What a Spinster Wants - Rebecca Connolly Page 0,43
grinned too wickedly. “Going to be a mistress, Edith?”
“No,” she said forcefully, giving him a glare, which he laughed at.
“I didna mean it!” he chuckled. “Ye know I would pummel a man for taking that sort of advantage of you. I’d run a man through for ye, if ye needed, but ye dinna.”
“That’s because you like to fight,” she reminded him.
He grinned at Edith warmly. “True, but it sounds better if I say it’s for yer honor.”
The bell rang, and Edith froze, looking with wide eyes at Owen, who had appeared in the doorway. They were not expecting callers, which was a clear indication that it could be Sir Reginald.
Owen peered out, then returned and gave her a slow nod.
She closed her eyes and tried to find calm. “Send for Hensh,” she told him softly.
“Edith? Do I need to go?” Lachlan asked, looking between the two of them. “Why do ye need Hensh?”
For a moment, she’d forgotten her brother had been sitting there, and now looked at him with new interest, which made him suspicious.
“How much is your family loyalty worth today?” she demanded.
“What?” he asked, clambering to his feet and looking disconcerted that she did so as well. “Why?”
“I need you to be my overprotective relation,” she told him, though Owen was shaking his head. “This man is the one who is taking everything from me.”
Lachlan’s jaw tightened, and he gave her a look. “Why is he here?”
“He… he wants me to be his mistress,” she murmured, looking away. “He’s threatening to ruin me if I continue to refuse.”
Lachlan swore viciously, which shocked Edith, but he turned around and nodded to Owen, who moved back to the door.
“Stay behind me,” Lachlan told Edith, taking her hand and carefully shielding her behind him.
The door opened, and Sir Reginald came in without invitation, as usual. “My Lady Edith,” he called in his oily voice.
He stopped suddenly as he rounded the drawing room and saw Lachlan glowering at him. His eyes flicked to Edith’s hand in Lachlan’s hold, then took in their positions.
“What is this?” he demanded, trying to look around Lachlan’s bulk to see her.
Lachlan would not let him. “Who the hell are ye?” Lachlan barked, making Sir Reginald jump.
“Sir Reginald Leveson,” he replied with a stiff nod of his head. “I am Sir Archibald’s cousin.”
Lachlan defied propriety by not responding with a nod or a bow, or any sort of introduction. “Sir Archibald is dead. And we were not expecting ye. Get out.”
Sir Reginald drew himself up as tall as he could, though he still could not reach Lachlan’s chin. “I will do no such thing; I have every right to be here.”
Lachlan actually snarled at him, and started forward, still holding Edith’s hand. “The only right ye have is tae exit on yer own terms or tae exit on mine. Three… two… one…”
Sir Reginald’s eyes went round, and he scurried out of the room, fumbling for his walking stick and slamming the front door behind him.
Edith stood there for a moment in stunned silence.
Then, Lachlan turned to her, looking almost bored.
“Will that do?” he asked simply.
She laughed out loud and wrapped her arms around his broad chest. “You are the most wonderful person in the world!”
He snorted and patted her back. “Dinna get carried away, Edith. Several hundred people are burrowing in their graves at this moment.”
“Mangy cur or no’, I’m right pleased ye were here,” Owen admitted as he returned to the room, his hand extended towards Lachlan, who shook it without hesitation.
Lachlan gave him a stern look. “Next time that cnap de todhar eich appears, ye will send for me as well as the lieutenant, aye? I dinna ken wha’ the law says, if he is permitted tae enter or no’, but it will be o’er my cold, dead corpse tha’ he gets wi’in ten feet of her.”
“Aye, sir,” Owen replied with a shocking amount of respect. “I ken yer meaning exactly.”
“Edith? Edith, what’s happened?” Amelia’s voice called from the stairs.
Lachlan looked down at Edith in surprise. “Now, who is that?”
Edith patted his chest with a sigh. “She’s my friend, and no, ye canna have her.”
“I didna ask.”
“Ye will ask. And the answer is no.”
Chapter Ten
This author has heard some debate as to whether or not a gentleman truly enjoys a ball. This is undoubtedly why gaming rooms became fashionable accessories of the host’s location. But this is no kindness to the ladies, as such an accessory removes potential partners from the ballroom. And why else would