by Meara Platt
“She hasn’t contradicted your kinsmen, so everyone believes you’ve proposed to her. But she’s hurt, Thad. She feels you’ve made a laughing stock of her.”
“Och, it was never my intention. If I could take back my words, I surely would. Ye know I’d never purposely hurt the lass.” He rose and began to pace. “I’ve loved her all my life. Ye know I have. She didn’t need to test out those recipes in The Book of Love to sway me. I would have proposed to her the moment I returned to England had I anything to offer her. Until a few days ago, I had nothing.”
Nathaniel poured Thad’s cousins a brandy, pausing only a moment to hand them their drinks before he responded. “I would have given you my consent.”
“I know, but it wouldn’t have been fair to her. She’s a grand lass. She was raised to be the wife of a nobleman. She belongs in a fine house and deserves to go about in elegant Society. I would have killed her spirit by dragging her to Thurso and the hardships of a Highland winter.”
“But all that’s changed now,” Nathaniel said.
Thad nodded. “I’m heir to the Earl of Hume, if he’s to be believed. He was shoving a duke’s daughter at me. Caithness was doing the same. If I’m to marry, it will only be to yer sister. I’ll have no other lass as my wife.”
“Well, you’ll have a way to go before she believes you love her. Caithness and Hume saw to that with their inelegant meddling.”
“No, it isn’t the fault of those old bastards. It’s my fault. I’ve used her poorly. Serves me right for tossing her up as an excuse. I’ve probably pushed her straight into Wycke’s arms.”
“Maybe, but there’s nothing to be done about it today.” He rose and started for the door. “Come on, I may as well introduce your cousins to our guests. There’s plenty of food. Help yourselves. Our guestrooms are full, but Beast and Goose will take you in at Gosling Hall. How long do you plan on staying?”
“No more than a day or two,” Thad said, wishing he had another week.
But that wasn’t going to happen. The injured men deserved to be brought home as soon as possible. He was no longer their regimental commander, but they had been through the worst of the war with him in charge. He could not abandon them now. No matter that his cousins were capable. These were his soldiers, his brethren. He would always feel responsible for them. “We’ll head north the day after tomorrow.”
He doubted Penelope would forgive him by then, but all he had to do was gain her promise not to accept Wycke’s proposal.
Once she calmed down, hopefully by the time he returned to Wellesford, he’d propose to her in earnest. He’d let her know his intentions before he rode off. She did not need to answer him now. He wanted to give her time to consider what marriage to him would entail.
He’d place his heart in her hands.
She could do with it as she wished, and would hopefully not crush it.
He’d love her no matter her decision.
“Thad, good to see you!” He was accosted by friends and acquaintances the moment he stepped into the garden with his cousins. After making introductions, he attempted to leave this inner circle of hell. Not that he minded Poppy or Olivia, or the dowagers, but Caithness and Hume were now standing beside him, and so was Wycke.
As for Wycke’s mother and sister, they were eyeing his cousins with avid curiosity.
Malcolm nudged him. “Is Wycke’s sister spoken for?”
“Not that I’m aware. Anne had no beaus as of a few weeks ago.”
“She’s a pretty lass.”
Thad’s gaze drifted to Anne Halford. She was attractive in a quiet, unadorned way. Her hair was a honey-brown and her eyes were a mix of brown and green. She was on the small side, but full-figured. In other words, Malcolm’s low brain function had taken control and he was admiring the girl’s breasts. He knew exactly what his big, dumb cousin was thinking. Fertile female. Want to mate with her.
Gad, no wonder Loopy considered all of them idiots.
He paid no more attention to his cousin’s musings as Hume and Caithness approached him. “Glad ye’re here, lad. It’s time ye sealed this betrothal,” Hume said.
Caithness nodded in agreement. “That damn Sassenach lord has been doing his best to steal the lass from ye. Good thing we were here to put him off.”
More like push her straight into Wycke’s arms.
“What are ye old goats doing here? I dinna invite ye to meddle in my courtship.” Of course, he wasn’t courting Loopy, and by the fire in her eyes when he’d seen her earlier, there would be no such thing happening until she got over her hurt and anger.
