Page 29 of Highland Champion
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lorelei and the rest of the group emerge from the house. He needed to keep them in sight. He smiled at the two girls again.
“That willna be necessary. I probably lost it somewhere else.” He tipped the hat he wore so he wouldn’t be immediately recognized by his sister. “I’ll just be going.” As he turned to leave, the first one spoke again.
“You should not pick the berries. They are not edible, you know.”
For a moment, her words didn’t make any sense. Then he realized she must have assumed he’d been picking holly berries when he lost a cufflink. Of course, he knew the berries weren’t edible and were actually poisonous, but better to let her think him a dimwit than to lose his quarry.
“Thank ye. I’ll remember.”
He could hear them giggling as he walked off, but he didn’t turn around. Instead, he followed his sister and Lorelei at a leisurely pace, far enough behind that they wouldn’t notice him. It was only a few blocks to Bond Street, but he was surprised when they stopped well before and turned right. This street didn’t have as many pedestrians as Grosvenor did, so he had to lag farther behind. He ducked behind a tree when they stopped once more.
Louisa turned onto Hill Street while Mary and Garth turned east once more toward Bond. Lorelei and Fiona gave them a casual wave and continued to head south on Curzon Street toward Hyde Park.
Alasdair frowned. What the deuce? It was obvious that Louisa was going to visit someone on Hill Street, but where were his sister and Lorelei going? Even if they meant to walk in the park, why weren’t Mary and Garth accompanying them? His first instinct was to stop all of them, but that wouldn’t get him the answers he wanted.
And if either Campbell or Westwood were waiting inside one of the park gates, they were going to be extremely sorry. When they’d be able to walk again.
But Fiona and Lorelei didn’t go into Hyde Park. Instead, they turned off on Bolton Street toward Piccadilly. He wanted to pick up his pace, but they’d surely see him if he did, so he lingered behind.
And then he cursed—aloud this time—when he saw them climb into an empty hack. He ran down the street, looking for another hack to hail but didn’t see one. Switching to Gaelic, he swore again, watching in frustration as Lorelei and his sister disappeared from sight.
…
Lorelei tucked a stray curl behind her ear as she looked around the ballroom at Almack’s that evening. They’d been rather late coming home and getting dressed had been hurried.
“That is because more people are returning to Town,” Lorelei answered. “Most of the lords want several weeks to renew acquaintances before Parliament starts.”
“And this year, most of them will want to talk about the growing unrest in the Colonies,” Louisa said. “There is already enough trouble going on in India.”
“Do you really think King George will send more soldiers to America?” Lorelei asked.
“If the rumors about a revolution are true, he will have to,” Louisa answered. “He cannot just let the Colonies declare independence.”
Fiona frowned. “That will mean more young men will die, like they did at Culloden.”
Lorelei looked at her friend. Even though that battle had been fought nearly thirty years ago, the Scots had not forgotten the brutality. And, she had to admit, she’d not paid much attention to any wars that were going on before she’d gone to Scotland. Learning of the MacGregors’ plight, though, had made her rethink. That Alasdair—or any of Fiona’s brothers—might have to go was a foreboding thought. She might not want Alasdair interfering with her “adventures” this Season, but she didn’t want him removed to the Colonies where he could get hurt…or worse. “Let us pray that does not occur.”
“Aye,” Fiona said. “It should nae be our war.”
“Why such fierce faces?” a voice behind them asked.
All three of them turned to see Erik Taylor standing near, a pleasant smile on his face.
“We were discussing the rumor that the Colonies might rebel,” Louisa replied.
He raised an eyebrow. “That is serious discussion for a ballroom.”
Lorelei felt herself bristling. “Discussion thatladiesshould not be having?”
He lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. “Did I imply that?”
Fiona tilted her head. “Ye might have, I think.”
“Then I apologize. I would much rather hear your opinion about war than weather, Miss MacGregor.” He smiled again. “Perhaps you can expound while you walk with me to get some punch?”
Fiona smiled back and put her hand on his extended arm. “I will.”
Lorelei watched them as they walked off. “I think Fiona is beginning to enjoy some of the English protocol.”
