Page 50 of The Highlander's English Bride

The man cast a shrewd look up at the house. “From the way yer hangin’ aboot in the street, I’m thinkin’ it’s been a while since ye’ve been home.”

“Two years in England.” Two years of avoiding his loving but meddlesome family.

“Och, that’s nae good, spending so much time with theSassenachs. Families are a pain in the arse, but we canna live without them. It’s nae our way, no matter how much trouble they make.”

Graeme smiled. “Sounds about right.”

Suddenly, the front door opened, and a young woman appeared in the doorway. “Graeme Alexander Kendrick, why are you lurking about in the street? And why didn’t you tell us you would be arriving this afternoon? We would have sent the coach, you silly boy.”

The driver flashed a wry grin. “Trouble has found ye, I reckon.”

“You have no idea.”

The Countess of Arnprior, in keeping with her former role as a governess, made a point of schooling every Kendrick male in proper behavior, starting with her husband and working down the long line. When it came to Graeme and his twin, Grant, she’d had her hands particularly full. But they’d met their match in Victoria. She might look like a delicate English beauty, but she had an iron will and a loving heart that had combined to whip them into line.

The driver climbed into his coach. “Good luck to ye, lad.”

Graeme turned to greet his sister-in-law. Victoria stood, arms crossed, one foot impatiently tapping the step.

“Honestly, one would think you didn’t even wish to come in,” she said.

He picked up his bag and took the steps two at a time. “How could I not wish to see ye, bonny lass? Although I’m nae sure aboot the rest of that troublesome lot.”

“Not the brogue, Graeme. Please.”

When any of the family wished to tease her, they adopted the heaviest, most ridiculous brogue they could muster. He’d tried that on her the first time they’d met, and she’d all but bashed him over the head with the tea service.

With a wry smile, Vicky stretched up on tiptoes to give him a fierce hug.

Graeme gingerly hugged her back, since his sister-in-law was six months pregnant. With her tall, willowy figure, her belly seemed already huge, sticking out like a perfectly round ball. He adored her, but pregnant women made him nervous. They seemed so fragile, as if something could go wrong at any moment.

As she broke the embrace, she frowned. “You’re too thin, and there are circles under your eyes. Has Aden been working you too hard?”

“Not at all. I’m perfectly fine. Let me look atyou. Are you well?”

“Fit as a fiddle. You know I’m stronger than I look.”

“Aye, strong as an ox, as your grandfather used to say,” came a familiar voice from the entrance hall. “Still, I’d prefer you come inside rather than loiter on the step with my reprobate of a brother.”

Graeme couldn’t hold back a wince when his brother, Nicholas, Laird of Arnprior, loomed up behind his wife.

“Sorry, Nick. I shouldn’t keep her standing about in the wind.”

“Nonsense. It’s a perfectly pleasant day,” Victoria said. “Butweshouldn’t keep Graeme standing about. I’m sure he’s exhausted from his trip.”

Nick stepped aside as Victoria ushered Graeme into the lofty entrance hall, a grand affair with a molded and gilt-painted ceiling above a black-and-white marble floor. Will, the family’s senior footman, closed the door and waited to take Graeme’s things.

“Quite the place you’ve got here,” Graeme commented as he shrugged out of his traveling coat.

Instead of answering, Nick subjected him to a silent inspection, his sharp gaze as always not missing a thing.

“He does seem pale,” his brother finally said to Vicky, “and I do not like those circles under his eyes.”

Repressing a sigh, Graeme handed his coat and bag to Will.

“Welcome home, sir,” the footman said with a genuine smile. “It’s grand to see ye after all this time.”

“Yes, it has been a rather long time, hasn’t it?” Nick pointedly added.

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