My Fair Lily (21 page)

All eyes were now on him. All angry. All impatient and dismissive.

Desmond settled in a chair beside Evangeline. “Why bring us here? To gloat over your handiwork in front of Grandfather? You tried to kill me.”

“You’d be dead if that were my intent.” Ewan remained standing near the table, unable to bring himself to sit alongside the
threesome.
Desmond did look awful. Pathetic, really. The white bandage across his nose a stark contrast to the black circles beneath his eyes. “I called the
meeting because I want the attacks to stop. I thought I made that clear when I hauled you off Lily and tossed you halfway across the dress shop the other day, Desmond. Apparently you weren’t paying
attention.”

“You’re a beast and an ogre,” Evangeline shouted, rising from her chair. “My brother hasn’t gone near Lily or Meggie since then. But that didn’t stop you from assaulting him. A gentleman. In his
own club!”

“You’ve conveniently overlooked the incident at Tattersalls. Your brother’s scum drew a knife on Lily. Four of them attacked me, one of them sticking his calling card between my ribs. Your brother is fortunate I didn’t pay him back in kind.”

“Desmond had nothing to do with it.” Both of his cousins slid glances at their grandfather. Curious, Ewan thought. Did they believe the old man had given orders to those blackguards? Couldn’t be. Ewan had heard the command to attack out of Desmond’s own
mouth.

“Your brother was there, Evangeline. He told those men to come at me.”

“I didn’t!” Now Desmond was on his feet. “I saw those strangers
circling you and merely uttered what I felt. I didn’t know who they were, but I wanted them to hurt you for all the pain you’ve caused us.”

Ewan shook his head in disgust. “What pain? I haven’t seen you in over a decade. I’ve had nothing to do with any of you. In truth, I never would have contacted you if not for my father’s request.”

Evangeline tossed back her blonde curls. “His deathbed request. How clever of him. He knew Grandfather would never restore his inheritance, so he schemed to put you between us and him. Well, it didn’t work. None of us wants you here. Not even Grandfather. I think his actions have made that perfectly clear.”

The old man slowly rose to his feet, his movement graceful and his manner every bit the imposing duke. His eyes appeared to cloud in confusion. “I want to hear the truth from you, Desmond. My boy,
look me in the eye and tell me you had nothing to do with the
incident at Tattersalls.”

Desmond’s eyes appeared to cloud in similar confusion. “Of
course I had nothing to do with it. I promise you that. I’ll take an oath on it. I thought…” His voice trailed away, but his gaze remained fixed on their grandfather.

“You think I had a hand in it? Me? A duke of the realm! Sending
wharf rats to hurt my own flesh and blood? Ordering one of those rats to draw a knife on an innocent girl? Is this what you all think of me? That I’m a detestable old man living in a mausoleum, just as
that Farthingale girl wrote?”

“The word is
despicable,
” said a young female voice at the doorway. “Sorry I’m late. I was out riding and lost track of the time.
Grandfather, she called you
despicable
.”

“Meggie, he gets the point,” Ewan said, nodding for her to approach and join the family meeting. Since all five of them were now standing, their hands balled into fists, it didn’t seem like much
had been accomplished during their brief conversation—if that’s what one could call accusations hurled back and forth. But Ewan suddenly felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his chest.

Meggie wasn’t quite so brave as to approach their grandfather.
Instead, she stopped beside Ewan, remaining a step behind him and resting a hand lightly on his arm, as though his nearness would somehow protect her from the other three as she spoke to them. “I’m
so glad it
wasn’t any of you,” she said, revealing that she had heard the
discussion
before she entered the room. “I know you hate us, but we don’t hate you. That is... we thought we would... but Lily says family shouldn’t hate each other. So I don’t want to hate you anymore. I want to honor my father’s request. I’m glad you didn’t do those awful things.”

Assuming the duke and the cousins could be believed. Ewan ran a hand through his hair in consternation. He wanted to believe them. In truth, he did believe them. It was something he felt in his gut, and that gut instinct had never been wrong. But if not his own family, then who wanted to hurt him?

