by Diane Darcy
Mother rolled her eyes and let out a long-suffering sigh. “How sad for you to be engaged to a Laird. Now stop slouching and please refrain from acting like a petulant child. Straighten your shoulders.”
Elizabeth sighed. She’d let her mother know in a myriad of ways over the years that she thought the entire thing was barbaric.
As far as she could tell, it had never done a bit of good.
The good news was, she had a plan.
She hadn’t told her mother, but Alexander had written to inform her he’d be arriving in London this week. When he did, she’d get him to help her figure out how to break the engagement without ruining themselves.
Surely he didn’t want to marry her any more than she wanted to marry him? Echoes of “Frizzy Lizzie” filled her mind more and more of late.
She had no doubt that he wished to be released from their engagement as much as she did.
The bell over the door rang, and she automatically glanced in that direction. Lady Nelson and her horrible friend Lady Somerset came through the door of the dress shop and made a beeline for her.
Lizzie finally straightened the way her mother had requested.
“Why, Lady Elizabeth.” The words were saccharine sweet. “How wonderful to see you here. Might I be the first to congratulate you on your upcoming nuptials?”
Elizabeth stood and dipped into a slight curtsy. The lady was a gossip and a viper, so she tried to keep her expression neutral, but had a moment of unease as she looked into the face of Lady Nelson. There had been an ocean exhibition in London last fall and Elizabeth vividly remembered the shark reveal. That’s exactly what Lady Nelson reminded her of. A shark, with all of her teeth on display.
Everyone knew about Lizzie’s long-term betrothal, but few ever mentioned it. Did the woman assume they were selecting a dress for Lizzie? “Oh, it’s not me that’s trying on gowns, it’s my cousin.”
Elizabeth’s mother came up behind her and didn’t even pretend not to be listening.
The women laughed. “Why, I meant your engagement, my dear. The listing has been posted in today’s paper.”
Elizabeth’s shock must have shown in her face.
The woman laughed again. “Oh? Am I the first to inform you of your own engagement?” The old gossip would love that, wouldn’t she? She’d no doubt run around town telling everyone she met that Elizabeth hadn’t known she was engaged.
Elizabeth managed a laugh. “Of course not, Lady Nelson. I’ve been betrothed since the day I was born; I simply didn’t know the announcement had been posted in the paper so soon. I wasn’t expecting it until tomorrow.”
With an air of extreme graciousness, Lady Nelson pulled the local news sheet out of her reticule and handed it to Elizabeth. “Please, I insist you take my copy.”
“Thank you. You are most kind.”
The two gossipy old biddies laughed again, then turned to look at bolts of material as they whispered amongst themselves.
Elizabeth quickly scanned the paper and easily found the notice. The Much Honored Alexander MacGregor, Laird of Inverdeem, announces his upcoming nuptials to Lady Elizabeth Huntington of Lincolnshire.
She blinked.
Surely Alexander would not have done this without talking to her first?
She felt sick to her stomach, but tried to hide her reaction, as she was well aware that the ladies were watching from across the room.
It was a year since his father’s death. Had his mother, in her grief, put him up to it?
Now how were they supposed to get out of this engagement without ruining their reputations?
Why would he do this? After all the letters they’d exchanged over the years, all the insults, surely they were of the same mind? She’d been very honest and open with him, because she wasn’t marrying the man. They’d simply been pen-friends.
If he was back in town, she needed to talk to him.
They had to fix this, somehow.
As soon as she returned home, she’d send a note to his residence.
Surely, they could still get out of this?
~~~
Alexander hadn't been in town for long when he received the expected note from Lizzie.
Anticipation filled him as he tore it open. I’ll be at the Somerset ball this evening and will expect to see you there. Lizzie. No postscript this time. He wondered if that meant anything.
The servants worked around him, reopening the house, so he moved into his father’s office. His office now, he reminded himself.
Yesterday, he’d sent the notice to the newspaper informing the world of his engagement to Lady Elizabeth Huntington.
It was funny, how that gave him so much satisfaction.
She'd no doubt be miffed that he’d done so before they’d even met up again, but mayhap that was partly why he’d done it.
He thought about the letters they'd written to each other over the years, and knew that despite the sniping, the griping, and semi-regular postscript, “P.S. I loathe you,” they were going to get along just fine.
She certainly made him laugh.
He couldn’t believe it had actually been nine years since he’d last seen her.
No matter—he'd see her later tonight, and they’d get it all worked out once and for all.
He had some things to do, some business to take care of, or, he had to admit to himself, he'd run right over there like a lovesick lad.
He honestly couldn't wait to see what she looked like after all this time. He was excited to see her again. Excited to marry her.
Even if she turned out to be as homely as he had once thought her, he would still be happy to have her. The letters had shown him her true character.
She was kind, witty, and strong.
He loved her, or at least he thought he did. He could love her, anyway.
At the age of twenty and five he was not only ready to be married, but he was ready to have his wife in his bed.
He smiled in anticipation.
He’d be at that ball tonight.
Chapter Three
“Congratulations! We saw the notice in the paper today.”
