Kimberly Nee - The McKenzie Brothers (23 page)

“Flirting, seduction — they both come so naturally to you,” she replied in a soft voice. “You do both without even realizing it.”

“Be that as it may, it does not mean I’ll always act upon it. I
do
have a whit of self-control, you realize. It’s never been in my nature to simply attack a woman. I don’t make a habit of it.”

Her throat closed at the heat in his voice. Why hadn’t she kept quiet? His words echoed in the empty room, which somehow made them seem even angrier. She turned to the window, gazing out at a clump of tiger lilies growing around the base of a large oak. They were beautiful, blazing orange, and did nothing to calm her turbulent thoughts.

“You have no idea, do you, the effect you have on a lady? Without saying a word, you have the ability to reduce one to a blob of jelly.” She traced a fingertip against the cool glass as she fought to keep her voice calm. “I see how they look at you, and I know what they’re thinking, because it’s probably the same thing
I
think.”

“So let them look. Let them think. I don’t care.” He rubbed his face with both hands. “And because someone looks, doesn’t mean I intend to bed every female whose path I cross! And, if you think I am that clueless — ”

“I don’t,” she broke in, turning away from the window. “I don’t think that. I just — ”

“You just what?”

Pressing her hand flat against one of the window panes, she murmured, “I wish we’d met any other way than we did. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about slipping.”

“I don’t care if you slip, Heather. It doesn’t matter and I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks.”

“Oh, you say that now. But mark my words, should it become known, I don’t think you’d take that same attitude.” She leaned against the wall, her anger slipping away as a sense of hopelessness elbowed it aside. “I don’t think your family would be so happy to learn that their son met his wife in a — a glorified whorehouse.”

He sighed, his shoulders slumping as he slid down the wall to sit on the sloped pine floor. “You’re right, Heather,” he said after a long silence. “You’re absolutely right.”

Emotions flickered across his face. Anger. Frustration. Sorrow. He raked his fingers through his hair, leaned his head back against the wall, and closed his eyes.

The fight left her as she sighed heavily. “I’m so sorry, Drew. I wish it was different.”

He opened his eyes and held out a hand. “I don’t. Come here.”

She walked over to him, slipping her hand into his to allow him to pull her down beside him on the slightly warped floor. Easing an arm about her shoulders, he said, “I wouldn’t change a thing, love. I don’t care where you were or what you were doing. Remember, I know the truth. I’d wager those sheets are still bloodstained if anyone really wished proof.”

She didn’t resist as he nuzzled her, whispering, “I love you, Heather. And yes, I would have proposed whether you carried my child or not. I just wish to marry you. You might be surprised, but it is that simple.”

She leaned against him, suddenly very tired. “I only wish everything were that simple.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I know, love. I know.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Emma pulled out a length of bright red fabric. “What do you think of this?”

“It’s lovely.” Heather skimmed a hand along the cool cotton. “What did you want it for again?”

“Keely. She’s growing out of everything as quickly as I can replace it.” Emma bit her bottom lip as she frowned at the cloth. “And I’m not a terribly skilled seamstress, which doesn’t — what are you looking at?”

“I’m not sure. Who are those two?” She tilted her head toward two women in the far corner of Scotch’s Emporium.

Emma looked up. “Darcy Penrose and her lackey Sarah Cassidy. Pay them no mind, as neither one is fit to wipe your boots.”

“Darcy keeps looking over here.”

“Probably gossiping about us.” Emma released the cotton and skirted the table holding the fabric to examine another bolt. “That’s what she does best, you know.”

Heather didn’t know, but it appeared Emma was right. Darcy glanced over at them, wrinkled her nose, then turned back to Sarah. What on earth were they giggling about? It was too bad they weren’t closer, but Scotch’s was housed in a large building, and the two were far enough away that they couldn’t be heard.

“Ignore them.” Emma aimed a glare their way just as Darcy looked toward them again. Darcy held her stare, then turned back to Sarah.

Heather tried to do as Emma suggested, and breathed a sigh of relief when Sarah and Darcy moved away. She forgot about them as Emma asked her about another bolt of cloth.

However, it did seem as if people pointed and whispered as she passed them. Even the shopkeeper seemed to be giving her an odd look. After Emma purchased a dozen yards of the red cotton, she said, “I don’t know about you, Heather, but I need to sit down. Let’s go over to Croft’s.”

