by Jane Charles
“I’ve missed ye, lass,” he whispered in her ear before he pulled back and gave her a very proper kiss. Sweet, gentle and loving, and it made Davina melt even more.
Cradling her face in his hands, he touched his tongue to her lips and delved when she opened to him. If possible, this kiss was even better than the one he’d given her before she sent him off to London.
Shifting, he put his arms around her back, and before she knew what was happening, she was lying in the hay, not far from the kittens, and Ian was over her. She blinked up at him when he pulled back and looked down at her. “Does this mean ye will let me court ye?”
In that moment, much of her joy at being in his arms disappeared. “Aye and nay.”
Ian’s eyebrows drew together as he frowned. “It has to be one or the other, lass.”
Oh, it was impossible to explain because the truth certainly would not do.
“I plan on talkin’ to Aiden today.”
“No!” she cried.
Ian narrowed his eyes on her. “Give me one good reason why I shouldna ask his permission to court ye.”
Davina stared at him, her pulse pounding as she tried to come up with a reason he’d believe, then she remembered. “Fiona,” she blurted out.
Ian sat back. “Fiona? What does she have to do with us?”
“She came down with an illness yesterday and ye ken Uncle Aiden. When any of us are ill he is the most unreasonable man in Scotland.”
Blast, Ian had intended on speaking with Aiden today, but he knew as well as anyone within the three surrounding counties that when one of Aiden MacGregor’s children took ill, he first summoned a physician, then didn’t leave the child’s side. He’d been like that since his wife, Meg, had died of childbed fever.
It didn’t matter how minor or serious the illness, Aiden behaved as if they’d caught the plague. Given it was the man’s youngest who was ill, Aiden would not want to be bothered right now, and if Ian pulled Aiden away from Fiona’s bedside, he might not receive the permission he sought.
Davina let go of him and relaxed back into the hay. Damn, there wasn’t anything more seductive than seeing her surrounded by straw, her breasts pushed against her simple, light wool dress, dark hair fanning out around her beautiful face. He’d been near dozens of beautiful ladies in fancy gowns and perfectly curled hair for two and a half months and none of them held a candle to Davina in her simple clothing in a pile of hay.
Ian sat up before he followed her further down into the straw and forgot that he didn’t have permission to court her, and certainly no right to seduce her. “Is that why ye were so tense when I came into the stables?”
“Ye surprised me, is all.”
He understood the surprise, but not the panic in her eyes at seeing him. Or, maybe it was concern for her cousin that he misinterpreted as panic. “How ill is Fiona?”
“Her fever was high last night, and she still carries one today.”
Ian sighed and thrust his fingers through his hair. “Then I suppose I’ll need to wait a few days until she’s better.”
“I’ll send word,” Davina promised. “But ye should go.”
Why was she trying to get rid of him? He had just now arrived and they hadn’t kissed nearly enough for his liking. “What is the matter with ye, lass?”
“I’m worried about Uncle Aiden.”
“I ken he can be unreasonable, but ye need not worry about the man,” Ian assured her.
“And Fiona,” she added.
Something was not right with Davina, and it was more than her cousin and uncle. “Did something else happen while I was away?”
“Nay,” she answered quickly. Almost too quickly.
Davina was behaving very strangely. “I proved myself in London, it was our bargain so that I could court ye,” he reminded her. “Ye arena tryin’ to change my mind, are ye?”
“Remember what I told ye? I canna be courted by anyone unless Uncle Aiden marries.”
“Nay, lass. We had a bargain, and I will be speakin’ to Aiden.”
“Nay!” she cried.
What the blazes was wrong with Davina? He believed her only objection was Aiden having a wife, but perhaps it was more. “Do ye still wish for me to court ye?” he finally asked. What if she had changed her mind while he was gone?
“Aye,” she said slowly then bit her lip, looking into his eyes. “But, only if nobody knows.”
At that moment, Ian wasn’t sure if he was more angry, frustrated or insulted. “I’ve not been back with ye an hour and yer callin’ my honor into question again.”
