To Tame a Highland Earl (27 page)

“
Eve,” he whispered, and
again nipped gently at her ear.

She speared one hand through his hair and
tightened her fingers. She wanted him, and by God he would oblige
until he couldn’t think straight—and then some.

“
My lord,” she said in a
half gasp. “Sir, please, I-I—”

Erroll froze as if he’d been doused in ice
water. It wasn’t Rushton, but my lord, and sir. “Love, it’s all
right.”

“
We cannot,” she said.
“Oscar—Holy God, Grace.”

Erroll wished Miss Grace Crenshaw far, far
away.

He pushed himself up and looked down at Eve.
She swallowed and Erroll felt another hard pulse in his cock when
her slim throat contracted.

“
You might, marry my
sister.”

“
No, I will not.” he said,
with vehemence. “Do you deny you want me?”

“
I…I am not made of
stone.”

But he certainly was, or a part of him was,
anyway, and that part was ravenous.

“
If you should end up
married to Grace, I would never be able to face her,” Eve said in a
whisper.

“
Is that all that stands in
our way?” he demanded. He would solve that problem this instant
with Captain Mercantile officiating their marriage.

She hesitated, then pursed her lips.
“Contrary to gossip, I do not spread my legs for every man who asks
it.”

“
Of course not. Anyone who
would think such a thing—” Erroll stared down at her. “Halifax did
not by chance imply that?”

Her cheeks turned pink.

Erroll cursed. He shoved off her, and pulled
her to her feet. “One can only hope that my aim was sufficiently
accurate to put an end to his miserable life.” He gave her a
critical look. “Put your dress to rights, madam.”

She looked down at where one breast was bared
to the nipple. Her head snapped up, but Erroll kept his gaze fixed
on the perfect pink bud. She whirled and pulled her dress up.
Erroll envisioned the bodice sliding up over the nipple, and his
mouth went dry. When she faced him, the fabric was once again
molded to the full mounds with exquisite perfection. There would be
no sleep tonight—or any night to come if he didn’t do something
about the situation.

Erroll crossed to the door, opened it, then
paused. “By the by, Eve, I will shoot the next man who implies you
spread your legs for any man who asks.”

Her mouth fell open in surprise and he closed
the door behind him.

*****

Ravenhall came into view through the carriage
window and Eve was certain her stomach would rebel on a monumental
level.

“
My lord, it is
magnificent,” Grace cried.

Through the remainder of last night’s voyage
and the carriage ride today, Eve had maintained calm. But as the
carriage approached the opening in the thick, stone wall
surrounding the castle, it seemed they were headed straight into a
great gaping maw…and into Lord Rushton’s iron grasp.

After their
interlude
last night, Eve
hadn’t seen him until they boarded the carriage this morning. He
gave no indication that he remembered touching her so intimately—or
that he was in the least bit affected by the encounter. Eve, on the
other hand, had lain awake, her body plagued with memories of his
weight on top of her, his warm mouth devouring hers, his muscled
shoulders beneath her fingers and his strange parting words:
I
will shoot the next man who implies you spread your legs for any
man who asks
. Her throat went dry. When would the effect of
those words diminish?

“
I had a feeling you would
like it.”

Lord Rushton’s voice drew Eve’s attention
back to her surroundings and she saw him smile at Grace, amusement
in his eyes.

“
It would be impossible not
to,” Grace said. “I have never been to a castle before.”

His gaze shifted onto Eve. “What do you think
of Ravenhall, Miss Crenshaw?”

She looked out the window again. Vines crept
up the massive stone walls, leaves sprouting with the warmer
weather of spring. No sun shone and a mist hung in the air, but
that only added to the sense that the castle wasn’t simply stone
piled upon the mossy ground, but that it had somehow sprung up from
the earth as a living part of her.

“
It is lovely.”

“
You don’t seem pleased,”
he said.

“
I would rather be home,”
she said.

