Page 27 of Highland Renegade
“Even so, there is no reason for you to toy with him and possibly cause hurt feelings.” Emily turned her gaze on Juliana. “And that goes for you as well. Stop provoking Rory.”
“I donot—”
“Youdo.” Emily looked from one sister to the other. “It behooves all of us to behave properly and remember why we are here. Are we in agreement?”
They both stared at her for a long moment before reluctantly nodding, but somehow Emily didn’t think she’d won the battle.
…
A brisk knock on the library door the next morning made Ian look up from the numerous papers he had scattered over the desk.
“May I come in?” Emily asked.
The English had a rather odd sense of protocol, he thought as he stood and gestured for her to have a seat. She owned the castle—at least for now—and yet, she knocked. The door was open, yet she asked to enter. He doubted it was out of deference for him, therightfullaird of Clan MacGregor, as it was because she didn’t want to escalate the tension and resentment that hung heavy in the air. Which made her a savvy woman.
And also a pretty one, although he pushed those thoughts away. She was dressed in a light-blue gown, modestly cut, but fitting well enough to outline her narrow waist and the flare of her hips. The library had no windows—to preserve the book bindings from damage by sunlight—but the light from the oil lamp on his desk cast her face in a warm glow and made her golden hair seem like a halo. Pity the woman was a Sassenach and, by holding the damn deed, a foe.
“Rory hasnae returned, if that is what ye are wondering.”
She smiled slightly and took the chair beside the desk instead of the one in front of it. “I assumed as much when I did not hear voices raised in the Great Hall.”
“I’ve nae time to take ye on a tour of the land today,” he said as he sat down. “I’ve business matters to see to.”
“Precisely.” She edged her chair closer to the desk. “I want to know what the business matters are.”
For a moment, the scent of rose water wafting from her hair distracted him. Why was she deliberately sitting so close to him? Then he realized it was because she wanted to see what was spread on the desk.Eejit.
“What did ye want to ken?”
She blinked at him. “Everything. Expenses, invoices, receipts, inventory… You do have ledgers for all the accounts?”
He felt like Paden had kicked him in the stomach with a well-shod hoof. He had hoped to placate her with copies of the reports he’d sent to the earl’s estate, but damn it, the lady sounded like she knew what to ask for.
“It will take days, if nae weeks, to sort all that out for ye.”
She smiled again. “I have time.”
Time. Perhaps he should rethink his strategy and gather the information—at least, the minimal—she asked for quickly and convince her all was being handled. His brothers, and most likely his uncles, wanted her and her sisters back in London before the first snow fell, and in Glen Strae that could be as early as October.
“I will get ye the reports ye need.”
“I have already read the reports you sent last spring,” she said. “What I am interested in is the actual accounting books.”
He frowned. “Ye have knowledge of accounting?”
“When the earl became…ill…I took it upon myself to learn.”
An odd expression that he couldn’t decipher had crossed her face when she mentioned her deceased husband. “I didna ken he had been ill.” Another strange expression flitted briefly before she dipped her head slightly.
“It was a lingering illness.”
Which could be any number of things, given the man’s age. Women were used to managing household expenses, but he wondered how diligently she’d applied herself to other financials. Cautiously, he asked, “Did ye find the reports I sent satisfactory?”
“As far as they went.” She leveled a look on him. “You do seem to have more sheep than I expected, given the yield of wool listed.”
He nearly groaned aloud. Emily had been applying herself. She might not know exactly how much each coat was worth, but he suspected it wouldn’t be long until she discovered the numbers he’d given were low.
“We’ve been trying to increase the flocks.” That much was true, albeit they’d been increasing them ever since the king had given his grandfather permission to reside at Strae Castle.