“Nay,” she rushed to say as she sat up. “I’d never do that, but I think it’s for the best.”
“Exactly how? If yer brothers, uncle or cousins learned, they’d string me up by my boll…never mind. They’d not be very happy.”
“I doubt they’d castrate ye, Ian,” she giggled.
Just the very idea made him want to cross his legs. “Ye underestimate a man’s need to protect the lasses in his life, Davina. I would rather not take the risk.”
She reached out and took his hand in hers, gripping his fingers tight. “Hear me out, please.”
“Very well.” He sighed.
“We’ve kent each other all my life, but I dinna ken ye had a likin’ fer me until ye kissed me.”
“I had a likin’ fer ye long before I kissed ye.”
“And I for ye, but neither one of us kent it until then.”
“What does this have to do with courtin’?”
She took a deep breath and let it out. “Well, we should’ve done some courtin’ before the kissin’ but we canna take that back.”
“Which is why we’ll court now.”
“Nay!”
She may be the most beautiful lass he’d ever known, but Davina was also the most obstinate and confusing.
“Our families are friends.”
“Aye.” He still was not seeing whatever problem she saw.
“What if this is just a temporary infatuation?”
“It’s not!”
She placed a finger against his lips. “Hear me out,” she ordered gently. “This is all very new. We kissed, ye were gone. Yer back and we kissed.”
“Ye sent me away,” Ian argued.
Davina pursed her lips and lifted an eyebrow.
“Very well. Go on.”
“What if one of us decides this isna more than likin’, with none of the lovin’ after we’ve been courtin’ with our families knowin’? If we decide that we shouldna be courtin’, my brother, cousins and Uncle Aiden may look at ye differently, and Fanella and Jesse may be uncomfortable around me.”
Though he was certain there’d be loving as well as liking and kissing and eventually seducing, Ian was beginning to understand her concerns. This was moving very quickly and family involvement in the knowing would make things a lot more difficult. “If yer family kent, then we’d not be left alone.” He leaned in. “Like we are now.”
A lovely rose hue spread across her cheeks. “That isna what I mean, but it is somethin’ to consider.”
“I doona like a secret courtin’.” It didn’t sit well with him, especially since her family would find out eventually, then they would string him up by the bollocks, unless they married right away. At least he hoped they’d let him keep his bollocks. The wedding night would be very disappointing to Davina if he was missing those.
“Just long enough for me to work on the other part of my plan.”
“How long and what other part?”
“A few months, at the most, I hope.”
“A few months?” he practically shouted. “I doona want to be sneakin’ around behind yer family’s backs for that long.”
“Maybe it won’t take that long. I just need to find Uncle Aiden a bride and then I will be free.”
His stomach clenched. What if the man never married?
“How are ye goin’ to find him a bride? He hardly ever leaves Annagburn?”
“I’m still
workin’ on that part of the plan, but I’d hope to find him someone before ye returned so that we could begin courtin’. Ye are the one who came back too early.”
“Davina, are ye out here?” Ian’s heart nearly stopped at Donovan’s voice. If he walked back and caught the two of them in the straw, all of Davina’s plans would be for naught.
She stood up and peeked over the stall. “Aye?”
“Uncle Aiden sent me to get ye.”
“I’ll be right in,” she called back and waited a few moments. “He’s gone,” she said before she sat back down and faced Ian. “Give me a few weeks.”
“Weeks? Ye doona want to see me for a few weeks?” He’d already been gone two months. Maybe she hadn’t missed him as much as he had missed her.
“Long enough for Fiona to get well again and enough time for me to work on my plan.”
“I am not waitin’ weeks, lass. I will be back in a few days.”
“Nay!” she cried.
“Aye,” he returned. Ian reached out and grabbed her hand. “Mark my words, lass. I willna be put off for weeks. If ye doona allow me to talk to yer uncle soon, a sennight at the most, I willna be seeking permission at all.”