The earls ignored his comment. “Where is the lass?” Caithness asked. “I thought she left us to greet ye?”
Robbie, who was listening in on the conversation, gave a snorting laugh. “Och, she greeted him all right. The lass is on fire for him.”
“Shut up, Robbie.” Thad folded his arms across his chest as he returned his attention to the two old men. “I want ye gone from here. Now.”
Caithness mimicked his stance. “Save yer breath, lad. We aren’t leaving until she gives ye an answer.”
Thad groaned.
“But rest easy,” Hume said. “Ye’re a handsome lad. If she seems reluctant, just kiss her as though ye mean it.”
“I would mean it.”
“Then where’s the problem?” Caithness grumbled. “Ye can’t blame us for being cautious. The fate of Scotland–”
“You came to inspect her like ye would a herd of cattle. Ye had no right.”
Hume raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “If she’s to be the next Countess Hume, the lass will need to meet with my approval. Ye needn’t make a fuss. She’s bonny enough. Ye’ll have my consent to marry her.”
“And mine,” Caithness assured.
“But you won’t have mine,” Wycke said, approaching him. “I intend to fight for her.”
Chapter Nine
Penelope was already regretting her decision to rejoin Lavinia, Matilda, and the others under the massive shade tree in the garden. She’d returned in time to hear the two Scottish earls approve of her betrothal to Thad, even though the big oaf had yet to propose to her.
And now the Earl of Wycke had just declared his intention to fight for her hand in marriage. She had to give him credit for his determination, or was it simple lunacy? Thomas Halford had made the declaration in front of five burly Scots, one of whom was the size of a full-grown oak tree. Malcolm was the name of that giant. Penelope hoped he was not ill-tempered, for no one, not even Thad, who was quite big and brawny himself, would be able to stop him if he decided to uproot Wycke and toss him like a caber across the garden.
“My lord, I’m–” Before she could finish her comment, a keening shout pierced the air, quickly followed by more shouts from the boys who had been watching Pip ride Monarch near the back gate.
Penelope took off at a run toward them when their shouts turned to cries of alarm. Her heart was beating wildly and the breath suddenly rushed out of her as Monarch reared on his hind legs and then bucked on his forelegs, and once again reared on his hind legs.
He was trying to toss Pip off the saddle. “Pip! Get your foot out of the stirrup!”
The boy was desperately trying to hang on, but couldn’t. At this point, Penelope could only pray he would tumble off cleanly. Any broken bones suffered from the fall would heal in a short time.
But if the horse took off at a run with Pip’s foot caught–
Her cousin would be dragged along the ground, likely killed the moment his head hit a rock. “Pip!”
She heard footsteps behind her and knew others were responding to the cries of the local boys. Thank goodness, Dr. Carmichael was at the party. She’d last noticed him chatting with Miss Billings. Where was he now? They’d have need of him.
Monarch was still bucking and kicking, obviously frightened by something.
What trick had the boys been attempting that got him so riled?
She reached out to gr
ab the reins, but Monarch chose that moment to rise once again on his hind legs. The beast suddenly loomed over her with his powerful hooves flailing. She tried to scramble out of the way, but stumbled.
Then all she saw was a wildness in the horse’s eyes. All she heard were his frantic neighs and heavy snorts. The breath rushed out of her as those big hooves hovered directly over her, scratching at the air before descending on her.
She tried to scream, but what came out was an ironic laugh. She’d never had two beaus before. No one had ever vied for her hand until a few days ago.
And now she was going to die.
“Och, Loopy!” Thad’s massive arms were suddenly around her like a warm, protective blanket, lifting her out of the way as he shielded her with his body.
“Thad!” She heard a soft thud, and then felt a rippling shudder course through him, for he was still holding her body tightly against his. She knew he’d just absorbed the brunt of the horrific impact as Monarch’s hooves landed on him.
He loosened his grip on her and shoved her to safety while he collapsed, with a curse, to his knees. “Bollocks, ye’re the most vexing lass that ever existed.”
Penelope watched in a daze as her brother and Beast subdued the frightened horse. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dr. Carmichael and Thad’s two cousins run forward to kneel over Pip’s little, crumpled body.
