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Elizabeth looked startled. “I didn’t know you weren’t aware about tonight’s change of plans concerning the meal. I managed to convince Mrs. Grant to take the evening off … Seamus has prepared our meal.”
“Seamus?” Her heart fell. “You can’t be serious. You let that excuse for a cook into the kitchen?”
“Mrs. Grant was hesitant at first, but the financial bonus I offered her for taking the night off proved to be quite an incentive to her. She said she hadn’t had a night off in ages, and that she had some knitting to catch up on.”
“I’m sure she did. She’s no doubt down in the village getting all of the gossip concerning the latest exploits of the gentry in the area, while filling up on her fair share of sherry. That woman knows how to drink more sherry than Lady Carleton.” Gemma snorted.
“No doubt, you give them quite the fodder for that gossip, Lady Gemma,” Hart said, grinning foolishly.
“I don’t care for that at all. Why don’t you try to look good while staying quiet?”
she snapped, wincing at her overly harsh tone.
“Oh, I could do that but pray tell where would that leave me when it came to having my share of fun?” The delighted grin Hart wore made her stomach clench.
She stood up. “I shan’t dignify that with a rebuttal. We should go and see what the Irish has created for us tonight. I just hope I’m able to force it down this throat of mine.”
“Well, Gemma, take heart, you’ve never had an issue with forcing down food
before, if indeed, it started to become a challenge for you now, I would most certainly have cause for concern. We’d have to send for the doctor, for you’d definitely be on your death bed,” Mallory chuckled, delighting in his witty tease. She didn’t care, he could jest all he wanted about her zest for food.
“Mallory, I do believe the old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder was true in your case. I just wish you’d get a hankering for the sea … then, at least I’d have HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 34
some peace of mind,” Gemma returned, smiling serenely at him all the while.
“Oh, don’t worry, dearest, I’d find a way of annoying you even from the High Seas.” His eyes twinkled.
Charles scampered into the room with Gemma’s Maltese dog trailing behind him.
“Traitor.” She smiled as Skye trotted over to her. With her pure white coat and twinkling dark eyes, she couldn’t stay irritated with her for long. With a happy bark, Skye jumped up into her lap. Skye immediately snuggled right against her chest, making a contented sighing noise.
“I see, you too, have a faithful hound,” Hart said.
“Her sister is around here somewhere … no doubt keeping guard at the nursery door, she’s taken quite a liking to Susan, so much so, that she believes she must protect her from all invaders, big or small.”
“And, she’s been doing a bang up job at it,” Elizabeth agreed. “I never thought that such a little dog could have such a big heart and spirit. She rules the nursery.”
“Seamus told me to tell you that his dinner wouldn’t wait for no one.” Charles was gasping to catch his breath, no doubt caused by running the distance from the kitchens to the music room.
Gemma gasped. “Mallory, you really do need to do something about the manners of this household. All sense of propriety seems to have gone straight up the chimney.”
“Begging your pardon, Aunt Gemma. I’ll try to word it more to your liking the next time.” Charles looked like a little imp. Sighing, she bit back the remark that sat on the tip of her tongue. She had to control her temper from lashing out at Charles. He was a little boy and before he’d come to live with them, he’d had a miserable life with his pathetic excuse of a mother.
“Why don’t you go and see if Mrs. Grant has any of those custard tarts you like so much tucked away in the kitchen somewhere. I’m sure you can root out her storage place.” Gemma moved forward and ruffled his hair. “And while you’re at it, see if Seamus has a nice little piece of carrot for Skye.” She gently handed him Skye, and in a flash he was back off toward the kitchen.
“You are a natural when it comes to children, Lady Gemma. You should have a nursery full when we get married.”
Mallory laughed. Elizabeth made a weird choking noise in the back of her throat.
“Hart, you are too arrogant for your own good,” Elizabeth chastised.
“The good kind of arrogance is a fine trait in a character such as mine. My own dear mama says it makes my moral fiber all the better for the simple addition of it. She says I have an equal amount of arrogance to counteract my humbleness.”
“Humble? You .…” Gemma laughed. “I can see that you could do with a large serving of humble pie. We should go into the dining hall, the meal will get cold if we do not.” She stood up.
“I should accompany you, shall you take my arm again?”
Sighing, Gemma reached for his arm … she could only hope that come tomorrow and the early arrival of Kilworth, that Hart would get the message and hightail it back to whatever little shanty he came from.
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 35
Chapter Seven
She sank down onto her bed, and tried to still her breathing. The evening had been eventful to say the least. First, she’d been proven wrong in her assumption that Seamus wasn’t an able cook. He almost matched the proficiency of Mrs. Grant. She placed her hand against the stiffness of her corset. Her breasts were heaving, from her exertion of racing up the steps away from Hart. He’d been working on her all night, and her brother had done nothing to curtail his amorous advances. She could tell where Mallory’s loyalty was when it came to Hart and her. He wanted Hart to ruin her, he wanted him to lead her onto a path of sin … and God help her, she was having one hell of a hard time resisting the temptation. Hart could probably tempt a nun with his silvery tongue and his gentle hands, not to mention his delectable kisses that he seemed so well in delivering at the most impromptu times. Now, she ran for her very reputation.
