Neville didn’t notice the hot look, with his hand still covering his eyes. But Duncan answered for him. “Sabrina Lambert, o’ course.”
Archie did some brow raising now at his grandson, both of his bushy arches shooting straight up in surprise. “There’s nae o’ course aboot it, lad,” Archie admonished. “She’s a friend. Ye dinna marry yer friends, and ye dinna hae tae marry this one tae keep her friendship.”
“Much as I’d like to see you married soon,’ Neville said, adding his own misgivings. “I don’t want you marrying for the wrong reasons either.”
Duncan didn’t take offense, he even smiled as he replied, “Either o’ you consider I might have more feelings for her than friendship?”
“Nonsense,” Archie abruptly snorted. “Ye assured us otherwise, if ye’ll recall. And she’s no’ e’en pretty. There is nothing wrong wi’ valuing a friend, but ye dinna need tae take it tae extremes.”
“Archie, she has more beauty within than anyone I’ve ever met. Besides, you’ve been blinded by Ophelia, and now find every other female lacking in comparison. I wasna impressed wi’ Ophelia, so I find Sabrina more than lovely. I find her perfect, actually.”
“She does have her good qualities,’ Neville put in. “But she also has a scandal on her back that she will never be rid of.”
“A silly scandal that’s bluidy well groundless, Duncan pointed out, and then challenged, “You’re afraid o’ a wee scandal, Neville?”
“Not at all. I even happen to agree it’s silly It’s still not something we want in the family if it can be avoided. But if you tell me you’re in love with the chit, then by all means, marry her.”
“Bedamned, Neville,” Archie blustered at that. “Can ye no’ see the lad is deluding hisself? Dinna be encouraging this nonsense.”
Duncan was amazed, once again, that Neville was taking his side, albeit with protest, but his support was nonetheless there. Archie, on the other hand, didn’t surprise him at all in the stand he was taking.
“Archie, let me worry aboot m’feelings,” Duncan said as he stood back up. “You trusted me tae run your many businesses. Trust me tae know what I want and why I want it. And I think I’ll be paying the lass a visit right now.”
Archibald dropped his head on the table the moment Duncan left the room, even banged it a few times in his frustration. Neville, unimpressed with the theatrics, waved away the servants who chose that inopportune moment to come in with their dinner. Drink was more in order at the moment, at least for his Highland guest.
“You’re taking this too hard,” Neville suggested as soon as they were alone again.
Archie looked up to scowl at him. “Am I? Can ye nae see what a mistake this is?”
“Not if he loves the girl.”
“Bah, that’s the bluidy trouble. He does love her. I dinna doubt that one bit. But it’s nae the love a man gives tae a wife, ye ken?”
“Love is love—” Neville began.
“Nae, there’s many a difference,’ Archie interrupted, stressing, “She’s a dear friend o’ his, and that’s what he loves her as. But because this friend happens tae be a lass, he’s got it mixed up in his mind that what he feels for her is the same as the mating kind o’ love, when it isna. Och, ye see what happens when men make friends o’ lasses?”
“And what if you’re wrong?”
“I’m nae wrong. I know the lad. He’s been lacking really close friends in his life, and now he’s found one, he’s loath tae risk losing her. He’s thinking marriage will keep her always by his side, and sae it will, but he’ll nae be happy wi’ it in the end. And he’ll be finding that oout as soon as he tries tae bed her, and finds he’d rather be playing a bluidy game o’ whist wi’ her instead.”
Neville couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing. “I swear, Archibald, the way you think sometimes boggles the mind. Hasn’t it occurred to you yet that what might have begun as friendship could have progressed to something much deeper? Not all love occurs immediately, you know. Occasionally it simply grows on you.”
Archie snorted. “Love, aye, but lust is either there or it isna, and he doesna lust after this lass. Now, what hope is there for a marriage that doesna start wi’ good, healthy lust, eh? E’en the kind o’ love that grows on ye at least begins wi’ lust. Wi’oout it, there’s nothing tae work wi’, nothing tae get any feelings at all started, you ken?”
Neville rolled his eyes. “I think when Ophelia Reid branded Duncan a barbarian, she would have been right on the mark if she’d named you instead. Feelings canchange,Archibald. Friends can become lovers. Enemies can become friends and vice versa. If everything was writ in black and white as you seem to see it, this would be a very dull world indeed.”
Fifty-two
He might not have been allowed to see her. Duncan realized that after he arrived at Cottage by the Bow and Sabrina‘s aunt Alice, who let him in, gave him a disapproving look because of the late hour. But tsking and mumbling that he wasn’t to stay long andshouldhave come in the morning, she still took him through the dining room to a pair of French doors that led to a small garden and pointed him in that direction.
He found Sabrina there, bundled in her winter coat, sitting on a stone bench in a pool of moonlight. That was the only light available, since that side of the house was dark, but it was ample once his eyes adjusted to it. The garden was nearly barren of greenery at that time of year, but was probably quite pretty in summer.
He didn’t wonder why she chose to sit there in the midst of winter. He knew by now that she simply preferred to be outdoors, no matter the time of year, and apparently no matter the time of day.
“Are you no’ cold, lass?” he asked as soon as he reached her.
She had glanced his way when he stepped outside, watched him as he walked toward her, all without a change in her expression. No curiosity about why he was there, no surprise, almost as if she’d been expecting him, despite the lateness of the hour.
