Questions for a Highlander

by Angeline Fortin

  Richard stood stubbornly until Abby took his hand with a sigh and descended. Jack got out as well. “Why don’t you all come in?” Abby said with some sarcasm.

  Francis smiled at that and shook his head, declining. “I’m sure you’ll appreciate that I’m quite comfortable here.”

  “Lady Abygail, is that you?”

  Abby turned with a groan to see Harry Brudenall standing at her front door with Cortland who stood just inside. The marquis was dressed to ride in a dashing bottle green riding jacket and black top hat. As usually, he didn’t miss a beat upon seeing her outside the house rather than within… and on another man’s arm. Instead, Aylesbury swept a deep bow and grinned merrily. “Good morning, my dear!”

  “Bloody hell,” Richard cursed soundly under his breath. Abby looked up at Richard with wonder, unable to stifle her pleasure at his jealous tone. She had never imagined how delightful it could be to have a man be so possessive of her person. Everything he’d done in the last few days had made her feel more beautiful and desirable than she ever had. “Haven’t you anything better to do, Aylesbury?”

  “Why, good morning, Captain,” the marquis said cheerily, tipping his hat in mock greeting. “Whatever has you out so early today?”

  “Harry! Goodness, I’ve completely forgotten our ride.” Abby blushed deeply, pulling her cloak around her in spite of the warm morning. Hopefully, the observant marquis wouldn’t notice that the white cotton blouse she wore as one of a lesser quality than those normally worn by a lady. “I went out for an early walk. With my brother, you see,” Abby fabricated the lie haltingly as she indicated her brother. “Glenrothes and Captain MacKintosh came upon us and were so kind as to offer us… I mean, me a ride home.”

  “How kind of them,” Aylesbury said meeting Richard’s challenging glower with a lazy smile.

  “Oy, miss, where you been?” Cortland asked, popping his out of the doorway. “I didn’t see you go out this morning.”

  “It was early, Cortland,” Abby bit out through clenched teeth. It was one thing to sneak out for the night and think that she could sneak back in without anyone noticing. It was quite another to feel as if she had been caught red-handed in the act. It was clear already that Harry didn’t give credence any of their excuses thus far.

  “I remember you, sir,” Cortland said to Richard. “Where did you get off to the other day when you came to see Lady Abygail? I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

  Aylesbury and Jack both raised a questioning brow at that and Richard rolled his eyes. Abby was certain that he thought as she did. Any chance they’d had at discretion was slipping rapidly away. “I er… had another appointment.”

  Abby bit back a smile at that and Richard grinned reluctantly as well. “Might as well just give in, angel. I can’t see anyway out of this now.”

  Abby didn’t need him to explain but shook her head. “I said, we’ll see.”

  “See what?” Aylesbury asked curiously.

  “None of your business, old chap.”

  “Is that so? Perhaps, I consider it my business.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Richard, please,” Abby said with a hand on his chest, raising the other to keep the marquis away as he moved to go toe to toe with Richard. Richard was glaring at Aylesbury who, for once, looked deadly serious as he frowned back. They were like two bulls prepared to fight for the lone female. Though she generally thought such behavior to be utterly ridiculous, Abby couldn’t stop a small corner of her heart from feeling the thrill of their attention. But still… “Both of you, please. Jack, could you help?”

  Her brother just shook his head, looking with amusement between the two men with interest. “I think not. I’d rather like to see this play out.”

  “You hadn’t enough of that already this morning?” Abby snapped before remembering whose company she was in.

  The marquis cast Jack an interested glance. Jack’s red, swollen eye was already blackening and very noticeable. It was also obvious that the injury was a recent one. Since few men resorted to fisticuffs before breakfast, Harry’s curiosity wasn’t unfounded. “Had a bit of a scuffle, Merrill? With whom?”

  Abby groaned, noticing neighboring residents peeking out from their windows, while others strolling down the street had simply stopped to listen. Even the coachman and footman, who were normally trained to ignore everything around them, were casting interested looks their way. She might as well announce from the top of the Tower where she had spent the night and with whom. The gossip was going to be horrible if she didn’t get this under control.

