Page 20 of Deception and Desire
“Why would ye want it to?” asked Colin. “This is our little haven, our Thistle Inn of Glasgow.”
“Except we have our own beds to sleep in, with fewer bed bugs,” agreed Ian. “And the venison stew isna quite as good.”
“Nor the barmaid,” added Lachlan. With that, they raised a dram of whisky to The Pigeon, bonnie barmaids, and the Thistle Inn. “May we never be hungry, lonely, or without humor.”
With a plate of tatties and neeps before them, hot bread and a roasted bird in the center to share, the men discussed business. It was decided that Colin would continue overseeing the workers. Lachlan and Ian would share the responsibility of supervising the daily business transactions of the mill. Any major decisions were made jointly by the MacNaughtons and their English cousin and partner, Gideon, the present Earl of Stanfeld.
“Speaking of decisions, what happened with the accountant today?” asked Lachlan.
Ian and Colin shared a conspiratorial grin.
“Come out with it, ye dunderheads. I assume it went well, then?”
“Weel, it was quite an interesting interview,” hinted Colin.
“Franklin is female,” Ian explained. “A very young and pretty female with a head for numbers.”
“She’s like a wizard with sums. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Colin shook his head. “She’s got a gift, Lachlan. A true gift.”
“Aye, Colin was in her pocket before she walked out the door,” agreed Ian.
The woman he’d encountered earlier that day came to mind. Sweet Mary, had he… “What did she look like?” Dread turned his half-digested meal to stone in his stomach. His brother would not be happy with him.
“Blonde, like flax bleached by the sun,” murmured Colin, “and clear gray eyes—”
Lachlan let out a moan and leaned against the chair, his head falling back with his palms over his eyes.
“What is it? A bad piece of meat?” asked Colin.
“Nay, I think it’s something else.” Ian’s eyes narrowed as he studied his brother. “What did ye do, Lachy? Do ye ken this lass?”
Lachlan winced at the sound of his nickname. It had always been a bit of a pun, starting when he’d coaxed his first kiss from a pretty villager.
Lachy was lucky with the womenfolk.
“I may have met her as I left the mill this afternoon.” Heat flooded his face as the memory of those soft, pliant lips rushed back, those eyes turning ashen with desire as she blinked from their kiss. “She ran into me, literally. Almost knocked herself out, head down against the rain. So, I scooped her up before she hit the pavement.”
Colin snorted. “Since ye’re such a gentleman and all.”
“Aye, my mother taught me well,” he agreed, a grin replacing the grimace.
“Ye mean our grandfather. Ye’ve inherited his silver tongue.” Ian clamped a palm to his forehead. “Go on, tell us the worst of it.”
“Weel, I was holding her close, ye see, and a drop of rain on her upper lip caught my eye…”
“Ye kissed her?” Ian scrubbed his face with his hands and shook his head. Colin choked on his ale then let out a wet guffaw, sending a spray over the table.
“I didna ken who she was. What would ye have done in my place? A lovely lass with pouty lips, a warm pliant body next to yers in the chilly rain—”
“I would have set her on her feet, ye oaf, no’ seduce her on a busy thoroughfare in front of our business.” Ian slammed a fist on the table, the platters clattering against the wood. “Ye’ll have to fix this, Lachlan.”
He nodded, ignoring Colin’s chuckle. “I will, I give ye my word.”
“And by fixing, I dinna mean seducing her.” Ian pointed a finger at him. “I mean it, Lachy. No fumbling under her skirts and losing a good accountant.”
“I’ll apologize the first chance I have and set it all right,” Lachlan grumbled, tamping down his irritation. “I dinnafumble… ye make me sound like a lecher.”
Ian blew out a breath. “I’m sorry, Brother. I’m a bit cranky from being away from home so long. I dinna want anything to keep us from our new arrangement.”
