by Eliza Knight
“I had surmised as much.”
After several minutes of wrestling with herself to find her voice, Jaime relented. “Fine, ye can help. Come on.”
Lorne followed her up the gangplank, her skin prickling with need at his nearness. She led him down into the dimly lit underbelly of the ship where men were lifting barrels and crates.
“All of this has to go,” she said.
“All right.” Lorne lifted a barrel that would ordinarily be hefted by two men, as if it weighed nothing at all, and then climbed the ladder with it, all while Jaime watched.
His strong legs carried him up the ladder, the muscles of his arse bunching in his breeches, and she had to look away, as the sight of him made all sorts of naughty thoughts tumble about in her lunatic brain.
“Are ye all right?” Emilia asked.
“Perfectly.” But Jaime’s voice was high and tight, giving away she was exactly the opposite of perfect. “Let’s get back to work.”
Emilia tried to hide her grin and pointed to one of the smaller crates. The two of them maneuvered it up the ladder and handed it on to the men.
“I’m impressed,” Lorne said softly, winking at her as she came back down the ladder. “No’ only do ye have a lot of strength, but ye did no’ fall in the process.”
“Ye’re a jackarse.” She grinned at his surprised expression. “When on a ship, talk like a sailor.” This time, she winked at him, grabbed the closest, small crate, and climbed back up.
He maneuvered behind her, another barrel balanced in his grasp and delivered it to a man who beckoned on the deck. They worked side by side for hours, passing glances, and at one moment, he accidentally slid against her—though she was fairly certain it was on purpose. His chest skimming against her arm made her entire body tingle, and the fact that he gave her a roguish grin showed her he knew exactly what he was doing. Another touch like that, and she was going to drag him deeper into the ship where they’d be covered in darkness, press him up against the ship’s wall and…
Jaime cleared her throat and put herself back to work, hoping the physical exhaustion would help banish the carnal thoughts from her mind.
With the four strapping noblemen adding to the help, they emptied the ship’s cargo by mid-afternoon rather than evening as she’d estimated they’d be completed.
With plenty of daylight still left, the crew boarded the transferred ship and worked to set sail.
Emilia and Jaime stood on the dock with Lorne and his companions, staring with satisfaction at the ships. Her arms were on fire, her back ached, and her legs felt heavier than the crates and barrels they’d moved. A hot bath sounded like heaven about then.
“Well done, Miss Andrewson,” Lorne said. “Though I’m certain ye need no compliments from me.”
Jaime smiled at him, grateful. “We were able to get everything done much quicker than anticipated. I do verra much appreciate the added assistance. And in fact, I should like to invite the four of ye to a ball I’ll be hosting upon the ship soon.”
Emilia let out a little gasp but outwardly did not show any other signs of surprise or excitement.
“I’ve no’ yet had the invitations made. But I think it will be a lovely boon to our clients and any potential merchants who wish to use us for their wares.”
“I canna speak for my friends here, but can tell ye I would be delighted,” Lorne said.
“I would as well,” and “same here” was heard from the other men.
Good, she had several people on the invitation list already then. She just needed to plan the fete. After she got Shanna and Gordie back, of course.
Tired and covered in sweat that had started to dry and further stiffened her already stiff working gown, Jaime decided it was time to call it a day. “I bid ye farewell.”
“Or we could get some ice cream,” Lorne suggested.
“What?” She stared at him, surprised by the invitation for something so…not him and because she was thoroughly disgusting at the moment.
“There’s a delectable place between here and your flat.”
“I am no’ at all suitable for such an outing in my present condition.” Jaime smiled to soften her rejection. “But I do thank ye for the invitation.”
“Tomorrow, then?”
“Perhaps.” Two rejections in a matter of minutes would have his friends talking.
“I’ll pick ye up at noon.”
“Have ye no’ got anything better to do than follow me about, Your Grace?” she teased.
Lorne’s companions chuckled at that, and one of them shook their head.
“Ye wound me,” Lorne said.
“Ye lie.”
His grin widened. “I’ll see ye tomorrow.” And with that, he disappeared with his friends down the dock toward a waiting carriage.
“Ye’ve got it bad,” Malcolm said with a horrified expression on his face. “I thought ye did when I watched the two of ye box, but this?” Malcolm shook his head.
“Box? Do tell.” Alec leaned forward in the already cramped carriage. “Did she kick your arse?”
Euan chuckled. “In every way, I’d say, from how his eyes never left her backside today.”
Lorne punched his friend in the shoulder. “I’ll no’ have ye talk about my future wife’s backside.”
“So she agreed to marry ye?” Alec asked, his brow winged in surprise. “I would have bet money she’d refuse again.”
“No’ yet. But she will.” Lorne ran his hands through his hair. “A little more convincing, and then I’ve no doubt she’ll say aye.”
“How much convincing does it take for a lass to forget the past?” Malcolm, always the sober one in the group, raised the pressing question.
“We’ve both been victims of our siblings. Give me one good reason we should no’ join forces.” Lorne crossed his arms over his chest, feeling irritated, mostly because he knew it was true. Jaime herself had said as much.
“Well, the fact that your siblings joined forces to sabotage both of ye?” Alec said with a face that screamed obviously.
“The question is why,” Euan offered. “What did they have to gain?”
Lorne disclosed what Malcolm and Jaime’s investigator had unearthed, as well as their own theories.
“That’s mad.” Euan shook his head in disbelief. “Hard to fathom that the two of them would seek to harm both of ye. To rob ye both.”
“Aye,” Lorne agreed.
“How has it been working out with the lass?” Alec asked.
“When I’m away from her, all I do is think about being near her again. I never felt that way about anyone—save my horse, maybe.”
The men chuckled and bumped elbows at that.
