Page 60 of Return of the Scot
“But have ye told her how ye feel?”
Lorne thought back to the kisses, the way he’d worshipped her in the garden. “No’ in so many words, but I’m fairly certain my actions have.”
“Sometimes females want to hear the exact words. As if those utterances are the key that unlocks their brains,” Euan said.
“How would ye know? Ye’ve yet to marry,” Lorne pointed out. “Or come close to it.”
“I’ve enough sisters to manage. And they make their feelings quite clear.”
“That is true. I’m no’ sure how he survived,” Alec said, giving their friend a concerned look. “Six sisters are quite a force.”
“Ye have no idea.” Euan rolled his eyes and gave a loud groan.
“Well, I suppose it can no’ hurt my case,” Lorne said skeptically. “I’ve already shown her in many ways, today included, that I care for her and her future. And by letting her boss me around, I think I’ve made it clear I’m no’ there to take away her business or her fortune.”
“Aye, but ye did set out to woo her just to get the castle back, did ye no’?” Alec reminded him.
Lorne nodded. Why did this have to be so complicated? If only it had been her he’d wooed before the war. But alas, he was a different man now, and back then, he might not have wanted the same things or respected her for who she was.
“She’s a bright lass. Probably figured out a while ago what ye were after. I think it best ye explain to her that ye want her whether or no’ ye get the castle back.” Why did Alec have to make sense?
Still, it seemed a task heavier when enacted than pondered. “I’ll have to think on what would be best said. Dinner at the club?”
“Aye,” the three of them agreed.
No sooner had they arrived at the club than Malcolm was pulled aside by one of the footmen.
“I’ll be back soon,” he said, without telling them where he was headed.
Was it about Gille? Lorne hoped so. They’d been waiting long enough to put that matter to rest.
He hadn’t even considered what he would do with his brother once he finally found him. Accuse him of selling the castle out from under him? But Gille had thought his brother dead, so really, he’d only been selling it out from under himself. However, if his scheme had been to gain the castle and the money for it by marrying Shanna, what more could he want? Lorne felt like shouting from the confusion and ridiculousness of it all.
He could have his brother thrown in debtor’s prison, which would likely be what happened when it was eventually found out that he didn’t have the money to pay Miss Andrewson back.
A sick feeling came into his stomach then, curdling around the steak and ale pie he’d consumed. Jaime had said she’d gifted Dunrobin to her sister. Did that mean she’d signed over the deed? If that were the case, then their legal matters became more difficult.
“Let’s wager on billiards,” Lorne said. He needed a distraction from his brother and Jaime. And while he would have rather taken his friends back to Sutherland Gate for a round in the ring or on the planche, they had to wait for Malcolm to return. Because part of that churning in his stomach was a hunch that something had been discovered, and he didn’t want to miss out on whatever that was.
Just as Alec was pocketing yet another sovereign of Lorne’s money, Malcolm returned and nodded for him to join him in a private corner of the club.
“Well, ’tis a good thing the two of ye did no’ go to Ireland.”
“I’m listening.”
“Word has come to me that our subjects were intending to leave Ireland on a ship bound for Scotland. My man was able to delay that ship’s leaving to return here first—and he partnered with Miss Andrewson’s investigator, who remained behind to follow them on the ship and the road. He overheard them saying they planned to go to Dunrobin and hole up there. No’ allow anyone in. They’re planning to hold the lad for ransom.”
“What? Their own child.”
“Gille was saying he would no’ be going to prison over it. But my man wondered if they maybe meant something else. It sounded more dramatic than the scam they put on.”
Lorne shook his head. This was not the truth he wanted to hear. Somewhere deep inside, he’d been hoping all this time that his brother hadn’t betrayed him. That this was all a misunderstanding. “So they are going to be at Dunrobin?”
“Aye. If I were ye, I’d make haste to leave tonight and get there well ahead of them.”
14
Jaime stared at Lorne, who sat across from her in his carriage on their way to the wharf. They were alone inside. Alison—her maid, tasked with keeping her reputation intact per MacInnes—rode perch outside with Mungo at the rear of the carriage, while their coachman took the front.
