by Meara Platt
“I know. He invited me to tea afterward. I had too much cake. So did he. For that reason, we decided to walk through the park before he escorted me home. I can assure you, he has no interest in me.”
“No interest? Why not?” Her grandfather suddenly sat upright, his back stiffer than usual. “What’s wrong with his mental faculties?”
She shook her head and laughed. “There is nothing wrong with him. But not every Farthingale has to fall head over heels in love with a Cameron. Do you want him to fall in love with me?”
“No! No.” He was grumbling again as he eased back against the black leather squabs. “It would be nice if one of my offspring married someone with a title. What did the two of you have to talk about for hours?”
“His adventures mostly. The Silk Road is a beautiful trail that takes one past ancient wonders and majestic kingdoms. But it is also treacherous. He told me about the caravans, the tribal families that have protected the road for thousands of years, the mountain climbs and brutal weather. The camels. The thieves. Did you know he was shot three times? Obviously, he’s recovered now. Speak to him, Grandfather. I’m sure his stories will be of historical significance, just the thing to capture the interest of the members of the Royal Society. You’ll be enthralled.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“You will be,” she insisted.
But her grandfather’s displeasure was showing once again, and Meggie’s stomach was in knots by the time they arrived at the residence of George and Evie. She never minded visiting her cousin and George. In truth, she adored them. Their home was warm and inviting. Elegant but unpretentious. Evie had made certain to include a suite of rooms for William in their home, for she knew how close George was to his son and had wanted to make him feel welcome.
Meggie had slept in William’s quarters a time or two when George was away and Evie had wanted her company. She hadn’t mentioned it to William, not that there was any reason to do so. In truth, she’d probably spent more time in those quarters than he had, for he’d been away these last two years and this was the first time he’d been home since his father had purchased the townhouse.
George and Evie were at the door to greet them when their carriage drew up. Evie gave her an effusive hug. Had George finally said something about her condition? No, she realized in the next moment. Evie was hugging her out of happiness because the Camerons were all together for a quiet family supper. “Des and Adelaide are here. So are Ewan and Lily.”
Meggie laughed. “And Jasper?”
Evie’s blonde curls bobbed as she nodded. “It isn’t a party without him, is it? At least Jasper doesn’t think so. Ewan fed him in the kitchen and then tied him on a long tether in the garden. Hopefully, that dog will behave himself this evening.”
“Miracles can happen,” her grandfather said in his familiar, curmudgeonly grumble.
Meggie thought it odd that he’d mentioned miracles.
Perhaps they did happen.
Although she doubted it.
After the initial rush of hugs and greetings, the family began to break into smaller groups for conversation. Lily chatted with her grandfather about her latest research monograph to be published by the Scottish Royal Society. Ewan and Des spoke about the Cameron enterprises. Adelaide sought George and Evie’s advice on decorating the new townhouse she and Des had just purchased.
Since William had yet to come down, that left Meggie alone for the moment. Not that she minded. She could have joined any of the conversations. Everyone was in the salon awaiting the arrival of John and Sophie Farthingale and their neighbor, Lady Eloise Dayne, before sitting down to supper.
Meggie took the opportunity to wander into the hall and quietly check the bodice of her gown in the mirror. She wanted to make certain her scar was not showing.
“Is there a reason you’re staring at your chest, Megs?” She heard William’s soft chuckle and felt his presence immediately behind her. “Do you need me to take over the chore?”
She sighed, wishing she had heard William’s footsteps on the stairs as he strode down. But the stairs were carpeted and he’d moved quietly. “No, I do not need you staring at my bosom. But I’m sure my grandfather will be delighted to know you’ve offered. He’s positively thrilled that we spent the afternoon together.”
William’s eyebrow shot up in that arch, amused manner of his. “That didn’t take long.”
She sighed once more as she stared at his reflection in the mirror and noted that he looked magnificently commanding in his formal wear. “He has spies everywhere.”
His amusement quickly faded. “He wasn’t too hard on you, was he?”
“No, of course not. He dotes on me.”
“You’ll tell me if he is.” He came around to face her and rested his shoulder against the wall. The candlelight captured the blue of his eyes and seemed to intensify their beauty.
His smile was tender and utterly captivating.
“You needn’t be concerned, William. He’s been a kitten toward me ever since those first few months of our meeting. I’ve burrowed my way into his heart. Surprising, isn’t it?”
“No, you do that to a man.”
She rolled her eyes. “You needn’t flatter me.”
He shrugged. “Then I won’t. Come on, I’ll escort you into the salon.”
“Not yet. My lace is a little askew and I want to fix it.”
He inspected her, his gaze slowly traveling up and down her body. “Looks perfect to me. Splendid, actually. Stop fussing. You look fine.”
Had he not noticed that her scar was showing? She would not spoil the evening by mentioning it. “You go on in. Grandfather will have a fit if I walk in on your arm. As I said, the news of our meeting has spread like wildfire. One would think we’d planned a scandalous tryst. Grandfather questioned me in the carriage the entire ride here.”
“What did you tell him?”
