Since the banns were to be read in the local kirk on Sunday, in three weeks’ time Alec and Donella would be married. That meant Edie and her mother would have to make a prompt escape from Blairgal. She could only hope that tonight’s formal dinner, with the entire family and selected guests in attendance, would be one of the last meals she and Mamma ate under this roof.
With any luck, they would be on their way to Yorkshire in two days, at the latest. As far as Edie was concerned, spending the winter with Great-Aunt Eugenia was infinitely preferable to seeing Alec escort his beautiful Scottish bride to the joyous celebration that would follow the wedding of the Master of Riddick to the pride of Clan Graham.
Edie’s mother, however, was clearly not yet ready to give up the fight.
Magnificently attired in an emerald silk gown that wouldn’t have looked out of place in the ballrooms of the ton, Mamma sailed over to the chaise and gracefully sat. “Of course I’m not expecting you to put yourself in a compromising position. Although that particular strategy did work out rather well in your sister’s case,” she said thoughtfully. “And the circumstances were similar.”
“They weren’t the least bit similar. Michael Beaumont and Evie weren’t engaged when she and Wolf were discovered in, er, well, you know,” Edie said, windmilling a hand.
Mamma’s brows went up. “Of course I remember. I’m the one who discovered them.”
“Technically, it was Michael who discovered them, but let’s not quibble. Besides, I can’t really believe you would seriously suggest such a thing. There’s no guarantee that it would work, and if it didn’t then I would end up with an even worse reputation.”
Her mother let out a dramatic sigh. “I suppose you’re right, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a serious chat with Captain Gilbride and find out what he really thinks. If he truly doesn’t want to go through with it, there must be a solution to this exceedingly ridiculous situation.”
Edie turned back to the mirror, blindly reaching for her garnet ear bobs. “There isn’t, Mamma. Trust me on that. Besides, I already informed the captain that there’s nothing to be done, so there’s no point in talking about it any further.”
“When did you do that?” her mother demanded.
Edie tried to insert a bob, but her hands were shaking too badly. Mentally cursing, she put it down. “This afternoon, when I happened to run into him.”
Actually, he’d run her to ground outside the library, where she’d gone to pour her heart out to her sister in a ridiculously self-pitying and sentimental missive that she’d eventually tossed into the fire. She’d been stalking out of the library when she ran right into Alec, who’d been searching for her. He’d made it perfectly clear that he was annoyed with her for avoiding him when they obviously had a great deal to talk about.
Steeling herself against the pain lurking in his stormy gray gaze, she’d asked if there were any new developments in the situation with Donella. When he’d hesitated, obviously thinking of some way to placate her, she’d tersely told him that she refused to engage in any more private discussions with him since matters remained unchanged. She’d then turned on her heel and marched off, forcing herself to ignore his exasperated demand that she come back.
He’d made no attempt to come after her, and that was just as well. After all, what was there to say that wouldn’t make them both feel worse? Alec would fulfill his obligations to his betrothed and his family and would eventually make his peace with it. In fact, she had little doubt he would soon find himself satisfied with the bride chosen for him. Donella was beautiful, kind, and intelligent, and she obviously understood what the role of Countess of Riddick entailed. It was ridiculous to ever think Edie and Alec could have made a go of it in the first place. They were like chalk and cheese, and had been from the moment they met.
At least that’s what she’d told herself when she’d hurried away, desperate to hide the tears that trickled from beneath the beautiful pair of spectacles Alec had given her. Spectacles that now sat in their pretty green case on her dressing room table. Edie might someday be able to wear them again, but not now. Not tonight, when she felt like her heart was being sundered in two. Tonight, she actually preferred not to see what was going on around her.
She took a deep breath and told herself to stop acting like a tragedy queen. She picked up her ear bobs and smoothly inserted one and then the other. Then she turned around to face her mother. “It’s over, Mamma. In fact, it never really got started, so there’s no need to make such a fuss.”