Elizabeth had made herself suspiciously scarce, no doubt hunkering down in the nursery. But, she had thrown in her hat in the culpability pool, since she’d made no move to help her with warding off Hart’s frequent attempts at seduction. He was the most determined sort she’d ever met. Kilworth never would have tried to get into her personal space the way that Hart had, but then, she couldn’t even recall Kilworth attempting to kiss her at any point in time.
She walked over to her window, and stared down at the gardens below. Biting her lip, she looked back over toward her wardrobe. The night was so beautiful.
Moonlight dappled the ground, and a slight mist shrouded the landscape, giving the night an ethereal glow. She could almost hear the faeries singing and dancing.
“You look quite fetching standing there in the glow of the moonlight,” his deep throated voice made her skin prickle with anticipation.
Her heart stopped. She whirled around, then suddenly her heart started to beat so fast and hard she feared it would fly right out of her chest.
“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing in here?” she demanded
breathlessly.
“I think I’m looking at the loveliest lady in Scotland,” he answered solemnly.
She swallowed. Her mouth had grown inexplicably dry. Her hands went
clammy, and she pressed them against her skirt to still the trembling that had erupted in them.
“You speak with quite a silver tongue for being such a beast.”
“A beast? Well, you’ve called me so many colorful names, that I’ll just add that one to the quickly growing list of insults.”
Narrowing her eyes, she walked toward him. “How did you get in here?”
“It wasn’t too hard, actually. In your haste to escape me you forgot to shut the door properly. It was ajar, so I just slipped in here. I didn’t think you’d mind … I thought you’d left it open in a silent invitation.”
“Silent invitation? You are
mad! This is my family home, for heaven’s sake! I shouldn’t be expected to barricade the bloody door to my own quarters. When my HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 36
mother arrives, and hears of the grief Mallory has brought to my door, she will have a good tongue lashing for him.”
“From what I understand your mother is a formidable woman.”
“She is. And, she’s definitely one woman that my brother always listens to, if he knows what’s good for him.”
“So, she has the fire breathing dragon temper of yours too, I assume.”
She planted her hands on her hips and converged on him. “I will not trouble myself to respond to that sort of ill humored remark.”
“You just did.” He chuckled, making his way toward her so she could feel his hot breath on her face.
“Remove your person from this room, this instant. I command it!”
“I don’t feel like it.” His eyes sparkled. “The house is going to bed, you should to.”
“I should like to. The only problem is I have an infidel in my abode.”
He waved his hand in dismissal. “Soon, you’ll be quite accustomed to welcoming me into your bedroom and your bed. Quit fighting your burgeoning attraction for me, Gemma. I recognize that look in your eyes. Despite yourself, you’ve already lost your heart to me. Don’t worry, I’ll keep it safe.” He gave her a roguish grin. She sighed.
“I’ve never met such an egotistically stubborn man in all of my days.”
“Oh, I think Mallory could probably give me a run for my money when it comes to stubbornness and size of ego. We are both single minded when it comes to achieving our objective. That’s what made us such formidable pirates.”
She gasped. “Don’t say such a despicable thing in this house. I will not hear you blacken my brother’s name in that manner! The Crown does not tolerate piracy, my brother has always been a loyal subject of the King!”
“Indeed he has. We never attacked English ships. We only stole from other countries … something I’m sure the King wouldn’t object to. Come to think of it, he’d probably clap Mallory on the back for a job well done.”
She turned her back to him, staring out the window. “You are not worth the time or effort.”
“Oh, I’m quite worth the effort, why don’t I show you just how much I am
worth.” In an instant, he’d crossed the distance between them, turning her so she faced him. She didn’t know why but she didn’t shrink away from him—or try to fight him.
She quite simply went with it.
He extended his hand and gently caressed the side of her cheek. She shivered at his feathery and electrifying touch. She couldn’t help herself. Every time he touched her, he made her feel the most unusual sensations. She had to admit that he made her blood boil more than Kilworth ever could.
“This is insanity, Hart. You are not meant for me. We are two passing ships.
You must sail on to the next harbor. I won’t be your safe passage in the night!”
“I assure you, Gemma … I want you for the rest of my life, not just for one night.”
She threw her hands up in the air. “Do you honestly know how foolish you are being? What sort of debt do you owe Mallory to be willing to marry me? This will change your life forever, and it will change mine as well … I’m not so certain I like the way that it will change my life. Marriage isn’t something to be taken lightly—to marry HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 37
me would be sheer madness!”
“Oh, I beg to differ. I think it would be one of the sanest decisions I’ve ever made. You might be spoiled, you might be headstrong, but underneath all of your mule headedness you have a pure and loving heart. Passion boils within you—all I need to do is ignite that flame. As for your brother, I owe him my life. He saved it once, and I haven’t had the opportunity to repay him in kind.”
She laughed. “Oh, I see. He saved your life during one of your looting and pillaging adventures.”
