To Tame a Highland Earl (28 page)

“
Danvers is a fine
solicitor, but he is no businessman. I do not care to entrust him
with our financial affairs.”

“
He won’t ruin us in the
next few months.”

“
Much can happen in a few
months,” Erroll said.

His father regarded him. “Such as?”

Erroll hesitated. He’d planned on telling his
father about his business venture after he saw some success. “I
purchased two threshing machines and I plan to oversee their
operation through the first harvest in Norfolk. I wanted to be
there to learn a bit about them before the harvest.”

“
You said nothing about
this.”

“
To be honest, I wanted to
get the machine operational and see if I could make a go of it
first.”

“
I wouldn’t mind seeing how
the machine works,” his father said.

“
I had no idea you were
interested in farming,” Erroll said with genuine
surprised.

“
I am just as surprised to
learn you are interested in farming.”

“
If you like, come to
Norfolk for the harvest.”

“
I will.” The marquess
leaned back in his chair. “I’m gratified you are taking more
interest in your responsibilities.”

“
I was under the impression
you were always satisfied with my performance,” Erroll
said.

“
Your work is exemplary,
but this is a bold move. What made you decide to try such a
venture?”

“
Astley began using
threshers two years ago and Roberts and Binghamton each purchased
one for their farms a year ago. Astley, alone, has increased
productivity by twenty percent. If we can see similar success, we
might be able to allocate more land for cattle.”

His father nodded. “We could employ more men
to tend the cattle, and the sale of the wool will create work for
tradesmen and merchants.”

“
Exactly,” Erroll
said.

“
Have you plans as to who
you would sell the wool to?”

“
I do, but I want to see
how much productivity is increased this first harvest before I get
anyone’s hopes up. I hired an experienced rancher to oversee our
dwindling cattle. If the herds increase then at the end of this
season I can feel confident about buying more cattle.”

The marquess studied him. “You’re
ambitious.”

Erroll shrugged. “I believe it is a
necessity. Our people need work now, but that need will be greater
when our men return from the war. However, we face the problem of
them coming home to a world that is foreign to them due to these
advancements.”

“
Time has not passed them
by that quickly in the last five years,” his father
said.

“
No, but Napoleon is far
from being finished with us. By the time we cripple him, our
laborers will be older and our business owners much more savvy.
That spells trouble unless we prepare.”

His father nodded. “I see why you hesitate to
be away. But I don’t think we face a great problem. Norfolk is a
long way from London where the gossip will be centered. We can
proceed as planned and, say, in a week or so, you can return to
Norfolk with your bride. Your mother has already begun preparations
for your marriage to Grace Crenshaw.”

That caught Erroll off guard. “You said
either sister would do.”

“
That was before I learned
the elder daughter got herself with a bastard child.”

“
You are mistaken, sir. She
never bore a child.”

“
The rumor is enough to
ruin her for marriage. I expect you to marry a lady with an
untarnished reputation.”

Erroll grunted. “That seems unfair,
considering the tarnish on my reputation.”

“
Men are forgiven such
indiscretions. Though you have outdone yourself on that score. That
aside, women are not permitted even a hint of scandal. The elder
Miss Crenshaw has run off to Gretna with not one, but two men. Do
you honestly want a woman of such low character for
wife?”

“
She did not run off with
Halifax. He kidnapped her.”

“
Indeed?” his father said
in a soft voice, and Erroll knew the worst was yet to come. “Then
she was in good company, as she is herself a kidnapper.”

“
Beg pardon?” Erroll
said.

“
Do not toy with me,
Erroll.”

“
I can assure you, sir, I
am not toying with you.”

“
Then explain why she had
you kidnapped.”

“
Me—kidnapped?” Erroll
paused as if in shock. “Good God, is that the latest
gossip?”

His father’s gaze bore into him. “You’re
saying it isn’t true?”

“
That is the most
outlandish story I’ve ever heard. How could it possibly be
true?”

“
I wonder how any of this
is possible. Until now, I have not interfered in your life. I
attributed your reckless behavior to the fact you lost your
brother, and believed you would come to your senses sooner rather
than later.”

“
I hate to disagree, but I
am little different now than I was before Val died.”

“
Not true. You are far
worse.”

“
You may attribute that to
age and experience,” Erroll said.

“
Age has emboldened you,
but you bed one woman after another as if you are on a
mission.”

Erroll didn’t think that was strictly true,
but said, “They were very beautiful women.”

“
I doubt you will find a
more beautiful woman than the younger Miss Crenshaw.”

Erroll wasn’t so sure of that. He recalled
the determination in Eve’s dark eyes when she pointed her gun at
him, her warm arms unexpectedly thrown around him when he said he
would hire Oscar, and her breath tickling the hallow of his
neck…the pressure of her breasts against his when a towel barely
covered her, her beneath him—

“
The girl is of sturdy
stock.” His father’s voice intruded upon the intimate visions. “She
will give you a horde of sons.”

“
Good God, sir, you make it
sound as if I am marrying a horse.”

“
There are similarities. I
will have no complications with this marriage. You will marry her
three weeks hence, after the bans have been read.”

Erroll shook his head. “I’m afraid I cannot
do that.”

“
Why not?” His father
looked nonplussed and Erroll didn’t blame him. He wasn’t accustomed
to anyone disobeying his orders, least of all his son.”

“
I am going to marry Miss
Eve Crenshaw, sir.”

“
I forbid it.”

“
You did say you wanted a
virgin for a daughter-in-law. The lady meets your one
requirement.”

“
What do you
mean?”

Erroll smiled. “This time, I
am
guilty
of compromising a virgin.”

