Kilgannon (5 page)

"So it would appear." She glanced at me. "'But he's Scottish."

"Louisa, you married a Scotsman and were very happy."

Her gaze grew distant. "I was very happy," she said, nodding. "But, my dear, Scotland is not England, and Alex is not your uncle Duncan. I was not joking when I told Alex that Scotland was too dangerous and too far away." She sighed. "I have known Alex since he was a boy, and he does not appear to have changed a bit. He was as straightforward at ten as now, but he told me only last week that he was not planning to remarry yet and I believed him."

"Perhaps he's not, Louisa. All we did was talk. He's not proposing, nor am I accepting."

She sighed again. "When I received his note today, I realized that he is considering courting you. I hardly know what to do."

"There is nothing to do."

"You mean there is nothing to be done."

"Louisa, you are worrying too much. I've only met him once."

"Why isn't Robert here, the fool? I should not have listened to the Duchess. I'm
afraid I'll
lose you to Scotland."

I shook my head. "I intend to marry no one at the moment. And besides, if I married Robert I might live in Scotland."

"No, dear, if you married Robert you would live in London or at his estate, and you'd visit Scotland once a year as I did, and no matter what happened in that strange country you would be safe in England. If you marry Alex you will live in the back of beyond, and I might never see you again. It is well-known he is devoted to his sons. He comes with a ready-made family and many responsibilities. And apparently—whether he knows it or not—he is seeking a wife." Her shoulders slumped. "I have been very foolish." She drummed her fingers on her lips and straightened. "I shall tell him he may not see you. Then he will go home and marry some Scotswoman with rough ways who will suit him infinitely better, and you and Robert may continue your eternal courtship. That will solve the problem."

My first reaction was anger, then I paused. The fact that I was reacting so strongly meant she was right to worry. Perhaps my interest in Alex was a sudden infatuation that would fade upon further acquaintance. Perhaps I had simply been dazzled by a handsome newcomer in foreign dress. But never to see him again? I could not bear it. I would not. "Louisa—" I began.

She put up her hand. "I knew you would object. Very well. We'll tell him he may come. But you will not be left alone, and I will speak to him. Mary, you do not know what his life is like at Kilgannon. Being an earl in Scotland is hardly the same as here."

"How can you say that? Duncan was a Scot, and you were happy."

"Duncan was not a Highlander. He was very civilized." She leaned toward me, her eyes bright. "My dear, I thought of Alex as a companion for the evening, not for life."

I straightened my back. "Don't you think this has gone extremely far for one evening's conversation? We've talked once. Perhaps I will think differently of him when 1 see him again. But, Louisa, I will see him again." Our eyes met, and she sighed.

"I was afraid you would say that. Oh, dear, how I wish your uncle Randolph were here. I have been very foolish."

"No." I shook my head. "I am responsible for my own behavior, Louisa, and Alex for his. We have done nothing but talk. I may never see him again." But in my head I heard him saying that we'd talk further if we both liked what we saw. And I liked what I saw.

She nodded with a frown.

As the day drew to a close, I tried to pretend that it did not bother me that neither Louisa nor Will had mentioned if they'd sent a return note to Alex. We dined simply, the four of us, and were about to leave the table when a maid brought a note for me. Louisa's eyebrows rose, but she said nothing as I reached for it. I did not recognize the writing or the crest that sealed the letter. It was, of course, from Alex.

"Another apology, do you suppose?" Will asked.

"What do you mean?" I said as I broke the seal.

Will laughed. "Your Highlander apologized profusely to Louisa for monopolizing you last night. I believe it's the only reason he still breathes." Louisa protested, but I ignored them as I read Alex's letter.

Dear Miss Lowell, Alex had written. Your aunt and brother have been good enough to allow me to see you again. I would like to call upon you in the morning and introduce my cousins. If this is not acceptable, please send a reply. Yours, Alexander MacGannon. He'd enclosed his address. I read the letter aloud.

"He certainly is persistent," said Louisa sharply. "We shall receive him, I assume?"

"I shall," I said, turning to my brother. "Will?"

Will nodded at me. "Of course. When will Robert return?"

