A Lass for Christmas (Tenacious Trents Novella) (13 page)

“This is where you have gone off to.”

Madeline whipped around to find Jordan coming
up the drive.

“I just needed to get out and walk.”

“I suspected as much.” He offered his arm and
the two of them walked back toward the road. “You have always
walked when troubled.”

“Not that it does me much good,” she
grumbled.

“Things will eventually look better,
Madeline. On that you have my promise.”

Only if she managed to forget Lachlan.

Lachlan took a deep breath and knocked on the
door of Danby Castle. He had never met the duke and was certain he
had no right to call here, but he wasn’t leaving until he spoke
with Maddie.

A footman opened the door. “May I help
you?”

“I’ve come to call on Lady Madeline
Trent.”

The servant frowned. “There is no one here by
that name.”

Panic surged. Maddie had to be here. “What of
Mr. John Trent and his wife?”

“I will see if they are at home.” The man
stood back so that Lachlan could enter.

Lachlan took a deep breath and tried to gain
control of his impatience. “Would ye please tell them that the
Marquess of Brachton would like to speak with them?”

The man held out his hand.

Lachlan simply stared at it. What did he
want? Blast. “I doona have any cards with me.”

He nodded and walked down the hall, leaving
Lachlan to cool his heels by the door. Voices could be heard coming
from the many rooms off the hall. Hopefully Mr. Trent and his wife
were close.

A moment later, John Trent stepped into the
foyer along with his wife. He smiled broadly. “Brachton, what are
you doing here?”

“I am lookin’ for yer sister,” Lachlan
answered.

“Madeline and her mother decided to remain
with Matt.”

If he left now he still had time. Lachlan
nodded his head. “Thank ye.”

“Why are you looking for Madeline,” John
asked, a half-smile on his face and curiosity in his eyes.

“I promise to explain later.” He started for
the door when an older, gruff voice stopped him.

“Wait just a moment.”

Lachlan didn’t have time for this. Slowly, he
turned and came face to face with who he assumed could only be the
Duke of Danby. Despite how much he wished to leave to reach
Madeline, Lachlan would not insult the duke. He bowed.

“What is your interest in Lady Madeline?” His
Grace demanded.

“I wish to marry her,” Lachlan stated after
he straightened.

The humor in John’s face was replaced with
shock and his wife gasped.

“You have more sense than I gave you credit
for.”

Lachlan stiffened at the insult but held his
tongue. “Take my carriage; it is quicker than the rig you drove up
in.”

Lachlan stared at the man. Certainly he
wasn’t giving him use of the ducal carriage.

“John and Elizabeth will go with you.”

His granddaughter and grandson-in-law whipped
their heads around and stared at His Grace.

“If your sister is to be married, you
shouldn’t be the only brother missing,” the duke clarified.

“I won’t be,” Mr. Trent pointed out.

“Yes, you will. I am certain Bentley is
already on his way, if he has not arrived already.”

“But, how. . .” Trent began to ask and then
closed his mouth, shaking his head.

“Go.” He shooed Mrs. Trent. “Arrange for your
bags to be brought down. The carriage will be by the door in a
moment.” He turned to Lachlan when the two left. “I understand you
make an excellent whisky.”

Lachlan knew better than to question how His
Grace knew of his secret and illegal business. He had heard rumors
over the years that the man knew everything, and he had just seen
proof of it. “Aye, I do.”

“Send me a crate.” With that His Grace turned
and marched back down the hall, his cane thumping ahead of him.

While Lachlan waited on Mr. and Mrs. Trent,
he went back out to the carriage that had brought him from
Edinburgh. “She isna here.”

“But she said this was where she was comin’,”
Mrs. MacGinnis protested.

“She and her mother remained with her brother
in Grosmont.”

One of Ceard’s sons opened the door.

“Well, get in so we can be on our way.”
Dougal insisted.

Lachlan grinned. “His Grace is givin’ me his
carriage and Maddie’s brother and sister-in-law are comin’ along as
well.”

Dougal’s eyebrows shot up, and a moment later
a carriage with the Danby crest on the door pulled into the cobbled
courtyard. The door opened and Mr. and Mrs. Trent emerged from the
castle.

“Go to Brachton Manor. I will see ye there
after I have convinced Maddie to marry me.”

“I doona think ye will need to do much
convincin’,” Mrs. MacGinnis grinned.

“I hope ye’re right.” He shut the door and
turned to Maddie’s brother and sister-in-law.

“Did you just call my sister, Maddie?” John
Trent asked.

“Actually, I prefer to call her Maddie lass.”
He might as well tell this Mr. Trent everything as they would be
related.

A footman opened the door of the ducal coach
and Mr. Trent assisted his wife inside. Lachlan was the last to
enter.

“As we have a journey ahead of us, why don’t
you tell me how you met my sister?

