Page 35 of The Nabob's Designing Daughter
“Mistletoe is very important,” Edme said. “I think we should hurry through breakfast and leave the slugabeds to sleep late.”
“Excellent idea. What do you think, Dr. Robillard?”
“By all means. The sooner we go, the sooner I’ll be able to get back and check on young Rolly’s leg. What say you, Ann?”
She couldn’t eat another bite, not with Errol’s braw presence next to her, and the promise of being alone with him. Almost alone. “I’ll get my warm things and ask the butler if he can spare a footman to help carry boughs.”
The footman provedinvaluable at directing them to patches of evergreen trees and holly. The fellow had also had the presence of mind to fetch a groom who brought shears and a donkey to carry their burdens. Soon the paniers were almost filled.
“’Tis an old oak over that next rise,” said the footman. “Mayhap ye’ll find some mistletoe there.”
Cottingwith offered his arm. “Let’s go, Miss Beecham.” Edme giggled and the two headed off.
“Catch up, Ann,” Edme called over her shoulder.
Errol watched them leave and turned to Ann. Her cheeks had grown rosy in the cold. They’d been laughing before, but something had changed, and the look on her face was serious, almost apprehensive.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She opened her mouth, but a rustling noise made them turn before she could reply.
“Good morning.” Mrs. MacDonal came from a side path on the arm of her Indian manservant, Urjit. “You went out without us, I see. Where is Edme? I believe I’m meant to be chaperoning you girls.”
The Indian servant sent Mrs. MacDonal a wry look, and she chuckled.
Errol almost joined in the laughter. Though gray threaded Urjit’s beard, he was not old, at least not too old for Mrs. MacDonal. There was an aura of… deep friendship there.
“She and Cottingwith are hunting mistletoe,” he said pointing in the direction the others had gone. “We’ll be right behind you.”
Ann watchedas Urjit lifted the lady over a patch of rocky ground and then continue on, holding her hand fast to his arm.
“Well,” he said, studying the departing couple. “Such a friendship wouldn’t go over well with society, which perhaps is why she keeps to the Highlands,” he mused.
“I believe it may be something deeper than friendship. And I won’t gossip about someone who’s been quite kind to me.”
He turned a warm gaze on her, set down his shears, and took both her hands in his. “You misunderstand. I’m wondering if you and I might ever share that sort of intimacy? You’re wealthy now. I’m not, but I intend to work hard.”
Her heart twisted again. She must just pluck up her nerve and tell him the truth. After that, there’d be no need to make plans.
Instead, she blurted, “Errol, you and I, we are not inthatsituation. We are both Scottish citizens. Both of the middling classes, despite father’s wealth. Well, and until your grandfather died leaving you the barony. You outrank me, but otherwise we are perfectly matched.”
“Ann, do you care for me? I’m not at all sure I’ll be able to support you. But I could send for you, once I get my practice established in London.”
“London? You don’t like it here?”
“I do, but… I believe I should stick to my plan. Henderson has an interested buyer for Darleton. I just need to find the benefactor and ask to work out a repayment plan.”
Footsteps crunched and Errol turned,still holding her hands. Strachney stood in the middle of the path, a nasty smile curling through his ruddy layers of fat.
A SECRET REVEALED
“There’s no need to search further, Robillard. You can simply ask your benefactor directly. Isn’t that right, daughter?”
Ann colored deeply, her lips thinning and her jaw hardening. “Go away, Father,” she said, steel in her voice.
“You’ll not speak to me that way. I’ve seen Henderson’s papers. I don’t know how you obtained the money, but I’ll see that it’s transferred to me.”
Tears flooded her eyes and stayed there, her face mottling with suppressed anger. “I wasn’t a minor when the money came to me, and I’m not now. And I wish to speak with Errol alone. Go away.”
