Page 8 of The Moonstone Marquess
“But you were sleeping in the altogether,” Imogen said. “What does that mean?”
Chloe giggled. “It means he forgot to put his clothes on.”
Phoebe kicked her under the table.
Imogen missed the exchange and continued. “Then she called you something bad, and then Ella told her to shut up and called her a witch.”
Ella started to tear up. “She said I was a wicked girl and she was not going to stay with us another hour. She brought us here and left us. I know it wasn’t right to call her a witch, but she was one, and… Are you very angry, Uncle Cormac?”
“Not with you, duckling.” He reached over and took her hand in his. “Whatever happened was all my fault.”
Imogen jumped down from her chair and climbed onto his lap. “Then we’re not in trouble?”
He kissed her on the cheek. “No, not at all. As I said, it is all my fault. I must take full blame for this mix-up. And everything did get very mixed up, which is why I cannot take you home with me today. Will you be all right staying with Lady Phoebe and Lady Chloe for a couple of days? I will come by every day, I promise you. But I have a full house right now, and it will take a few days for me to get rid of my guests.”
“Even the altogether ladies?” Imogen asked. “Mrs. Grimble said they forgot to put their clothes on, too.”
Phoebe choked on her tea.
Chloe was snorting, trying to hold back her laughter as she patted her sister’s back.
Cormac was waiting for the lemon cake to come flying in his face, for he had expected Phoebe to be furious with him. But she merely took a sip of her tea once her coughs subsided. Well, she had seen those ladies.
She had seen the worst of him.
He sighed. “I never liked Mrs. Grimble. She’s a busybody.”
Phoebe tossed him a cautioning look.
“Of course, I am not always on my best behavior, either. I’m sure she was just looking out for you girls. Ah, fish. My favorite,” he remarked as Mrs. Hawke, the Killigrew housekeeper, brought out a platter of it.
“I thought you hated fish,” Imogen said. “That’s what I told Lady Phoebe.”
“And she bought it anyway?” Lord, he was in danger of falling in love with the impudent chit. She was going to kick his arse from here to Sunday because she was still incensed over what had taken place this morning. “How considerate of her. But it does not matter. I am resolved to love anything Lady Phoebe dishes out.”
Imogen smiled. “She’s very pretty, isn’t she?”
Cormac chuckled. “Yes, quite pretty.”
“And so is Chloe,” Ella tossed in.
“You are all beautiful in my eyes,” Cormac said. “You want to know why?”
His nieces nodded.
“Because you are beautiful not only on the outside, but on the inside, too. And that is what is most important.” He gave Imogen a little tickle on her stomach.
Ella immediately wanted to join in, so he tickled her, too.
Afterward, Chloe took the girls for a walk along the beach.
Cormac remained seated at the table while Phoebe and Mrs. Hawke cleared away the food and plates. He offered to help, but Phoebe would not hear of it. “You are our guest.”
He arched an eyebrow, but did not protest.
At best, he was an unwanted guest. Although Phoebe did seem to be warming to him, no doubt because he was behaving himself and obviously doted on his nieces. Lord, to think his brother had entrusted their governess, that odious Grimble, to deliver the girls to him.
Phoebe soon joined him and took the chair beside his. “I think we must discuss your nieces. Chloe and I do not mind if they stay with us the entire month.”
