“Not until we are thoroughly outside the bounds of saving do we realize our folly,” he continued, emboldened by the mystic quality of the howling night and the rare opportunity it provided to speak his madness without feeling out of place. “And then it’s too late. The sea has claimed us for her own and refuses to relinquish us.”
The wind died down to a low growl, opening the door to humiliation and shame, prompting Daniel to look away, blindly staring at the tapestry.
“Surely there are some who escape, who find ‘at meanin’ they set out fur an’ return triumphant?” Lily whispered beside him.
A lump formed in Daniel’s throat, one he found difficult to swallow down. “The sea swallowed my father. I grapple with that creature,” he nodded at the tapestry. “And how many more drown in the bottle in every port town?” He shook his head, blinking away the stinging of his eyes. “I have very little faith left, Lily.”
Another moment, a tremulous breath, and he turned to her with a weak smile. “Forgive me for burdening you with my presence. I should have refused Gavin’s request.”
“Nae,” she shook her head. “All things happen fur a reason. Ah ken Gavin thinks yer bein’ here will help wi’ what burdens ye, but Ah hadnae considered how it might help us. In more ways than ‘at blasted estate paperwork.”
She appeared sincere, but Daniel had difficulty sharing in such a lofty view. “Even so,” he conceded, I’ll do what I can for you and Miss. MacAllister, then take myself out of your presence again as soon as possible.”
“Back tae th’ sea?”
He hesitated. “It seems neither sea nor land will suffer me at present. I shall take to the wind and see where it drops me.” He saluted her with the tumbler, but before he could bring the glass to his lips, she reached out to stay his movement, offering the mug with a smile.
“It may nae be as dramatic, but it provides a better end result.”
Daniel took the concoction, handing Lily the tumbler. “What is it?”
“Valerian tea. Wi’ a bit ay licorice, anise, an’ honey tae make it more palatable.” She mirrored his salute with the tumbler and took a respectable draught, exhaling with a cringe and a hiss. “Now ‘at’s somethin’ they didnae ken how tae make in France.”
Letting out the first chuckle he could recall uttering in recent months, Daniel followed her lead and tipped back the mug, letting the warm brew soothe the harsh abrasions his doubts left open in him.
“Come, walk me back upstairs, then try tae get a bit ay rest wi’ what’s left ay th’ night.” Lily insisted, leaving him no recourse but to offer his arm. The thought of sleep still worried him, but with a portion of the weight bearing down on him eased for the moment, perhaps he could dare to hope for an uninterrupted hour or two of blissful incoherence.
The unfortunate book collided with the shelf with enough force to send a shudder reverberating through Lenore’s wrist. An echoing clack accompanied the movement, as though one affronted complaint were not enough. True enough, Lenore admitted with a sigh, allowing her shoulders to droop. She passed the morning organizing and reorganizing the books in the study, taking on the task when she noticed her previous assignment of shuffling and reshuffling the paperwork on the desk began to smudge the ink at the edges.
Tossing the remaining books held in the crook of her arm onto a random open space in the recessed shelf, she crossed her arms and turned toward the window, opting to walk rather than tap her toe. After significant urging from Aunt Lily, she relented to the woman’s wishes, swallowed her pride and requested another audience with Tyrsdale. Her rational mind understood the necessity of it, but it still went against the grain.
Aunt Lily correctly pointed out the only reason the Baron refrained from immediately calling in his claim after her last spectacle was likely the fact the clerk was out of town and his presence would be needed for filing the claim. Lily, resourceful as ever, enlisted the aid of a local boy to watch for any sign of the clerk’s return. That news came to them yesterday, followed by Lily’s insistence on a temporary reconciliation. With any luck, they could continue to stall Tyrsdale until after Monday, which was the earliest the Clerk might be found in his office and therefore the day they’d settled on to visit.
“The Baron of Tyrsdale tae see ye, Miss,” the butler’s voice announced from the doorway.
Lenore rubbed her palms over her face and attempted to force her lips into a smile before turning to the man. “Very well, see him in.”
