Devlin’s lips curled in a taut, humorless smile. “No, obviously not. You have it then. I apologize for the whole bloody mess, and for taking my fists to you without—current provocation. You weren’t given a fair hearing, and believe me, I do regret that.”
“Verra nicely done, but I canna accept.”
Devlin came off the desk with a low growl. “The hell you can’t.”
Lachlan raised a brow. “You really mun do something about that temper o’ yours. If it werena so hot, you’d no’ have tae be apologizing. And I wasna finished. I canna accept your apology—yet.”
In a flash, Lachlan drew back his fist and let it smash against Devlin’s mouth. The duke fell back against the desk and half across it. When he lifted his head, it was to see Lachlan grinning at him.
“NowI can. And ’tis lucky for you, St. James, that I’m in such a good mood because o’ the lassie, or we’d still be discussing your apology.”
After that parting shot the door closed behind him. Devlin rolled slowly off his desk, back to his feet. He brought his fingers to his lips. They were numb, but he tasted blood. And suddenly he laughed. The gall of the man. If that damned Highlander didn’t watch himself, Devlin was going to start to like him.
36
“Come along now, you’re going to enjoy it,” Megan said, practically pulling Kimberly across the lawn with her. “And correct me if I’m wrong, but I do recall that you thought it was a good idea.”
“That was before—well, before my husband was decided for me in a moment of madness.”
Megan blinked, but then she burst out laughing. “Madness? My, now that’s a nice name for it, indeed it is. I’ll have to remember that the next time Devlin makes me—mad. Oh, now, do stop blushing. It really is funny if you give yourself a moment to think about it.”
Kimberly disagreed. “Except itwasmadness, and I still can’t believe—”
Megan stopped abruptly to put her arms around Kimberly. “You have to stop castigating yourself over this. It wasn’t madness, it was passion, and we all succumb to it at one time or another—and frequently if we’re lucky. I remember something Devlin told me before we were married—now what were his exact words? Ah, yes, that desire isn’t selective of place, time, or the individual.”
“He spoke of that with youbeforeyou married?” Kimberly nearly whispered, because the subject wasn’t exactly what one would call normal.
“Well, you see, we had a very—how shall I put this?—torrid courtship.” Megan then chuckled. “Actually, it was more like war. And that day, he was complaining about my arousing him. He went on to say, ‘When it happens to you, and it will eventually, you won’t have any more control over it than I do. You either make love or suffer with it.’ And I have to say, I’ve found that to be quite true. I imagine, that’s what you’ve learned as well.”
“But it’s not something I should have learned before the vows are spoken. You didn’t, and—”
“M’dear, I’m going to trust you with this little secret, because I hope it will relieve some of the agony you’re putting yourself through, but I did in fact learn all about it before my elopement to Gretna Green.”
“You did?” Kimberly asked, wide-eyed. “You and thedukedid?”
“You don’t have to sound that surprised. As it happens, my marriage began exactly as yours is going to, and I wasn’t all that happy about it either—then. But now—I can only hope that your marriage is as wonderful as mine is, or at least, that you think so. And that is really all that matters, whatyouthink, not what others think—well, I suppose you must take into account what your Highlander thinks also. Keeps peace in the family, don’t you know.”
Kimberly actually grinned at the duchess. And she was feeling better—a little anyway. But she still didn’t want to go to the picnic that Megan had arranged in the conservatory. Especially since a great many of the houseguests would be there, and she had yet to face them en masse, having kept mostly to her room since it happened.
She said as much, “I still don’t think I’m ready for this. They must all know—”
“So what? They also know you’re going to marry him. Devlin saw to that announcement last night. You’ll be amazed how forgiving people can be, as long as whatever wrong you do is righted in the end. And you are righting your wrong by marrying the Scot. Now, if you hadrefusedto marry him, then you would indeed have to bury your head under your pillow for the rest of your natural days.”
Kimberly smiled. “How do you manage to make everything sound so simple—and silly?”
Megan chuckled. “Because Iworkat it, m’dear. If I don’t keep a fair amount of silliness in Devlin’s life, then he’ll revert to being that stuffy, condescending man he was before I met him, and that, believe me, would be cause for war again between us. Now come along, or all the baskets will be empty by the time we arrive.”
“Is—is James going to be there?”
“No,” Megan said gently. “He returned to his home yesterday afternoon.”
Kimberly sighed. “I feel so awful about James. I believe he wanted to marry me himself.”
“But there’s no need to feel bad. It happens, and quite frequently during the Season. But he’s a grown man, he’ll recover, and likely continue to look for a wife, now the notion’s occurred to him again. And besides, you have to follow your own heart, and accept your feelings for what they are.”
“But my heart isn’t—”
“Shhh, you don’t have to tell me,” Megan said. “I know very well how much easier it is to deny and ignore what you’re feeling. I was an expert at that myself. But I also know that any man who can bring you—to madness—has got a very strong pull on your heart. For what it’s worth, I think you’ve made the right choice.”
