Landing a Laird (12 page)

“
Very well.”  Alvina settled back in her chair, cradling the cup in her hand, watching.

Moira tried not to let Alvina bother her, but it was as if she were waiting for something.  There were no eligible dukes anyway, and a few marquesses held promise, as did a few earls.  

“
Do you think I should write them down, so I remember?” Moira glanced up at Alvina.

Her sister-in-law grinned into her cup. “I am sure you will remember what you need to.”

Alvina was acting very strangely.  Moira focused back on the book and flipped the page. “Viscounts.”  

Alvina sat forward and placed her cup on the table.

Moira began reading names and stopped.  She grasped the page tight, almost tearing it from the binding. “He lied to me.”

“
I am sure he had good reason,” Alvina assured her.

“
Why didn’t you tell me?”

“
I wanted you to see for yourself, and gauge your reaction.”

“
Why?”

“
To determine how much you love him.”

Moira slammed the book shut. “It doesn’t matter what my feelings may be.  If he cared or wanted to marry me, he would have told me and not made up some estate in Yorkshire.”

“
He does own an estate in Yorkshire, and a townhome in Mayfair.”

“
If only he needed my dowry.”

“
Be glad he doesn’t.  Then you would never know if it was you or the pounds he wanted.”

“
That is just it,” Moira cried as she stood, knocking the chair backwards in her haste. “He doesn’t want me at all.”

The footman stepped through the door. “Excuse me, Lady Moira.”  

She glanced up at him. “Yes?”

“
Viscount Ainsely to see you.”

Moira clenched her teeth and inhaled deeply. Anger like she had never experienced before coursed through her veins.  
How dare he come to call on me?
 

 

Gideon was left cooling his heels in the blue parlor. He couldn’t sit, he couldn’t stand. All he did was pace through the room, the bouquet of fresh flowers clutched in his hand. If Moira did not make an appearance soon, they would be wilted.

His stomach was in knots. What if she rejected him?  Maybe the kiss had meant nothing to her.  He had taken her unawares, while she was stuck in the phaeton beside him.

No. She’d enjoyed the kiss as much as he had.  She had to have. He couldn’t accept otherwise.

Damn.  He turned on his heel and paced back across the room.  He had never courted a lady before. Did they usually keep gentlemen waiting? He glanced at the clock.  He had been here for thirty minutes. What could she be doing that was taking so long?

Hopefully she wasn’t trying a new hair dye or worse, binding her breasts.

What if she rejected him? No, he couldn’t think of that.

Perhaps he should approach Hearne first, ask permission, and then Moira wouldn’t have a choice. Besides, wasn’t a gentleman supposed to speak to the guardian first?  

Gideon thrust his fingers through his hair. He was going to bungle this, he just knew it. At the end of the Season he would return to Scotland, alone, his heart back here with Moira.

“
Why?”

Gideon turned to find Moira framed by the doorway. Her calico hair curled and fell haphazardly around her, and those glorious breasts were free. She stood erect, chin high, and hands clenched into tight fists.  Anger?

“
Why what?” he asked cautiously.

“
Why did you lie to me?”

His gut tightened. “I haven’t lied to you.  Can you be more specific about what you perceive as a lie?” He needed to tread carefully.

“
Of course.” Her laugh was bitter.  “You didn’t lie when you told me you owned an estate in Yorkshire.”

His gut twisted further and his heart lay in his boot.

“
You simply omitted the fact that you live outside Selkirk,
Scotland
.”

“
I can explain.”  He thrust the flowers at her.

Moira grabbed them from his hands. “Thank you.”  Her shoulders dropped as if some energy had left, but he knew better than to think the flowers had completely disarmed her.

“
Why?” she asked quietly, burying her nose in the bouquet.

He was at a loss for words.  Whatever he said would hold the power to turn her away from him for the rest of his life, or bring her into his arms where she belonged.  One wrong word, and she would be gone to him forever.

She looked up, and unshed tears shimmered in her eyes. “Was it a game to you?”

“
No, of course not.” He took a step forward, wanting to draw Moira into his arms. The pain in her eyes was a knife to his heart. “Why would you think such a thing?”

“
Because you let me go on and on, agreed to help me find a husband.”  Tears fell freely down her cheeks, and Gideon resisted the urge to wipe them away.  “You kissed me, made me feel beautiful and long for Yorkshire more than Scotland.”

She did want him, for himself.  Hope surged.  But were their chances destroyed because of his omission?

She sniffed, wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve, and continued. “You told me to only accept a Scot who felt that way. You never offered yourself.”

Gideon fished a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her.  Moira accepted and blew her nose in the most unladylike fashion he had ever witnessed.  God he loved her.