His grandfather must have had the same thought. “Seems this
meeting was productive, after all. But in answering one question, it raises a host of others. Ewan, who could have done this?”

“My problem,” Ewan said. “I’ll deal with it.” Had he made enemies in the Highlands? Someone who wished him ill? Someone who hated him enough to follow him to London and attempt murder?

“It’s a Cameron family problem,” his grandfather said, stiffening his spine and casting all a look to remind them that he was the Duke of Lotheil, a man used to giving orders and having them obeyed. “I’m head of this family, and while I live and breathe, no one is
going to lay a hand on any blood relation of mine.”

Desmond let out a low growl. “I see. That’s what you’ve wanted all along. Any excuse to make up with
that
side of the family. You don’t care a whit about Evangeline or me. You never wanted me to succeed you as duke. It’s Ewan you want. The Scottish boor. For all your talk of proper
English
bloodlines, you’re still a Scot. You’ve never escaped your Lowlander roots.”

Evangeline’s lips began to quiver. Lord, she was another one like
Meggie, weepy and afraid of her own shadow. A dose of Lily would do her good, Ewan mused. Since Lily had worked wonders on Meggie, she might do the same for his cousin.

“Damn it, Evangeline. Don’t cry,” Desmond said, his voice surprisingly gentle for a man so enraged.

“I can’t help it.”

The duke reached out and took her into his arms. It was the first
sign of affection Ewan had ever seen spring from the man.
Obviously, the old man wasn’t used to such displays for he held Evangeline awkwardly and looked lost as he patted her hand. “I’m proud of all my grandchildren.”

“You don’t even know us,” Desmond said, a remark that must have cut the old man deeply coming from the grandchild he knew best.

He suddenly looked twice his years, a weary sadness on display as he glanced from grandson to grandson, then to his granddaughters. “Apparently I don’t.” He released Evangeline and
turned to walk away, but paused in front of Ewan.

Ewan felt Meggie take another small step back. Even when sad, the proud Duke of Lotheil was a daunting force. Ewan stood his ground and waited for the old man to speak, which he did after a long silence. “Tell that girl she’s no longer banned from Lotheil
Court.”

Ewan nodded. Lily had already violated that ban and intended to do so tomorrow as well, so it wasn’t much of a concession. “And the Royal Society?”

His grandfather’s expression hardened. “No. I understand that she’s young and was obviously rattled by the attack upon her person
at Tattersalls. But she humiliated me in public, accused me of that crime. Or at the very least, accused me of goading Desmond to commit that crime. I’ve told you, Ewan. She doesn’t step foot in that
vaunted hall unless it is to crawl on hands and knees upon the cold marble and apologize to me.”

Ewan held his tongue. Much progress had been made in this
meeting. But damn it! He’d sooner build a new hall of science for
Lily than ever see her crawl before any man.

He sighed inwardly.

The girl was going to bankrupt him. New gowns, new
spectacles, new books, and now a new building. Yes, bless her proud heart and love of science, she was going to leave him flat broke by the end of these three months.

All worth it.

Lily was not going to beg for any man. Not even him... unless it was to beg him to take her to bed. That would happen only in his fantasies. That
did
happen in his fantasies. Every aching night.

LILY ARRIVED
at Lotheil Court the following morning, uncertain what to expect after receiving Meggie’s note the evening before promising something of major importance today. Dillie, who was
bored and looking for something to do, decided to come along even though the day was unusually cold and wet.

Lotheil’s staid butler opened the door, saw the two, and stared, wide eyed. It took him a moment to realize he wasn’t seeing double. “Good morning, Harding,” Lily said. “Miss Cameron is expecting
us.”

He waved them in, taking their damp cloaks and hats, and started toward the visitors’ salon. “This way, ladies. I’ll ask if Miss
Cameron is at home.”