His expression remained passive as he said,
“No need to worry, Miss Crenshaw. I promise, you will not be
abandoned here in Scotland.”

Grace glanced sharply at Eve.

“
Of course not,” Eve said
in a level voice. “Who would think such a thing?”

“
Not I,” he
replied.

The coach passed through the gate and moments
later, the carriage halted at the front steps. Lord Rushton opened
the door and stepped to the ground with Lord Somerset behind him.
Eve went first and Lord Rushton grasped her hand and helped her
down, then did the same for Grace.

“
What of Oscar?” Eve asked.
He hadn’t dismounted from up top with the driver.

“
Oscar, you must do your
duty. Please accompany your charges into the castle.”

Oscar alighted from the carriage and Lord
Rushton led them up the three steps to the entrance and through the
archway. He pushed open a heavy wooden door and stood aside for
everyone to enter.

“
You have no butler?” Grace
asked as she went first, Eve close behind.

“
My father employs a most
competent housekeeper. She could run the Royal Navy. I doubt she
would tolerate a butler.”

A maid appeared from a corridor and gave a
start. “Laird,” she cried.

He smiled. “Hello, Leslie. Is one of the
parlors perchance warm enough to settle our guests while we ready
chambers for them?”

“
Aye. Your father
instructed us to have the pink parlor ready, along with rooms for
your guests.”

“
My father?” he
murmured.

“
He arrived last night,”
the maid replied.

“
He must have ridden like
the wind.”

Fear lanced through Eve. Had the marquess’
mad ride to Ravenhall anything to do with the duel? Did the
marquess bring news of Lord Halifax’s death? Excited female chatter
came from the stairwell on the right and, an instant later, two
young girls stepped into the foyer.

“
Rush!” The youngest flew
into his arms. “We have been in pins and needles waiting for
you.”

He caught her and swung her around. “Camilla,
my love.”

He put her down and she pushed back. “Papa is
very cross with you.”

“
What would you know of
your father’s moods?”

“
You have done something
very wicked this time. Mamma had to speak kindly in order to calm
him.”

“
Ah, so our mother is here
as well?”

The marchioness? Eve feared she would be
sick.

“
She arrived this morning,”
Camilla went on. “Papa expected you before this. He was getting
angrier as the hours passed. I think he was of a mind you were not
coming after all, but I am so glad you came.”

“
As am I,” he replied. “Now
I must say hello to your sister.”

“
Juliet is too grown up to
be excited,” Camilla said.

“
Of course she is.” He
looked at the taller girl, who stood quietly. “Juliet. Are you not
pleased to see me?”

“
Of course I
am.”

He took two paces and pulled her into a hug,
which she seemed to tolerate as only a sister could. When he drew
back, he said, “Did you miss me?”

“
We always miss you, but we
saw you only two months ago in London.”

“
Two months? I would rather
see you every day.” Grudging warmth rippled through Eve at the
obvious affection in his voice.

“
Then you should not have
left London,” Juliet replied, and Eve decided she liked the
girl—both girls, in fact.

He tweaked a lock of Juliet’s hair. “Leave it
to you to be reasonable. You are right, of course, and I shall stay
longer just to prove I am not uttering sweet words for their own
sake. Now, ladies, let me introduce our guests. This,” he nodded
toward Eve, “is Miss Eve Crenshaw.”

“
My lady.” Eve
curtsied.

“
Oh, she is nice,” Camilla
said.

“
No need for curtsies
here,” Lord Rushton said. “And this is her sister, Miss Grace
Crenshaw. This gentleman is their friend Oscar and the last is Lord
Somerset. As you, my friends, may have guessed, these are my
sisters, Camilla and Juliet.”

The girls curtsied.

“
You said no curtsies, my
lord,” Grace cried.

“
Indeed,” Camilla said,
“but Mamma would not be pleased if we did not curtsy, no matter
what Rush says.”

“
And Mamma is always
right,” he agreed.

“
Indeed she is.”

