Page 41 of The Scot is Hers
“An unfortunate side effect to a preemptive and overeager groom.” Giselle sipped her wine and then turned to her left. “Your Grace, how goes the hunt in Sutherland?”
With the skill he found astonishing, Giselle had shut down Lady Mary’s questions, dismissed her, and changed the subject to something much more mundane, as well as focusing the conversation on Lorne. It made Alec like her all the more. Made him want to sweep her up and carry her from the room where he could tell her howmuchhe liked her.
After dessert had been served, Alec leaned toward Giselle. “I’m certain ye’re no’ up for a walk in the garden, but perhaps a sit?”
Giselle laughed softly, touching her napkin to the corners of her mouth. “I would enjoy nothing more than a sit with ye.” She glanced toward his mother. “But I’m certain Lady Errol would require me to have an escort, seeing as how we’ve no’ yet exchanged vows.”
“I will ask Lorne and Jaime.”
She relaxed visibly, perhaps worrying he might have asked his mother, and tucked her napkin back onto her lap.
But she needn’t have worried as Jaime and Lorne were all too happy to accompany them. All in agreement, they excused themselves from the table, with his mother frowning but telling them to enjoy it all the same. The rest of the men adjourned to the smoking room for cheroots and brandy, and the ladies returned to the parlor for sherry and another round of cards. The butler passed the women plaid shawls that his mother must have had prepared for any ladies wishing for a stroll.
The night was crisp, and as soon as they’d stepped outside the door, Alec breathed a little easier. Jamie and Lorne walked in front of them, disappearing into the gardens, leaving them alone as he’d hoped. A soft breeze blew, and the air had grown a little chilly, though not unbearable.
Alec turned his gaze to Giselle, who’d tugged her plaid shawl closed with one hand, the other hand leaning on her cane. She stared up at the sky, a soft smile on her lips that looked a lot like contentment. Alec smiled, and she caught him doing so when she glanced his way.
“Thank ye for asking me outside,” she said. “The air in there was growing quite stifling.”
“Aye. And I feared at any moment Lady Mary would launch herself across the table to attack ye.” Though he said it in jest, Alec wasn’t certain this was false.
“As did I. In fact, would ye check my back? I think there’s a dagger in it.” Giselle giggled as Alec leaned back and pretended to search her back for the imaginary dagger.
“All clear, my lady,” he chuckled. “She must have missed her mark.”
“Ah, well, she tried. How unfortunate for the poor lass.” Giselle started to amble down the stairs, taking them slowly, and Alec placed her hand against his elbow.
“Allow me to carry ye?”
Giselle laughed. “I can manage with this.” She swung the cane into the air, shaking it wildly. “Unless ye’re worried that I’ll use it as a weapon.”
“Now that ye’ve mentioned it, I wonder if I should?” He leaned back, pretending concern.
“Depends on your behavior.”
“I promise to be on my best.”
She let out a disappointed sigh and leaned close to say, “And here I’d hoped ye would no’ be.”
Alec was surprised by her boldness but charmed by it all the same. He winked at her. “As ye wish.”
They made their way slowly to a bench seated beneath an arbor where the lattice work was wide enough to afford them a view of the stars and moon. Giselle sat down with a sigh, and he had an idea that walking this far had been a bit much for her. He should have insisted on providing her assistance by carrying her.
“Are ye all right?” he asked, taking his seat beside her.
“Aye.” Her voice was soft, relieved even.
The countryside was quiet save for the insects, the lapping of the waves against the cliffs, and the occasional hoot of an owl or hawk. Giselle arranged her skirts around her and set the stick on the ground.
The moonlight filtered through the arbor, creating a checkerboard of light on her face and the plaid shawl. She watched him, her face unreadable, except for the tiny crook in her lip that seemed so often there—as if she laughed at the world.
“I came down tonight with the intent to save ye from the groom hunters,” she said with a little laugh.
“Ye did that.”
“As ye saved me from boredom in my room last night and all day. I can no’ thank ye enough for thinking of me.”
He shrugged, trying to make it seem as though it weren’t a big deal. But from the moment he’d hefted her out of the mud by the cliff, there hadn’t been a moment he’d not been thinking of her. The lass had captivated him. Truly, at that moment, there was nowhere else he’d rather be.
