To Tame a Highland Earl (32 page)

Eve knew that, amongst the wealthier set,
marriages were often conducted with the bride and groom near
strangers, but she didn’t run in such circles, so had never
imagined such a fate for herself. Eve longed to ask if any
affection had grown between them. It was clear she and the marquess
were on civil terms, but Eve couldn’t discern if they cared for one
another.

“
You signed a marriage
contract before meeting your prospective husband?” she asked as
casually as she could.

“
Justin was more than a
prospective husband,” the marchioness said. “We were betrothed for
nearly a year and the banns had been read.” They were alone on
their side of the room, but Lady Rushton leaned toward Eve and
murmured, “You must know that many couples do not wait for the
ceremony to consummate the marriage, for the vows are a mere
technicality at that point.”

Yes, Eve knew all too well about consummating
the marriage before taking the vows.

The marchioness straightened. “That was not
the case with us, however. Justin was kind in that regard. Between
my trepidation concerning the wedding night and my anger toward my
father for selling me off, I was not the most congenial bride.”

“
I fear I will be like you
if…” Eve let her words trail off.

Lady Rushton gave her a frank look. “But your
situation is not exactly like mine. I was…shall we say, innocent.
You are not.”

Eve stiffened. “Indeed, my lady. Though I
cannot say how closely the rumors resemble the truth.”

“
I understand that you were
with Erroll at Gretna Green, and he fought a duel in defense of
your honor.”

Embarrassment washed over Eve. “He told me he
would make a terrible husband and that he would leave me in
Scotland, then go about his life as he always had in London.”

“
Rubbish,” Lady Rushton
said. “He would never do that.”

“
How was I to know?” How
could she know now?

“
Given Rush’s reputation, I
can see how you would think him a bad candidate as a husband,” her
ladyship said. “Sadly, neither your ignorance nor the fact that he
was innocent of your sister’s accusations will change the reality
that you are compromised beyond repair.”

“
Grace was compromised—at
least in the eyes of
Society
,” Eve said. “It is just as
likely that she will marry his lordship.”

“
Do you think your sister
is a more likely candidate?” Lady Rushton asked.

Eve was startled by the question. Did Lady
Rushton know something? “Grace would make a fine countess, and she
wants to marry him.”

“
I do like your
sister.”

“
Really? I am relieved to
hear that.”

“
Is there a reason I
shouldn’t like her?” the marchioness asked.

“
None at all. But you never
know which way the wind will blow in such matters.”

“
So true. I was petrified
to meet Justin’s mother.”

“
How did you find her?” Eve
asked.

“
Quite amiable—despite the
fact I am English—and I vowed I would be the same to my son’s wife,
if at all possible.”

“
That is kind of
you.”

“
I like you as well,” she
said. “You would make a fine daughter-in-law.”

“
But I would make a
terrible wife.”

“
I think it isn’t so much
that you would make a terrible wife, as it is that you would make
Rush a terrible wife,” her ladyship said.

“
That is true,” Eve said,
surprised by her understanding.

“
Do you feel this way
because he said he would leave you in Scotland?” the marchioness
asked.

Because he said he would go on with his
pleasures as he always had, Eve thought, and, truth be told, she
would care. Eve released a sigh. “Perhaps it is better I say no
more.”

“
I see. Your reasons do not
flatter him.”

Or herself, for that matter. What
bubble-headed woman cared about a man who competed for the title of
London’s worst rake? “I am afraid not,” Eve said.

“
Do you plan to take
lovers?”

Eve blinked. “No, of course not.”

“
Then you would make a good
wife,” Lady Rushton said.

Eve thought of Grace’s plan to take lovers,
and asked, “Is that the only requirement for a good wife?”

“
No, but is it one in which
a woman often falls short.”

“
I could spend all his
money,” Eve said.

Lady Rushton laughed. “Not unless you have a
weakness for gambling. Do you play cards?”

