Page 78 of Highland Champion
“I dinna think ye were supposed to dance with someone three times.”
Louisa sighed. “All right. I suppose you could say Mr. Villiers is a suitor.”
“I kenned it!” Fiona exclaimed.
“Why did you not tell us?”
She took a sip of tea before she replied. “Because I am not sure I want a suitor.”
“Ever?”
Louisa shrugged. “I do not know.”
Lorelei gave her an incredulous look. “Your parents expect you to marry.”
“I am aware.”
“Do they nae approve of Mr. Villiers?”
“They approve. Maybe too much.” Louisa stuck her spoon into her porridge and stirred it absently. “Certainly much more than they did William.”
Lorelei and Fiona looked at each other. William had been the much older second cousin Louisa had told them about.
Louisa smiled, a soft look in her eyes. “He made me laugh.”
Lorelei exchanged looks with Fiona once more, not knowing what to say, but Louisa didn’t seem to notice.
“I know I was young,” she continued, “but I also knew what I wanted.”
“Aye,” Fiona said. “I ken how that feels. Alasdair doesna want me to encourage Captain Taylor, either.”
Lorelei gave her a quick look. “You like the captain that much?”
“I doona ken exactly how I feel,” Fiona answered, “but I doona like my brother telling me what to do.”
“I can understand that. No one in my family approved of a match with William.” Louisa sighed. “Maybe it was for the best. William married another lady several months later.”
“I am sorry.” Lorelei tilted her head. “Mr. Villiers seems quite smitten with you, though.”
“I sometimes think it is because I am an oddity, although he does listen to my opinions.” She managed a half smile. “And I do have lots of opinions.”
“Every man should listen to our opinions,” Fiona said, “although I am nae sure most of them are smart enough to ken it.”
Louisa nodded. “I suppose I should be grateful for that. Mr. Villiers is very kind as well.”
He sounded rather like Randolph. Lorelei did enjoy Lord Westwood’s company, but she didn’t tingle when she was around him like she did with Alasdair. She pushed the thought away. After what she’d witnessed last night on the terrace, she did not need to be thinking abouttingles.He’d been busy making Medusa tingle.
“Are ye going to consider Mr. Villiers’s suit then?” Fiona asked.
Louisa looked thoughtful and for a moment Lorelei didn’t think she’d answer, but she finally did.
“I do not think so. I think I would prefer to become a spinster.” She shrugged. “A match without love is but a bad business.”
Her words struck Lorelei with the clarity of a dark room suddenly being flooded with light. Love was truly what mattered. Most of thetonmarried for power, title, or money. Her own sister Emily had married the first time out of necessity, but she had found her love match with Ian. Even Juliana, who had seemed content to become a spinster, had found a love match—improbable as it seemed—with Rory.
And she—Lorelei Caldwell—was in love with Alasdair MacGregor. She probably had been for months but had been too silly to acknowledge it. Instead, she had all but pushed him into Lady Melissa Talbot’s arms. No wonder he’d been on the terrace with her last night.
Dear Lord. What have I done?
