School For Heiresses 3- Beware A Scot's Revenge (6 page)

He sighed. “The carriage won’t make the climb. You’d have to unhitch a horse and lead it up here. Though perhaps if the two of you would let me lean on you, I could limp back down—”

“No, indeed,”Venetia said hastily, realizing he was waiting for her to “follow his lead.” “I shall hurry down for the horse. It won’t take long.”

“And I’ll go with you,” her aunt said.

“Certainly not. We can’t both ride. I can fetch it myself. You should stay here and keep the poor colonel company.”

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Aunt Maggie looked torn, but practicality won out. “All right, dear. But do be careful, will you?”

“Of course,” she said with feigned seriousness.

Venetiaset off down the path in a hurry, then slowed her steps once she was out of sight. It wouldn’t do to ruin Colonel Seton’s efforts.

Fanciful thoughts of Aunt Maggie and Colonel Seton in some future marriage absorbed her as she strolled down the mountain. His daughter Lucinda would surely be happy about it. The wedding could take place inEdinburgh , and Venetia might even persuade Papa to let her come toScotland again…

Spinning such delightful scenarios kept her so absorbed that she was near the bottom before she knew it. She’d almost reached the woods skirting the loch when a strange man emerged from among the birches, giving her quite a start.

Not that it was odd for people to be in the park today—they’d encountered several walkers—but something about the single-minded expression on his face gave her pause. Even his gentlemanly attire—the chocolate-brown frock coat, buff trousers, and polished Hessians—didn’t assuage her discomfort.

Casting a nervous glance about her, she realized that this part of the park was presently deserted. Worse yet, the man seemed to be headed right for her.

Then she noticed his stiff gait, and her heart stuttered. He was tall, with the same chiseled chin as her Highlander. As he doffed his broad-brimmed beaver hat to her, she spotted the jagged scar on his wide brow. Relief flooded her.

“Good day, lass. I don’t know if you recognize me without the costume—”

“I do indeed.” Except that it wasn’t the masquerade that she was thinking of. In the brilliance of a sunny day, with his mask gone, he looked even more like…

She caught her breath. The color of his eyes, the arch of his brows, and the shape of his features were the same. And oh, Lord, although his hair was shorter now, falling only to just above his shoulders, the particular chestnut hue was an exact match to that of—

“Lachlan?”

The stunned expression on his face told her she was right.

“Lachlan Ross!” she cried. “You really
are
alive!”

Chapter Five

Dear Cousin,

Once again, sir, you attribute to me notions that never crossed my mind. Why shouldn’t two
women travel the country with only servants to attend them? This isn’t theEngland of your
childhood. Highwaymen are scarce these days. I daresay women have more to fear fromLondon
pickpockets than from good country Scots.

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Your annoyed relation,

Charlotte

D
evil take her, he had hoped the lass wouldn’t put it together so quickly. He’d planned to give her a false name until he could lure her into the carriage by playing on their acquaintance from the ball. That wouldn’t work now.

A shame he couldn’t just toss her over his shoulder and carry her off, but a party of walkers had emerged from the woods, headed for the climb. The park was lousy with visitors today—anyone might hear her scream and come to her rescue.

He’d have to play along until he got her where he wanted her. That meant he’d have to explain his miraculous resurrection. Or avoid explaining it.

“Yes, I’m alive.” He clapped his hat back on his head and made a show of looking around for enemies.

“Can you lower yer voice? No one’s supposed to know.”

Such secrecy must have appealed to her, for she dropped her voice to a conspiratorial murmur. “Why? And how can you be alive when the papers said—”

“I know, lass, I know.” He cast a furtive glance at the party passing them. “Can we talk about this somewhere more private? Let’s head for those woods.”

“Oh, I forgot! Forgive me, but I must hasten to Colonel Seton’s carriage.”

As she continued down the path toward the woods, he followed along. She was playing right into their hands, she was. “Is that where yer friends are?” he asked in feigned innocence.

