Page 54 of The Devil of Clan Sinclair
“Because you’re acting the same way you did last year. You’re my brother, Macrath. A younger brother, granted,” she added, frowning at him as if daring him to mention her age. “A foolish brother, perhaps.”
She held up her hand when he would’ve spoken. “You can be brilliant with your machines,” she said. “But you are lacking knowledge when it comes to women.”
He stifled his smile. “Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s obvious you’re pining for one now. It’s why you’re off to Australia. It’s just about as far as you can get from Scotland.”
“She has nothing to do with this.”
“There,” she said, satisfied. “I knew it was a woman.”
How did she do it? She was like an irritating sound repeated over and over and over, until you would do almost anything to get it to stop.
But she was right about one thing—the farther he went, the faster he went, the better.
London
September, 1869
Virginia lay on her bed with a pillow over her face, wishing Eudora would go away.
“Are you certain I can’t pour you some tea?” Eudora asked.
She closed her eyes, prayed her stomach would settle, and took several deep breaths.
“I’m sure,” she said. Ever since she’d returned from Scotland, Eudora and Ellice hadn’t left her alone for a moment, probably fearing grief would swamp her if she had any time to herself.
Between her sisters-in-law and Enid, she didn’t have a moment alone all day.
Perhaps it was just as well, since their constant companionship kept her from remembering. Macrath remained in Scotland and not in her thoughts.
“Could you please put the tray outside?” she asked, nearly done in by the revolting smell of kippered herrings. How could anyone eat such a thing first thing in the morning? Just seeing the jug was enough to bring back her nausea.
“Are you sure? You need to eat something.”
Not kippered herrings. Not rashers. Maybe toast, later, but nothing now.
She pulled the pillow off her face to find Eudora still standing over her, now fanning the air with the magazine she’d been reading.
This morning she wasn’t in the mood for company. She was exceedingly tired and wanted to go back to sleep. She could barely stay awake.
She’d felt this way once before, when they were traveling to England. She’d been exhausted then, too.
“You’re sad, that’s what it is,” her maid at the time had said. “It’s to be expected, leaving your home and all.”
Poor girl, she’d been dismissed a few days before her marriage to Lawrence, replaced by Hannah, who, her mother-in-law had said, was the perfect English maid.
Perhaps she was sad after all.
She closed her eyes as the door opened again.Please don’t let Ellice be bringing something else to eat.Her stomach could not tolerate any more food odors.
“Are you sure, Virginia? There’s enough tea in the pot. I can add a bit of lemon to it. Or cream if you prefer. Perhaps it would settle you.”
Her stomach was rebelling once again. She waved her hand in the air, hoping Eudora would take the gesture as a request not to mention food or drink.
“I’m not feeling well, Eudora,” she said. “Would you mind leaving me alone?”
Please, go away.