“
Come here.” He held his hand out to her.

Moira eyed it suspiciously.  “Why?

“
Just come here.”  

Reluctantly, she took his hand and Gideon led her to the settee. She sank down onto the cushions, and he sat beside her.  

He kept her small, trembling hand in his and took a deep breath.

“
It isn’t what you think.” He prayed she understood.

“
Then explain,” she demanded then sniffed.

“
I was afraid that if you knew, all you would see was Scotland.”

“
So?”

“
I feared you would try to compromise me.”  The thought of a bonny woman throwing herself at him had never caused fear before. It would be rather humorous if the situation weren’t so important.  “You only cared about being free of your mother, living far away.  I would never have been confident of your feelings for me.”

Her brow furrowed.  “I don’t understand.”

“
Many marriages are arranged because of status, wealth, connections, and some have thrived on much less. I did not want to be in a marriage where only one set of feelings were involved—mine.”

“
Yours?”

Gideon closed his eyes and took a deep breath before moving from the settee and down on one knee before her. “Lady Moira Kirkwood, I am in love with you. I don’t know when I fell, but I did. I would be honored if you would become my wife, and live with me at my home in Selkirk, Scotland.”

She stared at him, studying his face.  His heart ceased beating, waiting for a response.  Slowly her lips turned into a smile.  “You love me.”  Tears formed once again.

“
Aye, I do.” He picked up the hand he held and kissed the back. “I can only hope that you return the feelings one day.”

Her face lit as if sunlight burst from inside. “Oh, but I do, I do.  I was willing to settle in Yorkshire as long as I could have you.” Her arms came up and around him as her lips connected with his. The momentum of her embrace sent them sprawling onto the floor.  Gideon wrapped his arms around his impetuous future wife and deepened the kiss, holding her close.  

“
Moira Kirkwood,” the Dowager Countess Hearne screeched. “You must stop accosting gentlemen in the parlor.”

Gideon chuckled and broke away from the kiss.  Moira looked up, her face a lovely shade of rose, and moved away from him. Gideon sat up. “It is quite all right, madam.  Moira can accost me any time she chooses.”

The woman gasped, hand to her throat. “Nyle, do something.”

Moira’s brother stepped further into the room, chuckling. “It appears Moira has succeeded in compromising a gentleman, and she must do the honorable thing.”

Gideon would have stood, but he didn’t wish to have himself on display, or his physical reaction to Moira’s heated embrace that could be noticed by anyone. Instead, he remained where he was. “Hearne, might I have the pleasure of your sister’s hand in marriage?”

“
Call on me this evening and we will work out the details.”  He turned to his mother.  “Come along.”

“
But...” She tried to pull her elbow from Hearne’s grasp.

“
They are to be married, and possibly by special license. Leaving them alone will harm nothing.”

“
Oh, no,” her mother objected, trying to pull her arm from Hearne’s. “Moira will have an announcement, reading of the banns, a respectable wedding at St. George’s, and an elaborate wedding breakfast.”

Hearne ignored his mother, but kept a firm hold of her arm and looked back at Moira.  “Congratulations on finding a Scot.”

Moira gasped.  “You knew?”

Hearne shook his head and chuckled. “Expect my wife and me to be frequent visitors.”

“
Scot?”  Her mother halted and peered over at Moira. “No daughter of mine is going to live in Scotland.”

“
It is too late, Mother.”  Nyle tugged on his mother’s arm to pull her from the room. “Moira has compromised the poor gentleman and must do the proper thing by him.”  His laughter echoed and the door clicked, leaving Gideon alone with Moira.  

“
Do you really love me?”  she asked, biting her lower lip.

“
Aye.” He rose from the floor to sit beside her.

“
And I love you.”  Her lips met his again, and Gideon knew he would be facing pure torture until he could finally make her his.  

 

The following novellas also appeared in
The Betting Season
, and available as individual novellas for those wishing to read about Moira’s three friends.

Any Other Name,
by Ava Stone to find out about Lady Philippa (Pippa) Casemore and Jason York, the wicked Earl of St. Austell.

Flight of Fancy
, by Catherine Gayle to learn about Lady Georgianna (Georgie) Bexley-Smythe and Cedric Loring, the Earl of Montague.

The Marriage Trap
, by Jerrica Knight-Catania to read the story of Miss Patience Findley and Tristan Wallford, Lord Swaffham.

 

A Gentleman’s Guide to Once Upon a Time Series

His Impetuous Debutante

His Contrary Bride

His (Not so) Sensible Miss

The Wiggons’ School for Elegant Young Ladies Series

To Walk in the Sun

To Love a Governess Series

Sacked – Regency Short

Handfasted – Regency Novella

Ruined – Regency Short