  “Enough,” Francis barked out as he finally descended the carriage as well. Apparently, he could see what was happening as well as she. “You’re attracting unwanted notice with this nonsense. Perhaps we should all just go inside.”

  “Perhaps Aylesbury should just leave,” Richard grumbled, though he complied with his brother’s request and moved to take Abby’s arm just as Aylesbury did.

  “Perhaps you should.”

  “Now that’s simple rubbish,” Jack cut in and took Abby’s arm leading her to the still open door. “What a pair of cocks, both. Disgusting.”

  Since Abby agreed to large extent – as flattering as their rivalry was, they were taking it a bit too far – she took her brother’s arm and let him lead her into the front hall, hesitating when Cortland moved to take her cloak. With few options, she let it go, hoping her blouse would go without notice and thankful that she at least had the proper garments beneath it. She asked in a whisper, “Has there been anything of interest going on this morning, Cortland?”

  In other words, she thought, had anyone realized that she was gone all night?

  “Very little, miss,” the butler shrugged, looking first at Jack then Francis with wide-eyed appreciation. “The younger misses and Lady ‘addington are still abed and your father’s at breakfast with ‘is guest.”

  “What guest is that?” Abby asked, wondering if she had been correct.

  Cortland confirmed her suspicions. “It’s ‘Is ‘Ighness, Prince George, the royal duke,” Cortland whispered back in a confidential fashion. “Didn’t look too royal to me, though. Just like a fat general I once saw down on the docks, you know?”

  “Thank you, Cortland,” Abby said to the very un-butler-like butler. Suddenly, she was on pins and needles wondering what was being said behind closed doors.

  It wouldn’t take long to find out. Since bad luck had been dogging her heels all morning, Abby should have known that her proclivity toward rotten timing that morning wouldn’t stop with just Jack at the stair case and Harry at her front door. No, unfortunately, the occupants of the dining room chose that moment to exit that room with all of them standing right there.

  Chapter 33

  Drawing on my fine command of the language,

  I said nothing.

  - Mark Twain

  “What is going on here? What are ye doing here?” the Earl of Haddington’s voice boomed out seconds later, the second question accompanied by a dark frown directed at Jack.

  Silence fell almost comically over the room as everyone looked to another to say something or anything to return the strange morning to a more normal one. Abby swore she could almost hear her heart pounding over the pall of silence. There they were: Jack locked in a silent battle of the wills with their father. Cambridge looking rather confused, but of course, he truly didn’t know what was going on at all. Richard, well, he was still glowering at Harry as if the look could make his would-be rival simply disappear from the face of the earth. Harry was grinning back shamelessly. Francis stood near the door with his arms crossed over his broad chest while Cortland was… was he looking at the earl’s rear end?

  It struck her suddenly, the absurdity of it all and she couldn’t bit back the entirety of the giggle that escaped her. The choked sound turned everyone’s eyes to her and Abby bit her lip to keep from smiling. Suddenly, Richard was grinning as well, as was Harry. Reaching out, Richard took her hand in his
, offering an encouraging squeeze.

  “Well!” Harry announced in a jocular voice, slapping his crop again his thigh. “I can see that I have no role in the calamity that is about to commence, so I shall take my leave.” He swept a bow to them all before replacing his hat at a jaunty angle. “Your Highness. Lady Abygail, my dear,” he said, taking her hand – the one Richard wasn’t holding – and ignoring him all the while. “I shall come again another day.”

  “Aye, like a dark raincloud,” Richard murmured, but Harry just smiled.

  “Just so, Captain, just so. Farewell all!”

  The door closing behind him seemed to break the spell that held them all. Jack spoke, answering their father with the same lie Abby had used on Aylesbury moments before. “You needn’t worry that I’m here to stay, father. I was just escorting Abby home. She… er, walked over to visit me early this morning to talk. Glenrothes offered his carriage to see her home safely.”