“No. He saved my life from a French man’s blade.”
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 38
Chapter Eight
She cut her laugh short. There was nothing that sobered her better than the mention of the war. She’d made her peace with the French. After all, the St. Martin’s still had distant family in France, but whenever someone mentioned the Wars, she could only think of Andrew. They had made so many plans, she’d been so looking forward to his nuptials to his fiancée Mary, who was a dear friend of hers, and then, he’d been killed, and the bond they had shared had died with him. She and Mallory had never been particularly close, probably because she was too much like Mallory to get along with him. Now, Mary had moved on, she’d built a good life for herself, but Gemma resented that. She resented the fact that Mary had found the ability to love someone else, and she resented the fact that Mary had figured out how to live for the future rather than living in the past. The past was safe, the present was precarious, and the future was frightening.
She knew she lived with ghosts, and she knew she had to move on, the trouble was, she didn’t know how.
“Gemma? Are you quite well? You look rather pale and, well—distant. Return to me, my love.”
“That’s just it. You can’t love me! You can’t possibly fall in love with someone you’ve only known for a day. It’s not likely. You aren’t living in a true reality … no one could love me so quickly. I’m not the sort that you just fall in love with at first sight.”
“I disagree. I’ve known a lot of women in my time, I’ve been infatuated with quite a few of them, and yes, I’ve had many ports to take my ship into, but I’ve never felt so passionately about a woman like I feel for you. I’m willing to take you despite your stubbornness, your high airs, and your ability to push me away at every opportunity. You try to use that somewhat barbed tongue of yours to turn me off, and yet, I keep coming back to you. Aye, I owe a life debt to Mallory, but I don’t have to do this if I don’t want to … I’m sure that Mallory will have other times where he’ll need my help.” He grinned.
She lost herself in that carefree smile. Clearly, he’d endured hardship and trials of the spirit beyond her comprehension. She could tell that by the hardened glint that sometimes entered his eyes. However, whenever he looked at her that steely glint vanished. Perhaps, he was being truthful with her. Had he actually fallen for her?
“Hart, I think you should go to your own rooms. I don’t know why you’re doing this. I can tell you’d never hurt me, I might think you’re a big pain in the arse, but you’re not the sort of man that would take me against my will.”
His visage softened. “You know me better than you want to admit.”
She was taken aback by the endearing expression entering his eyes. She could really lose her heart to that particular look.
“You don’t actually want to marry Kilworth, do you? From the tales Mallory has regaled me with, he sounds like a letch of the foulest sort.” His breath tingled against her neck. He made her feel safe—and wanted.
“I will marry Kilworth because I handpicked him.”
“What happened to force you into that decision? Surely, there are other more HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 39
suitable men in the haut ton that could strike your fancy.”
“Alas, you don’t understand the men of the haut ton. They ran from me like I was holding a smoking pistol in my hand. They didn’t want to have anything to do with me—I tried to tell myself that it was Mallory that had turned them off … but it wasn’t. I know better than that. It was me. Most men don’t know what to think of my unconventional ways. No one but Kilworth would approach me at the grand balls. He was the only one that didn’t look at me with a glint of wariness in his eyes.”
“I’m not one of those men.”
“Yes, that’s true. You probably wouldn’t know what to do at one of the haut ton soirees … seeing as you are well, raised in the wilds of these rugged highlands.”
“So says a lady
that is living in the lap of luxury in the so-called wildly rugged highlands.”
“My family has a certain affinity for Scotland, I’ll grant you that,” she relented, sighing.
He turned away from her.
“You have exquisitely fine taste, that’s far warmer than I thought you’d have.”
“Thank you. I think, even though that was a veiled compliment. I’m not certain if I should be rebuffed, since it could be misconstrued as an insult. You just intimated that I’m a cold bitch.”
He walked over to her bed and perched himself on the edge of it. “Cold bitch isn’t something I’d call you—trust me, I’ve met far more frigid women than you. I just didn’t envision you having such a homely private abode.” He sighed. “You might be interested in knowing that your brother has sent out a rider to intercept Kilworth’s carriage. He has plans to tell Kilworth that you are otherwise indisposed and that you won’t be able to accept his hand in marriage. I must say, when your brother decides to do something, he’s a man of action. When he puts his mind into a task, there’s no stopping him. That’s why I admire him so much.”
She let out a scream of frustration. She knew she sounded like a spoiled brat, but at the moment she couldn’t help herself.
“He can’t do that. I’m going to go and tell him—”
“Oh, I don’t think he’ll be in his rooms to see you. You see, a messenger arrived with an urgent missive, calling him, Elizabeth and Susan away. Charles begged to stay behind. He definitely has his heart set on building that tree house of his dreams. Seamus is going to help him … and right at the moment, he and the indefatigable Mrs. Grant are getting a little steamy in the kitchen. It would seem that their animosity toward each other has transformed into terms of endearment.”
“Where did my brother and his wife go?”
“I didn’t ask.” He flicked a piece of lint off of his jacket and then gave her a supremely pleased with himself look.
“You had a cunning hand in this, didn’t you?”