Page 32 of House of Thorns
“You have quite the reputation, do you not?” Her voice held a mocking note.
His mirth faded. “Perhaps, but I am a changed man.” Of late, he seemed to be changing by the day.
Silence fell, a strangely peaceful one, despite the situation, and one in which he felt no need for unnecessary conversation. Instead, he observed Olivia from under his brows as she stared at Glasgow’s streets passing before them. He’d thought her bonny from the start, but the more she resisted and ignored him, his fascination grew, and by the time they arrived at the Duke of Lennox’s townhouse, he found himself hooked like a fish.
* * *
The moment Nicholas laid eyes upon Deborah, pity stirred, and his irritation melted away. The lass looked downright terrible. Dark circles ringed her eyes, a gray pallor tinged her skin, and her hair hung in limp brown ringlets.
“Lord Blair,” she whispered hoarsely, her eyes darting nervously to Olivia and back again.
Nicholas bowed his most courteous bow.
Deborah took one look and rushed to Olivia’s side. “Why…why?” she hissed, grabbing Olivia’s hands, a fine sheen of sweat beading her brow. “Why is he here?”
Did the lass truly think he couldn’t hear?
“Lord Blair’s come to make things right, Deborah,” Olivia assured with a sympathetic smile.
“Olivia,” Deborah gasped and stumbled to the settee. “Olivia, what did you tell him? Olivia?” Horror and despair warred in her voice.
“Why, I told him what…he needed to know.” Clearly, Olivia was puzzled.
Her cousin buried her face in her hands. “No. No,” she gasped. “Not him. He shouldn’t be here.Olivia, what did you do?”
Perplexed, Olivia gingerly sat by her side. “There’s no cause to fret, Deborah. Whatever do you mean?”
“What is this?”
Nicholas looked up to see the Duke of Lennox standing in the doorway, wearing a dark green kilt, his thick brows drawn in a stern line.
“Please,” Deborah sobbed.“Let me faint.”
Nicholas straightened but before he could take action, Olivia rose to her feet.
“It appears I have unnecessarily upset my cousin,” she said, facing her grandfather.
The man scowled. “She’s ever prone to fits of vapors.” He turned to Nicholas then. “Lord Blair, why are you here?”
The eyes of both women latched onto him, at once, Olivia’s keen and alert, with Deborah’s growing rounder by the second. Indeed, it was a miracle she hadn’t fainted already.
Nicholas dipped in an easy bow. “Good day, Your Grace. It is my pleasure to escort Miss Mackenzie about her business this day, and as I’ve been remiss in paying my respects to Lady Deborah these past two years, I merely sought to use the occasion to make amends.”
The Duke tossed him a cynical look and then cocked a grizzled brow at Olivia. “Explain yourself,” he ordered shortly.
She lifted her chin and met him with a cool, confident gaze. “What is to explain? Am I not free to appreciate the company of my cousin?”
“Then you find hysteria particularly enjoyable?” The Duke crossed his arms, his expression peeved.
Deborah whimpered like a lost puppy.
“Indeed, I much prefer hysteria to cruelty,” Oliva replied with a pointed stare.
The Duke’s brows snaked higher. “Dare you accuse me of cruelty, insolent girl?”
“I merely stated my preferences, did I not?” Olivia challenged in turn, and then turned back to her cousin. “My dear Deborah. I must be going.”
Her cousin jumped to her feet and grabbed Olivia’s hands. “You will return?”