Eve jumped at the sound of a mature female
voice. A tall, lithe, dark-haired woman glided into the foyer from
the hallway to the left.

“
Mother.”

Mother. Eve’s stomach knotted.

Lord Rushton met his mother halfway across
the foyer and folded her into an embrace. When they separated, he
said, “You are looking well, madam.” The formality of his words was
undone by the tenderness in his voice and the hint of a smile.

She lifted a brow and Eve recognized the same
look she’d see on the earl’s face. “Better than you, my son. Your
father commands you go to him straight away.”

“
I will visit my father
presently,” Lord Rushton said.

“
You will visit him once
you have introduced me to your guests,” the marchioness said. “He
awaits you in his study.”

The earl’s brows rose as hers had, but he
said in a casual tone, “As you wish,” and first introduced Grace,
who dropped into a proper curtsey.

“
My lady.”

“
You are the younger
Crenshaw sister, if I am not mistaken,” her ladyship
said.

Grace rose. “I am.”

Eve detected no censure in the marchioness’
demeanor and wondered how much she’d heard of the story that
brought them to Ravenhall. A tremor rocked Eve’s stomach. Did the
lady know she’d shot her son?

Lord Rushton turned to Eve and said, “Miss
Eve Crenshaw, my mother, the Marchioness of Rushton.”

Eve also curtsied. “A pleasure to meet you,
my lady.”

The marchioness inclined her head in
acknowledgement, but said nothing. Eve’s heart beat faster. Was the
lady’s lack of response an indication she knew—and was angry?

“
This is Oscar—” Lord
Rushton abruptly stopped. “Oscar, I should be whipped. I don’t know
your surname.”

“
Kent,” Oscar
replied.

“
Oscar Kent,” the earl went
on. “He is the ladies’ escort.”

Oscar affected a proper bow and Lady Rushton
lifted her eyes to his face. “I see why you were chosen as
guardian. I wager no one dares compromise a lady in your care.”

Eve was certain the marchioness referred to
Lord Rushton compromising them. The tremor in her stomach traveled
into her legs, making them feel like pudding.

“
Lastly, may I present Lord
Somerset,” Lord Rushton said.

Lady Rushton extended her hand and Lord
Somerset bent over her fingers.

“
My lady.” He stepped away
from her and she faced her son.

“
Go to your father, Erroll.
I will see everyone to their rooms.” Without argument, Lord Rushton
left and she said, “Come with me and we will see that everyone has
a hot bath before dinner.”

Eve wondered if she could request the evening
meal in her room.

*****

Erroll gave a perfunctory knock to his
father’s study door, then entered. The marquess sat behind his
desk, a ledger open before him.

“
Reports from Angus?”
Erroll asked as he crossed to the chair opposite the desk and sat
down.

“
Yes.” He closed the book.
“I came here directly from Gretna Green.”

His father had a way of knowing exactly where
to be at exactly the right time. “How is Halifax?”

“
The doctor believes the
chances are good he would live. His hip will never be the same,
however. He will walk with a cane.”

“
What a shame my aim is so
bad. I was aiming for his heart.”

“
He might have been luckier
if you had killed him,” his father said. “Graham MacEwen gave sworn
testimony that you were justified in challenging the earl, which
satisfied the magistrate.” Anger flashed in his father’s eyes.
“You, however, were damned lucky. If Halifax had died, you would be
facing a rope.”

“
Should I have let him get
away with kidnapping my fiancé?”

“
You should have had him
arrested.”

“
You know as well as I that
the matter would never have gone to court.”

“
You are in Scotland. I do
hold some sway here.”

That was true. “I suppose my passions got the
better of me,” Erroll said in honesty.

“
Those days are past,” his
father said. “You will stay at Ravenhall until you are married and
this story is forgotten.”

Erroll frowned. “That could be a good long
time. I have business down south.”

“
I’ll contact Danvers and
tell him to hire a steward to deal with my properties until you
return.”