The color seemed to drain from her cheeks. Good! Davina needed to realize that she could not put him off indefinitely, and even a sennight was too long. He did have his pride and his honor and he would not be reduced to a lad sneaking around and hoping for a kiss. “Ye have seven days, Davina. Fiona will be well by then and yer uncle willna be distracted. I am not goin’ to wait for him to marry because that may never happen.” He leaned in and met her gaze directly so she knew how serious he was. “If I’ve not obtained yer uncle’s permission by then, I will not seek it at all.” Then he pulled back. “And I am not goin’ to wait so long to see ye again either.”
She blinked at him. “It’s only seven days.”
“It’s been two months.” Ian studied her and began to seriously consider, for the first time, that she did not truly want him to court her. “Meet me tomorrow by the bales, and bring yer bow so yer family thinks ye’re goin’ to practice.”
She gulped. “Very well. What time?”
“Two.”
Chapter 9
The next five days, nay four, were going to be the longest and the shortest of her life. Invitations had been completed yesterday, and Ewan had been given the task of delivering them today. Rose had given dresses to the girls to wear as they had nothing appropriate of their own, and the seamstresses had begun on the alterations. But the details weren’t her concern at the moment. She was to meet Ian this afternoon and Davina prayed she could convince him to put off talking to Uncle Aiden until after the ball—not that he’d even know about it until after it was over—as long as the neighbors didn’t mention it to the Grants before it happened.
Her stomach was in knots and her nerves on edge. The last thing she needed right now was to be called into the library, along with Arabella and Sheena, to stand before Uncle Aiden again. She truly feared what he might decide this time.
“Ye wanted to see us, Uncle Aiden?” Davina asked as she stopped before his desk.
“I’ve taken the liberty of drawing up a list of the men who have at one time showed a particular interest in you.”
“They canna be very interested if they’ve never even bothered to call upon us.” Of course, Uncle Aiden had no way of knowing that Ian had been calling on her and that he’d be back today.
He shrugged. “I’ve not been open to the opportunity in the past. Now, I see that I was perhaps too protective.”
Sheena frowned. “Men wished to call on us?”
“They dinna tell me in so many words, but I can tell when a gentleman has thoughts to a certain female.”
“Who are they?” Davina asked, curious.
Aiden handed her the list.
Not one of the bachelors listed would do. Never. Some were older than Uncle Aiden, others too young to shave, a few were too poor to own land or a cottage, and then there were five who didn’t even have teeth. Worse, Ian’s name wasn’t listed anywhere.
“Ye canna be serious.” She thrust the parchment to Arabella. “I wouldna consider any of those men if they were the last ones alive.”
“They are fine men,” Aiden insisted. “Some even own land and have few debts.”
Arabella’s eyes grew wide in shock before she handed it to Sheena. “Ye willna marry me to any of them. I’ll run away first.”
Aiden leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. “Then I suggest ye find your groom by the time the ball is at an end, or I will choose one for ye.”
With a gasp, Sheena tossed the list on his desk. “Uncle Aiden, I never thought ye’d be so cruel.” With that, her eyes filled with tears and she turned and ran from the room. With a huff, Arabella followed Sheena and Davina did the same, after tossing a pointed glare at her uncle. He had gone too far this time.
She wasn’t so worried about herself, but she’d not stand by while Uncle Aiden married her sister and cousin to one of those men. And, if he forced the issue, and Ian turned his back on the family, she might just run away with her cousin.
Sheena had run directly to Rose to tell her what Uncle Aiden had done this time. It was nice to have Rose in the house. She had a way with Uncle Aiden that none of the rest of them did. Rose wasn’t afraid to stand up to her uncle, even if he had kidnapped her, and Uncle Aiden tended to listen to Rose when he listened to no one else.
Davina stopped and studied the widow. Uncle Aiden had been acting differently around Rose, and she was beginning to suspect it wasn’t entirely because of the kidnapping. Rose was beautiful, and only a few years younger than Uncle Aiden.