But in the next moment, the boy sat up with a howl.
“A broken arm,” one of Thad’s cousins remarked.
But what of Thad? The two earls, Caithness and Hume, were bending over him as he now lay on the ground.
She shook out of her momentary stupor. “Thad!”
She sank to her knees beside him.
Dear heaven! What had she done?
“I’ll be all right, lass.” She didn’t believe him, for his voice was strained and pain etched his handsome features.
Wycke now stood beside him. “It’s his arm, it’s rotated out of the shoulder socket.”
Penelope gasped, noting the odd dangle of his arm as it protruded from his now torn shirt. She wanted to call Dr. Carmichael over, but how could she call him away from Pip who had also suffered a broken bone and perhaps worse?
She didn’t know what to do.
Wycke took her hand and gave it an assuring squeeze. “Let him take care of the boy.” She followed his gaze, which was momentarily fixed on the doctor as he worked on a still howling Pip, and then he turned back to her. “I know how to fix his shoulder.” Wasting not another moment, he knelt behind Thad and gingerly placed one hand above and one below the bone. “This will hurt, MacLauren. But only for a moment while I manipulate your arm back in place.”
To Penelope’s surprise, Thad readily accepted Wycke’s ministration. “Och, do it. I’ve seen injuries such as these on the battlefield.”
“What can I do?” Penelope was certain she was going to be ill, but if these men could manage to remain calm, so would she.
“Nothing,” Thad said, casting her a wincing glance. “Men fall off their horses all the time. This sort of thing happens often enough in the heat of battle. There isn’t a cavalry soldier alive who hasn’t taken a tumble.”
But Penelope knew it hadn’t happened to Thad before, not while he rode with the Greys. Perhaps as a lad, when he was learning those dangerous tricks.
“Och, Mother of–”
Her heart shot into her throat as she heard the crack and pop of bone relocating in its socket. Thad’s face was ashen. He tried to rise, but his kinsmen would not hear of it. “Stay put, lad,” Caithness said. “Yer cousins will help ye into the house in a moment. Ye need to be in bed.”
“I dinna need to be coddled. Besides, this house must be full. Not a bed to be had.”
“Why must you always be so thick-headed?” Penelope wanted to throw her arms around him, but there were too many people watching. “Put him in mine.” The instruction tumbled from her lips before she realized what she was saying. “I mean… Yes, my bed. But I’ll move in with Aunt Lavinia. Or I’ll stay at Gosling Hall.”
Wycke frowned at her. “Lady Penelope, I don’t think–”
“Or you can give up your guest quarters, my lord.” She frowned back at him, which was perhaps harsh, for he’d just helped Thad when he could have stepped back and allowed him to suffer. They were rivals, after all. “You see,” she said, softening her tone, “that’s where Captain MacLauren always stays whenever he comes to visit.”
“So it’s more his room than mine,” Wycke said with a nod. “Of course, I’ll give it over to him.”
She smiled at him. “That’s very kind of you. Quite generous, indeed. Soames will see that all your belongings are moved to Gosling Hall.”
“No.” Thad gave a snorting laugh and then a yelp of pain. “Ye canno’ kick the man out of his guest quarters. He fixed my shoulder.”
Penelope rolled her eyes, knowing Thad was about to pull his ‘Scottish code of honor’ speech, which she had no patience for right now. How could she listen to his drivel when he was obviously writhing in pain? “You’re hurt.”
“No, lass. Just a scratch. I’ll be fine in a moment.”
“Your face is a bilious green.” She brushed a lock of hair off his forehead that was beaded with sweat. “You almost got yourself killed, you big ox.”
“Better me than you. Gad, ye’re a vexing Harpy.” He turned to Wycke. “Take her back to her aunt. Make sure she isn’t hurt.”
“I’m fine,” Penelope insisted.
“Ye’re trembling, lass. Sit down under the shade tree. Take a sip of lemonade, and…keep out of trouble.”
She made no protest, understanding Thad’s pride and knowing he had no wish to have her watch him attempt to stand up on his own shaky legs, assuming he had the strength to manage it. She turned to Wycke. “Take me to Pip first. I need to see he’s all right.”