“Sitting sounds wonderful.” Heather followed her along the walkway toward the café. Her belly had been calm all morning, but now it was roiling again. Perhaps it was only her imagination, but it seemed as if everyone stared as she passed by.

Her spirits rose as she and Emma settled at a table with a pot of tea and two apple tarts. It must have been her mind playing tricks on her, for no one stared now.

“You look like you’ve something on your mind,” Emma remarked, pouring out two cups of tea. She slid one cup toward Heather. “You aren’t worried about what those two were giggling about, are you?”

“Well…” Heather hesitated.

“Don’t be. Darcy isn’t worth sparing a second thought over. She’s a horrid person.”

“Yes, Drew told me about her. But why would she and her friend be whispering about us?”

“Because that is what she does.” Emma sipped her tea, then lowered the cup back to its saucer. “Really, you needn’t worry about her. No one believes a word she says, aside from Sarah, and she was most likely just carping on how unfair life is that you are marrying Drew and she isn’t. She must be pea-green with envy, seeing as how she’s been trying to lure both of them into marriage since we were children. So, just sit back and enjoy your tea.”

“When you put it that way, I feel silly for being concerned.” Heather dropped a lump of sugar into her cup.

“It
is
silly. As I said, no one listens to her since she pulled that nonsense that ended with my marrying Julian. But that,” she lifted her cup once more, “is a story for another time, and we have several more errands to run.”

“Of course.” Heather sat back and lifted the cup to her lips as she tried to put Darcy and her gossip from her mind. Despite her tossing belly, she was enjoying her afternoon with Emma, and had no desire to ruin it with silly worries.

Dust motes swirled through the sunlight and Drew groaned as he arched his back. His spine popped from his hips to his neck, and when he turned, it was to find Garrett staring at him. “What?”

“That sounded painful.”

“Perhaps, but it felt wonderful.” He leaned against the wall. “So, you haven’t told me what you think?”

Garrett glanced around. They were in the parlor, and even with all the windows wide open, the room was still stuffy. A thick layer of dust coated the sills and fireplace mantle. Still, he nodded. “I think Heather’s going to enjoy herself decorating this place. I hope your bank account is ready for that.”

“It will survive.”

“Good.”

“What’s wrong? You’re more serious than usual. You and Katherine have a fight?”

Garrett shook his head, but his forehead wrinkled and he looked exhausted as he reached up to rub it. “Not exactly.”

“Then what is it? Jesus, Garrett, this is almost painful. What’s on your mind?” Drew pushed away from the wall, to the pile of rags he’d dumped in the middle of the room when he first arrived.

His plan had been to get as much of the house cleaned and ready for occupation as possible. Now that he asked for Heather’s hand, he just wanted to marry her and begin their life together. Besides, he wanted to make certain they were married long enough so that when she began to show, no one would question the legitimacy of the child’s birth.

That lay heavily on his mind and seeing the creased worry on his brother’s forehead, a sense of unease bit into him. Had someone overheard Heather when she told him of her condition? Were people whispering about her pregnancy?

Garrett’s arrival was unexpected, but welcome, as Drew needed a respite from all the dust and grime. However, he had the sinking feeling Garrett’s was not going to be an entirely pleasant visit.

“Garrett?”

Lowering his hand, Garrett said, “How well do you know Heather?”

“What?”

“You heard me. How long?”

“Why?”

“I’m curious. You left here to lick your wounds and when you come back, you’ve got your mind made up to get married. It seems a bit quick to me.”

“Quick? It’s been over a year.” Drew snatched up one of the rags and attacked the white marble mantel. “That’s hardly quick.”

“Drew, you know why I’m concerned. Why we’re all concerned. How well do you know her?”

“I’m not having this discussion.”

The floor squeaked and Garrett caught his wrist to stop his scrubbing. “Drew.”

“What?” Drew snapped, whirling about to face him. “There’s nothing to talk about and nothing for you to worry about.”

But Garrett remained unperturbed. “Is that so? Then why so defensive?”

“Because I don’t need to explain anything to anyone.” He managed to keep his voice even, which was good because the muscles in his shoulders were tensing. That tension crept down his back, and his gut tightened. Garrett had heard something, somewhere, about Heather, and Drew had the sinking feeling her carefully guarded secret wasn’t going to remain secret much longer.

“Drew, you need to know, people are whispering about her.”

“Whispering?”

Garrett released him. “Whispering.”

