To Tame a Highland Earl (29 page)

“
She was hopeful,” he
replied. “But she knew I was not amenable to the connection. Did
she say something?” He would strangle the girl.

His mother shook her head. “No, but given the
latest version of the story—” Erroll had no desire to hear the
latest version “—and the fact that I sensed she feels secure in the
notion, I assumed it was true.”

His mother sensed Grace Crenshaw felt secure
he would marry her? Would wonders never cease? “No such indications
from Eve Crenshaw?” he asked.

“
Not a one.” His mother’s
gaze grew shrewd. “What an interesting turn of events. She does not
wish to marry you.”

“
Can you imagine?” he
said.

“
I am obligated to say,
‘no, what woman wouldn’t want you?’”

“
For a mamma who has worked
with such vigor this last year and a half to marry off her son, you
do not seem to think he is very marriageable.”

“
Don’t get me started on
your marriageability. I know you too well.”

That she did. His mother had no illusions
where he was concerned. Yet she loved him nonetheless.

Her eyes twinkled. “Has it occurred to you
that if I had truly decided a particular lady would do that you
could not have escaped me?”

“
I think, madam,” Erroll
said with care, “that I am glad not to have tested that
theory.”

*****

Early that afternoon, a muffled, angry male
voice filtered up the staircase as Eve descended. She slowed,
discerned the indistinct reply of a quieter, more composed female
voice, then another heated retort from the man. She yanked up her
skirts and hurried down the stairs.

“
I said he wasna’
here.”

Leslie
.

“
Out of my way!” the man
ordered.

Eve took the last two stairs and whirled
left. With her second step toward the massive foyer, Leslie said,
“If you canna’ speak kindly, then leave.”

A large man towered over her, but she stood
her ground, glowering up at him. His head jerked in Eve’s
direction. “Who are ye?”

Eve hurried to the maid’s side. “Miss Eve
Crenshaw, my lord.”

His gaze sharpened on her. “First a maid,
then a
Sassenach
—where is the marquess?”

“
I cannot say, sir. But I
am sure we can find him.”

“
I told him the laird is
no’ here,” Leslie said with heat.

“
I will speak with the
marquess, damn you,” he snarled.

“
Perhaps I can be of
assistance.”

Eve and Leslie whirled in unison to face Lord
Rushton, who emerged from the hallway directly ahead.

“
Are you the marquess?” the
man demanded.

The earl approached, and Eve grasped Leslie’s
arm and pulled her back two paces as he passed them.

He stopped in front of the man. “I believe it
is customary for the visitor to introduce himself.”

“
I am Lord Burns, ye
fool.”

“
Lord Rupert
Burns?”

His mouth twisted downward in a deprecating
frown. “Rupert is a poor cousin.”

“
I see, and to what do we
owe the honor of a visit from his more worthy relation?”

The man’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

Lord Rushton gave a slight bow. “Erroll
MacLean at your service.”

“
Where is your
father?”

“
Forgive me, he is
indisposed.”

“
I won’t be fobbed off to a
bastard,” Burns spat.

“
Ah,” Lord Rushton said.
“You have me confused with my brother Ash. He is the one born on
the wrong side of the blanket, not I. Sadly, he isn’t here either,
so you are stuck with me.”

The man blinked, this time clearly a little
more certain he’d been insulted. Eve, on the other hand, wanted to
laugh.

“
Where is Lady Hilary?”
Lord Burns snapped.

“
At last we make progress,”
the earl said. “What do you want with my dear cousin?”

“
I want her to stay away
from my son. She is trying to get her hooks into him.”

“
Hilary?” Lord Rushton
laughed. “When last I saw the chit she had nothing resembling
hooks.”

“
She was free with her
charms last night,” Lord Burns snapped.

“
Indeed? I would have given
a small fortune to see that. In any case, you cannot blame her. It
is, after all, a lady’s job to display her charms. How else are we
men to know what we are getting ourselves into?”

