Page 76 of The Scottish Duke
“And all night.”
“Were you up all night?” he asked.
“Don’t sound so surprised. Your son is a voracious eater. Every two hours he wants another feed.”
His palm cupped the baby’s head tenderly.
“You didn’t answer me. Has anyone dictated to you?”
“No,” she admitted. “Although Matthews is in a snit.”
“Matthews is always in a snit,” he said, smiling. “You just have to learn to ignore him.”
“He shouldn’t be allowed to be...” Her words trailed off because she realized his knuckles were gently stroking the edge of her breast where Robbie’s fist was resting.
He glanced up at her. “He shouldn’t be allowed to be what?”
She patted his hand, then gently removed it from her breast. He didn’t say a word, but his smile vanished.
“Rude to you,” she said. “Mrs.McDermott would never allow it. She certainly doesn’t with the maids.”
He rested against one of the mounds of coverlet and pillows, looking indolent and too attractive. Didn’t he have some work to do this morning?
“Do the maids wish to be rude to me?” he asked, once again smiling.
He really was devastatingly handsome and too aware of it, too. At the moment he reminded her of Thomas, which was not a compliment. At least he hadn’t tried to seduce every single maid at Blackhall. If he had, the girl would have run back to the servants’ quarters and let slip the secret in a matter of minutes.
“All the maids are madly in love with you and you know it.”
The eyebrow rose again. “Are they?”
Robbie was nearly asleep, his mouth slack on her nipple.
“You know quite well they are.”
“I don’t,” he said, watching his son. “Nan could be your lady’s maid. If she’d want the position. It pays much better, plus the two of you are friends.”
Surprised, she studied him. “You would allow that?”
His eyes met hers.
“I don’t want to make you miserable, Lorna. I want you to be happy. You need someone to help you. Why not Nan?”
She could have kissed him. In that next instant, she actually thought of doing it, of bending over Robbie and touching her lips to his.
She waited too long because he abruptly stood.
“I have to go to Inverness,” he said. “I’ll be gone a few days. Is there anything I can get for you there? Or anything you need now?”
She shook her head, raised Robbie to her shoulder and occupied herself with her son’s care.
She wasn’t upset that he was leaving her. Of course she wasn’t.
“I’m going to put the notice of our marriage in the newspapers,” he said.
“Is that why you’re going?”
“No. I have business with the Scottish Society.”