Her neighbor entered, haughty as ever and dripping with embroidery and silk. Oddly, his face held an expression of forced pleasantness, dull eyes propped up by a poorly constructed smile. The sight gave Lenore pause. She expected him to be at a minimum irritated, more likely livid, with her. The false congeniality sent her eyes narrowing and her back straightening to within a hair’s breadth of snapping.
“My dear Miss. MacAllister,” he greeted her with an exaggerated bow.
Dear? Lenore faltered, almost forgetting her own prerequisite greeting. What was the man up to? “Baron, Aam glad ye could come by on such short notice. Will ye hae a seat?” She indicated two chairs on either side of a parquet inlaid pedestal table off to the side of the room as a maid arrived with tea.
“Thank you, that would be lovely.” He wandered to one of the chairs, waiting until she took her seat to follow suit.
The maid prepared the refreshments and arranged the cart near Lenore before making her way out again. Lenore used the time to observe her neighbor closely, both unsure at his strange change of character and unwilling to begin her embarrassing speech while the maid remained in earshot.
“To what do I owe the delight of your request to entertain me, Miss. MacAllister?” Tyrsdale began, transferring a scone to his plate, his jovial countenance twitching slightly under the strain of its maintenance.
Clearing her throat, Lenore swallowed down the bitterness in her words. “After some thought on th’ matter, Baron, Ah am increasingly distraught over mah actions during yer last visit. Ah wanted tae apologize an’ hope ye understand mah actions resulted frae th’ strain ay anxiety relating tae th’ potential loss ay mah familial home.”
“But of course. In fact, I contemplated the matter myself after leaving and came to the same conclusion. As previously mentioned, the details of such a legal rendering are really far too complex for the workings of the feminine mind, which puts me again in a mind to rebuke your brother for leaving it to you.”
He neglected to look up from his plate, rapidly filling with crumbs of the same variation as those which collected on his lips, and that was just as well given the murderous tinge Lenore’s features must have taken on. Her own tea sat cooling, her ability to lift the cup without automatically hurling the piece at his head in question.
“But you’ll be happy to know,” he continued with a smack of his lips and a slurp of tea, “that after much consideration I have landed on a solution which should at once meet the needs and requirements of both our families.”
“Ye hae?” Lenore failed to restrain her shock at her neighbor’s statement, her eyes rounding and jaw dropping. A hint of movement near the door caught her attention. Bringing her startled gaze up, she spied Daniel standing there, half obscured by shadow, with an index finger to his lips. Ever more confused, she brought her blinking attention back to the man sitting across from her, now sporting a self-satisfied grin as he continued to chew loudly.
“Indeed, I’m not sure why it hadn’t occurred to me earlier.”
“An’ what is yer suggestion?” She asked when his prolonged silence threatened to unnerve her.
“We ought to marry,” Tyrsdale stated, matter of fact.
She choked on the bite of pastry she’d brought to her lips in an effort to restrain a snide remark. Bringing her napkin to her mouth, she coughed for almost a full minute and gulped a cup and a half of tea before she’d regained enough composure to blink the tears from her eyes and croak a response. “What?”
During her fit
, Daniel remained in the doorway, though it cost him some effort. His posture stiffened and an odd, unreadable expression formed on his face.
“Marry,” Tyrsdale clarified, stating the word slowly and in an exaggerated tone as though speaking to an elderly or incompetent person. “It makes perfect sense, don’t you think? Aligning our two families will bring an end to this simmering feud, pass ownership of this estate on to me, and still allow for MacAllister family visits and residency. The perfect solution.”
Except that you’ll sell the place the instant it’s in your name and disappear to the winds, you blasted, good-for-nothing— Her mind screamed at her as she took in the smug expression he wore.
“Impossible,” she stated, her resolute tone effectively wiping the smirk from his lips and restoring the customary storm clouds in his eyes.
Jaw tightening, he forced a lackluster smile. “Nonsense, It’s perfectly feasible and in truth the best option. It would also save both of us the hassle of a legal argument.”
Aha. So, that was his purpose. Tyrsdale worried that the inquiries Lenore would make might indeed uncover foul play. Marriage would circumvent that possibility until well after he sold the property and absconded with the proceeds.