Lord Burns was struck dumb. Eve understood
how he felt, though her reason was, no doubt, different.
Butterflies flitted across the inside of her stomach with the
memory of the charms Lord Rushton had so obviously noticed in
her.

“
My son is to marry a woman
with strong
Scottish
roots,” Lord Burns said through tight
lips.

“
That goes without saying,”
the earl said. “But what has that to do with the youngsters?
Surely, you remember what it was like to be young and flirt with
the ladies? And we aren’t in Edinburgh, after all. If she danced
two dances with your son instead of one, no one here on Mull will
notice, and I find it impossible to believe Hilary’s brother would
allow anything more.”

“
Her brother isna’ here,”
Lord Burns said. “He’s off fighting the
Sassenach
war.”

A cloud passed through Lord Rushton’s eyes.
“David gone to war?” He sighed. “Given that Bonaparte sailed to
Prussia and marched from there to the Russian front in mere months,
you might consider the possibility that if he succeeds in crossing
the channel he will march into Scotland just as quickly. This war
belongs to us all.”

“
Bah!” Lord Burns burst
out. “I’m not interested in your politics. If your father isna’
here, tell your mother to keep a better watch on the girl. She was
at the ball with her last night.”

“
There you are,” the earl
said. “Lady Rushton is the embodiment of respectability. You have
nothing to fear.”

“
My son is betrothed, has
been since he was a child,” Burns said. “The girl is wasting her
time.”

“
I see,” Lord Rushton
nodded. “You’re afraid Hilary will misunderstand your son’s
attentions. But what have you to fear? You know how these young
people are, they go out of their way to aggravate their
elders.”

Eve couldn’t escape the notion that his
lordship referred as much to himself as his young cousin.

Burns’ brows snapped downward. “My son knows
his duty.”

“
Then count yourself
lucky,” Lord Rushton said. “He is far wiser than many older men. As
for Hilary, she isn’t old enough to be allowed to hook a man yet,
and I never knew her to take the attention of a swain to heart.
Now, may I ask what brings you to Mull?”

Lord Burns blinked, clearly caught off guard
with the change of subject. “James Rose leased a house here. He
invited us.”

“
James, a good man,” Lord
Rushton said. “Do you hunt?”

“
Aye, quail, and deer,
sometimes.”

“
Excellent,” Lord Rushton
said. “You must hunt on Ravenhall. We have an abundance of deer.
I’m sure we can arrange a time. My father is an avid hunter, and an
excellent guide.”

Lord Burns stiffened. “I may not have
time.”

The earl nodded. “I imagine James will keep
you busy. However, there is a matter that might be of great
interest to you, and one in which I think you might be in a
position to help. Bring James, he will want to be apprised of the
situation.”

“
Situation, what
situation?”

“
We have a press gang
stealing our men.”

“
Press gang?” Lord Burns’
eyes blazed. “By God, are ye sure?”

“
Absolutely certain. We
encountered their ship on the way here.”

“
God damn.” His face
reddened in embarrassment and he glanced at Eve and Leslie. “Beg
pardon, ladies.”

Eve nodded forgiveness, careful to keep the
astonishment she felt at Lord Burns’ change of attitude from her
expression.

“
I understand Aberdeen is a
favorite hunting ground for the slavers,” Lord Rushton said, “but I
suspect this band bypassed the city this time.”

Lord Burns nodded. “The new legislation will
have the constables on the lookout for the brigands.”

“
Ahh, you know of the new
law.” The earl nodded. “I had a suspicion you did. Are you
acquainted with any of the constables in Aberdeen?”

“
Aye, several, as a matter
of fact.”

“
Very good. My brother has
been tracking Johnson, the captain of the ship we encountered. His
inquiries have not gone as far as Aberdeen.”

“
The bloody—” He broke off
and cast Eve and Leslie another embarrassed glance, then said to
Lord Rushton, “I’ll speak with James.”