“The lad’s fine,” Robbie said, arriving at that moment to give them a report. “Seems a harmless garden snake slithered in front of Monarch and gave him a scare.”
Nathaniel now had the boy in his arms and was marching toward them on his way into the house. “Pip has fractured his arm. Dr. Carmichael set it back in place. He’ll be all right. But he needs to rest in bed. How’s Thad?”
“The horse kicked his arm out of socket, but its set back in now,” Wycke responded. “He may need to keep his arm in a sling to allow it to heal.”
Pip was softly crying, but also resisting Nathaniel’s attempt to carry him inside. “I want to stay with my friends.”
“Och, lad.” Thad was now on his feet, albeit leaning against his two cousins, Malcolm and Robbie. “My bone popped out, too. We’ll have matching wounds.”
The boy immediately stopped sniffling and struggling, and his eyes lit up. “We will?”
“Aye. But go on up to yer room now without a fuss. Look at ye, with yer clothes ripped and dirt-stained. Is that any way for yer friends to see you? Addie will tend to ye.”
Penelope removed the lace handkerchief she always kept tucked in her sleeve and used it to wipe away the boy’s tears. “Once you’re settled, we’ll let your friends come up and visit you for a little while.” She exchanged a look with Thad, for she knew how lonely he’d been as a child, and how his heart was now aching for Pip.
Pip was so eager for the company of friends his own age, he would ignore his considerable pain for a precious afternoon with them.
Thad cast her a tender smile before returning his attention to the boy who was now openly worshiping Thad as his hero. “Let’s meet at breakfast in the morning and compare our matching wounds.”
She’d never seen a brighter smile on any child.
Penelope dearly wished to kiss Thad, no matter that he’d lied to everyone about proposing to her. She was still hurt and angry for his presumption, but it paled in importance to seeing her young cousin happy.
Thad’s soft gaze was still upon her.
She cleared her throat and turned away.
; His kinsmen were watching them. So were Lavinia and Matilda, as well as Olivia and Poppy. Even Wycke’s gaze was darting back and forth between her and Thad.
Thad didn’t seem to notice or care. “Eight years of battle,” he said with a light chuckle, “and nary a scratch on me. Five minutes with ye, Loopy, and I’m nearly killed.”
Penelope meant to tip her chin up in defiance, but she could no longer muster any indignation. He was right. She was dangerous to him. A bloodied lip at their last meeting and now an out-of-joint shoulder bone. And Pip might have been killed. Of course, that wasn’t her fault, but she blamed herself anyway. She turned away, fearing to burst into tears.
“Och, lass! I dinna mean–”
“Yes, you did.” She darted into the house as the need to get away from all of them overwhelmed her, especially to get away from Thad who seemed able to manipulate her heart at will.
*
Since Thad had not intended to sleep at Sherbourne Manor—not that there was a jot of space available this weekend anyway—he and Dr. Carmichael were now seated outdoors in an alcove near the kitchen while the good doctor tended to his injury.
“Lord Wycke did a commendable job,” the doctor muttered. “I’ll bind your shoulder to keep the bone in place, but first I’ll have to cleanse your wound. I see blood around your shoulder and across your back. I’m afraid Monarch’s hooves tore your skin. In the shape of a horseshoe, I’ll wager. You’ll have to take your shirt off so I can treat it.”
“I’ll help ye.” Robbie was by the kitchen door, flirting with several maids, but scrambled to Thad’s side.
Dr. Carmichael laughed. “Fine, but not here.” He glanced at the maids who’d also heard his comment and were beginning to gather around Thad. “In Lord Welles’s study. That should lend us some privacy.”
Robbie grinned. “The lasses will be sorely disappointed. I’ll see what I can do to assuage them.”
“Och, Robbie. The earl is my best friend. I’m trying to woo his sister.” Thad grunted to acknowledge the poor job he’d done of it so far. “I don’t need ye merrily ploughing yer way through his maidservants. Just behave yerself for once.” He ran a hand through his already unkempt hair. “And where’s yer brother?”