“Of course she’s at home,” Lily whispered to her twin. “Isn’t it
the most ridiculous expression? Where would she be at this early hour if not here?” She supposed it was more polite to be “not at home” to visitors one didn’t wish to see. Nicer than saying “Go away, she has better things to do than see you.”

“Harding!” Meggie called in an excited whisper from the top of the stairs. “Let them come up here. Now. Quickly! But do be quiet.”

He led them to the stairs and motioned upward, the put-upon look on his face showing his displeasure at having a pair of look-
alike strangers meandering through the Lotheil private quarters. Not that Lily blamed him. What was so important to Meggie that she’d had them come over before noon and was now squealing and hopping excitedly like a frog on one leg?

It couldn’t be anything sinister, for Meggie was all smiles. She looked delightful in a cream-colored day gown trimmed in dark green velvet to match her gleaming eyes. Her chestnut curls bobbed
up and down as she grabbed their hands and led them down the
hall. “Quickly. This way.”

Lily held her back. “Why so secretive?”

“Be patient. You’ll see.”

She wasn’t one for games at this early hour, but how bad could this adventure be? Meggie wasn’t the wild and reckless sort. She was a sweet girl and painfully unsure of herself when out in society. For
that reason, Lily decided to follow along even though the little hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. She didn’t wish to undermine Meggie’s confidence. Any slip in etiquette could be corrected later.

“This way, and remember to be quiet.”

“Why so mysterious?” Dillie asked.

“Ewan’s shaving. I wanted Lily to be the first to see him.”

Lily came to a dead halt. “That’s it? The important event we simply couldn’t miss?” Did Meggie intend for them to burst in and catch him in the act? Lily had believed the utter disregard of privacy
was an irritating trait unique to the Farthingales. Apparently, the Camerons had no respect for privacy either.

However, the thought of entering Ewan’s masculine domain sent tingles coursing through her body. The host of butterflies lying
dormant in her stomach instantly awoke and began to flutter their wings in a frenzied whirl. “Oh, no. We can’t go in there. It’s
impossible. Highly inappropriate.”

Meggie laughed. “I’m not attics-to-let. We’re not going to break into his chamber. We’ll wait in my room. He’s promised to show me the result once he’s done shaving.”

“All well and good, but he won’t expect to find me and Dillie with you. He won’t be pleased.”

“Oh, Lily, my brother won’t mind seeing you. He likes you, though he’d never admit it even if his life depended on it. He’d rather die at the hands of Napoleon’s army. But
we
know he’s doing this for you.”

He couldn’t possibly, Lily decided at once. She didn’t affect him in a this-woman-is-important-to-me way. She didn’t rouse butterflies in his stomach. Or make his heart beat a little faster with yearning. “I know you mean well, Meggie. I’m going downstairs to the library. Call me when he’s decent.”

Dillie cast her an impertinent grin. “I’ll wait with Meggie.”

Lily tipped her nose into the air. “Do as you wish.”

Her sister sighed. “Come on, Lily. Stay. It’s just innocent fun.”

“But he doesn’t know we’re here. What if he struts into Meggie’s room half dressed?”

“We’ve seen male bodies before. William struts around shirtless half the time and Uncle Rupert often neglects to wear his pants.” She
gave a mock shudder as she turned to Meggie. “He has the most
hideous, hairy legs.”

“Precisely my point. A man’s privacy ought to be respected.” But the thought of seeing Ewan shirtless, those hard muscles on bold display... goodness, that would be fun.

No, it would be wrong.

Hideously and appallingly wrong.

Not fun at all... well yes, it would be fun... great fun, but very wrong.

She felt her cheeks suffuse with heat. “I’ll be in the library.”

“Coward,” Dillie teased, and then followed Meggie into her bedchamber. Lily heard the pair giggling as they closed the door behind them.

She paused a moment in the hall, wondering at the fuss Meggie was making over her brother’s beard. Dillie thought it was harmless. Was she supposed to feel excited and want to participate in the silliness as well? She knew she was different. Books excited her.