their meeting would quickly be over.
She hoped Mr. Campbell didn’t want to talk about Harrison. She had no influence over . . . Her thoughts stumbled to a halt. He wasn’t her brother, was he? Even so, she didn’t have any influence over Harrison. No one did.
She’d chosen this room because the Mackenzie Parlor was distant enough from the rest of the public rooms that they wouldn’t be disturbed.
“Lady Jennifer?”
She looked up to find Mr. Campbell standing in the doorway. She smiled her welcome as he entered the room. Surprisingly, Lauren followed him and behind her was the nursemaid with little Mary.
Lauren sat on the end of the sofa, opposite the chair where Jennifer was seated.
“This is your first outing,” Jennifer said. “How was it?”
Lauren smiled. “Other than the staircase, it was fine. I shall have to take my time with the stairs, however.”
She hadn’t been as good a hostess as she should have been in the past two days, preferring to stay in her room rather than see anyone. However, good manners dictated that she push her own grief to the side for a little while. She had the rest of her life to think about Gordon’s words.
When she asked Mr. Campbell about his recent trip to the United States, he surprised her by being an excellent storyteller. He told of visiting Niagara Falls, and how he wanted to expand his travels to see the Grand Canyon.
Harrison entered the room and Mr. Campbell’s story stopped, long enough for the older man to send him a look of barely veiled contempt. Lauren wouldn’t glance in her husband’s direction at all.
What had happened in the past two days?
Mr. Campbell concluded with a comment about how young the United States felt. “Everything is new. I find that I miss the history there.”
History was one thing Adaire Hall had in abundance.
“If you have any time today and would like to see more of the Hall, I’d be happy to show it to you.”
“Thank you, Lady Jennifer, but I’m afraid our plans will prevent that.”
He and Lauren shared a look, one that excluded Harrison.
Something had most definitely happened, but since she’d retreated to her rooms, she didn’t know what.
Mr. Campbell had a great deal of tact, and for that she was thankful. He hadn’t asked her how she was feeling in front of Lauren. She’d realized she was grieving, but that grief was never quickly eased. She’d gotten a taste of that with her mother’s death.
The rest of the staff thought that she had been suffering from a bad cold, one that sent her to bed. The tale of her illness hadn’t been enough, however, to stop the parade of people from coming to her door. Mrs. Farmer, bless her, had proven to be a godsend in sending people packing.
What a pity that she’d left Adaire Hall to care for another patient this morning.
Harrison hadn’t spoken a word since he’d entered the room. He’d studied them all in turn as if they were strangers. Jennifer had seen that look before, and it meant that Harrison was spoiling for a fight.
She wasn’t up to a skirmish with him.
“You’ve lost your bridegroom, Jennifer. McDonnell left, if I’m not mistaken.”
She didn’t answer.
“I’m glad you came to your senses and obeyed me.”
She’d never been a violent person, but if she’d had anything at hand, she would have chucked it at him. Thankfully, he didn’t continue talking about Gordon.
“I’m returning to London,” he said flatly.
His announcement had an effect on all of them. Lauren simply stared at her husband. Mary began to cry. Mr. Campbell’s face took on the appearance of a thundercloud. No one looking at him could have any doubt as to his feelings on the matter. He was incensed.
As for her, Harrison’s words made her plans impossible.
Adaire Hall only had two carriages, one for the family to use and the other that Harrison took to London with him. Since Ellen had brought him home, there was only one remaining carriage.
If Harrison was intent on going back to London, that would trap her here.
“I’ve already made arrangements,” Jennifer said, aggravated that Harrison had forced her to make the announcement like this. “I’ve sent word to Ellen that I’m coming for a visit. As soon as I arrive in Edinburgh, I’ll send the carriage back. Surely you could wait a few days.”
“No,” Harrison said. “I can’t. I choose not to be inconvenienced, Jennifer.”
A different person might have asked why she was traveling to Edinburgh so precipitously, but Harrison