care to fill me in on what happened?”
“Och, Nathaniel. Ye’d better lock yer pistols in their cabinet. Loopy’s angry enough to shoot me.” He introduced Nathaniel to his cousins, then they all retired to Nathaniel’s study to hear Thad’s explanation of the quagmire he’d created for himself.
To his relief, Nathaniel seemed more amused than angry. “Wycke now believes he has competition for Penelope’s affections. I suppose it’s a good thing. Makes her more desirable to him. Frankly, I haven’t seen much fire in the man. I’m not sure he loves her.”
Thad dismissed the notion. Not all men were flaming arses such as himself. Wycke was the deliberate, cautious sort.
“Despite the fact that she presently wishes to cut your life short, Penelope is tender-hearted when it comes to you. She always has been. As angry as she is, she’ll never betray you.”
Thad grunted.
Indeed, he was her big, dumb Scot. No one was going to kick his arse but her.
“She hasn’t contradicted your kinsmen, so everyone believes you’ve proposed to her. But she’s hurt, Thad. She feels you’ve made a laughing stock of her.”
“Och, it was never my intention. If I could take back my words, I surely would. Ye know I’d never purposely hurt the lass.” He rose and began to pace. “I’ve loved her all my life. Ye know I have. She didn’t need to test out those recipes in The Book of Love to sway me. I would have proposed to her the moment I returned to England had I anything to offer her. Until a few days ago, I had nothing.”
Nathaniel poured Thad’s cousins a brandy, pausing only a moment to hand them their drinks before he responded. “I would have given you my consent.”
“I know, but it wouldn’t have been fair to her. She’s a grand lass. She was raised to be the wife of a nobleman. She belongs in a fine house and deserves to go about in elegant Society. I would have killed her spirit by dragging her to Thurso and the hardships of a Highland winter.”
“But all that’s changed now,” Nathaniel said.
Thad nodded. “I’m heir to the Earl of Hume, if he’s to be believed. He was shoving a duke’s daughter at me. Caithness was doing the same. If I’m to marry, it will only be to yer sister. I’ll have no other lass as my wife.”
“Well, you’ll have a way to go before she believes you love her. Caithness and Hume saw to that with their inelegant meddling.”
“No, it isn’t the fault of those old bastards. It’s my fault. I’ve used her poorly. Serves me right for tossing her up as an excuse. I’ve probably pushed her straight into Wycke’s arms.”
“Maybe, but there’s nothing to be done about it today.” He rose and started for the door. “Come on, I may as well introduce your cousins to our guests. There’s plenty of food. Help yourselves. Our guestrooms are full, but Beast and Goose will take you in at Gosling Hall. How long do you plan on staying?”
“No more than a day or two,” Thad said, wishing he had another week.
But that wasn’t going to happen. The injured men deserved to be brought home as soon as possible. He was no longer their regimental commander, but they had been through the worst of the war with him in charge. He could not abandon them now. No matter that his cousins were capable. These were his soldiers, his brethren. He would always feel responsible for them. “We’ll head north the day after tomorrow.”
He doubted Penelope would forgive him by then, but all he had to do was gain her promise not to accept Wycke’s proposal.
Once she calmed down, hopefully by the time he returned to Wellesford, he’d propose to her in earnest. He’d let her know his intentions before he rode off. She did not need to answer him now. He wanted to give her time to consider what marriage to him would entail.
He’d place his heart in her hands.
She could do with it as she wished, and would hopefully not crush it.
He’d love her no matter her decision.
“Thad, good to see you!” He was accosted by friends and acquaintances the moment he stepped into the garden with his cousins. After making introductions, he attempted to leave this inner circle of hell. Not that he minded Poppy or Olivia, or the dowagers, but Caithness and Hume were now standing beside him, and so was Wycke.
As for Wycke’s mother and sister, they were eyeing his cousins with avid curiosity.
Malcolm nudged him. “Is Wycke’s sister spoken for?”
“Not that I’m aware. Anne had no beaus as of a few weeks ago.”
“She’s a pretty lass.”
Thad’s gaze drifted to Anne Halford. She was attractive in a quiet, unadorned way. Her hair was a honey-brown and her eyes were a mix of brown and green. She was on the small side, but full-figured. In other words, Malcolm’s low brain function had taken control and he was admiring the girl’s breasts. He knew exactly what his big, dumb cousin was thinking. Fertile female. Want to mate with her.
Gad, no wonder Loopy considered all of them idiots.
He paid no more attention to his cousin’s musings as Hume and Caithness approached him. “Glad ye’re here, lad. It’s time ye sealed this betrothal,” Hume said.
Caithness nodded in agreement. “That damn Sassenach lord has been doing his best to steal the lass from ye. Good thing we were here to put him off.”
More like push her straight into Wycke’s arms.
“What are ye old goats doing here? I dinna invite ye to meddle in my courtship.” Of course, he wasn’t courting Loopy, and by the fire in her eyes when he’d seen her earlier, there would be no such thing happening until she got over her hurt and anger.
The earls ignored his comment. “Where is the lass?” Caithness asked. “I thought she left us to greet ye?”
R
obbie, who was listening in on the conversation, gave a snorting laugh. “Och, she greeted him all right. The lass is on fire for him.”
“Shut up, Robbie.” Thad folded his arms across his chest as he returned his attention to the two old men. “I want ye gone from here. Now.”
Caithness mimicked his stance. “Save yer breath, lad. We aren’t leaving until she gives ye an answer.”
Thad groaned.
“But rest easy,” Hume said. “Ye’re a handsome lad. If she seems reluctant, just kiss her as though ye mean it.”
“I would mean it.”
“Then where’s the problem?” Caithness grumbled. “Ye can’t blame us for being cautious. The fate of Scotland–”
“You came to inspect her like ye would a herd of cattle. Ye had no right.”
Hume raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “If she’s to be the next Countess Hume, the lass will need to meet with my approval. Ye needn’t make a fuss. She’s bonny enough. Ye’ll have my consent to marry her.”
“And mine,” Caithness assured.
“But you won’t have mine,” Wycke said, approaching him. “I intend to fight for her.”
Chapter Nine
Penelope was already regretting her decision to rejoin Lavinia, Matilda, and the others under the massive shade tree in the garden. She’d returned in time to hear the two Scottish earls approve of her betrothal to Thad, even though the big oaf had yet to propose to her.
And now the Earl of Wycke had just declared his intention to fight for her hand in marriage. She had to give him credit for his determination, or was it simple lunacy? Thomas Halford had made the declaration in front of five burly Scots, one of whom was the size of a full-grown oak tree. Malcolm was the name of that giant. Penelope hoped he was not ill-tempered, for no one, not even Thad, who was quite big and brawny himself, would be able to stop him if he decided to uproot Wycke and toss him like a caber across the garden.
“My lord, I’m–” Before she could finish her comment, a keening shout pierced the air, quickly followed by more shouts from the boys who had been watching Pip ride Monarch near the back gate.