Page 47 of Taming the Scot
If she didn’t expect to be gone in a few days’ time, when he’d likely have a new lass on his arm, calling her his bride, then she would have let it all pour out. But there was such a thing as pride. And when she knew he would not be in her life much longer, why should she divulge all of her secrets?
So, whatever she felt she owed him, whatever feelings had developed between them, whatever kisses had come to pass, were just that—past.
They’d not been in Edinburgh long before they received an invitation to dine at Sutherland Gate. Euan was more than happy to send his acceptance, along with that of his sisters and Bronwen. News spread fast amongst society. No doubt someone had seen their carriage pull up to the house, and then word had spread like wildfire until it reached his friends’ ears.
It’d been months since he’d seen Lorne, Alec and Malcolm, and he was looking forward to the ribbing they would no doubt give each other.
When he’d delivered the news to Bronwen, she’d been worried about joining them. At first, saying that she wasn’t sure it was appropriate, and then when he explained that his friends would welcome her with open arms, she worried about leaving the house and being spotted. All fears he was able to assuage.
Despite her protestations, he was eager to introduce Bronwen to his friends. She didn’t think she belonged there, but Euan believed quite the opposite. And he knew his friends would give her a warm reception. Though Malcolm might be a little suspicious at first, as he was with everyone he met.
In the end, Euan hoped that the reception she received would show her that she belonged there with them as much as the rest. She wasn’t an outsider even if she seemed to think she was. Perhaps tonight would lend him a leg up on trying to get her to stay.
She’d been quiet in the carriage on the way over, which might not have been noticed by his sisters who kept up a steady stream of conversation, but he had picked up on it.
Standing by her side in the grand foyer of the Edinburgh manse, Euan was all too aware of her presence. Bronwen was dressed in a light blue gown that brought out the flecks of sapphire in her gray gaze, and her dark hair was piled in curls on top of her head. God, but he felt like the luckiest man alive to be standing beside her. Bronwen was a hidden gem that he’d been lucky enough to unearth.
“Euan, damn good to see ye,” Lorne said, clapping him on the back. His wife Jaime, resplendent in green silk, beamed back.
“The Highlands seem to have done ye some good,” Jaime remarked. Jaime was a straightforward woman. And like Bronwen, she’d not been born of noble blood. Her father had been a ship merchant, and she’d taken over his business. The difference between Bronwen and Jaime likely was income, and that was it.
“Euan’s good manners and mood is all due to Miss Holmes,” Lillie cut in.
Euan chuckled, slanting a glance at Bronwen, who looked a little embarrassed to have the attention centered on her. “Aye, she has brought out the decent side of me.”
Lorne grinned as Euan introduced Bronwen to them both.
“Ye are verra welcome,” Jaime said to Bronwen. “I’ve heard much about ye from Emilia. Come, let me introduce ye to Lady Errol.”
Jaime looped her arm through Bronwen’s and led her toward Giselle, Alec’s wife, who’d been chatting with Maggie and Skye.
Alec and Lorne gave Euan a look. “And who is your companion?” Alec asked.
“She’s his governess,” Lillie added with a wiggle of her brows before Euan shooed her away to go chat with the other ladies.
“A governess?” Malcolm strolled into the house then, passing his hat to the butler and running a hand through his sandy-colored hair. “Do tell.”
Euan rolled his eyes, knowing he was about to get ripped to shreds by his best mates. Well, he might as well get it over with now. They moved into the parlor, following the ladies, though they settled on the far side near the sideboard and whisky, where they might be able to have conversations not always suited to more feminine ears.
Over drams, Euan told them about the idea he and his sisters had about a governess and the stipulation from his grandfather’s will. He explained that he was damned sure his cousin and uncle had something to do with it but that he’d yet to be able to pin it on them. In the meantime, he’d been trying to work out a way to win. His friends were as shocked and appalled as he was.
“So I have to ask,” Lorne drawled out, flicking his gaze toward the women. “Why is she here? Are ye afraid of losing your manners among friends?”
Alec raised his brows too. “Aye. Ye’ve never struck me as a man who did no’ know how to hold his fork.”
“Or how to treat a lass,” Malcolm added.
“Aye, ye’ve got six sisters for all that,” Lorne said.
Was he so obvious?
Euan let out a short laugh, looking across the parlor where the ladies had assembled in chairs, leaning close as if they were telling secrets. Were they talking about him the way he was talking about Bronwen? Did the women also wonder why she was here with them? He could have easily explained that she was acting as a companion and chaperone for his sisters, but that would be a lie, and he didn’t like the idea of lying to his friends. But how did he tell them that he loved her, and not bringing her seemed odder to him than the actual bringing?
“Hiring a governess seemed like a good idea at the time,” he said by way of explaining his desire to hire a governess to begin with, and bypassing why she was here with him at Sutherland gate. “I was desperate to win.”
“And now?”
Euan took a wee nip of his whisky. “I still need to win. I’ve got six sisters to care for and my cousin, my uncle…The bloody bastards would no’ do well by them.” His friends were aware that Uncle Will had been sent to prison, and Euan was pretty sure Malcolm knew more about the criminal activities Hector was up to than he was willing to reveal.