“Exactly what happened…almost exactly. He thinks we met by chance at the lecture and you invited me to tea.”
“My cousins heard about it as well. They were waiting here to hound me with their questions when I walked in the door.”
She groaned and shook her head. “It’s awful, isn’t it? All these bored Londoners who have nothing better to do than look for juicy gossip. You must have answered the questions to the satisfaction of your cousins. Lily is here and she hasn’t bothered to ask me anything. She’s engaged in a riveting discussion with my grandfather. I think they’re discussing lemur colonies just discovered off the coast of Africa.”
He grinned. “Ah, that’s my Lily.”
Meggie patted the lace at her chest and turned away with a faltering smile. “You had better go in before the gossip starts up again.”
“Right, mustn’t give the family reason to talk. They already disapprove of me as a prospect for you.”
“I know.”
“They’re wrong, of course.” He was still casually leaning against the wall, seeming not at all perturbed. “I’d be a far better choice than any of those carbunkles they’ve chosen for you.”
She nodded. “I can’t get them to stop. They’re determined to go through with their project. Help me, William.”
“I could pretend to court you, but my cousins and your grandfather would likely kill me.”
She laughed. “We don’t need anything quite so drastic. Although it is something I shall keep in the back of my mind if I grow desperate enough.”
“Is that all I am to you? A desperate last choice?” But he was grinning and his devilish eyebrow was arched again so she knew he hadn’t really taken offense.
“Don’t twist my words. You know what I mean. I just need to get through the holidays without your cousins matchmaking for me.” She gave an exasperated sigh as she fussed with her lace that wouldn’t stay in place. “You’re too arrogant ever to believe you’d be any young woman’s desperate last choice.”
He stayed her hand when she continued to fuss with the uncooperative la
ce. “Don’t, Megs. You’re only making it worse. The scar doesn’t show.”
Her eyes rounded in surprise. “You know about my scar? Is it obvious?” Is it hideous? She didn’t recall mentioning this remnant of a wound to him earlier. Had one of his cousins told him about it? Was there anything William did not know about her?
“Lily thought I should know,” he said as though reading her thoughts.
“Oh.”
She must have sounded quite dejected, for William moved closer and gave her cheek a light caress. “She loves Ewan. You’re Ewan’s sister. But more than that, she loves you for yourself. She wasn’t going to let anything happen to you. She told me that she stayed by your side every day during your ordeal. She saw everything that happened to you, watched my father do all he could to keep you alive and breathing.”
Meggie’s grasp tightened on the bit of lace between her fingers. “I wish she hadn’t told you.”
He frowned at her. “I’m glad she did. She said you were left with a thin scar that circles your heart.”
“Yes.” She swallowed hard to hold back the dratted swell of feelings that flooded through her whenever she thought about her illness and what it had taken from her. “One more reason why a man would not find me appealing.”
He placed his hand on hers again as it rested over her heart. “Megs, the man who truly loves you won’t care a fig about it.”
“Please go into the salon now, William. You’re going to make me cry and I’m determined to smile my way through the holidays.”
“All right.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. “Don’t stand out here too long. You’re among family.” His smile turned deliciously wicked and at the same time exquisitely tender as he pulled away. “And no one is looking at your breasts but me.”
Chapter Six
“Everyone take a card,” Sophie Farthingale said to all who were gathered in her salon the following evening. She began to pass out the cards to her daughters and their husbands. To Lady Eloise. To Rupert Farthingale who was John and George’s brother. To their aunt, Hortensia. To all the Camerons present, even Meggie’s grandfather who muttered about the frivolity, but took a card anyway.
This was the eagerly anticipated part of the evening.
“William, you can’t take two,” Sophie said, no doubt wondering why he’d taken the extra card.
“Why not?” He was standing beside his father by the entry door, both of them holding a brandy in their hands. Usually, the men retired to John’s study after supper to have their drinks. But not this evening. Everyone had come straight into the salon. “Are there not enough to go around?”
“Well, no. There are more than we need. But this is most unusual. Very well, take another if you wish.” Sophie shook her head and moved on to offer a card to George.
Meggie marveled at the ease with which Sophie and John entertained their family. In truth, she was quite in awe of their ability to toss together a family meal for thirty guests at a moment’s notice. Tonight’s affair had been planned, of course. Not only planned, but much anticipated.
“You are each to write your name on the card and what you wish for Christmas,” John explained as though no one knew what they were meant to do and hadn’t been participating in this game for years. “We’ll toss them in this pouch when the ink has dried and each of you will then pick out a card. You’re to bring the gift written on that card for the person named beside it to our Christmas supper and we’ll exchange gifts then.”
“Sophie, may I have two as well?” Meggie asked in a whisper that she hoped no one would overhear.
Sophie shot a glance at William before turning back to her with a conspiratorial smile. “Of course, my dear.”
Well, at least one Farthingale seemed to approve of her and William as a couple. Not that they were or would ever be courting, but it did rankle her that his own cousins thought he was not suitable for her.
