Page 52 of My Highland Rogue
Jennifer couldn’t help but smile. “I’ve always adored him. After mother died, Mr. McBain sent him away.”
“That man was a prude in many ways. I never liked him. I don’t think your mother did, either. However, your father’s will assigned him as guardian, so we were stuck with him.”
That was a surprise. No one had ever offered up any criticism of Mr. McBain. To most people he was a paragon of virtue.
“What about now? Your Gordon has returned.”
“His father is ill.”
“Is that the only reason he’s here? Do you still adore him?”
Jennifer smiled.
“Never mind, I have my answer from your face. I know he feels the same just from the way he looks at you.”
“Yes, he does,” Jennifer said, feeling her face warm. “He’s asked me to marry him.”
“Like hell you’ll marry the bastard.”
They looked up to see Harrison leaning against the doorjamb. Her brother was wearing the same clothes he’d worn the day before, now badly wrinkled. His white shirt was stained in two spots, and his hair disheveled as if he’d threaded his fingers through it many times. Lines of dissipation were already beginning to show on his reddened face. The wrinkles around his bloodshot eyes belonged to a man several decades older.
The odor of alcohol wafted off Harrison so strongly that it was nauseating.
“I’ll be damned if you marry McDonnell,” he said. “You’re not going to shame the family like that.”
“You’ve done your share of shaming the Adaire name, Harrison. Besides, you have no say in who I marry.”
“I’m the head of the family, Jennifer.”
There was more than one way to marry in Scotland. If necessary, she and Gordon could simply stand before witnesses and declare their wish to be man and wife. Harrison could do nothing to stop it.
Jennifer stood and looked at Ellen.
“Forgive me, Ellen,” she said. “I’ve just remembered some urgent tasks that need to be done.”
When she got to the door, Harrison didn’t budge.
“I mean it, Jennifer. I won’t have you marry that bastard.”
“You don’t have anything to say about it.”
When he still didn’t move, she shoved him out of the way.
Behind her, she heard Ellen address her brother.
“Must you always be so boorish, Harrison?”
She didn’t stay to hear Harrison’s response.
Chapter Twenty
“Would you like me to fetch you some tea?” Sally asked.
“I’ll make it,” Gordon said. “You don’t need another duty.”
She smiled at him, gratitude in her expression. He joined her in the kitchen, watching as she made Sean a cup of tea, putting some whiskey in it.
“Have you been caring for him long, Sally?”