Her mother’s eyebrows ticked up. “I never make a fuss, Eden, as you well know. I will not, however, stand aside and do nothing while my daughter’s happiness is at stake.”
Edie tried to laugh it off. “That’s rather dramatic, don’t you think?”
Her mother tilted her head, inspecting her with the canny expression that Edie was beginning to find distinctly unnerving.
“Eden, my dear,” she said in a quiet voice, “you’ve been out on the marriage mart for almost seven years, and not once have I seen you give even a corner of your heart to a man. But you have to Gilbride, and quite decidedly.”
Edie felt her chest constrict. “I haven’t, Mamma, I assure you.”
Her mother rose in a graceful rustle of silk. “Of course you have, child. You’re in love with him.”
Even though Edie was seated, the floor seemed to drop out from beneath her. Or perhaps it felt more like a bandage had just been ripped off a wound. “That’s . . . that’s ridiculous,” she said. It was an unconvincing protest.
“And he’s more than halfway in love with you,” Mamma said. “It certainly wouldn’t take much on your part to bring him the rest of the way. Then the captain will be motivated enough to convince Miss Haddon that they simply won’t suit.”
Edie stared at her mother’s complacent smile, dumbstruck that she could be so naïve.
“And I would be perfectly happy to speak to Lord Riddick on your behalf,” Mamma added with an insouciance that bordered on the unbelievable.
“Mamma, no,” Edie gasped, jumping to her feet. “You cannot speak to the earl about this. He’ll be furious.”
Her mother’s chin went up in an arrogant tilt. “The earl’s anger cannot be allowed to stand as an impediment to my daughter’s happiness. It’s time someone talked some sense into that man. If Captain Gilbride won’t do it, then I must take that duty upon myself.”
Edie groped for words. Clearly, she’d failed to take into account just how firmly Mamma had set her heart on her daughter marrying the heir to a rich earldom.
As for her mother’s assertion that Edie was in love with Alec, well, she refused to think about that right now. It didn’t make one bit of difference, and it hurt too much to even contemplate. What truly mattered right now was preventing Mamma from speaking with Lord Riddick. The two could barely stand to be in the same room as it was, and broaching this topic right before the formal betrothal dinner would surely result in verbal explosions that would blow all the roofs off Blairgal Castle.
“All right, Mamma, you win,” Edie blurted out. “I’ll find Captain Gilbride right now and speak with him.”
Her mother rewarded her with a dazzling smile. “Splendid, my dear. I believe I overheard the captain ask his father to meet him in the library before the guests arrived.”
Overheard? Eavesdropped, more likely, which only showed how determined her mother was to manipulate events in Edie’s favor.
“I’ll try the library, then,” she said. “Why don’t you get your things and go down to the drawing room. I’ll meet you there after I’ve talked to Alec.”
Her mother came over and gave her an airy kiss. “Good luck, my dear, not that you’ll need it. You look perfectly lovely in that dress. And I’m so glad to see you’ve decided not to wear your spectacles tonight. Why, the captain won’t have a hope of resisting you.”
On that appalling note, her mother glided out of the room. Edie grabbed her spectacles and shoved the
m onto her nose, then snatched up her gloves and fan and stalked to the door. With every step, she mentally cursed her mother, Lord Riddick, Alec, and everyone else she could think of.
Events were careening out of control, and it was up to her to rein them back in.
“I know you’re ambivalent about this decision, Alasdair, but I’m sure it will be fine if you give it some time,” Walter said with an encouraging smile. “Donella is a lovely girl, and she’ll make you a fine countess. You’ve made everyone very happy with this decision.”
Alec pinched the space between his eyebrows, right where a headache had been lurking for the last two days. The conversation was not going the way he’d wanted, as usual. “I think we all know that the decision was made over my objections.”