With a smile on her face, Lizzie turned away from her group of admirers to see her friend Julianna Stanton behind her.
“Oh, thank you so much.” She allowed only a hint of sarcasm to color her tone as she didn’t want anyone else in the room to know her true feelings on the subject. Julianna however knew all.
“Come,” she beckoned her friend. “Join us.”
Julianna waved at her mother across the room, and then stepped into their circle to join in the conversation. Mr. Pike and Lord Reeves, both rather silly men, often sought both girls out for conversation.
Julianna’s smile was impish. “What are we talking about today?”
Mr. Pike, his blond hair disheveled and unruly, grinned. “Lord Robbins was apparently caught out by his wife with his mistress. Apparently, both women were waiting for him after parliament let out, and met up with him at the same time.”
Juliana was properly scandalized. “Is he here tonight?”
“I don’t think he or his wife will dare show their faces for the rest of the season.”
“Oh dear.” Juliana looked around as if hoping for a glimpse of the disgraced man.
Mr. Russell, the American rancher from Texas, arrived just in time to hear the last bit. “Who won’t dare to show their face?”
Lizzie brightened as, this time, Lord Reeves insisted on telling the story.
Mr. Russell’s smile was slow and spread clear to his eyes as Lord Reeves regaled him with the tale. “Well, well. As my grandfather used to say, if she’s a lady, treat her like a queen. The man must have missed the reminder.”
They all laughed.
Mr. Russell turned to look at Lizzie and Julianna. He was strong, young, and had a determined air about him. With his brown hair, broad cheekbones, and solid jaw he was quite welcome company. “My, my. You ladies look mighty fine this evening.”
�
��Thank you, Mr. Russell.”
Julianna was blushing.
And that’s why she liked to spend time with Mr. Russell. He was both handsome and personable. And his flattery was a lot of fun.
She was glad she could enjoy it. She couldn’t help but be on edge, as she just knew Alexander was going to show. The longer the day had gone on, the angrier she’d grown over the whole thing. She’d been quite clear about the fact that she didn’t intend to marry him.
Was he trying to force her hand with the announcement?
Or was he as surprised as she was?
When they finally announced the name of The Much Honored Captain Alexander MacGregor, Laird of Inverdeem, she was a bundle of nerves.
He stood at the top of the staircase, and it was as if she was looking upon a stranger, though she knew him well. Or as well as any pen-friend could know another, she supposed.
She took in his outfit. He wore a kilt of dark green and blue plaid, and he’d paired it with the traditional redcoat of the army. His legs were showing beneath the hem of the kilt, which she knew would scandalize and titillate the ladies, but he looked large, strong, and dangerous. And amazingly handsome.
He scanned the crowd and dizziness struck her, leaving her feeling slightly faint. She realized she was holding her breath like a ninny.
Gulping in air, she followed his gaze to where it settled upon her mother.
She pointed in Lizzie’s direction.
He scanned the crowd once more, his gaze flying right over her, before it snapped back again.
She couldn’t breathe. Did he recognize her?
The realization that he did left her feeling slightly out of sorts as he started walking down the stairs. He’d called her homely as a child, and she didn’t believe she resembled that fourteen-year-old girl any longer.
Yet he was making his way straight toward her, and it took her a moment to work out the fact that her red hair probably gave her away.
Bright, shining, and practically the color of fire. Frizzy Lizzie. She heard the harsh echo in her mind.
As he made his way toward her, he grinned, showing even, white teeth, and she realized he truly was incredibly attractive.
She hadn’t been expecting that. Not in the least.
The gentlemen she stood with realized they no longer held her attention and, following her gaze, their eyes widened.
“Did they say that was MacGregor?” Mr. Pike asked.
“They did.” Her voice was faint.
As one, the three men turned to look at her, gaging her reaction.
She pasted on a pleasant smile, and glanced back to see that MacGregor had been stopped by Colonel Templeton.
She turned back to see Mr. Russell watching her closely.
“You look like you need a bit of air. Can I take you outside?”
She nodded, gratefully. “That would be nice, thank you.”
~~~
Alexander watched Lizzie being led away by a tall, lanky gentleman.
Colonel Templeton wanted to discuss the war on the peninsula, and how it was faring. He couldn’t seem to get the man to understand that he hadn’t been on the front lines for an entire year.
Several more people came over to offer their condolences on his father’s death, and also congratulations on his upcoming nuptials.
He tried to respond appropriately as he kept an eye on the balcony doors where Lizzie had exited. Finally, with forced good humor, he excused himself and made a beeline for the veranda.
He stepped outside, and was just in time to see the other man bend his head and attempt to kiss Lizzie!
“Lizzie!” He called her name sharply.
For one horrible moment, he thought that he might have the wrong girl. She certainly didn’t resemble the fourteen-year-old he remembered.
With a gasp, she jumped back and took an extra step away from the man. “Captain MacGregor. How … ,” She glanced up at the man in front of her, and then back at Alexander. “How nice to see you,” she said weakly.
It was her.