  Abby felt her father’s eyes on her, his skepticism, but between her hair tidily up and neatly tucked blouse, there wasn’t much evidence for him to find a reason to argue. But she stood proud. She would never hide gain.

  “She’s safe, now get out.”

  “What’s all this, Angus?” Cambridge asked.

  “Nothing, George, nothing at all,” Haddington grumbled. “Let me see you out.”

  Abby’s heart jumped. She wasn’t about to let that happen without knowing what had been said between them. Boldly, she stepped in front of Cambridge, uncomfortably aware that she was shabbily dressed in the presence of royalty, and dropped a deep curtsy. “Your Highness, good morning. I didn’t know you were coming this morning. Did you need to talk with Father about anything important?”

  “Important?” Cambridge responded in his abrasive grumble to her brazen question. He scratched his whiskers thoughtfully as if he were still trying to make sense of the scene before him. An early morning gathering of four gentlemen for one lady in the front hall was most unusual, after all. “No, just catching up on old times. Nothing really.”

  “Truly, nothing of importance? Nothing at all?” She cast a questioning look at her father, who met her gaze stonily. She couldn’t read him at all.

  “Why do you ask?”

  Abby glanced at her father once more. She needed to know if he had asked or not. Not just for Richard’s sake, but for hers as well. She wanted to marry Richard, to have him as hers for the rest of her days. If her father hadn’t interceded on their behalf yet, Richard had a perfect opportunity before him to do it himself thereby freeing her from her bargain with her father. Her heart skipped giddily. “Your highness, I was hoping I might introduce these gentlemen to you?”

  The royal duke nodded and Abby introduced first Francis, then Richard before reminding Cambridge of her brother’s identity as they had met many years before. The brothers bowed slightly to the royal general before offering their hands for him to shake.

  “Glenrothes?” Cambridge repeated with a frown as he studied Francis and then Richard. “Where have I heard that name?”

  “Perhaps my father mentioned it while you were dining, your highness,” Abby hinted, trying one last time for some indication that her father had followed through on their bargain.

  “No, no,” the duke shook his head. “Indeed, why should he? Ahh, I remember now. CB mentioned you to me,” he directed this to Francis. “He told me some cock and bull story about a group of spies being captured in Egypt.”

  “It was no tall tale, General,” Richard spoke up. “It was my unit that was captured. My brother has been helping me in petitioning those with the authority to set out a search for the others. We had hoped that you might be able to help.”

  Cambridge straightened with all his military bearing and leveled Richard with a direct stare. The look of a general for his underling. Abby was proud of Richard as he met the look calmly for the duke was an imposing presence even without his uniform and many medals. He was tall and burly with a paunchy stomach, balding head and fluffy muttonchops, but he was still a prince, and his royal blood and arrogance were obvious.

  “Captain, I’ve looked into this matter since speaking with the former secretary. We can find no one who was aware of such a mission,” Cambridge told him. “I had determined it was nothing more than some fabrication.”

  “Palmer was aware, General,” Richard said. “So far, it appears he is the only one who will admit to it. If you would speak with him, I’m sure he could explain to you where the authorization for the mission originated.”

  “Perhaps you didn’t know, Palmer resigned his office earlier week,” Cambridge told him.

  Both Francis and Richard drew in shocked breaths. They had heard nothing of it from any of the others they had been talking to. Francis looked to Richard who could only shake his head in bemusement. “Surely you can see that as a sign that Palmer is trying to hide from the backlash his blunder, your highness?” Francis said. “My brother and his unit were acting on direct orders. It should not matter where they came from. They were not at fault.”

  “No, that is true,” Cambridge nodded. He was a military traditionalist. To him the chain of command was everything. “And, generally, I would agree with you, but, regardless of who the fool was who ordered such folly, if indeed it was ordered, we cannot take a public stand on this, Glenrothes. You sit in the House. You must understand that such a thing would be an open admission that we were where we shouldn’t be to begin with and our relationship with Egypt’s nationalists is tentative at best. There are those who would still like to see the Empire and her influence gone from Egypt.”