He turned from Walter and stalked over to the window overlooking the valley. The landscape, bleached under the light of a huge moon, looked otherworldly and eerily beautiful. He could imagine the fairy folk coming down from the slopes of Ben Venue or up from the depths of the forests to dance in the glens. Too bad the wee bastards couldn’t make a visit to Blairgal and cart his entire bloody family back to their hidden kingdom beneath the hills—preferably for several centuries.
He heard his stepfather’s soft footfall approach. “Alasdair, I know this isn’t what you want, at least right—”
“It’s not something I want, ever,” Alec growled.
“You don’t know that,” Walter said in a firm voice. “You’re not giving Donella a chance. You’re not giving your family a chance.”
Alec tried to scowl, but it was hard with Walter, who stood there so patiently and with such a worried look on his thin, lined face. His stepfather wasn’t getting any younger either, and not for the first time did Alec realize how much Walter and his grandfather needed him. Yes, Fergus had been there to help, but it wasn’t the same. The responsibilities of Blairgal and its estates were burdensome. His grandfather had carried that burden for most of his lifetime, and Walter had done his best to support him. But they were both wearing down, that much was clear.
Alec wasn’t even sure how much time on earth his grandfather had left, given the poor state of his health, and that dragged him down with a fair measure of guilt. He’d stayed away for ten long years, and his family had not held him back. Now, they needed him, so how could he turn his back on them?
But what he couldn’t understand was why he had to turn his back on Edie.
“Of course I’m giving you a chance,” he said. “I came home, did I not?”
Walter gave him a sad smile. “Not willingly, I think.”
Alec shrugged. “If I’d wanted to stay away, I would have.”
“It seems to me that you want to make this choice entirely on your own terms.” Walter’s voice held a hint of disapproval.
“I fail to see what’s wrong with that,” Alec said, not hiding his exasperation. “Nor do I believe that my terms, as you call them, are unwarranted.”
Walter’s eyes went wide. “Alasdair, you’re proposing to renege on a long-standing commitment of honor. How can that be anything less than acceptable?”
He repressed the urge to snap back, because Walter had the best of intentions. But the family’s willful blindness on this issue would soon drive him crazy.
“Father, the family is trying to force Donella and me into a loveless marriage, and that’s hardly in either of our best interests.”
Walter tut-tutted the notion. “Hardly that, Alec. You and Donella were always very fond of each other—”
“No, we weren’t,” Alec bluntly interjected.
“You were always fond of each other,” his stepfather repeated with determination, “and you simply need time for those feelings of affection to resurface.”
“Donella doesn’t even like me,” Alec protested. “She used to call me a godless heathen when we were young.”
Walter smiled. “I’m sure she wouldn’t call you that now, Alasdair. You’ve grown into a fine young man. Your cousin sees that as well, I’m sure. She’s simply a little shy about expressing it.”
“She doesn’t want to marry me,” he replied through clenched teeth.
“Has she told you that?”
“Of course not. She’s afraid to.”
Walter frowned. “Why?”
“Because she bloody well doesn’t want to disappoint her family, that’s why. It was that damned deathbed promise. You know how religious she is. Christ, it’s like she took some sort of sacred vow.”
“Alasdair, there is no need to employ that sort of language,” his stepfather replied in an austere voice. “And a deathbed vow is a very serious business.”
“Father, she was little more than a child at the time, and she was grieving over the impending death of her parent. It was badly done.”
“Alasdair, if I truly believed your cousin didn’t want this marriage, I would be the first to support you,” Walter said earnestly. “But I feel certain that she does. As I said, she’s simply feeling a little shy because you’ve been parted for so long. Despite what her mother says, there’s no need to rush right into marriage. If you want to take some time to court the lass, I will certainly support you on that count.”
“Tell me something. Have you ever asked Donella specifically if she wants to marry me?”
“Of course I have.”
That gave Alec pause. “And what did she say?” he asked.
“That she was looking forward to becoming Countess of Riddick.”