Before he knew he’d intended to do it, he crossed the space between them, grabbed the other man by his neckcloth, and shoved him away.
He gathered Lizzie under one arm and pressed her close to his side as he glared at the other man, who seemed to be considering violence. “If ye’d like tae spare yourself a sound beatin’, then I suggest ye stay away from my intended.”
That seemed to give the other man pause.
Lizzie groaned.
Alexander’s head felt hot as he stared the other man down, waiting while the scabby git considered the odds, then finally made his bow to Lizzie and turned and walked back inside.
The man hadn’t looked repentant in the least. And why was that?
He swung Lizzie around so he could grip her by the shoulders, wanting to curse her for how beautiful she’d become. “Would ye like to explain that tae me? I havenae seen ye in nine years, but I still expected ye to be faithfully awaiting my return. More fool me?”
She lifted a hand to the smooth skin of her forehead. “Captain MacGregor, we need to talk.”
Feeling dangerous, he reined in his temper and carefully led her toward the balcony doors, but she dug in her heels. He couldn’t help but notice the delicacy of her porcelain skin against the flame of her hair, her warm brown eyes and their lush dark lashes.
“Stop. I need to discuss something with you.”
Though they were now in full view of the crowded ballroom, Alexander could not stand her defiant tone a moment longer and gave into his instincts to show her, and everyone else, that she was his. Grasping the back of her head with one hand, he secured her waist with the other and leaned in and kissed her.
Her lips were warm, giving, compliant. His. Everyone would now know it, including Lizzie, and including the blackguard that had been out here with her. He kissed her with such blind, ravenous intensity that he was caught in the spell of his own making, her lips petal-soft, smooth, and compelling.
He’d waited for this moment for what seemed forever, envisioning it in hundreds of different ways.
The gasps and murmurs from the crowd finally stopped him.
He lifted his head to see her stunned expression and smiled.
Lizzie was finally his.
~~~
The kiss was wonderful compared to the one she remembered.
Alexander had been practicing.
She hadn’t been able to pull away, and had forgotten herself completely. Her knees felt weak, and she grabbed his arm to steady herself as she once again reminded herself to breathe.
He smiled, seeming to like that reaction very much.
Breathing deeply, she glanced into the ballroom, and horror overtook her. “Dear, Lord. I can’t believe you just did that. What are you trying to do? Ruin us?” She whispered the words through stiffening lips.
“Are ye ready tae go inside?”
At that, fire lit her dark eyes. “Inside, outside, what does it matter? Let’s let everyone here enjoy every second of our reunion.”
“I’m not the one who walked outside with another man.”
She made a scoffing noise. “We need to talk.”
“If we doonae go back inside, right now, I think we truly will be thoroughly ruined. Come in and dance with me.”
“I don’t want to dance.”
His arm around her shoulders, he led her through the doors and onto the dance floor anyway, and she didn’t resist, as every eye in the place was upon them.
They faced each other across the floor, and when the music started, they both moved forward, close enough that she could talk to him. “Your mother put our wedding notice in the newspaper. We need to fix this.”
They circled around each other, mixing with the other dancers until they were face to face again. “I put the notice in the paper, not my mother.”
Her chin lifted. “Why would you do that?”
The intricate steps took them away and back again and they clasped ha
nds and circled. “Why would I not? I’ve waited long enough for my bride, and I’m here tae claim you.”
“Claim me? Like a lost dog?”
She heard him laugh as he moved away once more, but when he came back, his eyes were narrowed. “Are ye trying to end our engagement? Because that will never happen. We will marry; to do otherwise would ruin us both.”
Side-by-side, with the other couples, they moved up and down the floor as she tried to think of a way to convince him.
“Do you want to marry another?”
“No.”
“Mayhap the man you were on the balcony with?”
“I said, no.”
“We are getting married. Except it. I’ll not let ye go until my life is at its end.”
“That can definitely be arranged,” she said darkly.
He laughed, looking delighted with her as she swung away once more.
~~~
The dance ended, and so that was that for now. It was not the ideal location to have this talk anyway, and so she determined to put it behind her for the night.
Which was just as well, as everyone in the entire ton seemed to think she was overjoyed, and so they were elated for her in turn.
Lady Yeatman took them both to task for kissing on the veranda. “Such behavior, young man. And you, Lady Elizabeth. I would think that you, at least, would show a little more dignity. You are, after all, in genteel company.”
“My apologies, my lady,” Alexander charmed the older woman with a smile. “I was overcome at seeing her after so long away.”
She softened. “Ah, well … just see that it doesn’t happen again.”
Lizzie’s ire rose.
They also endured some finger wagging and another lecture, but overall the consensus seemed to be that watching them come together after years separated by war was romantic, and that excused much.
She could hear other men telling Alexander, “You lucky dog. Look what a beauty she’s grown into,” and other such talk.
He simply smiled at her, thinking she was trapped.
She was more determined than ever that she’d win her freedom.
Feeling conflicted, she went in search of Julianna. The other girl’s conversation and humorous outlook were exactly what she needed right now.
