Page 10 of In Love With the Wrong Highland Sister
“Yes,” he replied eagerly. “I have just acquired two very finely bred stallions, and I am looking for suitable mares so that we can start a good bloodline.”
“Then I may be able to help you,” Laria told him. She felt surprised that she and Gavin had so much in common, but she reminded herself that she was not here to impress him or his brother. She needed to keep Ellie away from James while not falling under his spell herself. “Come, and we can find out if Apple is awake.”
James knew that breeding horses had long been one of his brother’s greatest ambitions. He watched them as they walked away, envying his brother the camaraderie he had so easily established with Laria. He was obviously trying to leave him and Eloisa time and space to get to know each other, but James wished the roles had been reversed. He would have given his eyeteeth to be the man walking away with Laria.
Watching him, Eloisa felt a stab of pity. It was clear that even if she had wanted to marry James, his attention had been diverted elsewhere. He had not had time to fall in love with her sister, but it was obvious to her that they were very attracted to each other.
What if she did marry James and Laria was still free? Would she be too much of a temptation for him to resist? She knew that her sister would never betray her, but then Eloisa would never have any chance of happiness with James in the unlikely event that they fell in love with each other.
No,she thought.It will never happen. Marriage between James and me is impossible.
She was about to walk away, but James caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and turned around.
“Eloisa.” He looked embarrassed. “I am so sorry. I was daydreaming.”
“I noticed.” She smiled at him. “I think those two are going down to the stable to visit old Apple.”
“Apple?” he asked, puzzled. “Excuse me, but I don’t follow you. Why do you have apples in the stables? Are they treats for the horses?”
Eloisa giggled, her gray eyes shining with mirth. “No. There is only one Apple. She was Laria’s first pony. Shetlands are small, but Apple is small even for a pony of that breed. She is now twenty years old and a bit bad-tempered in her old age. When you meet her, watch her teeth. If she does not like the look of you, she will try to bite you. I know this from experience because I have the scars to prove it!” She held out her right hand, where there was an inch-long semi-circular mark at the top of her thumb. “And I have another one in a place I cannot show you.”
James laughed heartily. He had been about to ask her if she would show it to him anyway, then decided against it. He wanted to be polite to Eloisa, but no more. He knew that he could act as if he were a brute and she would reject him straight away, but he did not have it in his nature to do such a thing.
Although Eloisa was not the woman he favored, he had found that most of the other young women he had been introduced to were repulsive for one reason or another. Some had been too eager to please, or had thrown themselves at him, or had simply been self-absorbed and vain. A few had simply bored him, and the few that had been pleasant had simply not excited him.
However, Eloisa was none of those things. She was clever, humorous, and pretty and would have made a fine wife for any man…any man other than James Elliott, of course.
Eloisa did not have the same toned, slightly muscular physique that Laria had, due to her sister’s devotion to her exercise regime. Laria’s body excited him more than any other woman’s he had ever seen. Dammit! Why could the two sisters not just change places? Why could Eloisa not be the one who was determined not to marry?
“Your mind is elsewhere.” Eloisa’s voice broke into his thoughts, and he stared down at her, thoroughly embarrassed.
“I am so sorry!” he apologized hastily. “That was very rude of me. What were you saying?”
“I was saying that it is a pity that Laria has made up her mind never to marry again,” Eloisa replied. “Because you two would suit each other very well.”
“You are very perceptive,” James said, then frowned. “But what will you do?”
“I am young,” she said simply. “I have plenty of time to meet someone else.”
“Then you are saying that you would prefer Laria to marry me?” he asked, astonished. “I thought I had come here to court you because Laria does not wish to marry. Why not?”
“That is exactly what I am saying,” she replied, her gray eyes meeting his squarely. “However, she is a very private person, and I am not at liberty to share her private life with you. You will have to ask her yourself.”
He nodded in understanding, and a few moments later, they came to the stable where Laria was standing just behind Gavin, her hands clasped around his. Both of them were holding the same apple as Laria attempted to show him how to feed it to a very ancient and very grumpy Shetland pony.
“You would think that any horse who was named after an apple would enjoy eating them!” Gavin protested, half laughing as he tried not to pull his hands back from a big set of gnashing yellow teeth.
“She does love them,” Laria explained. “This is her game. She started to do it when I put her in a stall for a while to recuperate from a foot ailment. I think at first it was because of the pain, but now she just loves the frightened look on your face.”
“Well, I cannot say that I share the feeling!” Gavin said, grimacing. “She is as ferocious as a cornered bear!”
At that moment, Apple snatched the fruit out of his hands and began to munch it. When she had finished, she whickered, asking for another one.
“Not a chance, you bad girl!” Laria told her, wagging her finger at the little horse. “You have caused enough mischief for one day.”
They walked outside, and as they passed the kitchen door, a pretty young maid came running out with a basket full of assorted items of food.
“Milady told me that ye were goin’ for a ride, Mistress Laria,” she said, curtsying. “I made ye this.” She handed over the basket, and they thanked her, then began walking to the main gate.