That was a bit daunting, but not insurmountable. “I’m not entirely surprised by that, since she’s been raised to believe she is the rightful countess. That, however, does not mean she wants to marry me, per se. The opposite would seem to be true, in fact, if her behavior is any indication. It’s simply that she can’t get one without the other.”
His stepfather let out a gentle scoff. “That makes no sense.”
“Aunt Glenna has been banging the notion into Donella’s head for over ten years. What else is the poor girl supposed to think?”
Not to mention the fact that his cousin was so blasted obedient that it would never occur to her to stand up to the wishes of her family.
His stepfather shook his head, his sad expression making Alec feel rather like a worm. “I’m loath to say this, Alasdair, but I’m quite disappointed in your reaction to this situation. Donella doesn’t deserve this shabby sort of treatment from you. None of us do.”
And didn’t that feel like a rusty blade to the gut? Alec wasn’t used to giving up. Not until there was a pistol pointed right at his head, and usually not even then. But things were beginning to feel more than a bit desperate.
“Father, you know as well as I do that mismatched marriages can be a disaster, do you not?” He knew Walter hated talking about his fraught marriage to Alec’s mother, but what choice did he have at this point but to pull out the big guns?
His stepfather let out a heavy sigh, but he surprised Alec by giving him a gentle smile. He turned and walked over to the fireplace, stopping to gaze up at the enormous portrait of Alec’s mother that dominated that end of the room. “Come join me, lad,” he said.
Alec trudged over to join him, and they gazed up at the slender, dark-haired girl who smiled down at them. The artist had skillfully captured his mother’s beauty and charm. A smile played about her lips and her silvery-gray gaze gleamed with mischief and a zest for life. She’d been barely twenty then, just prior to her first trip to London. That trip was when she’d thrown caution and her marriage vows to the wind, engaging in her brief, tempestuous affair with a royal.
Walter smiled up at his wife. “I loved her, from the first moment I set eyes on her.”
“I know you did. I also know you weren’t happy.” Alec lifted a hand to his mother’s image. “Even then, when this portrait was painted, you were already fighting.”
Walter let out a gentle sigh. “Yes, although that was certainly more my fault than hers. She was so young and unused to having to take another
person’s feelings into consideration. It was very hard on her to deal with a husband who was older and something of an old stick.”
Alec bit back the words he wanted to say—that his mother was selfish. He’d never truly known her and didn’t have the right to make that judgment. But there were other judgments he could make.
“She didn’t love you, did she?” he asked, hating that he had to ask the question.
Walter glanced at him. “No, she did not, as you well know. She married me to please your grandfather.”
“And look how well that turned out.”
His stepfather turned to face him. “I think you turned out very well,” he said in a dry voice. “I have no regrets, Alasdair, either about my marriage or having the privilege of raising you as my son. Besides, your mother was very young when we married, and we barely knew each other. Such is not the case with you and Donella. You won’t make the same mistakes we did.”
“I’d like the chance not to make those same mistakes in the first place.”
His stepfather’s eyes narrowed behind his spectacles. He was starting to look annoyed, and when Walter got annoyed he got stubborn. For all that he was a gentle scholar, he was also the grandson of a duke and a son of the Highlands. And he could be as bloody pigheaded as any Scot Alec had ever met.
“Alasdair, you are missing the point,” Walter said.
“Which is?”
“That, despite your mother’s mistake, we stayed loyal to her. Your grandfather and I never gave up loving her. And after you were born, she never gave up loving you till the day she died.” His stepfather took a step forward and rested a firm hand on his shoulder. “We all remained loyal to you.”
And there it was, the knife that slid all the way in and lodged itself in his heart. Because Walter was right—they had all remained loyal to Alec and to each other. His grandfather and father could have turned their backs on Lady Fiona, but they never did. They’d cherished her, as they did her son. Instead of treating him as a shameful thing to be hidden away, they’d loved and protected him against all the ugly whispers and rumors. That had made it possible for him to have a life of privilege and wealth.
How to Marry a Royal Highlander Page 21