Eve grimaced. “Too tedious.”

“
Marvelous. Then you cannot
condemn Rush to the poor house.”

“
I could harangue him
mercilessly.”

“
Many a wife has done just
that to her husband, but if you succeed you will, indeed, be rid of
him.”

“
Does the earl share these
same philosophies?”

“
Certainly not about being
nagged into an early grave, and I imagine that if he truly thought
you were spending too much money he would leave you here on
Mull.”

The idea gave Eve pause. Grace believed it
was a woman’s duty to spend her husband’s money. Lord Rushton
hadn’t batted an eye over the clothes they purchased in Belfast,
but the truth was, they hadn’t spent a great deal of money. Grace
had no idea what a budget was. Eve had realized that the earl and
Grace were a lot alike, but men didn’t want a woman who was like
them. Men might view marriage as a business, but they expected
their wives to view them as their masters.

“
Many wives take lovers and
spend their husband’s money frivolously,” Eve said. “It is the way
of
Society
.”

“
Indeed it is,” Lady
Rushton replied. “But Rush would not tolerate it.”

The door unexpectedly opened and Eve jumped
before realizing the newcomer was a maid and not her father or the
marquess. The girl scanned the room and when her eyes lit on the
marchioness, she started toward them. Grace rose and she too
crossed to their seats.

She arrived as the maid did, and the
marchioness said, “What is it, Adrian?”

“
The laird says not to wait
up for them.”

“
Is everything all right?”
Grace asked.

“
I am sure everything is
fine,” her ladyship said. “Thank you, Adrian.”

Grace stared after the girl as she left the
room. “I cannot understand what could possibly be taking so long.”
Grace’s gaze shifted to the couch where Lord Rushton slept.

“
How are you doing at
cards?” Lady Rushton said. “Are you winning?”

Grace looked at her and smiled. “I think Lord
Somerset is letting me win.”

“
Then he is a true
gentleman. Are you tired? Do you wish to retire? Or would you
prefer to continue playing a little longer?”

She glanced at Lord Somerset, who waited at
the card table. “We are in the middle of a game…”

“
Then you should finish,”
Lady Rushton said. “It would be rude to leave a gentleman in the
middle of a game.”

Grace glanced again in Lord Rushton’s
direction, then said, “You are right, of course. We shall finish
this game, then I will retire—if that is all right with you?”

The marchioness smiled. “Quite all right.”
Grace returned to the game and the marchioness said to Eve, “What
of you, my dear? Should you retire for the evening?”

“
I should like to see my
father before I go to bed.”

Lady Rushton’s gaze shifted and Eve followed
her line of sight. Lord Rushton approached.

“
Erroll.” His mother’s eyes
lit with pleasure and she extended her hands. He caught both hands,
brought them to his lips at once and kissed her fingers. Eve didn’t
miss the squeeze he gave her fingers before he released them or the
delight in his eyes.

He pulled one of the chairs from the nearest
card table and placed it near Eve’s side of the settee. “Getting
nervous, Miss Crenshaw?”

She scowled. “Do not goad me, sir. You will
make me look bad in front of your mother, which will only force me
to make you pay later.” Eve looked at the marchioness. “Forgive me,
ma’am. I have no doubt he is a paragon of a son, but he is a
beastly suitor.”

“
Suitor?” he
repeated.

“
It is not a compliment,”
Eve said.

“
I admit, we got off to a
bad start,” he replied. “That part was not my fault.”

“
Yes it was.”

“
She is right,” the
marchioness said.

“
Really?” he said, as if
surprised his mother agreed.

“
You entered her room
uninvited.”

“
I was only defending
myself,” the earl said placidly.

“
You went there to browbeat
Grace,” Eve retorted.

“
I went there to confront
my accuser.”

“
A gentleman would have
faced the lady’s father instead of accosting her in her
bedchambers.”

“
She has a point,” Lady
Rushton said.