“No, I have to ride a horse back up the mountain for the colonel. We were walking to the top when he supposedly injured his leg, and now must ride down.”

“Supposedly?”

She laughed. “I suspect he’s only pretending to be hurt to get my aunt alone so he can court her. Since I heartily approve of the courtship, I must maintain the pretense by riding up to fetch them.”

He shook his head. “You’re not dressed for it, and it’ll take time to unhitch a horse. Let me carry you up in my carriage.”

“It can’t make that climb, sir.”

“Not on this side of the mountain, but on the other side is an easy road to the top,” he lied.

“Really?” She stopped short. “Are you sure?”

Lachlansmiled. “Most people don’t know about it. My equipage is just inside those trees; let me drive you up. The colonel may need me to carry him to the rig.” He offered her his arm.

“I sincerely doubt that,” she said with a laugh, but took his arm all the same. “But I suppose we should keep up appearances for his sake.”

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“Aye.” Deliberately he covered her gloved hand with his. “Besides, I’ll take any chance to be alone with you, even if only for a bit.”

Her whole face brightened. “Oh,Lachlan , I’m
so
glad you’re alive.”

Guilt pricked his conscience. She wouldn’t be thinking that for long.

“But you must tell me how—” she began.

“Not yet, lass, not until we’re alone.”

Which had better be soon. Already his body suffered the toll of the past week’s travel. He couldn’t wait to have the pretense over, even if it meant she would despise him. Despite his throbbing thigh, he hastened his steps, ignoring the glance she slid at him as they walked. He was too busy scanning the area for any other strangers who might happen upon them. This mustn’t look like an abduction.

“How did you know about the road up the mountain, anyway?” she asked.

“I attended school inEdinburgh .”

“I forgot about that.” She added in a teasing voice, “Probably because it did you little good. You returned to Rosscraig as wild as when you’d left.”

The word “wild” scraped his nerves—he’d heard the accusation from his father a dozen times a day when he was young. “You can’t possibly remember what I was like when I went off to school. You were only a wee thing then.”

“True, but I heard stories. And I remember what you were like when you returned.”

“Aye.” He frowned. “You called me a dirty savage.”

To his surprise, she chuckled. “Only because you were so mean to me, telling me you had better things to do than coddle a ‘silly girl.’ ”

“Are you saying you
didn’t
think me a dirty savage?”

The pretty pink blush that stained her cheeks sent his blood pounding in his veins. “I thought you were wonderful.”

Ignoring that bit of amazement, he said, “Ah, well, you were a girl. Girls get funny notions into their heads.”

The impatience in his tone must have sunk in, for her hand stiffened on his arm. “Lachlan?” she asked, her voice suddenly wary.

“What, lass?”

“How did you happen to be here today at the same time we are?”

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Damn, she was starting to realize the oddness of this. But they were in sight of the coach, thank God. He quickened his steps as he spun the tale he’d prepared. “After Seton tossed me out last night, I found out where you were staying. I followed you this morning, hoping to have a word with you, but then Seton arrived, and I thought it best to…catch you alone.”

They approached his rig, and he let out a breath. “Here’s my carriage, lass.” He called out to the lad on the perch, “Look lively, Jamie! We’re headed off!”

His long-term partner nodded and took up the reins asLachlan helped her into the carriage, then leaped in behind her.

The team pulled off so quickly that she was thrown back against the squabs. He took advantage of her loss of balance to jerk down the window shades.

“Lachlan,” she chided him, “you may not move in society much, but surely you realize I can’t ride with you in a carriage with the shades down.”

She reached to pull up the shade, and he caught her hand. “Leave it be.”

Her gaze shot to him. “I cannot—”

“You can and you will. At least until we’re away from the park.”

“What do you mean?” she said warily. “We’re going up to Arthur’s Seat.”

Releasing her hand, he pulled the shade aside just enough to look out. “Do as you’re told, and everything will be well.”

