Page 65 of To Wed an Heiress
He was damned if a woman was going to hurt him, especially one he barely knew.
Removing his shirt, he threw it beside the drying struts and examined his airship. Yesterday, he’d stripped everything down to the bare bones, removing the damaged main sails and leaving only the rear ones in place. He’d investigated every single strut. He’d affixed an extra wheel to the bottom of the basket so his landings would be a little smoother. He’d done everything in his power, including going over his drawings and notes, to ensure that the craft was airworthy. He didn’t want any more accidents.
In addition to picking up the new sail in Inverness, Connor was going to offer Lennox’s most recent inventions to one of the companies that had purchased his designs in the past. One day last week he’d watched Irene making scones and it had occurred to him that the effort would be much faster if she had something to cut the dough into neat triangles all at one time. The resultant device looked like a metal wheel with eight spokes. The sale probably wouldn’t amount to much, but any money he could bring in was welcome.
Damn it, why hadn’t she told him about the fiancé?
“You’ll be wanting some tea,” Irene said at his elbow.
He turned, surprised that he hadn’t heard her approach.
“I’ll be wanting some whiskey,” he said.
“There’s time enough for that, but for now, drink your tea.”
She held out a cup and he took it, thanking her. She was a godsend, a comment he made often. If he could, he’d pay her more, but she seemed to understand, only fussing at him whenever her sister got a raise in her salary.
“I don’t know who this man is,” she said, “but I would wager he isn’t a good one.”
He should’ve told her that he didn’t have any curiosity about Mercy’s fiancé. Instead, he took a sip of his tea, then asked, “Why do you say that?”
“Ruthie was afraid of him,” she said flatly. “Any man who inspires fear is not one I want to be around.”
Lennox wondered about her long-dead husband, thoughts brought about by a few of Irene’s comments. She’d married when she was barely twenty and the man had drowned two years later. Both twins were widows, but Jean had been married longer.
He took another sip of his tea. “She didn’t tell me about him,” he said and then wondered why he admitted that.
Other than Connor and Irene, he was nearly a hermit. He’d never given much thought to his life until the past few weeks. He should return to Edinburgh and spend some time reacquainting himself with friends. Perhaps he should abandon his research into flight and spend more time inventing things. That way he could at least be solvent enough to marry.
That is, if any woman would be satisfied to live at Duddingston. He had a responsibility to the castle since it embodied the history of his family and his clan. A woman from Inverness or Edinburgh wouldn’t feel the same.
Mercy had seemed fascinated by the castle, however, a thought that he immediately pushed away.
“There was no reason she should have told me, of course,” he added. “She’s a stranger and won’t be here long.”
“But you’re wishing it was different, aren’t you?”
He handed her the empty cup and forced a smile to his face.
“You’re an incurable romantic, Irene. Seeing things that aren’t there.”
“Or I’m seeing what’s before my eyes,” she said. “Even if I’m the only one.”
He didn’t have a response to that.
Chapter Thirty
Mercy stood, taking several steps away from the settee, out of reach of Gregory.
Her face felt stiff with the effort of controlling her expression. Nor did she speak. She didn’t want her voice to quaver.
It wouldn’t do to let Gregory see that he’d scared her. He’d take advantage of that information, using it to further manipulate and perhaps even bully her. If she was forced to marry him, her life wouldn’t be a luxurious prison where she was coddled and feted for simply drawing breath. No, Gregory would threaten, criticize, and belittle her and might even take pleasure in doing so.
She had no doubt that he meant what he said. He would follow her anywhere. Not only was his pride at stake, so was his future. He didn’t love her as much as he coveted her father’s wealth. He’d picked her as the easiest way to advance in life.
Her parents had been overjoyed at his attention. She hadn’t agreed to marry Gregory as much as she had simply submitted to her parents’ pressure. Not for the first time she wished she’d spoken up and refused to participate in the plans everyone was making for her life.
What was she going to do?
