His mother nudged his arm, and he realized he’d been staring. He bowed, trying to recover from his blunder.
“Well, thank you for helping me retrieve her,” Alec said, a rueful grin on his face. “’Twas very kind of you. It’s been a long day of travel, and I suppose we need to settle in.”
“Come, my lady,” the maid put in, as if relieved to finally be saying goodbye to the dog and her owner. “We shouldn’t tarry in the street.”
The young woman nodded, but seemed reluctant to go. She put her hand to the brim of her fashionable bonnet, looking down the street where Alec and Isabella’s carriage still stood next to Suffield House.
“Are you r-relatives of Lord Suffield?” she asked, before a flush crept up her neck and a crease of worry appeared on her forehead. “I’m s-sorry. That’s an impertinent question, and my mother would be m-mortified to know I’d said it aloud.”
Her deliberate speech had a melodic cadence that was hypnotizing, and Alec was falling under its spell. More importantly, though, he recognized a kindred spirit in her since Alec often mortified his own mother.
“I won’t tell her if you won’t.” He smiled in reassurance, and tilted his head toward the young woman. “If I may introduce us, this is my mother, Lady Isabella Ramsay, and I’m Alec Ramsay, the new Earl of Suffield. We’ve just arrived in town.”
Isabella nudged him again, her elbow sharp in his side. “It isn’t proper to introduce yourself,” she said under her breath.
“Whyever not?” Alec asked, drawing his eyebrows down. “Who else better to make the introduction than myself?”
The young woman seemed amused as she looked between them again. “Your m-mother’s right.” She leaned in slightly, clasping her hands in front of her. “A m-mutual acquaintance must m-make you known to me.”
Alec was entranced by the smile on her lips, as if it held a wealth of secrets he would enjoy finding out. “I’m deeply sorry, then, for I don’t know anyone in London yet.”
The young lady held out her hand, as if expecting Alec to take it. He glanced at his mother, who seemed as perplexed as he. With a half-shrug, he took the lady’s hand in his and raised an eyebrow in her direction.
“We d-do, of course, have one m-mutual acquaintance.” She nodded toward the dog. “Miss Kitty, would you be so g-good as to introduce me to your friends?” Kitty tipped her head as if she understood and sniffed. “Ah yes, th-thank you, Miss Kitty. I’m so pleased to meet you b-both. I’m Lady Elizabeth B-Barrington.”
“The pleasure is mine, Lady Elizabeth.” Alec bent over her hand and lightly pressed a kiss to the back of her glove.
He held her fingers a moment longer than necessary, and her cheeks pinked prettily before she pulled away. “L-Lord Suffield,” she murmured.
Alec wanted the moment to last, but Lady Elizabeth’s maid stepped closer. “We really must be going, my lady,” she said, touching her mistress’s elbow. “You’re late for tea.”
Lady Elizabeth nodded at the maid. “Yes, of c-course.” She turned her attention back to Alec and his mother. “Th-Thank you again for the introduction, M-Miss Kitty,” she said with one more pat for the dog. “I’m so g-glad you weren’t hurt.”
She turned and walked toward the town house behind them, her maid in tow. Alec watched her for a moment, before Kitty’s whine brought him back to the present. “Well, that was most unexpected,” he murmured as he and his mother walked back to Suffield House.
“What do you make of Lady Elizabeth?” she asked, cutting him a sly glance.
“She’s everything an English miss should be,” he said, hiding a smile. His mother couldn’t resist any opportunity to point out a bonny lass. She wanted to see him married and settled, but those were the last things on his mind since becoming an earl. He more than likely wouldn’t have time for anything other than learning how to be a titled Peer of the Realm. If he did find time for other pursuits, however, Lady Elizabeth would be high on his list of people he wanted to know better.
“She obviously loves dogs,” his mother observed. “Kitty doesn’t take to just anyone, you know.”
“Yes, I know,” Alec said, looking down at the dog. She sniffed, as if she couldn’t deign to even look at Alec. “I was going to scold her for running away, but it did lead to a new acquaintance with our neighbor so I suppose she may be forgiven.”
His mother put her free arm through his. “I hope you will make many acquaintances here.” She glanced back at the carriage they’d brought from Scotland, and a tiny shadow of longing flickered over her face, but she covered it up quickly. “Now that England is our home, we must make the effort to be amiable and all that is expected of someone holding your title.”
He patted her hand. “I know it’s important to ye, Ma. But I hope ye don’t have your heart set on my escort for nightly balls and parties. I’ll have so many business matters to attend to that my time will be limited.”
“We’ll make time,” she assured him. “It’s important for you to make a good impression.”
