A Highland Conquest

by Sandra Heath

  “As soon as the weather clears a little, I’ll begin the walk back to Glenvane to bring help.”

  “What happened to your horse?” she asked.

  “When the cabriolet overturned, the shafts broke and I tried to unharness it, but it made off before I could see that it was secure. The cloud was so damp and cold that Emma and I had no option but to take refuge in here and hope that the weather soon cleared, but it closed in more and more, and then the thunderstorm began. Emma wanted to go on after the storm, but I saw the accident as a sign. I’ve known for some time that everything connected with her was wrong, but somehow I couldn’t break free. Then, quite suddenly, just before we heard you calling, I knew that I couldn’t go on. The jewels had to be returned to Rory, and I had to sever all connection with Emma. We were arguing about it when you arrived.” He went to the entrance and stood gazing out at the dismal scene. “What were you doing up here?” he asked without looking back at her.

  “I was leaving Glenvane,” she replied honestly.

  He turned. “Leaving?”

  “Your scheming with the locket achieved its purpose.”

  “Oh.” He came back to sit next to her. “How did you know?”

  “Hester and I were eavesdropping last night.” She told him about searching the room and hiding behind the curtain.

  He looked away, his eyes filled with remorse. “I don’t know what to say, Miss Maitland, except that I will explain the truth as soon as I see Rory.”

  “And incriminate yourself?”

  “I have no alternative if I’m ever to live with my conscience.” He ran his fingers through his hair, a gesture which keenly reminded Lauren of his elder brother. “I rue the day I ever set eyes upon Emma, for it was a day I took leave of my senses. Oh, I don’t claim that she was the sole cause of my fall from grace, for I know my faults. I enjoy a wild life, I gamble foolishly, I have regrettable morals where the fair sex is concerned, and I’ve found it only too easy to ignore my conscience in the past. But I wasn’t exactly bad. I’ve been bad recently, however. Very bad indeed.”

  “I will speak up for you.”

  “You? Why on earth should you, of all people, wish to do that?” he asked in some surprise.

  “Because you wouldn’t leave me here, and because your resistance means that the jewels are safe after all.” She smiled in the shadows of the cave. “I guess Rory will be angry with you at first, but I’m sure he’ll forgive you.”

  “Possibly. Or maybe he’s at last had enough of me. God knows, I deserve to be kicked out on my elegant rear.”

  “Everyone’s allowed one dire error of judgment. Lady Fitzsimmons was yours, and I rather fancy that the first Countess of Glenvane was your brother’s, although no doubt he believes he has suffered two such blows.”

  “Two?”

  “As I said, your trickery with the locket worked admirably. I am accused of stealing both it and the whole jewel box, and I also stand accused of omitting to mention my fiancé back in Boston, as well as nuptials in the new year.”

  “Miss Maitland, I may have dabbled where the locket was concerned, but I don’t know anything about fiancés in Boston, or about nuptials in the new year.”

  She smiled again. “I know you don’t, for the latter items are my own silly fault.” She explained about Sir Richard and her white lies.

  “My brother is a fool,” Jamie observed flatly.

  “He was badly hurt in the past.”

  “Oh, there’s no doubt about that. Because of Fleur he was even prepared to go so far as to let the title pass to any of my heirs, rather than risk marriage again to produce an heir himself. That is, until he met you.” Jamie studied her. “I don’t know how far things had gone between you, but I know he loves you very much. I guessed it when he went to such lengths to escort you during the boating party, and I suspected it again when he was so loath to have anything to do with my ungentlemanly plot to pursue you for your fortune. I knew it beyond all shadow of doubt when he tore a strip off me after bringing you back from Holy Island. I may not be his favorite person at the moment, but that doesn’t prevent me from knowing him like the back of my hand.”

  “I wish that he did love me, but I fear his feelings cannot be very deep. If they were, he wouldn’t have accused me so easily. No, he was too swiftly over his so-called love, but at least I discovered it sooner rather than later.”

  “I think you are wrong, Miss Maitland.”

  The downpour began to relent, dying gradually away until it was a mere scattering of raindrops, and as it did so, they both heard Rory’s voice in the distance.

  “Lauren? Can you hear me?”

  Her breath caught, and Jamie rose swiftly to his feet to hurry out of the cave, where the rain had dispelled virtually all the low cloud.

  “Rory? We’re at the cave!” he shouted, cupping his hands to his mouth.

  After a moment they heard hoofbeats, and suddenly Rory was there. He reined in, and dismounted, looking incredulously at his brother. “Jamie? What in God’s name—?”

  “Miss Maitland is safe, Rory. She’s in here. I’m afraid she’s hurt her ankle.”

