Page 121 of The Scottish Duke
“I cannot help the way I sound.”
“Of course you can. You get all stuffy and pompous if someone barely bumps against your consequence. You’re the Duke of Kinross and they, by God, better know it.”
“That’s the truth?”
“No. The truth is that you’re flawed and human. You make mistakes and you’re not perfect. But that’s all right.”
What would he say to know that she loved him even more with his flaws?
“You aren’t perfect either, Lorna Gordon Russell. Nearly so, but not completely.”
She smiled at him. “No, I’m not. I’m certain I could prepare a list of faults if you’d like.”
“No need,” he said, smiling back at her.
When his lips touched hers, she closed her eyes, feeling the liquid sensation she always experienced when he kissed her. Her fingertips tingled and her knees weakened.
He tilted his head to deepen the kiss and she sighed into his mouth. Words might separate them occasionally, but this—this magic that happened when they kissed—was blessedly always the same.
When he pulled back, she blinked up at him.
“I suppose there’s a lot to be said for meat, potatoes, and greens,” he said. “But chocolate biscuits are still good as well.”
He kissed her again and the world fell away. It was just the two of them on an island they’d created, a small slice of the world made intimate and private.
When he drew back they were both breathing fast. She would have led him to their bed if he hadn’t spoken.
“I have to talk to Mary. Will you promise to stay inside the castle until she’s left?”
With his words, he brought her back to the world as it was, not as she wished it could be.
She nodded.
“It might take a day or two to arrange everything, but I’d feel better if I had your promise.”
“Yes,” she said. “I promise.”
He nodded, grazing his knuckles over her heated cheek.
“Thank you,” he said softly, and bent to kiss her again.
When he left her, she had the thought that she should go with him, an extra layer of protection against Mary. The sooner the woman was gone from Blackhall, the better.
Alex waited for Mary to arrive, having summoned her to the library. This room was at the heart of the main building, part of the original castle that had been renovated all those years ago.
Two curving iron staircases led from either side of the room to the second floor. In the middle, framed by a series of windows overlooking the grounds of Blackhall, was a large octagon-shaped well.
He’d entertained the Scottish Society for Scientific Achievement here a year ago, filling the space with twenty-four chairs and a podium that had been erected where his desk now stood. The speakers had taken turns describing the inventions and discoveries that marked the previous year. At the end of the meeting, the winner of the annual award had been presented and then the members attended the fancy dress ball.
He hadn’t won when he’d anticipated being feted for his work. Yet the night ended in a way he hadn’t expected, beginning a chain of events leading to this moment.
Sitting at his desk, he watched the door, wondering if Mary would confess to what she’d done. He doubted it. Mary blamed others for her mistakes. She refused to admit she was ever wrong. Yet for all her annoying faults, she was devoted to the proper treatment of animals. She was also generous to those she cared about, limited though the number might be.
She was, like most people, a mixture of good and bad traits. Unfortunately, her bad traits were tipping the scales.
“You wished to see me, Alex?”
He glanced up to find Mary standing in the doorway.
