Page 46 of Her Wicked Highwayman
“There’s a pretty lady downstairs,” she announced.
“Pretty, eh?” Her father removed his arm from his eyes to look at her. “Howpretty?”
She grinned. “Verrapretty. Mrs. Crumpet says she could be our new mama.”
“Oh, she does, does she?” He arched a skeptical brow. “Well, tell Mrs. Crumpet that your papa is very selective. He will only consider a new mama if you and I both agree we like her.”
“Well,Ilike her,” Isla said without hesitation.
“Unless I’ve been asleep a lot longer than I realized, you can’t really know her that well yet, kitten. You must spend time with someone to learn more about them. You understand?”
She saw things in Papa’s gaze that she didn’t quite understand, but she wanted to pretend that she did.
Isla sat back on her heels, feeling defeated. She thought for sure Papa would want to meet the new lady. He liked pretty ladies, and Diana was the prettiest lady she’d ever seen. When she’d stood up and had a good look at her, something had made her feel very strange, as though she wassupposedto know this woman. But they’d never met before. At least, Isla didn’t think she had. Something inside her had told her that this woman should be her new mama. Now she just had to convince her papa.
“Do ye not want a wife, Papa?” she asked, her voice quiet.
Rafe sat up, scooped her into his arms, and sighed. “It’s complicated, little one. But I do. Trust me, I do.” He stroked her hair before he kissed her forehead.
“Will ye at least come and see her?” Isla asked hopefully.
“All right. I must get dressed first. Why don’t you go downstairs and wait for me?” He gave her a gentle teasing shakeand tickled her waist until she laughed. He set her down on the bed and she slid off the side, taking Mrs. Crumpet with her as she left.
Papa would like the new lady, she just knew it. Mrs. Crumpet had told her they were perfect for each other. Isla wasn’t sure what that meant when it came to mamas and papas...Perfect.But it sounded nice.
She slipped out of the bedchamber, humming softly to herself. Then she went to find Aunt Rosalind and the new lady.
CHAPTER 11
Rafe adjusted his coat, admiring the bottle-green hue and how well it suited him. He wasn’t a dandy by any means, but he did prefer to cut a fine figure when he wished to impress a lady.
His hands stilled at the edges of his coat. Did he want to impress this stranger Isla seemed so taken with? He honestly didn’t know. Isla hadn’t met many women, other than those in his family.
“Is everything all right, Mr. Lennox?” his valet inquired as he lifted up a small brush and ran it over Rafe’s back to remove any dust that might mar the coat’s perfect appearance.
“Yes, it is, thank you, James.” He and James had been together for years, through the leaner times when Rafe had little to his name. James was of a similar age, and while he could have taken his talents as a valet elsewhere, he had chosen to stay loyal to Rafe. He was the only other person who knew about his career as a highwayman outside of Rafe’s family, and the only person aside from Will and Caspian who knew he wasstillworking as a highwayman. The valet had guarded the secret well and had earned Rafe’s trust completely.
“Sir?” James, as always, could sense something was off with him.
“Apparently, there is a young lady downstairs whom Isla wishes for me to consider marrying.”
James’s eyes softened. “Ah. The wee mite wants a new mother?”
“Yes.” Rafe touched his perfect cravat and then sighed. His valet’s gaze met his in the mirror as they shared a knowing look.
“Someday, when ’tis safe, you’ll marry,” James said, referring to his other life without risking saying the words.
“But not yet,” said Rafe. “Not until I have enough to care for a wife and a child.”
With a nod, James left the bedchamber, his arms full of Rafe’s clothing from last night’s ball.
Rafe was still weary from last night, but he could not deny Isla’s wish that he meet this “pretty lady,” so he headed downstairs. No doubt it was another one of Rosalind’s friends. The Scottish hellion was talented at making friends wherever she went, and they often came to visit her at the country house. It was also possible that the young woman was here by design. Ashton and Rosalind were set on getting him married. No doubt those master schemers would be throwing eligible women in his path left and right, hoping he would trip and stumble his way right through the church doors with a marriage license in his hand.
“Rafe, a word.” Ashton’s voice, cold and hard, made him stumble on the bottom step of the grand staircase. That voice was the way his brother used to sound when he spoke to Rafe, before Isla entered their lives and softened Ashton’s heart. His elder brother stood in the doorway of his study, arms crossed, a deep frown carving lines in his face.
“A word?” Rafe couldn’t fathom what he’d done to incur Ashton’s displeasure... unless, of course, Ashton, clever as hewas, had figured out Rafe had gone back to robbing coaches. Lord, he hoped it wasn’t that.
He stepped into the study, and Ashton closed the door behind him. His brother then went around the side of his desk and stood beside his chair.