  Jamie led him inside, and Rory immediately crouched down beside her, taking off his glove and putting his hand to her cold cheek. “Lauren?” His gray eyes were anxious. She could smell the rain on him, the wet of his clothes, and the wet leather of his gloves.

  “I did not think we would ever meet again, sir,” she replied levelly, longing to be in his arms, but still not sure of him.

  He looked at Jamie. “How are you here with her?”

  “Didn’t you see what’s left of my cabriolet? I suffered an ignominious overturn and my horse escaped,” Jamie replied dryly.

  “And Emma?”

  Jamie explained all that had happened, and as he finished, Lauren spoke up swiftly.

  “So, you see, not only are the jewels safe after all, but your brother put me before his escape. He could have left on my horse with Emma, but he refused because I was injured. He’d already changed his mind about leaving, you must believe me,” she pleaded.

  He searched her pale face. “You wish me to forgive him?”

  “Yes.”

  He smiled a little. “Then I will,” he said softly.

  His smile turned her foolish heart over. He wasn’t lost to her! There was still some warmth in his heart!

  Jamie breathed out with relief. ‘I won’t let you down again, Rory.”

  “You’d better not, for next time I’ll personally hang, draw, and quarter you.” Rory straightened. “I take it your former sweetheart is now well on her way to the Crown & Thistle?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I may be prepared to give you another chance, but I’m not about to let her get away entirely, not after that du Maurier business, and certainly not after her bigamous dealings with poor Fitz. I shall report to the authorities that she’s been at Glenvane, and they will take up the pursuit.”

  Jamie nodded but then looked guiltily at Rory. “I knew she was still Mrs. du Maurier,” he confessed.

  “I know you did. It doesn’t become you.”

  Jamie lowered his eyes. “If I could undo it all, I would, believe me.”

  “I’ve no doubt.” Rory’s glance moved to Lauren. “We would all like to do that from time to time,” he added quietly.

  Jamie looked out of the cave. “Do you trust me sufficiently to let me ride back to the castle for help?”

  Rory nodded. “Yes.”

  “I won’t let you down.”

  “I know.”

  Jamie hesitated, and then went to hug his brother close for a moment. “I’m sorry for everything, Rory. Truly I am.”

  Rory returned the embrace, and then pushed him out of the cave. “Don’t dawdle, and for pity’s sake don’t stop for any pretty face you may meet along the way. With your luck, it will be another delightful villainess looking for an accomplice!”

  Jamie grinned at him, and then hurried out to the waiting hor
se. As Rory stood by the cave mouth watching him, Lauren managed to struggle to her feet and lean back against the wall.

  “Am I forgiven too, Rory?” she asked quietly.

  He turned swiftly and came to her. “You haven’t done anything wrong. I am the one who should be forgiven. I know what a fool I’ve been; Alex and Hester have told me everything.”

  “Hester? How is she?”

  “Much better. Well enough to wrap her tongue around me in no uncertain way.” He smiled. “Not that I needed to be told how abominably I’ve behaved.” He caught her fingers tightly, his thumb caressing her palm for a moment.

  The caress brought tears to her eyes. “Do you still love me, Rory?” she whispered.

  “With all my heart.”

  “I said such dreadful things to you…”

  “I was hardly innocent on that score.” He put his fingertips to her cheek. “Lauren, I cannot endure without you, and I still want you to be my wife.”

  Foolish tears shimmered in her eyes, and a soft sigh slipped from her as he kissed her. Her body began to stir with the rich desire she always felt when he was near, and shivers of joy passed through her as his lips moved to her throat. The time was right, so very right. She needed to be his completely, body and soul…

  “I was thinking…” she whispered. “It will be a long time before Jamie returns with anyone.”

  “A very long time,” he replied, raising his head to look into her green eyes.

  “Must love wait for a wedding band?” she asked, her voice so soft and caressing that it was almost deafened by the sound of the waterfall.

  “Cardinal rules should not be broken, Miss Maitland,” he murmured, his lips brushing hers again.

  “But they can be, can they not?”

  “Yes, they can be.”

  “Then let us break this rule now, Lord Glenvane. Let us flout convention and anticipate our vows.”

  “Are you set upon seducing me, madam?” he breathed, his fingers curling luxuriously in her hair.

  “Yes. Oh, yes.”

  “Then I shall not resist,” he whispered, his lips and tongue teasing hers.

  She gave in to the waves of tantalizing desire which had seized her. He was hers, won in sweet victory. Her highland conquest. Her handsome earl. Her beloved Rory. They belonged together now—heart, body, and soul.

  Copyright © 1994 by Sandra Heath

  Originally published by Signet (ISBN 9780451178756)

  Electronically published in 2017

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  No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without permission of the publisher. For more information, contact Belgrave House, 190 Belgrave Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94117-4228

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  This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.