“Have ye told her yet?” Malcolm asked.
“I’ve asked her to marry me. More than once.”
“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 compl
icated? 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.
Lorne had an elbow propped by the window, a finger on his cheek, while his chin rested in his hand. That had been his position since they’d climbed in and sat down. He considered the outside as he likely considered what would happen once they boarded the ship, and if luck were on their side, when they arrived at Dunrobin later tonight. Jaime had tried her best not to look at him, to stare out the window as well, but it was a task she found most grueling, and he a subject far more interesting.
Earlier this morning, at an incredibly indecent hour, Lorne had knocked on the door of her residence and told her the news of Gille and Shanna’s movements and that they had to travel north as quickly as possible to beat the two criminals at their own game.
One of her ships required a good scrubbing and happened to be free for the next two days, so they decided to take it north—an expensive way to travel but much faster than taking a carriage. Even if they rode at a fast clip by coach, it would be a week before they arrived, considering the terrain and given they’d need to change the horses and drivers frequently. Her ship could see them there in as little as a day since it was able to travel at a top speed of nearly 20-knots an hour, and then be returned to Edinburgh ready for business. And so it had been decided.
Emilia had been more than happy to take on her duties at Andrewson Shipping while Jaime was away, and MacInnes had nearly climbed inside her trunk upon learning she was traveling. It had only been with an explicit promise from Lorne that he would allow the older man to slit his throat if any harm befell Jaime that allowed her to leave without the butler at all.
And once more, she was glad her aunt had returned to London to look after the interests of her daughters rather than remain behind to meddle in hers, as she would never have allowed Jaime to take this long trip north with Lorne alone. It was unsuitable. Of course, Jaime didn’t care.
For a woman she was already the quintessential example of all things unsuitable.
“What is our plan?” she asked Lorne, breaking the silence.
Lorne turned toward her, his hand falling into his lap, and she tried to avoid following the path but her eyes disobeyed her. Long, capable fingers. The shape of his thighs. She was quick to snap her glance back up to his.
There was the barest hint of a smile on his lips. “We do no’ want Gille and Shanna to know we are there or that we’re aware of their return or their schemes. Although, they must have guessed as much with their plan for the poor lad.”
Sweet Gordie was falling victim to those who should care about him most. The notion was disturbing on so many levels and made Jaime furious. “How much lead time do ye think we have on them?”
“Sounded as if Malcolm’s man was able to stall their ship for a day. So, at least a week. As soon as they arrive in Scotland, they’ll most likely be riding north for Dunrobin. I can’t imagine they’d commission a ship. But if they do, then we’ll have two days or so. It is my understanding that as soon as a time can be established, your investigator will ride ahead to give us the warning.”
“Aye. Thank goodness for Mr. Bell, who will be watching over the wee lad as they go.” Jaime shook her head, still thoroughly confused as to how Shanna could go along with a plan like that. It was her son. Flesh and blood. A child she’d grown and nurtured in the womb. Didn’t that mean anything to her? Was her greed so great that she’d be willing to put her son up for ransom?
Jaime had never believed the things her parents said about Shanna, thinking them harsh in their judgment. But from where she sat now, looking back and looking forward, it felt as though her sister had pulled the wool over Jaime’s eyes in more ways than one.
“So we’ll be waiting on bated breath for two days to a week.” Jaime’s stomach had already twisted itself into knots.
“Aye.” Lorne sounded as disappointed as she was. Both of them wanted to get this over with.
Jaime glanced out the window, taking note that they were very close to the wharf. She jumped when Lorne touched her knee and jerked her gaze up from where she’d been focusing on her hands.
“Wring your fingers any tighter, lass, and ye’ll have nothing left to mark up your ledgers.”
She grinned. “I’m just so worried.”
“All will be well, sweetling. I promise.”
Jaime’s chest warmed at the endearment and at his confidence. She wished she had the same assurance, but it felt as if everything were falling apart, and imminent disast
er awaited them. “I want to save Gordie. It’ll be a bonus if I get some of my money back. And of course, I’ll sign the castle back over to ye.” This was not what she’d told him originally. But money or not, it was a mistake to have bought the place. It didn’t belong to her. An expensive lesson to learn, but one she wasn’t going to ignore.
Lorne shook his head, a small smile on his lips. “If ye still want Dunrobin, it is yours to keep.”
“What?” She flattened her spine against the carriage seat.
“I’ve made it clear I want to marry ye, Jaime. I…care for ye, lass. I enjoy your company. Marry me, and the castle is yours. Do no’ marry me, and it is still yours. But if ye agree to be my wife, I’ll draw up papers to see that the land is entailed to females only if it makes ye feel better.”
At her shocked silence, he continued, “There’s something I’ve realized, and I may no’ have been clear in the telling of it, but for me, life is no’ worth living unless ye’ve got someone to share it with. I rotted away in that prison for two years, wishing I’d had someone at home thinking about me. And when I realized that ye were the only one doing so—even in death exacting your revenge on me—I knew ye were the woman for me.”
Jaime gaped at him. “Ye do realize what ye just said, aye?”
He grinned and leaned forward, taking her hands in his. “Aye. That even in death, ye could no’ stop obsessing over me.”
Jaime swatted him playfully. “I hated ye.”
Lorne tugged her over to his lap, and she settled on the solidness of him, wishing they weren’t about to be interrupted by their servants.
“But ye only hated me so much because your feelings beforehand were already strong.”
Her face flamed. “Ye knew?”
“No’ until I started to think about it.” He nuzzled her neck, pressing a kiss to her flaming skin. “And truth be told, lass, more often than no’ back then I thought, ‘well, Jaime’s a darling, Shanna must be, too.’ Night and day, the two of ye were.”
“I’m so sorry she disappointed ye.”
