Page 21 of The Highlander's Kilted Bride
“Just a bit of a jest, my love,” he replied. “We’re all family here.”
“And speaking of family,” Royal said, tactfully intervening, “allow me to introduce my daughter and my grandfather.” He glanced over his shoulder and frowned. “Where are they?”
Holding Tira’s hand, Angus strolled around from the other side of the carriage. “We were just lookin’ for Tira’s book. It slipped down between the cushions.” He eyed Lord Kinloch, who was staring at Angus with an expression of abject horror. “Ho, Kinloch. Yer lookin’ a wee bit whey-faced. Had a bit of manky fish for luncheon, did ye?”
“What the devil ishedoing here?” yelped Kinloch, pointing at Angus. He whipped around to glare at his wife. “Elspeth, please tell me you did not invite this man. I specifically told you not to.”
“You did nothing of the sort,” Lady Kinloch calmly replied. “Mr. MacDonald is my cousin, after all. What else was I to do when Lady Ainsley informed me that he was staying with them?”
“You could have told the blasted fool to remain in Cairndow,” her husband thundered. “Better yet, you could have told him to throw himself off the nearest cliff and spare us the affliction of his presence.”
Lady Kinloch did not reply, simply looking pained again. Kade suspected it was her habitual expression.
“I say, Papa,” said the young man who’d been hovering in the back. “No need to make such a fuss. I’m sure Mamma knows what she’s about.”
Kinloch wheeled on him. “You know nothing of the matter, Johnny. MacDonald is trouble, and I insist you stay well away from him.”
The young man flushed but wisely held his tongue.
“Och, Kinloch, ye’ll be givin’ yerself an apoplectic fit,” Angus said in an indulgent tone. “Yer not as young as ye used to be, dinna forget. And from the looks of ye, I wouldn’t be surprised if ye’ve got the gout, too.”
“Angus, enough,” Kade sternly said.
Kinloch, struck dumb for a moment, now recovered his voice, and at full volume. “Not as young as I used to be. Why, you old—”
“Henry Stewart, you will cease your blustering right now,” Lady Kinloch said in a surprisingly steely voice. “What will the Kendricks think of us, not to mention the servants?”
“I don’t give a tinker’s damn what anyone thinks of us,” Kinloch retorted.
Angus made a show of covering Tira’s ears. “Not around the bairns, ye ken.”
Tira, who was clearly lapping up every ridiculous moment, immediately removed his hands.
Kinloch drew himself up to his considerable height. “I will not be party to this outrageous scene for one moment longer. Elspeth, you will keep MacDonald under control and out of my way or I will be forced to take drastic action.”
“Yes, dear,” his wife replied in a long-suffering voice.
After throwing one more death glare at Angus, who was rounding his eyes with faux innocence, Kinloch stormed into the house.
Lady Kinloch sighed. “Melissa, you’d best go find your sister. She’s the only one who can calm your father down when he gets in one of his tempers.”
Melissa also sighed but went off as requested.
“Angus, I am quite ashamed of you,” Ainsley said.
The old reprobate simply shrugged.
“I apologize for my husband’s behavior,” said Lady Kinloch. “I’m afraid he was surprised by my cousin’s appearance.”
“Decided not to tell him I was comin’, did ye?” Angus asked.
She gave a wry smile. “It seemed best not to set him off any sooner than necessary. And although it is splendid to see you, Angus, I must ask you to refrain from needling poor Henry. You know how he feels about you.”
“Och, I’ll be on my best behavior,” Angus said. “Word of a MacDonald.”
“If that was an example of your best behavior, God help us all,” Kade said.
“Fah,” Angus replied.