“However,” he pouted, sending a blank stare which he likely meant to look contemplative toward the window, “If you are disinclined to my offer, I’m afraid there’s nothing more to discuss and I had best proceed with my claim first thing on Monday. I’d say we’ve exhausted our means of arbitration, wouldn’t you?” He set down his tea with an exaggerated sigh and stood, tugging at his vest and patting at his sides.
Lenore ground her teeth. She couldn’t let him leave, she had to stall for more time. “Ah admit ye are right in yer thought process, Baron,” she responded carefully, thoughts racing as she attempted to form a reasonable excuse for her rejection. “But ye see, Ah am unable tae entertain yer offer at present. Aam... er... Aam...”
Her neighbor paused in his turn toward the door, raising an eyebrow. From the doorway, Daniel peeked around the frame with a similar expression. She swallowed and took in a breath. “Aam already engaged.”
The grimace required a remarkable amount of effort to prevent, but she managed it, reducing the reaction to her own words to a mere eye twitch she hoped Tyrsdale failed to notice. Shock, followed by suspicion, stalled his turn, and reversed it.
“My congratulations,” his eyes narrowed. “Please forgive my misunderstanding, but I’m sure you can understand it. I’m surprised you never mentioned your engagement in our previous meetings, I should have taken up a dialog with your fiancé.”
“Ah...” blinking, she resisted the urge to reposition herself in her seat. “Ah am but newly engaged, th’ offer came as a pleasant surprise.”
“And may I ask who the lucky gentleman is? A local resident?”
“Uh,” the room, ordinarily large and beset with icy drafts despite the season, began to close in on her, over-warm and stuffy so that her breathing became laborious. “Well...”
“There you are, darling!” Daniel’s jovial voice sounded from the doorway as he sauntered through with a light step and a glowing smile. He marched directly toward her, pausing at her side and leaning down to peck a kiss to her cheek. “Please forgive the intrusion, but I ascertained the Baron of Tyrsdale was here and wanted to catch him before he left.”
Straightening, he turned his bright smile on Tyrsdale and offered a polite bow. Tyrsdale, a pleasure to see you again. I had hoped to invite you for a ride tomorrow morning. As Miss. MacAllister has no doubt informed you, our impending nuptials will bring me to Scotland much more regularly and I’d like to renew our acquaintance as neighbors.”
Tyrsdale darted a glance from Daniel to Lenore and back while Lenore held her breath and tried to ignore the tingling of her cheek and racing of her heart.
“Unfortunately, tomorrow I—”
“Come, now, I won’t take no for an answer. We didn’t get on well as children, I admit, but we can set bygones aside, can’t we?”
“That’s very—”
“As I recall, you always had an appreciation for the MacAllister horses, I can bring by a fine mount for you, along with an excellent brandy. I gather there is some estate business we ought to discuss?”
Tyrsdale all but trembled in his red-faced anger. “An excellent idea,” he hissed through clenched teeth. “I can meet you at—”
“Ten o’clock it is, the perfect time to catch sight of the early game after the fog.” Daniel clapped his hands with a grin. “May I walk you out?”
The color in Tyrsdale’s face deepened to a shade of purple and Lenore briefly wondered if he might suffer a stroke.
“No, thank you, I can manage.” Whirling toward the door without another word, he stomped out, leaving Lenore and Daniel to stare after him.
When Daniel returned his attention to Lenore, all hints of a pleasant nature had evaporated, and the chill of the room returned to her bones.
Chapter 5
“What the devil was that about?” Daniel turned on Lenore the moment Tyrsdale left, not sure if he truly meant to direct the accusatory tone at her or himself. Had he really just walked into a counterfeit engagement with Lenore? He chose to ignore his lack of anger or outrage on that front, remembering instead the murderous surge in him at Tyrsdale’s flippant proposal. The sheer absurdity of such a match prompted Daniel into motion, or so he told himself. Granted, the kiss on the cheek may have been overdone... His eyes dipped to the smooth expanse of rose-infused skin along the side of her face, following it, as his fingers longed to do, toward the subtle bow of her lips.
“Ah needed tae stall him,” she snapped. Ye saw yerself he was about tae leave, an’ if he files ‘at claim Ah lose whatever useful time Ah have left tae compile evidence ay an argument against him.”