“
I look forward to hearing
from you.”

Lord Burns nodded. “Ladies,” he nodded to
them, then left.

“
I cannot believe you
didna’ shoot him,” Leslie said when the door closed behind him.
“You know he didn’t want Hilary fraternizing with his son because
your mother is English.”

“
Perhaps,” Lord Rushton
said, “but if I fought every man who didn’t want his child
fraternizing with the English, I would have dawn appointments from
now until Kingdom Come. Where is my father, by the way?”

“
I haven’t seen him since
you arrived.”

“
You told Burns he was not
here. Leslie, you lied to a guest?”

She gave a disdainful sniff. “I knew if I
went to look for the laird, that fool would begin his own search. I
couldn’t let him run free in the castle.”

“
You’re quite right.” Lord
Rushton winked, and Eve had to bite back a laugh. “Then I would
have been forced to challenge him to a duel. You saved
me.”

The maid blushed. “You exaggerate.”

“
I never exaggerate. I
suppose you had better run along now.” She left and he faced Eve.
“You look a little more the thing than you did when we arrived
earlier.”

“
I am somewhat rested,” she
replied.

“
Will you walk with me to
the great hall? We might be able to scrounge up some
tea.”

She would rather do anything than spend time
with him—especially alone—but she had to speak with him. Eve
smiled. “Tea would be heavenly.”

He startled her by grasping her hand and
placing it in the crook of his arm. Eve’s heart leapt and the urge
to cry unexpectedly rushed to the surface. Dear God, she had to
find a way to stop reacting to his touch.

“
I half expected Lord Burns
to call you out,” she said in what she prayed was a half amused
tone.

His hand fell away from hers and left her
aware of the play of muscle in his forearm as he walked, which was
little better than the warmth of his fingers.

“
The marquess wouldn’t take
lightly a challenge made to his son in his own home. I suspect
Burns knew that and it squashed the impulse,” he
replied.

“
I wanted to shoot him
myself,” she said.

“
We really must do
something about your penchant for shooting men, my
dear.”

She laughed. “That has more to do with the
men I have been associating with of late. You must admit, Lord
Burns would have deserved a bullet in his leg.”

“
Perhaps, but it is far
less dangerous to be the one making the challenge.”

“
That is nonsensical. There
is no difference.”

He smiled indulgently. “You have clearly
never fought a duel.”

They entered the corridor and Eve started to
precede him down the narrow passage, but he laid a hand on hers,
preventing her from pulling away. His fingers exerted gentle
pressure and Eve fought the impulse to look down at his hand, which
felt as if it had swallowed hers in warmth.

“
I am surprised you would
suggest I engage in another duel.” His deep voice caressed her like
the soothing water of a brook. “You seemed quite overwrought when I
challenged Neville.”

Her stomach somersaulted in response to the
remembered fear that he would die in that duel. “You were so set on
dueling with Lord Halifax that I assumed it was a hobby of
yours.”

“
Ah, but he deserved it.
Burns, on the other hand, isn’t worth the risk I would have to flee
the Continent.”

She looked sharply at him. “What?”

He smiled down at her. “Not every battle is
worth fighting.”

Her stomach did another, harder, somersault.
“You are a strange man.” Eve realized what she’d said and clapped
her free hand over her mouth.

His eyes lit with amusement. “And you are a
very unusual woman.”

She removed the hand from her mouth. “That is
not a compliment.”

“
But it is.”

They turned a corner and Eve watched the
floor ahead of her. “Do you think Lord Burns will truly help
apprehend the press gang? What is your plan? You didn’t tell me
what happened.”

“
Not my plan, Miss
Crenshaw. Ash will deal with the slavers.”

“
But you told Lord Burns
you wanted to speak with him about them.”

“
Yes. I will apprise him
and James of what happened. They might be able to provide
information that will aid Ash in discovering the slaver’s
destination.”