Page 52 of In Search of a Husband
“I wasna sure…” He broke apart, his hands firmly on her shoulders. “I’m glad ye came.”
Kate remained fixed on the floor, watching the fire, her shoulders tense.
“I was telling Kate here about the time…”
“Kate?” He cleared his throat.
“We are well acquainted, your sister and I,” Kate said, a bitter tone to her voice.
“Why is she drunk, Elsie?” he hissed.
“Told you,” Kate said over her glass, then began to giggle.
Elsie’s eyes lit up. “Why are ye marching into the castle at this hour?”
He wished to tell her the truth but instead pressed his lips together. Telling Elsie about Finn wouldn’t do anyone good.
“No matter, no matter.” Elsie reached down and grabbed the bottle from Kate. “We were tastin’ the fine MacInnes whisky. For research.”
“Research?”
“Ye havin’ a hard time hearin’, Brother?”
Kate laughed to herself again. His lip curled in annoyance.
“How long have ye been testin’ the whisky?”
Elspeth’s eyes widened, and she dropped down to the floor, resting her head on Kate’s shoulder. “Pay us no mind. We have it well in hand.”
Kate snickered with Elspeth before they broke down into a peel of laughter. “Christ, why is the governess drunk, Elsie?”
Kate whirled around and glared at him. Her usual cheeriness was gone. “I don’t wish to hear from you. Or see you. No men allowed.”
“Oh, I like that rule,” Elsie said, righting herself. She pushed back the wild mess of strawberry-blonde waves and peered up at him. “Go on. Ye heard the woman. Leave!”
They both stared at him expectantly.
“Kate, it’s time to retire for the evening.”
“Kate, is it?” Elsie elbowed her. “Familiar for the laird of the castle to be calling the governess by her first name.”
Kate blushed, keeping her eyes focused on her near-empty glass again. “It’s fine whisky.”
“That it is,” Elsie agreed. “Here.” She filled Kate’s glass again and then drained the rest of her bottle herself, a smug smile on her face, as if proud of the MacInnes’s ability to drink nearly anyone under the table.
It turned Gabriel’s stomach. Tavish had been proud of that once, too. And as the others renowned him, he developed a bad habit that turned for the worse after Morag passed at the birth of their third bairn. The bairn, a boy, passed away a few hours later.
He cleared his throat.
“Miss Bancroft,” he said, every muscle within him taut.
Kate blinked up at him, finally flashing a smile. “Yes, Mr. MacInnes?”
“I will need yer assistance in the morning. I suggest ye turn in for the evening.”
She pushed to her feet, holding her hands out to gain balance, and giggled. “Now you keep my time as well? You can’t keep a clock set correct as it is. I’ve gone around and fixed them all, then found another. They’re like rabbits in this castle—clocks!”
Elsie stood next. “It’s late.” She leaned in and dropped a chaste kiss on Gabriel’s cheek. “Steady now, Brother. Wouldn’t want ye to?—”
