Page 133 of The Highlander's Princess Bride
Kade nodded. “It’s Grandda’s fault.”
“And our brothers,” Braden added. “They’re idiots.”
“Actually, I agree with Lord Arnprior,” Victoria said. “Thisispartly his fault for putting so much pressure on himself and for taking responsibility for other people’s actions.” She thought about their fight last night. “And also for acting like an idiot.”
His head came up, eyes narrowing on her. “Are you quite finished insulting me?”
“Are you quite finished feeling sorry for yourself?”
Braden and Kade exchanged wide-eyed looks.
Nicholas let out a reluctant laugh. “I suppose I deserved that.”
She shrugged.
He eyed her for a few seconds and then stood. “This is what’s going to happen. Victoria, you’re going to stay here and fend off the irate fathers. You must try to reassure them that their daughters will be returned before nightfall. Send Alec a note asking him to come here and back you up. With any luck, I’ll have my lunatic family back in Glasgow with everyone’s reputation intact.”
“That is a ridiculous plan,” she said. “I’m going with you.”
He scowled. “You will do no such thing.”
“Yes, I will. Because if anything goes wrong, sir, you’re going to need a chaperone for those girls,” she said firmly. “And I’m the only one you’ve got.”
* * *
“This is a very bad idea,” the earl said as they turned north onto the road for Arrochar. “I have no idea how I allowed you to talk me into this.”
“I imagine it was my threat to procure another carriage and follow you,” Victoria replied tartly.
They were almost the first words they’d exchanged in the hour since leaving Kendrick House in a fast carriage and accompanied by one groom—after a short but loud argument had awakened the rest of the household.
“For all your pigheaded ways, you are a sensible man,” she added. “If we don’t catch up to them before nightfall, you will need a respectable older woman on hand.”
“You arenotan older woman.”
“Old enough, and I certainly hope I’m respectable.” Of course, if Fletcher made good on his threats, her reputation would soon be a smoldering ruin. “I’m a governess, after all. Keeping young ladies out of trouble is generally part of our job description.”
He threw her an irritated glance. “You’re no longer a governess. You’re betrothed to me.”
Her heart stuttered, but she managed to keep a straight face. “That certainly wasn’t my impression last night.”
“Youtossed the bloody ring at me, remember?”
“I did no such thing. After you made it clear that you couldn’t marry another untrustworthy woman, what else was I to do but give it back?”
“I was simply surprised, and with good cause. So you’ll have to forgive me if I wasn’t entirely myself,” he said sarcastically.
“If that was an apology, it was an exceedingly bad one.” She was not ready to forgive him. She might never be ready to forgive him.
Then again, he might not even be apologizing.
He let out an exasperated sigh. “Victoria—”
“I don’t wish to talk about it.” She was holding on by a thread as it was.
“Weneedto talk about it,” he said.
“Not today. Today we need to find your stupid brothers and get them back to Glasgow.” She glanced over her shoulder. “And I don’t wish to discuss this topic in front of your groom.”
