Page 47 of The Scot is Hers
Giselle thought back to his hand gripping her arse, the other one stroking her breast. It was Alec’s back that had been to the door. There was a possibility that Mary had not even noticed where his hands were.
“Besides,” he murmured, pressing a small kiss to her lips. “If she decides to share, everyone will wonder what she was doing entering my library when the door was closed and when the guests were specifically asked no’ to come in here.”
Now that point made more sense. Lady Mary would be outing herself if she revealed what she’d seen. And the more Giselle thought about it, what did it matter if she’d seen them kiss? Alec was right; they had already agreed to get married. There was nothing shameful in two people who planned to spend their life together partaking of an intimate embrace. It wasn’t as if she’d found them writhing naked on the floor.
But oh, how that thought sent a shiver of wanting through her. Perhaps, when they had exchanged vows, and the castle was empty of all the guests, they could act out that fantasy right where she stood. Making love surrounded by books.
Giselle smiled up at Alec. “Ye are quite right.” She shook her head as if to dislodge all the worries she’d had a moment ago. “The woman is meddlesome, is she no’?”
“Ye have no idea. I’ve found her in here before snooping around, and no’ for books. I think she’d hoped to be caught alone with me.”
Giselle frowned. “I would no’ put it past her. She seemed awfully desperate for your attention and to put the rest of the lasses off your scent.” She couldn’t help wondering if Mary had found herself in a similar situation as Giselle. Had Alec possibly been the means to an unfortunate end for that woman? But the thought didn’t last long. While Giselle had agreed to marry Alec as a way of getting out from under Joshua Keith’s hammer, she’d also developed feelings for the Beast of Errol. Emotions swirled in and out of his presence that were confusing and wonderful all at once.
“My scent,” he chuckled. “Am I a stag?”
Giselle grinned, pushing away the jumble of tangled thoughts in her head. Instead, she allowed her teasing self to take over. “This week, aye. A mighty Scottish stag. But alas, I stumbled across ye in the wild before the rest of the hunting party knew where to look. The Scot is mine,” she called softly toward the door with a laugh.
Boldness flooded her veins at the heated look he passed her way at the tease. Giselle reached forward, her fingers curling around the back of his neck, and she pulled him in for another kiss, pushing Lady Mary and her intrusion far from her mind.
13
Alec woke before the sun, or rather, he finally hauled himself out of bed then after a sleepless night. Knowing that it was only a matter of time before his mother sent word to Boddam Castle where Giselle’s parents were and that Lady Mary was stacking the cards against them, he’d sent a missive in the wee hours, summoning them all to Slains.
The letter had not been an exact summons, but the information he’d presented them with was certainly enough to have them all climbing into their carriages as soon as they read it.
The time had come to deal with the inevitable.
Alec made his way to his library to pick up a book for Giselle, and then to the kitchen to have his cook prepare her a cup of chocolate and a scone. He was going to personally deliver the tray to her himself, along with the likely news of her parents and Keith’s impending arrival. He thought it would be better coming from him than anyone else.
At his light knock on her door, she called for him to enter.
She was still in bed, propped up on her pillows as if she’d been awake for some time, awaiting her maid.
“Oh,” she gasped at seeing him there with the tray and tucked her covers up to her chin. Her beautiful hair tumbled around her shoulders in unruly curls as if competing with her penchant for sarcasm to see which could be wilder. A flush of delicate pink touched her cheeks. He’d never seen a woman more alluring.
Giselle fumbled with her hands, running them through her glorious locks. Patted her blanket, making certain it covered her nightgown.
How he wished it didn’t. He would have liked very much to peel away the layer of protection. To see her dusky rose nipples through the sheer muslin. Or at least to imagine he could.
“I’m sorry to intrude,” he said, feeling a little sheepish now for having barged in on her unannounced. The idea had seemed like a good one at the time, and now he hoped she didn’t feel uncomfortable.
But Giselle gifted him with a bright smile. “’Tis no intrusion, my lord. Only a surprise. A delightful surprise, I assure ye.”
Alec’s chest swelled with an unknown emotion. Gone unchecked, he might start simpering at her feet, a thought that made him chuckle. So much had changed since he’d met this woman, including his reactions.
“Well, good.” He grinned and brought the tray forth, settling it on her lap. “I’ve brought ye chocolate and a book.
Giselle lifted the novel, reading the title aloud. “The School for Scandalby Richard Sheridan.” She glanced up at him, a twinkle of humor in her eyes. “Is this in regard to our encounter last evening? Will it help me prepare for the inevitable showdown with Lady Mary?”
Alec laughed and tapped the cover of the book. “’Twas originally a comedic play. I think ye’ll find it quite entertaining. And who knows, perhaps ye will get a few pointers out of it.”
She cocked her head. “For a man who has already gotten my permission to wed, ye seem bent on wooing me. A different book every day is like ye bringing me a new bouquet of flowers.”
“Aye. I do want ye to be happy. To...like me.” Alec had laid bare his vulnerabilities right there, without even realizing the words were coming out of his mouth. He wanted to yank them back, feeling foolish.
But Giselle reached for his hand and gave it a wee squeeze. “I do like ye. Quite a lot, actually. But what else is it?” She squinted her eyes at him. “Something else is bothering ye.”
“I’ve had to send word to your parents at Boddam Castle. And Keith too.”