She stared at him as if he’d slapped her, but he had no time for coddling her. They would soon reach the entrance. Some guards had been lounging about there earlier, probably because the road went right pastHolyroodPalace . Fortunately the king wasn’t there today, soLachlan hoped the lazy louts would let them pass after seeing the shades down. If not…

“Lachlan!”Venetia said in that imperious voice she must have inherited from her father. “I demand that you stop this carriage right this minute.”

He glanced over to find her glaring at him. He considered trumping up some tale about how he was kidnapping her to marry her, but that was a level of deception he couldn’t stomach. Time to drop the pretense. “Sorry, lass. I can’t.”

Venetiaheard his words with a sinking in the pit of her stomach. She should have known something was wrong when he’d first showed up at the park. But like a fool, she’d been so happy to find him alive.

“Why not?”

He tipped the shade aside to glance out again. “I’m surprised you haven’t guessed it by now, given my miraculous resurrection.”

Her heart began to hammer in her chest. “Yes, perhaps you should explain how you came to be declared dead,” she said hoarsely. “The papers claimed you were killed in a battle with the Scourge.”

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“That was a lie I had my clansmen plant. Truth is, my battle was with your father’s men. They were the ones who tried to drown me in the loch.”

“My father’s?” she said, completely at sea. “But why would my father’s men attack you? You’ve never done anything to—”

“Think,Venetia .” The icy gaze he leveled on her sent a chill right to her bones. “You’re no fool. Who’s the only Scot yer father would want to murder?” His voice turned hard as nails. “The only man who’d dare to kidnap his daughter?”

The word “kidnap” froze her blood. She was going to be sick.Lachlan had always been reckless, but surely he couldn’t…“
You’re
the Scourge?”

He tipped his hat to her in a mocking salute. “At yer service, my lady.”

Lord save her. All this time when Papa had complained about the Scourge, he’d been complaining aboutLachlan .Lachlan had been the one to steal from him and torment their friends, lying to the world, and to her today so he could—

“You unconscionable blackguard!” she cried. “How dare you!”

She lunged for the door, but he grabbed her easily, hauling her onto his lap and clamping his arm about her waist as he locked her legs between his.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he muttered against her ear. “You can’t leap from a carriage at this speed, or you’ll kill yerself.”

“That’s what you’re going to do to me anyway, aren’t you?” she spat as she struggled against his hold, knocking both their hats off.

“Don’t be daft. And stop acting the fool, unless you want me to tie you up.”

That stopped her short. She didn’t want to be tied up, but neither did she want to be kidnapped. Oh, how could this be happening? What a fool she’d been to think that the unrulyLachlan of her childhood would turn out to be anything but a scoundrel. And she’d given herself into his hands without a fight, too!

“Papa will find you. He’ll hunt you down and tear your heart out—”

“What a bloodthirsty wench you’ve become,” he taunted her. “But don’t worry yer pretty head over it—he won’t need to hunt you down, because I’m inviting him toScotland to rescue you. Then we can settle this matter between us.”

Her blood ran cold. “What matter? Why do you hate him so?”

A panel slid open behind their heads. “We’re approaching one of His Majesty’s Guard, sir,” the man named Jamie said. “What shall I do?”

Venetiatensed. This was her chance to scream, to—

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“Don’t even consider it,”Lachlan growled, as if he’d read her mind. Suddenly she felt something cold and hard jab into her ribs. She looked down to see the end of a nasty-looking pistol just under her arm.

Oh, Lord. He had weaponry, too. She was done for.

Lachlanturned his head to the open panel. “Halt only if the guard demands it. If he does make you stop, keep him to the right of the carriage, and tell him…” He paused, then tightened his arm about her waist.

“Tell him yer master is on his honeymoon and has no interest in the king’s affairs.”

As the panel slid shut,Lachlan shifted her across his lap so that her back was to the right-side window with the pistol shoved against her belly.

Fear snaked down her spine. “You would never shoot me,” she whispered. “I’m no good to you dead.”

“True.” He slid the gun between her arm and her side, aiming it at the window. “But if you say anything to attract attention, I’ll shoot the guard. Do you want
his
blood on yer head?”