"Tomorrow, I believe," I said, keeping my tone as light as his. "Perhaps we'll see him."

"Perhaps." He smiled, his eyes merry.

I excused myself and wrote the note quickly, giving it to the tall young man who had waited so patiently. He was very fair and very handsome and looked so much like Alex that I knew he must be a relation. I asked him when I brought my note to him, scandalizing Louisa's butler, Bronson, who believed that young ladies should never speak directly to strangers and certainly not to strangers'
messengers. Bronson thought me much too bold. I ignored him as much as possible, and he me.

"Aye, miss," said the young man when I asked him. "I'm Matthew MacGannon, Kilgannon's cousin. Alex is outside waiting for yer answer." He was younger than he had first appeared and very earnest, and I smiled at him, fighting the impulse to fling open the door and see Alex for myself. Ellen, one of the maids lingering in the hall, laughed behind her hands as she met my eyes.

"Tell him good evening and that I will see him in the morning," I told Matthew, trying to ignore Ellen's laughter.

"Aye, miss. Good evening to ye," Matthew said, bowing awkwardly, and turned on his heel. I stood for moment looking after him and then exchanged a smile with Ellen.

T
HE SUMMER MORNING DAWNED BRIGHT AND WARM, and I changed my clothes four times before breakfast. The white dress I'd first put on was not right, so I changed to the lavender. When I saw myself in the mirror in the parlor I knew the lavender was all wrong and changed to the green but soon scrambled back to my room. In the dining room I decided the rose dress was too similar to the color I'd worn the night I'd met Alex. My maid sighed as I pulled gown after gown out of my wardrobe and pondered them. Why had I ever fought Miss Benton's efforts? I could use ten more choices just now. I was deciding between the light blue and the floral pattern when Ellen knocked on my door. My maid answered and Ellen rushed in, flying past me to the window.

"Miss Mary," she said breathlessly. "They're here." I moved to her side and together we peered through the lace. Matthew stood next to his horse, and Alex watched the upper windows as his horse danced in a circle. A third man was dismounting. I drew back before Alex could see me and met Ellen's merry eyes.

"The floral," she said. "It's perfect for walking in the gardens, Miss
Mary
." We smiled at each other, I'd never dressed so quickly. My maid hurried me into the bodice and skirt, while

Ellen put a few touches on my hair before declaring me perfect. Even my dour maid agreed.

"But you should wear shoes," Ellen said, laughing as I crossed the room in my stockings.

I threw myself down the two flights to the ground floor and then paused in the hallway to catch my breath. Bronson stood in the hallway opposite me, and I realized that someone was in the foyer between us. Several someones. I flushed with annoyance as I realized that Bronson had kept Alex and his cousins waiting in the hall and was now standing around the corner listening to them. No doubt the dreadful man thought he was being loyal to the absent Randolph by delaying the visit. Perhaps he thought that if he kept them waiting long enough they would leave. And that is just what, apparently, Alex's cousin thought they should do. I stood rooted to the spot, staring with hostility at Bronson.

"Alex," an unfamiliar voice growled, "how much longer are we going to wait? If her blessed Miss Lowell wanted to see ye, we'd be with her now." Boots tapped on the marble floor. "I dinna understand why we're here. We have enough elsewhere to busy us."

Alex's tone was calm. "We're here, Angus, because I want ye to meet Mary Lowell. And that's what we'll do."

"What can come of this?"

"What needs come of it? I like her company." "Ye'll only be rejected, ye ken. Even if she likes ye, her family willna let ye court her. Why do this? If ye wish a woman's company, go home and see Morag. She'd marry ye in a minute."

"Aye, and break Murdoch's heart," Alex said without heat. "If ye wish to leave, then do so. And, Angus, if I thought I'd be rejected, we wouldna be here."

Angus grunted. "And how much longer will we wait?"

"Until I see Mary Lowell." There was silence then, and Bronson and I moved forward at the same moment, but I turned the corner before he did. Alex greeted me with a smile, and Matthew, in the center of the hall with an older man, was visibly relieved.

"Lord Kilgannon," I said cheerfully, "here you are. I have no idea why you're still in the hall. How rude of you, Bronson, to make our guests wait here. Where is my aunt Louisa?"

