Page 8 of The Nabob's Designing Daughter
“Edme.” She reached for her cousin’s hands and pulled her into a hug. “What a surprise. Your grace, did you invite my cousin along for the party? How very generous of you. Father, you do remember my little cousin Edme, do you not?”
Father’s frown encompassed Edme but relaxed into puzzled neutrality when he took in the man yielding the duchess’s arm to her husband.
Her heart thumped wildly. How handsome Errol was. His wide shoulders filled out the gray frock coat and his legs encased in dark trousers were as fine as any cavalryman’s. He was as handsome as ever, and she would swear he’d grown taller, as tall as the duke.
Mrs. MacDonal flashed a smug smile. “When Minny and I realized that Ann would be the only single young lady here, we put our heads together and decided, why not bring along her cousin? I’ve been given to understand, Ann, that you two haven’t seen each other for years. And allow me to introduce Dr. Errol Robillard who traveled with us. Dr. Robillard, this is Mr. Strachney and you already know Ann.”
Errol murmured a pleasant greeting and made the slightest of bows.
The old Errol would have smiled, even in the presence of her stuffy father.
“Here to attend to her grace, I presume,” Father said.
“Dr. Robillard is our most welcome guest,” the duchess said with a smile.
“Thank you, your grace,” Errol said. “I’ll be returning to my new practice after this, er, visit.”
Ann struggled for a breath. Mr. Henderson hadn’t yet conveyed to Errol the news of his one-year commitment. Perhaps a letter was chasing Errol from Edinburgh to wherever his new practice was and back to Edinburgh.
“Oh, that is a pity,” Mrs. MacDonal said. “Dr. Robillard is a good Scotsman and a most particular friend of the Beecham family. Isn’t that so, Edme?”
Though her remarks were directed at Edme, she smiled at Ann.
“Your other guests haven’t arrived?” Father asked.
“They’re all here except for Hatherot.” the duke said. “Expecting him soon. Lovelace has the others in hand. You remember George Lovelace who visited us last year? They’re out shooting.”
“You’ll meet them at dinner.” A sudden grimace flashed over the duchess’s face just as the sound of the door opening drew Father’s and Edme’s attention. Errol and the duke exchanged a glance.
“And here is our tea,” Mrs. MacDonal said, as servants carried in trays and set up another table close to the fire. “I will do the honors,” she said, and followed them over.
“Thank you,” the duke said. “You, my dear Fil, will go upstairs and rest.” He escorted her to the door, and Errol followed.
“A man-midwife as guest. What’s Kinmarty thinkin’?” Father mumbled.
“A physician, Father. The duke’s thinking of his child, of course. And his wife.”
“I’ll expect you to dress well at dinner and wear your pearls. You ought to have brought Miss Livingston.”
She swallowed her irritation and surreptitiously crossed her fingers. “What a shame she fell ill with the stomachache.” Her companion’s discomfort had been the result of just the right dose of salts with the Dover’s powder the lady took nightly. Otherwise, she’d never have gone against Father’s will. But Ann knew that, like all the other residents of Glenthistle, Miss Livingston would, after a day spent with her chamber pot, relish a break from the constant bullying. There was no danger of her dutifully appearing at Castle Kinmarty after her recovery.
“How particular a friend to the Beechams was this Robillard?” Father asked. “Haven’t heard of the family before.”
He was an innkeeper’s son.
She wouldn’t tell him that. “He was a very particular friend of the entire family. Errol spoke several languages and was quite a help to my uncle in his business.”
He touched her elbow halting her. “Errol, is it?” he growled. “Look here, my dear. You’re to marry a man with a title. I didn’t spend years in India only to see you hitched to a man in trade.”
Hitched?Her heart fluttered. Handsome, sociable, popular Errol had always been beyond her reach. Her new status as an heiress hadn’t changed that. Errol had too many natural gifts to grovel for money.
From across the room, Mrs. MacDonal’s shrewd gaze met hers. “Strachney,” she called, “you may harangue Ann later. For now, come and join us.”
She sent a grateful look to the lady and went to join her.
“And what doyou say about it, Dr. Robillard?” the duchess asked.
Errol mustered his wits and tried to remember what the topic of conversation had been. Warton, the fellow across the dinner table from him, was fully engaged in attempting to draw Ann’s attention while she flirted prodigiously with the man on her other side, that fellow, Lovelace.