“A good impression?” he asked as they climbed the steps to Suffield House. “I can’t think of anyone here in London whose opinion is important to me.” His conscience pricked him with the thought of a certain young lady of recent acquaintance. He found himself wanting her good opinion, though they’d only just met.
“I thought that too, once,” his mother said softly. “But the goodwill of your peers will be very important. Being on the outside is a very lonely place to be.”
Alec stopped at her melancholy tones and turned his mother by the shoulders to face him. “I won’t have you upsetting yourself. I know you had a difficult time when you were in London as a young wife with my da, but times have changed.”
“The wagging tongues never change. And they can damage you with a whisper of rumor.” She adjusted Kitty in her arms. “I want better for you.”
He smiled and put an arm around her. “Och, dinna fash yerself. Ye’ve convinced me. I’ll do my best to make a good impression. For you.”
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “You’ve always been a good son,” she told him as they approached the front door.
Alec brushed off the front of his coat and tried to smooth his long, black hair back into his queue. “Hopefully we’re presentable enough after Kitty’s escape attempt and a week’s worth of travel.”
His mother took a deep breath and looked askance at the door to the previous earl’s home. She bit her lip. “I hope so.”
The nervousness was so unlike his mother that it took Alec aback. What the devil had happened in the past to warrant such a reaction? His mother had spoken only in generalities of her time in London when she was first married, but seeing her anxiety made him want to question her further. Of course, now wasn’t the time, but he vowed to find out more.
As they approached the door, a butler opened it and bowed. “Lady Isabella, Lord Suffield. Welcome to Suffield House. My name is Banks.”
“Banks.” Alec nodded to the man as they stepped into the front hall. They were helped with their gloves, hats, and traveling cloaks, before being ushered into a beautiful blue and gold parlor.
“Mrs. Jennings, the housekeeper, will be bringing a small repast,” Banks told them. “We weren’t exactly sure when you would arrive, but as soon as we saw the carriage, Mrs. Jennings went immediately to the kitchens to speak to Cook.”
As if on cue, the housekeeper arrived with a selection of cold meat and cheeses. “Ah, Mrs. Jennings,” Banks said. “There you are.”
She curtsied to Alec and Isabella. “Your lordship, my lady. Welcome to Suffield House.”
Alec nodded. “Thank you, Mrs. Jennings.” He made sure his mother was seated comfortably with a plate in hand before he approached Banks. “Have the solicitors said when they will call?”
Banks shook his head. “They are waiting for word from you, my lord.”
Alec started to run his hand through his hair, but, after a pointed look from his mother, se
ttled for rubbing his palm over the stubble on his jaw. He might as well get the solicitors’ meeting taken care of as soon as possible. “Please send a message telling them to meet me here first thing in the morning.”
Banks nodded. “Very good, my lord.” He clasped his hands behind his back.
Mrs. Jennings stepped forward. “Your rooms are aired and ready, if you’d like to freshen up after your trip.”
“I’m sure my mother will appreciate your attention to her care.” Alec hesitated. Both servants looked at him expectantly, like schoolchildren waiting to be dismissed.
“That will be all then.” The words rolled off Alec’s tongue, but felt strange in his mouth. The servants at home in Scotland were more like family, with hardly any formality between them. Obviously the same could not be said in England.
The housekeeper and butler nodded and backed out of the room, closing the door behind them. Alec joined his mother on the settee and picked up a plate, the blue edging on the china reminding him of the blue eyes of Lady Elizabeth. She’d definitely been a bright spot in a dreary day.
He took a bite of cheese, contemplating the duties he’d be expected to perform while in London. With Lady Elizabeth’s smile in his mind’s eye, he decided that maybe his mother was right. Taking part in the London Season might be just the thing to balance the tedious chores of the earldom.
At least one thing was for certain—attempting to further the acquaintance of his beautiful, blue-eyed neighbor would be more diverting than anything else he’d find to entertain himself while in London.
And he was quite looking forward to it.
WANT TO READ MORE OF A Highlander’s Hidden Heart? Get your copy here
About the Author
JULIE COULTER BELLON is the author of nearly two dozen romantic suspense books. Her novel All Fall Down won the RONE award for Best Suspense, Pocket Full of Posies won a RONE Honorable Mention for Best Suspense and The Captain was a RONE award finalist for Best Suspense. Most recently, her books The Capture and Second Look were both Whitney finalists for Best Suspense/Mystery.
Julie loves to travel and her favorite cities she's visited so far are probably Athens, Paris, Ottawa, and London. In her free time she loves to read, write, teach, watch Hawaii Five-O, and eat Canadian chocolate. Not necessarily in that order.
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Sneak Peek of A Highlander’s Hidden Heart
About the Author
The Marquess Meets His Match Page 17