Page 75 of In Search of a Husband
“Finn cusses.”
“Finn Wallace!” Elspeth said, the humor fading from her voice. “That man belongs out in the stable. Isna decent for a castle.”
“That’s no’ how I remember it, Elsie.”
“Och, shut yer mouth, Gabriel MacInnes.” She glared at him before spreading her arms and guiding both girls downstairs to the grand hall. “I hope ye break yer shoulder again and lose at the festival.”
“I hope ye leave my house and return to Edinburgh.”
“No you don’t,” Kate said with a chuckle. “You would miss her far too much.”
“The girls would miss her.” He dropped his voice, edging closer. “And I miss ye.”
“You will or you do?”
“Dinna let me find out.” He grabbed her hand, locked his fingers around her, and pulled her up against him. “It’s been so long, I forget what it’s like to kiss ye.”
She grinned, looking up at him with such hopeful gray eyes. Eyes that saw the world for its possibilities. “Let me remind you.” Shepushed up to her toes and dropped a chaste kiss on his cheek and stepped away, but he was quicker.
He gently pulled her back into his chest, tilted her chin upward with his fist, and kissed her slowly. As if the rest of Dunsmuir Castle wasn’t falling into pure chaos around them, and it was.
She made that soft, breathy moan he loved to make her issue as his tongue pressed against her lips, claiming her. He never thought himself a possessive man, but with Kate, he suspected he would lay down his life for her.
But did she wish for him, crave him, as much as he did her? If she no longer was employed as the governess, would she return to London once the distillery was operating?
Kate pulled away, flicking her eyes first to the stairwell behind them, then to his eyes, fluttering her thick, dark lashes.
“To remember me by.” She patted her hand against his chest and quickly spun away, starting down the stairs as if she wished him to chase her.
If she asked for him to marry her, he might even consider it.
And damn, wasn’t that a surprise.
But no. No, he reminded himself, continuing after her.
Kate held her fingertips to her mouth, floating through the music room as she searched behind curtains and under sofas and chairs.
“That cabinet there? It sticks sometimes. Maybe he crawled in and became stuck?”
But the cat wasn’t there.
“Why are ye so concerned with finding him? He’ll turn up.”
She nodded, moving to glance around him, then approached, dropping her voice to a whisper. “That’s it though, Gabe. He might turn up…dead.”
“And the girls believe he is still alive?”
“I told them this morning after they dressed that he was missing, and sometimes older animals like to pass in private.”
“Then we should talk to them.”
“You think?” She covered her mouth. “I swear it’s not funny, I justnever know with you lot what will come of this. It’s a simple enough conversation, hard but I think?—”
“Finlay Wallace, don’t ye dare step a foot farther into this bluidy castle, do ye hear me?” Elsie bellowed from the flight of stairs below.
The girls’ laughter chittered along with the echo of their aunt’s angry warning.
“Dear Christ,” Gabriel muttered. He pointed his hand toward Kate as he exited the doorway. “I’m no’ finished with ye yet.”