Bronson bowed stiffly, his eyes registering my attack. "I do apologize, gentlemen," he said smoothly. "The Countess Randolph awaits you in the gardens. She bids you to join her."

"And I do as well," I said, extending my hand to Alex, who bowed over it. He wore a kilt and shirt this morning, a plaid over his shoulder, a hat with feathers, and a badge under his arm. I thought he looked splendid and smiled at him again.

"Miss Lowell," he said clearly, and then in a voice only I could hear, "Mary, ye look lovely. How are ye this fine morning?"

"Wonderful," I said. And it was true. I was wonderful now.

Alex gestured to the other men and introduced his cousin Angus. "Ye've met Angus's son Matthew a'ready," he said. Both men bowed to me, Angus's expression polite, Matthew's smile genuine. Angus MacGannon was older and taller than Alex, a giant of a man with silky golden hair that looked out of place on his big body. This man was sturdy, his chest a barrel. Dressed in Highland fashion, he looked huge and intimidating, his blue eyes missing no detail as he bent over my hand. He greeted me courteously but with reserve. There were traces of him in his son, but Matthew was young—fifteen, I guessed—and time would tell whether he would grow to the size of his father. Matthew's greeting was warm, and I felt my smile widen in response. At least he was glad to see me.

Bronson led us to the terrace, where Louisa and Will waited. Alex bowed over Louisa's hand, and his cousins followed suit as Alex introduced them, Matthew awkward but earnest, Angus silent and watchful. Louisa nodded stiffly as Angus and Matthew bowed over her hand, and Alex turned to me with dancing eyes, grinning as though we had accomplished something remarkable.

"Well, we've that done," he laughed, and turned to Will, asking where his beautiful wife was. Will explained that Betty had complained of a headache, and Alex extended his wishes for her recovery. Will smiled and said Betty would improve soon. I doubted Betty would ever improve, but I kept that to myself. When Bronson reappeared with a tray, we seated ourselves and chatted about trivialities. Louisa thawed enough to smile occasionally, and to my surprise Angus and Will grew engrossed in a discussion of hunting, which continued even when Louisa suggested we walk in the garden.

Louisa's gardens were large by London standards, but still small, divided into the formal garden that surrounded the house and the informal one through which she led us now. If it were a walk of any duration we'd cover the same ground several times. At the foot of the stairs she linked her arm in Alex's, drawing him ahead of the rest of us. Within moments they were out of earshot, talking earnestly. In front of us Will and Angus were deep in conversation, and Matthew and I fell into step. We walked beneath a row of trees in full bloom, slowing our steps to enjoy the cool shadows.

"Do you like London, Mr. MacGannon?" I asked.

Matthew smiled at me. "Oh, yes, Miss Lowell. I've been to many other places, but London seems more comfortable." He puffed his chest out and tried unsuccessfully to sound sophisticated. "Trading, ye ken. We travel often."

"I see." I tried to hide my smile. "And where do you go?"

"Paris. Alex and my da go to the Low Countries and Ireland. I've been to Ireland, of course, many times."

"Of course," I said. "Does your father go on all the trips?"

"Aye, and Malcolm—that's Alex's brother—often goes too." "Your mother must miss you terribly when you both travel."

He glanced at me. "My mother's dead these three years."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." I felt like an idiot as I looked at the boy next to me. "I've lost my mother as well. It's very difficult."

The blue eyes so like Alex's clouded. "Aye, it is. My da misses her terrible." He glanced at his father and then met my gaze without guile. "I'm sorry about yer mother too."

I thanked him, touched by his sincerity, and we walked for a moment in silence. Alex and Louisa had drawn even farther ahead, and I assumed that Louisa was explaining in great detail how unsuitable any relationship between us would be. I wondered if Alex was agreeing. They walked out from the shade of the trees and Alex's hair caught the sunlight, gold against the scarlet of the hat he now wore. As though he felt my gaze he turned, found me, and grinned. I felt immensely cheered. No, I thought, Alex MacGannon would not be sent away, Louisa or not. I smiled back at him, my heart much lighter. "Matthew," I said, my eyes still on Alex. 'Tell me about your family. Tell me everything."