Madeline always loved Christmas, especially
the service on Christmas Eve. Tonight she couldn’t grasp the
magical feeling of renewal. She had hoped the service and the hymns
would be uplifting, but they weren’t. The only person who seemed to
embrace any joyous spirit was Grace. She sang with such happiness
it radiated from her. If only just to have a pinch of that for
myself. Madeline sighed and took her seat.

Tomorrow was Christmas. Had Lachlan found his
bride? Were they already married? Was he holding her now, curled
around her in his bed, keeping her warm?

Madeline tried to banish the thoughts and not
think of Lachlan but it was about as impossible as not breathing.
Would a day go by when she didn’t hurt? Would she always wonder
what kind of life they may have had if she would have agreed to the
marriage? Would he have one day loved her?

She shouldn’t be feeling sorry for herself.
There were people all over the world who were in much dire straits
than she. Her blessings were abundant. Her mother still lived and
was supportive and loving. She had four brothers who would do just
about anything for her and do whatever was necessary to protect
her. The three who had married had chosen well, and she now knew
what it was like to have sisters.

Madeline glanced down the pew. Clayton, the
eldest and earl, was seated with his wife, Eleanor and her sister
and four younger brothers. They had arrived yesterday morning,
surprising Mother. When he received Matt’s letter regarding her
impending marriage, and that she and mother were aware of the
situation with Adele and Julia, he had packed up his family and
came north. Across the aisle sat Matt, Jordan, Mother and Grace.
Tears sprang to her eyes when she realized how truly lucky she was.
Everyone was here except for John and Elizabeth.

That wasn’t true. They had another sister.
One they were never given the chance to know—Julia.

She had a harder life, or so Madeline
assumed. Raised by only her mother, who had run away. She lived in
a country that was at war with England, and had been ruled by
Napoleon most of her life. Julia never had the chance to find out
what wonderful brothers she could have come to know growing up.

Even though Julia was the true and rightful
lady of the two sisters, Madeline was more blessed for having her
family, and Madeline now had a purpose. She was going to find her
sister. It was only a matter of time before Society learned the
truth. If she found Julia first and had the chance to know her,
perhaps being shunned by those who had once been friends would not
hurt so much. Perhaps they could become great friends.

Hope renewed as Madeline stood for the
closing hymn. Though her heart ached at the loss of Lachlan, she
would get by. Somehow, some way, and each day would be a new
beginning.

Lachlan pounded on the front door. Why wasn’t
anyone answering? There were lights in the lower portion of the
house. Surely someone was here.

“Perhaps they have gone to church,” Elizabeth
suggested.

As the miles fell behind them, Lachlan
finally agreed to call them by their Christian names since John
insisted as they were to be family soon. It was still a bit
uncomfortable, but he was getting used to it. Lachlan took out his
watch to check the time and angled it toward the moon so he could
see the face. “How far away is the church?” he demanded.

“Aren’t you the one who owns an estate down
the road?” John answered. “I don’t recall it being all that far
away though.”

What was he thinking? Of course he knew where
the church was. But he didn’t know what time the services began or
ended. They could stand here and freeze, or they could go to
church.

No, he didn’t want his reunion with Maddie to
be in such a public place. Having her family witness the event was
bad enough, but he doubted he could make any of them leave.

The front door opened a moment later, and a
young woman he had never seen before stared up at them. “May I help
you?”

“I am Lord Brachton, and I’ve come to call on
Lady Madeline.”

The maid grinned and stood back so he could
enter.

“I am Madeline’s brother and this is my wife,
Elizabeth,” John said as he crossed over the threshold.

The maid bobbed a curtsey. “They are still at
church, but you are welcome to come into the parlor and wait.”

Lachlan brushed past her.

“Thank you,” Elizabeth muttered, and they
followed Lachlan in to the room.

“When will they be returnin’?” Lachlan asked
with impatience.

The young woman glanced at the clock. “It
should be shortly, my lord.”

Lachlan nodded and began pacing in front of
the fire.

Elizabeth and John handed their coats to the
young woman. “Will you be staying the night?”

“Yes,” John answered.

“I’ll have a room made up.” With that, she
quit the room.

John went to the sideboard and poured himself
a brandy and a glass of wine for Elizabeth.

“Can I get you anything, Lachlan?”

“Whisky,” he answered and resumed pacing,
looking at the clock every two minutes. How much longer would they
be?

“I don’t see any whisky.”

There was a bottle at the manor but he wasn’t
about to leave and retrieve it. “Brandy, then.”

A moment later John pressed a glass into his
hand.

What was taking them so long?

Then the front door banged open and Lachlan
heard footsteps running down the corridor. “John, Elizabeth, are
you here?” The sweet sound of Maddie’s voice lifted his heart.

“We saw the Danby crest on the coach,” Jordan
called.