Page 82 of Highland Renegade
Emily smiled at him. “I suspect, as a former prime minister, you would be allowed.”
He smiled back. “I always enjoyed your quick repartee, my lady.”
She gave him a droll look. “You may be the only one, my lord.”
“Certainly not. I daresay many enjoyed your wit.”
“Other than Albert, of course.”
“Then he was more the buffoon than I thought him,” Lord Bute said. “And forgive me for being blunt.”
Emily shook her head. “I prefer that you be honest, even if it is blunt.”
He gave her a thoughtful look, all trace of lightheartedness gone. “Actually, that is the reason I am here. I wanted to talk to you about the bill my son is going to propose.”
“Do you mean about reinstating the MacGregor name?” Emily hoped her tone sounded casual. “I think that is long overdue.”
He studied her. “Do you?”
“Of course. It is rather ridiculous for an entire clan to be proscribed for events that began during Mary, Queen of Scots’ reign.”
“Well, there have been other incidents over time,” he answered. “For example, Rob Roy did not exactly add accolades to the family name.”
“I suppose not,” she acknowledged, “but I am learning that cattle-reiving is somewhat of a Highland tradition.”
“It is, at that.” He smiled and then he sobered. “But more importantly, you need to know how reinstating the MacGregors to their full status may affect you. Specifically, the deed to your holdings.”
Emily frowned. “King George issued the decree for that deed himself.”
“And I am sure he meant for you to keep it.” He hesitated. “But there is the chance that once the MacGregors are restored, they will ask for the deed to be revoked.”
She frowned. “Do you mean…all of it? The castle and the lands?”
“I do not know that for certain, but it is a possibility that you should be aware of.” He reached over to pat her hand. “I wanted you to know.”
She stared after the earl in stunned silence as he left her side. She would lose everything. Her sisters would not have a Season next spring. They wouldn’t even have a home if she lost Strae Castle. Surely, Ian wouldn’t do that. Then the reality of the situation struck with the force of a tidal wave.
It might not be Ian’s decision. He would be the official head of the clan once more and he would have to do what was best for the clan. She understood that.
But what was best for Clan MacGregor probably didn’t include three Sassenachs.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Dawn was breaking by the time they returned home from the ball. Emily burrowed her head into comforting warmth that seemed to surround her, only to be disturbed from a wonderful dream of Ian, when the carriage finally rolled into the bailey of Strae Castle and came to a stop. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Then she bolted upright, jarred into full awaking.
She hadn’t been dreaming. Lulled by the steady clopping of horses’ hooves and the rhythmical sway of the carriage, she remembered starting to fall asleep. Somehow, she’d ended up in Ian’s arms, her head on his shoulder, snuggled against him. Fiona and Glenda sat across from them.
Unlike a ball in London where the revelersdanceduntil dawn, their late—or early—arrival home was because they’d had to travel miles that night. Some of the more distant clans, like the Camerons, had brought tents, but Ian said they had enough clansmen with them to not worry about villains attacking.
“Did ye sleep well?” he asked as though it were the most natural thing in the world for her to have fallen asleep with him.
Emily swiped at her hair, feeling flustered. Fiona looked amused, but the sour look on Glenda’s face told a different story.
“I apologize—”
“Doona.” Ian grinned at her. “I am nae complaining.”
That drew a deep frown from Glenda, and Emily didn’t know what to say. The girl was obviously infatuated with Ian, although trying to explain that to someone but four and ten wasn’t going to have any effect. The Lord knew she’d tried often enough with Lorelei. So instead, she changed the subject.