  “But, begging your pardon, General, does any of that really matter?” Richard asked incredulously. By all accounts, the duke was a commander who had a care for his soldiers. This dismissal was the last thing he had expected. “The order was given and executed. You cannot, in good conscience, leave them out there to rot.”

  “Are you questioning my authority, Captain?”

  In respectful tones, Richard said simply, “Yes, sir, I am.”

  Cambridge puffed out his chest. “Sacrifice must sometimes be made for the greater good. You boys must understand what is at stake here. The image of the Empire, what? The Queen does not stoop to deception and we cannot have it said that she did so when we prefer that our power be scene as direct, formidable. We confront our enemies face to face not by subterfuge.”

  “No, it seems you will save that for your blunders,” Richard ground out.

  “Remember your place, Captain!” Cambridge snapped.

  But Richard couldn’t be contained. “You can’t just sweep this under the rug, General!”

  Francis and Jack both moved to restrain Richard with calming hands and Richard took a deep breath, forcing himself to step back from Cambridge who also lost some of his steam and seem to deflate. “I understand what you’re saying, Captain, and in many ways I agree, but given the tenuous relationship between the Empire and the Egyptian population, I cannot draw attention to such an underhanded mission. I will do what I can to help you unofficially but as commander I cannot order for full military support.”

  “What can you do for us if we were to search on our own?” Francis asked.

  “Naturally, I cannot sanction such an action, but what you do with your time is your own business.” Cambridge paused as if considering how far he was prepared to go for them. “If you were to say, take a holiday in Egypt, I would think a letter of introduction to the consul might be in order. I could request the consul offer you a base for your travels, horses, supplies and that sort of thing. And a guide. Yes, you’ll need a guide.”

  Richard stared blankly at the duke. That was it? That was all his government was prepared to do for its own soldiers? Disavow them and leave them to die? Abby took his hand, offering her support and Richard met her bright, sad eyes. That was it then.

  They were on their own.

  Richard and Francis murmured their thanks as sincerely as they could before Cambridge made hi
s exit. Richard stood numbly as if he couldn’t move.

  “Richard?” Abby said softly, tugging his hand. “May I speak with you privately for a moment?”

  Nodding, Richard led her into the first room off the foyer, which turned out to be the library.

  “Hold on there!” Haddington boomed. “Ye cannae be in there alone!”

  “Hang it all, Father!” Jack barked, his voice full of the same devastation Francis and Richard were experiencing. Vincent and Jace were his friends, as well. “Give them five minutes, won’t you?”

  The moment the doors closed behind them, Abby wrapped her arms around Richard and hugged him tightly. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” she whispered into his chest. His disappointment and sorrow were palpable. She wished she could do something to soothe them away.

  Richard’s hand cupped the back of her head as he held her to him. He dipped his head to hers, whispering in her ear, “It’s not your fault, angel. It is not what we hoped for, but I should have seen weeks ago that this was coming. Francis and I will go alone… though I pity Palmer if he ever crosses my path again.”

  Abby swallowed a chuckle but could feel Richard’s smile as his lips brushed her hair.

  “I know it’s not much compensation for what just happened, in response to our conversation before? The answer would be ‘yes’”

  Drawing back, Richard looked down at her in surprise. “What changed your mind?”

  “Nothing changed it,” Abby denied, not wanting to explain how she had bargained away their possible future with her father. She added truthfully, “I’ve always wanted to marry you. Always. I love you, Richard.”

  Bending down, Richard caught her lips in a kiss so fiercely passionate that Abby could only gasp in surprise before she sank against him. Hanging on tightly to his lapels, she opened her mouth to his onslaught, thrilling as he crushed her tightly against him, lifting her off the ground. He spun her around before setting her back on her feet, grinning down at her. His green eyes were dancing, as if he were truly happy for her consent when the need for a hasty marriage had been all but thrust upon him. “Shall we go tell your father then?”