“
Guilty as charged.” His
eyes darkened. “I am no gentleman, and I have not been innocent
since—”

“
Erroll
,” his mother
admonished.

He grinned. “I am not that much of a cad,
Mother.”

“
Beware,” she said, “you do
not want to face my wrath later.”

His eyes widened. “Quite right.”

The marchioness turned to Eve. “Did you have
a chance to see any of the castle today?”

“
Only the great hall, which
your son showed me after Lord Burns left.”

“
Lord Burns? He was here
today?”

“
Yes. Did Lord Rushton not
tell you?”

She looked at him. “What happened?”

“
Nothing of consequence.
Burns was concerned that Hilary was paying too much attention to
his son.”

“
He is right. She
was.”

“
Really?” Lord Rushton’s
brow furrowed. “Since when did Hilary become interested in
men?”

“
Since she turned
seventeen.”

“
Seventeen?” Surprise shown
on his face. “She grew up while I was away.”

“
I shall speak with
Hilary.” The marchioness regarded him. “Actually, I think you
should speak to her.”

“
Me?”

Eve saw genuine alarm in his eyes.

“
What do I know of
seventeen year old girls?”

“
You were once a
nineteen-year-old boy, which I believe is the boy’s
age.”

“
Mother, I do not think
I—”

“
No arguments,” she cut in.
“Hilary adores you. With David gone she could use a little guidance
from a brother.”

“
Burns mentioned David was
gone. How long?”

“
Two years.”

“
I’m surprised his father
let him go. He is the only heir.”

“
You know David. He was
insistent.”

“
Young fool,” Lord Rushton
muttered. “He could easily have avoided the madness.”

“
Young fools seldom avoid
madness,” the marchioness remarked.

Lord Rushton’s expression cleared. “You
wouldn’t by chance be referring to me?”

“
You are, without a doubt,
a young fool,” she said.

Her tone was light, but Eve was startled to
detect a note of melancholy.

Lord Rushton straightened. “Mother, I—” He
stared for a long instant, apparently forgetting that Eve was
there, then broke off and leaned back against his chair. “Forgive
me. I am worse than a fool.”

Eve suddenly understood the byplay was due to
the lady’s sorrow in losing her youngest son. Eve grasped the
marchioness’ hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry, ma’am.
I…” Eve released a sigh. “There is no consolation, is there?”

Lady Rushton looked at her, clearly
surprised, but a gentle smile touched her lips. She returned Eve’s
hand squeeze. “Nothing else is needed.”

Eve nodded, unable to speak through a lump in
her throat. She became aware that Lord Rushton was watching her and
removed her hand from Lady Rushton’s. Perhaps it was time for her
to retire, after all.

Chapter Seventeen

“
Eve.”

Something jarred her—hard. Her head swam.

“
Eve, wake up.”

She burrowed deeper into the surrounding
warmth.

“
Eve, the marquess is
calling for us.”

Eve’s eyes popped open and she bolted upright
in bed. The room swam around her for an instant, then Grace snapped
into focus where she knelt on the bed beside Eve. The fire in the
hearth had burned to coals and no light shone through the colored
glass window.

“
What time is it?” Eve
croaked.

“
Three thirty in the
morning.”

“
Holy God,” she breathed.
“Whatever can they want at this hour of the morning? Do you know
what has happened?”

Grace shook her head. “Lady Rushton came to
me. She asked that I wake you. She will return presently and take
us to the marquess’ library.”

Eve sat for a moment, unable to move. “I
cannot imagine why they would call us at this ungodly hour. Why not
wait until the morning? Papa must know we are all right. Surely, he
didn’t have us wakened just to see us.” And he wouldn’t. She threw
back the covers and stood for a moment at a loss as to what she was
looking for, then realized she wanted the dress she had draped over
the corner chair. She started toward it, but stopped upon realizing
Grace hadn’t moved, nor was she dressed. “You had better
dress.”