“You couldn’t have come up with a better excuse than a false engagement? That wouldn’t have stalled him.”
“Well, forgive me fur nae being sae well-versed in creatin’ lies on th’ spot as ye seem tae be!” She huffed, crossing her arms in front of her. “An’ what did ye mean invitin’ him out tomorrow? Ye ken we hae tae gae tae th’ clerk tomorrow. This entire farce is fur naught if Ah can’t get intae ‘at office, an’ Ah cannae without ye, ye miserable man!”
Daniel held back a grin. Lenore’s vicious stare confirmed a slew of unflattering titles she would have preferred adding to her statement. “Did you learn nothing from your brother’s interaction with my family?” he accused in mock boredom. “That fine mount is going to suffer a sprain on my way to meet him, and I’ll send the bottle of brandy with my apologies.”
Lenore blinked, her jaw going slack. “You’re terrible.”
“Thank you.”
“Fur heaven’s sake,” Lily’s voice broke in from the doorway. She tugged at the ties of her bonnet as she entered, tossing it on a side table. From the crook of her arm dangled a basket filled with an assortment of flowers and herbs. “If th’ two ay ye are gonnae shout sae, at least hae th’ decency tae shut th’ windows before assaultin’ th’ entirety ay Scotland.”
Daniel ducked his head and clasped his hands behind him, sending a sidelong glance toward Lenore and finding her in a similar pose.
“Sae what’s this about?” Lily continued, ignoring them to approach a vase full of wilted blooms on the console in front of the windows. Never pausing in her movement, she set down her basket, opened the window, sent blooms and murky water flying out, then set to work collecting and arranging the fresh flowers from her basket.
Exchanging a glance with Lenore, Daniel cleared his throat. “Lenore and I were... debating the efficiency of the tactic used to gain time in the argument with your neighbor.”
“Aye, Ah saw him leave. Ah daresay we’ll be racin’ each other tae th’ clerk in th’ mornin’.” She turned from her work, propping her hands on her hips. “Were ye able tae gain time then?”
“Yes,” Daniel shifted, finding it difficult to main
tain Lily’s gaze. “Albeit not much.”
“’At’s a step in th’ right direction at least. How did ye manage it?” Lily’s eyes settled on Lenore, who turned redder than a beetroot. Daniel sympathized as he watched Lenore’s throat work to swallow.
“Ah told him Daniel an’ Ah are engaged.”
“Ye did what?” Lily’s hands fell listless to her sides, eyes rounding. “Are ye daft?”
Lenore let out a huff. “It’s nae as though I’ve posted banns, Aunt. As far as th’ rest ay th’ world is concerned, there is nae engagement.”
“’At’s nae th’ point,” Lily shook her head. “Lies hae a way ay gettin’ out ay hand.” She chewed at her lip, her eyes taking on a faraway stare before landing again on the basket she entered with. Snatching it up, she rounded toward the door. “All right, then, I’ll leave ye tae sort th’ mess, but one word ay advice,” she paused and angled toward them, her eyes now glinting with mirth. “This bickering sets ye in th’ wrong light. It screams ay an old married couple. If ye intend tae defend yer ruse, you’ll hae tae practice lookin’ in love.”
The clock in the corner sounded with all the subtlety of a cannon shot in the silence of Lily’s wake, jolting Daniel and sending his heart racing. Distracting himself from the familiar discomfort, he wondered at Lily’s odd silences. Not well acquainted with the woman, he supposed there might be nothing to it, but something told him that wasn’t the case.
“Daniel?” Lenore’s soft hail commanded his attention.
Outspoken by nature, any milder tone in her voice tended to instill a sense of worry along with it. He angled toward her and looked up to see her lovely countenance beset by marbled sadness and weariness. His legs tensed automatically in preparation of shortening the distance between them, but fleeting good sense halted him.
“Thank ye,” she continued. “Fur yer help. Aam sure Gavin didnae mean fur this tae become a proxy assignment in a legal fiasco. Ye should be enjoyin’ a quiet stay, but I’ve gone an’ ruined things... again.” Shaking her head, she heaved a sigh. “Ah never should hae come here in th’ first place.”
The Captain's Surrender (Currents of Love Book 6) Page 4