Was it possible the two of them could become more than captor and captive? Could the two of them start developing feelings for the other? If Uncle Aiden and Rose started to fall in love, then maybe Rose’s family wouldn’t be so quick to see her uncle hang.
For the first time since Rose showed up in the Annagburn dining room, Davina was beginning to hope that there might be a good outcome from this calamitous situation.
At the strike of the clock, Davina realized the time and rushed from the house. Ian was waiting and she was going to be late.
Ian paced in front of the stacked and painted bales of hay as he waited for Davina. He had arrived early, hoping she was here, but now the time for their meeting had passed and she wasn’t anywhere in sight. Surely, she hadn’t forgotten, had she?
Why the blazes had he agreed to this plan of hers? It was not right and it certainly was not honorable, and he began to wonder what game she was playing with him. Ian had assumed she’d be filled with joy at seeing him yesterday. It was quite the opposite. In fact, she’d nearly panicked at the sight of him. And it was more than Fiona being ill and Aiden being disagreeable. He knew for certain it hadn’t been his behavior in London, so what else was going on in that lass’s head? If she hadn’t kissed him back with an enthusiasm that matched his own, Ian would have assumed she didn’t wish to be courted after all.
Had Davina always been such a contradiction? And why hadn’t he noticed it before?
Where the blazes was she?
With those thoughts he started walking toward the manor. He was not going to be left to cool his heels. Besides, these secret meetings were not right, and Ian would rather risk Aiden’s irritation now than his wrath later if he learned about Davina’s little scheme.
Unless the reason for Davina’s delay was due to a more serious matter. Fiona had been sick yesterday and the day before. What if she’d worsened? If that had happened, Davina would not leave the house to meet him. Ian dearly hoped that was not the case, but it was best to learn the cause of her delay before he decided to react to it.
Just as he was about to crest the hill, Davina came running over it, her face flushed from the exercise and her dark hair flying on the breeze behind her. “I am sorry to be late,” she called. “Uncle Aiden needed to give me some instructions and I
couldna very well tell him I had another engagement.” She came to a stop before him.
“Aye, ye could’ve told him that I came to call on ye.”
“Ian,” she warned as she linked her arm with his and turned them toward the woods.
As wrong as it felt to be meeting in secret, Ian could not object to being alone in the woods with her, though he should. Her uncle would have both of their heads if they were caught because Ian had every intention of thoroughly kissing Davina as soon as they were hidden away. He’d kiss her until she was so flummoxed that she’d agree to let him call on Aiden.
“Ian, what do ye ken of Lady Bentley?”
He stopped and stared down at her. “Maddie’s mother?”
“Aye.”
“She’s a kind woman.” Had they heard the gossip already that Lady Bentley had never been legally married and that Madeline was considered a bastard? “Why do ye ask?”
“Uncle Aiden has mentioned her. I thought perhaps ye could tell me more.”
They stepped into the shadow of the trees and the last thing Ian wanted to discuss was Lachlan’s mother-in-law, but he needed to find out what Aiden had learned and if they would look at Maddie differently now. “I was unaware the two even kent one another, unless they met in Edinburgh.”
“Edinburgh?”
“Aye. Lady Bentley is on a holiday there with her friend, Lady Acker.”
“Oh, of course. I just ken she’s been, um, on his mind.”
Lady Bentley and Aiden? Ian couldn’t see the two together. “I ken ye want yer uncle to marry, but I’m not sure they’d be a good match, lass.”
Davina pulled away from him and frowned. “Why not?”
“Lady Bentley is demure, quiet, sweet, and Aiden, well, he is none of those things. I canna imagine she’d be able to tolerate his gruffness, to be honest.”
She frowned. “Are ye sure?” It was as if she didn’t believe him.
“Aye. If Lady Bentley were to marry again, it would be to a quiet, unassuming gentleman.” Besides, from what he understood of Maddie’s father, Rose’s first husband had been a beast of a man and where Aiden wasn’t unkind, he bellowed, a personality trait Rose probably wished to avoid.