Chapter Fifteen

Erroll found his mother in her chambers,
fifteen minutes later. She looked up from the secretary where she
was writing. Her face lit with a smile. She laid down her pen and
extended her hands as he neared. He grasped her fingers and pulled
her up and into a hug. Erroll’s gaze caught on the sheet of paper
she’d been writing on and the list of names enumerated there. She
stepped back, then drew him to the couch near the warmth of the
hearth.

She sat down. “To what do I the honor of this
visit?”

He sat beside her and draped an arm over the
top of the couch. “We have had no chance to speak since I arrived.
It is a son’s duty to pay his mother a proper visit when he hasn’t
seen her in two months.”

She snorted. “This is about the sisters.”

“
I do wish to discuss
them,” Erroll admitted. “But first, my guests are settled, I
presume?”

“
They are. I arranged for
the ladies to have a bite to eat in their rooms, and baths. They
did look a bit bedraggled.”

“
It was a long trip. Thank
you for seeing to them. Now, tell me how you are.”

“
You can see I am well.
There is nothing new to report since I last saw you, so let us
dispense with the small talk. I understand I am to prepare for a
wedding.”

“
So I am told,” he said.
“We only arrived a few hours ago, but you seem to have made good
progress on the guest list.” Erroll nodded toward the secretary.
“One would think you already had a list in hand.”

His mother laughed. “The marquess informed me
days ago there would be a wedding. Since the wedding will be held
here on Mull, I am shortening the list. That isn’t a bad thing, I
think. Do you have any guests you wish to include?”

Erroll shook his head. “I imagine Ash and
Olivia are on the list?”

A shadow flitted through her eyes. “Of
course.”

Erroll cursed his stupidity. Of course Olivia
and Ash were invited. His mother knew how important it was to have
his sister and brother there…just as much as it would have been
important to have Val attend.

Erroll smiled. “Invite whomever you like. All
of Mull, if it pleases you.”

Her eyes twinkled. “That would cost the
marquess a pretty penny.”

“
He is insisting I marry,
after all.”

“
Therefore he should pay?”
she asked.

“
Your words, madam, not
mine. Now, as to the bride, I do have a preference.”

Her brows arched. “You should have thought of
that before you ended up in Gretna with two prospective
brides.”

“
I see you are up to date
on all the latest
on-dit
,” he said.

“
When the gossip concerns
my son, I am.” Her expression sobered. “Erroll, I like the ladies,
but I admit to some concern that one of them shot you.”

“
A mere flesh wound,” he
said.

“
That does not change the
fact she shot you.”

“
To be fair, I was a
stranger who broke into her room at night and, well…woke her.” His
mother’s mouth twitched in either satisfaction or amusement, he
couldn’t be sure, for nothing ensured a son must marry like getting
caught in an unmarried woman’s bedchamber. “To make matters worse,”
Erroll went on, “her father caught us in a rather compromising
position.”
Literally
.

“
More compromising then
when you
woke her
?” his mother asked.

“
To my discredit, yes. Like
any good father, Tolland was enraged and, in self-defense, I began
to beat him half to death. He is quite fit, for a man of his age.”
Erroll recalled the baron’s fist in his stomach. “She didn’t intend
to kill me. In fact, I suspect she intended to fire in the
air.”

“
What makes you think
that?”

“
It was close
range.”

“
And you are a large
target.”

“
Exactly,” Erroll said. “In
any case, I have told my father that I will not marry the younger
sister.”

“
Why?”

“
I believe it is my
prerogative to choose a bride,” he said. “Is that not
enough?”

“
Yes—usually. But you will
admit this case is unique.”

“
Be that as it may, I am
still within my right to exercise that choice, and I am quite
adamant on the point.”

“
Your choice is between a
liar and a would-be murderess,” she said.

He shook his head. “No ocean shall hinder the
speedy flight of gossip.”

“
You are a
sensation!”

Erroll couldn’t prevent a laugh. “And that
pleases you.”

“
It does. But on a more
serious note, I will not like it if Miss Crenshaw develops a habit
of pointing a gun at you.”

Erroll grinned. “The threat of facing your
wrath may well stop her from trying it again. I daresay, the only
difference between Miss Crenshaw and most other women is that she
shot the groom
before
the wedding.”

“
I am not saying you didn’t
deserve it,” his mother said. “But I will not countenance
it.”

“
But of course,” he
said.

Something flickered in her eyes and Erroll
wondered if she remembered a time his father deserved to be
shot.

She smoothed a wrinkle from her skirt. “So it
is agreed, you will marry Miss Eve Crenshaw.”

“
I wouldn’t say ‘agreed,’
but that is the case.”

“
Ah, the marquess is not
pleased.”

“
No, but he didn’t have all
the information. He’ll come around once he has time to
consider.”

She snorted. “I suggest you don’t wait for
him to agree, but make haste and marry.”

“
The reading of the bans
takes three weeks.”

“
I will say no more,” she
said. “If you feel certain he will change his mind in a short three
weeks’ time, who am I to argue? Oh my, I had better contact the
parson. He will begin reading the bans tomorrow, and we cannot have
him marrying you to the wrong woman.”

“
That would be a
sensation,” Erroll said.

Her eyes widened in horror. “That would be a
disaster! And if you think of doing any such thing I will shoot you
myself.”

“
I promise not to change
brides at the last minute.”

“
At this point, I do not
doubt you are capable of it. Now that you mention it—” Erroll had
the feeling what was to come did not bode well for him “—is not
Grace Crenshaw under the impression she is to be your
bride?”