Lily approached her once everyone had written out their cards and put them in the pouch. She and William had held back their second cards and neither of them had written a wish on them yet. They still had several weeks to think about what they would put down. “Why did you and William take two cards?”
Meggie was seated on the settee and had been chatting with Lady Eloise when Lily joined them. “You noticed?”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Everyone noticed.”
Lady Eloise nodded and gave her hand a pat. “Even your grandfather. But I’ll have a talk with him so he won’t bother you about it.”
Dillie joined them. “What are you going to write on your card, Meggie? I mean that second card that everyone saw you take. Why did William take one, too?”
She gave a silent groan. “It doesn’t signify anything. He isn’t interested in me in that way, so you needn’t worry he means to court me.”
“Why would we worry?” Daisy asked, joining them.
Meggie was beginning to feel outnumbered. “Because you don’t approve of William for me.”
Daisy grinned at her. “Oh, that. We only said so to frustrate him.”
Laurel and Rose now joined them. “What did we miss?”
Dillie laughed lightly. “We are explaining to Meggie our plot to match her with the perfect man.”
Meggie’s eyes rounded in surprise. “Wait, you mean that you’re actually trying to match me with William?”
“We haven’t had to try very hard,” Lily admitted. “He seems quite taken with you already. Women have been flitting around him ever since he stepped foot on English soil, but he hasn’t noticed any of them.”
“That’s why we were afraid he wouldn’t notice you either. So we decided to put you off limits to him, knowing he’d want you as soon as we told him that he couldn’t have you,” Rose explained. “Men are very much like children in that regard. Put an object in front of them and tell them they can’t have it, and suddenly, they want it more than anything in the world.”
“I see.” Meggie felt an unexpected disappointment. William’s friendship had felt quite genuine. But what if he did not really care for her? What if his cousins had succeeded in manipulating him into thinking he was interested in her? “You must stop your schemes at once.”
Eloise cleared her throat. “Meggie, if you’re concerned his attention is not sincere, don’t be. William is an intelligent young man. He won’t be easily led about by the nose.”
“But what if he is? There are so many things wrong with what you are doing.” She shook her head and sighed. “I don’t want a man who must be pushed toward me. And what of my grandfather? Do you think he’ll quietly accept that his last grandchild marries a Farthingale? And what of my feelings? Do you even know what they are? Has anyone been listening to me?”
“Meggie,” Lily said, her manner surprisingly tender. “The answer to that is yes. Yes, I heard you while you were running that dangerously high fever and delirious for days on end. You called out for William. Not for me. Not for your brother. Not even for Jasper who was at your side the entire time and whimpering quite pitifully, he was that worried about you. William was who you wanted.”
She glanced across the room to where he stood talking with his father and the other men. Did everyone believe she was in love with him? How ironic that she should be the last to figure it out. They were right, of course. She did love him.
So much for her heart not being at risk.
And now her heart would be crushed when William did the only sensible thing he could do. He had to walk away from her.
It was inevitable.
It was necessary if he wished to have a happy life.
She completely understood. Indeed, she would be the first to encourage him to seek a wife elsewhere. She wanted him to be content and fulfilled. He deserved it.
The only bright spot was that William merely loved her like a sister and nothing more.
“I think I need a breath of air.” She’d tucked that second card in the waistband of her gown and now felt its edges poke i
nto her skin as she stood abruptly. The thought of everyone knowing she was in love with William was too embarrassing to bear.
Heaven help her if William found out.
Her humiliation would be complete.
She patted the card that was still poking her ribs while hidden in her waistband. A miracle card, William had called it.
She wanted to rip it up into little pieces.
There would be no miracles for her.
*
William saw Meggie quietly slip from the room.
He wanted to follow her out, but sensed she needed time alone. Besides, there would be no privacy for them. He drained his brandy and strode over to his cousins who were looking quite guilty but had the decency to look abashed. “What did you say to Meggie?”
Eloise designated herself as the spokesman and responded. “Sit down, William. We need to have a serious conversation.”
He glanced around. “Here?”
She nodded. “We need to know your feelings for Meggie.”
“Ah, so that’s what sent her running out of here as though flames were lapping at her heels. Haven’t you all meddled enough?” He shook his head and frowned. “My feelings for Meggie are no one’s business. I’m surprised at you, Eloise. You usually don’t condone such behavior.” He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “I’ll go see if she’s all right.”
He strode out after her, not certain where she’d escaped to.
The Farthingale butler, Pruitt, motioned toward the music room when William stepped into the hall and began to look around. “She’s in there, Master William. I offered to light the fire in the hearth, or a candle or two, but she refused.”
William nodded and proceeded inside. “Megs,” he said, taking a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light, for only the moon’s glow cast any light in the room. One of the moonbeams fell across Meggie as she sat on the piano bench, tinkering lightly with the keys. She looked like an enchanted princess in its shimmering glow. He cleared his throat to gain her attention. “Mind if I join you?”
“Go away, William. Everyone will talk if they find us in here together. Isn’t the chatter bad enough already?” She sighed when he nudged her lightly so that he could sit beside her on the bench. “There are at least six other chairs in here. Why must you crowd mine?”