“What sort of
whispering
?” Drew dropped the rag and turned to his brother. If possible, Garrett looked even more exhausted than he had only a few minutes earlier. “What sort of whispering, Garrett?”

“About London. Coal’s gaming house? Is any of this ringing any bells?”

It was a good thing he leaned against the mantel, since his knees threatened to betray him. Blood drained from his face, splashed into his stomach to send a sickening wave of ice rippling through his veins. “What?”

“You heard me.” Garrett’s voice was as tired as the rest of him. “Coal’s gaming house. Now, I’d be the last person to find fault with marrying a barmaid, but I’ve the feeling Heather wasn’t the same sort of barmaid Katherine was. Care you explain why you paid thirty-five
thousand
pounds for her?”

“She wasn’t a barmaid, Garrett.” At his brother’s raised eyebrow, he added, “She wasn’t a whore either.”

“Oh,
really
? Do you know of another sort of woman who charges for her services?”

His arms folded over his chest, Drew glared at him. “She was where she was through no fault of her own. Now, you don’t know what you’re talking about, so I highly suggest you stop talking right now.”

“Enlighten me, Drew. What sort of woman sells herself, yet isn’t a whore?”

“Mind your own business, Garrett.” Drew tightened his hands into fists, tightened his arms to keep those fists from rising. “Let’s just leave it at that, shall we?”

“Leave it at that? Really? Are you that stupid, Drew? I just told you people are whispering about her. Do you know
what
they’re whispering? Aren’t you even the least bit curious? Julian told me about an hour ago.
He
heard from George Hadley — ”

“What?” Drew’s stomach twisted into a painful knot, bile rising in his throat as Garrett’s heated words washed over his brain. “What did you say?”

“You heard me. It’s making its way through Brunswick even as we speak. Andrew Kieran McKenzie, second in command at Eagleton Imports, currently Brunswick’s most eligible bachelor, is marrying a former whore. They’re going to
love
this bit, don’t you think? Momma and Da will be so happy for you.”

“Oh, goddamn, bloody hell…” Drew sagged against the wall, then slid to the floor, hands dangling between his knees, and his head dropped forward, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Now, do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?”

Drew didn’t answer. It was as if all the air in the room had been sucked out and he was slowly being turned inside out. His stomach cramped as he thought about his parents’ reaction once they learned the truth. And he didn’t doubt for a moment they would. Nor did he doubt they’d be beyond furious. He’d brought shame down onto his family. Unintentionally, of course, but that would no longer matter.

Heather.

He winced, squeezing his eyes shut as he thought about her. There was no way his parents would ever allow a marriage to take place between them now. If he was lucky, his father would not disown him outright.

He lifted his head to find Garrett still staring down at him. “I’m telling you, she isn’t what you think she is. Not at all what you think she is.”

“So, why don’t you tell me what she is?” The heat was gone from Garrett’s voice, and he joined Drew on the floor.

“I went to Coal’s without any intention of spending a cent, but just to keep a friend company. And when I saw Heather, I just couldn’t take my eyes off her, Garrett. I wasn’t the only one. Someone else was bidding on her, and Brady let slip that the other bidder liked to play rough with his women.

“I can’t explain, but I couldn’t walk out of there and leave her. I just couldn’t. There was something about her. She didn’t belong there.” The weight lifted from his shoulders as Heather’s sorry tale spilled forth. He was relieved to finally be able to unload the truth, hadn’t even realized what a burden carrying such a secret was until that moment.

That feeling of relief was short-lived, as he turned to find Garrett glaring at him. “So she was a perfectly innocent little miss, was she?”

“She was. I know you don’t believe me, but she was. She was innocent in every way imaginable.”

“And you had the terrific idea to bring her to America? To save her from this horrible life?”

“No. After she told me this, I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to help her.”

“So you
did
feel sorry for her?”

“Well, of course I did. She did not belong there. I wanted her, so I bought her. It’s that simple.”

Now it was Garrett’s turn to snort. “This story keeps getting better and better, Drew.”

“What would you have me do? Like I said, there was something about her that wouldn’t let me leave her there.” He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes again.

Garrett cleared his throat. “Very well, I suppose I do. But, that doesn’t change the fact that you
bought
her, Drew. In the eyes of the world, she is a harlot and no amount of protestation will change that.”

The weight that had lifted from Drew’s shoulders pressed down upon them once again. Garrett was right. Heather was ruined in the eyes of Brunswick. His back straightened. “You said Hadley told McCallister. Who told old Georgie?”