A Scot to the Heart (Desperately Seeking Duke #2) - Caroline Linden Page 0,42
and housebreakers. She was sure the thieves terrorizing Edinburgh were shinning up the lampposts outside of houses to peer inside in search of items to steal.
Ilsa could roll her eyes at that. Anyone who stole that painting of the five grim ladies in black was welcome to it, in her opinion. But now the thieves were taking tea, of all things, and Jean would be even more short-tempered. She wouldn’t get over it until someone was caught and hanged for the robberies.
“I wanted a word with you, Papa.”
“Of course, of course!”
“Privately,” she added quietly, as Liam kept to his seat, watching her with glittering eyes.
“Oh! Aye.” He waved one hand at Liam. “Off with you, my boy. Mr. Hopetoun inquired after that pair of sofas the other day, wondering when they’ll be ready to upholster.”
“The end of next week, as I told him.” Liam rose and swept a mocking bow. “A good day to you, Mrs. Ramsay.” He sauntered past her with a smug air. Ilsa ignored him, but Papa watched with raised brows.
“Is there aught between you and Liam?”
“Nothing, Papa,” she said evenly. “Why do you ask?”
He huffed. “As if I can’t see! The fellow always acts as though you’ve twitted him in some way.”
“I have not,” she returned, not adding that Liam was always either spiteful, rude, or belittling to her, and sometimes all three at the same time. She had learned that Papa sympathized more with Liam’s side of any story, and so she’d stopped arguing. “I like him just as much as he likes me.”
Papa’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more. He closed the door of his office and waited until she took a seat before returning to his own. “What is it that you must come to the shop? Has MacGill ruffled your feathers again?”
“No,” she said. “I sacked Mr. MacGill, so he shall never vex me again.” She’d felt very pleased with herself after writing the letter. She must remember to thank the captain for encouraging her to do so.
“Sacked him!” Papa reared up out of his chair. “Why, Ilsa?”
“I told you why the other day.” She changed the subject before he could work up a head of steam. “I came to tell you I am going away.”
“Away!” Papa looked thunderstruck at this. “Over MacGill?”
She laughed. “No! Not at all, far more pleasant than that. My friend Agnes’s family is going to Perth for a holiday, and they have invited me to go with them.”
“Perth!” Her father’s brows lowered. “What the bluidy blazes is in Perth?”
“Stormont Palace. Captain St. James has been sent to examine the fitness of the house.”
Ilsa deliberately made it sound as if the captain had been sent under orders from a commanding officer. She was not going to relate his expectations to her father, knowing that was the surest possible way to ensure all Edinburgh knew. Not only had Agnes asked her not to tell anyone, she suspected the captain didn’t wish it to be widely known.
“And he’s taking his family with him?” Papa was still suspicious.
“He told his sister he thought it would be a very tedious job, and having a party of family and friends might make the task pass more enjoyably. The Misses St. James are eager to inspect the shops in Perth and explore the area.”
His mouth twisted; he was still displeased, though Ilsa couldn’t see why.
“Papa, you know how strained their family has been in the past,” she said softly. “I believe their brother thinks to offer them a spot of pleasure and take them out of Edinburgh for a bit.”
He harrumphed. “He’s the tall one, aye? At the Assembly Rooms the other night? Looks a bit of a devil to me.”
As he did to her. Ilsa laughed to hide how her heart skipped a beat at the memory of the captain’s conspiratorial smile. “A dutiful and responsible officer, Papa. Every man must have his moments of mischief, though.” She gave him a sly look. “How is Mrs. Lowrie, by the by?”
Papa’s cheeks colored. “That’s neither here nor there. Well, well! When are you to go? How long shall I be deprived of your company?”
“We leave the day after next and shall only be gone a week. You’ll barely notice I’ve left.”
“I will,” he argued. “Jean will send all her complaints to me.”
Ilsa rose. “And you will deserve them. When you persuaded me to invite her to live with me, you intended her to keep an eye on me, didn’t you?”