Kimberly had gone very still before he finished. “Do you realize what that would mean?”
“Aye, it’d mean you’d be cut off from your da for good, likely ne’er tae see him again. Can you live wi’ that, darlin’, or would you always be regretting—”
“Lachlan, I could not care less if I ever see the Earl of Amburough again. He’s never been a father to me, as fathers should be. He’s merely been the tyrant who lived in the same house as I did. But do you realize what my being disowned by him would mean toyou? Aside from the scandal—”
“The MacGregors are no’ strangers tae scandal.” He grinned.
“—there would be no dower forthcoming.”
“I didna think so.”
She blinked. “You’d marry me without it?”
“Damned right I will.”
He was being gallant. She could think of no other reason. What else could he say, after all, without appearing the complete cad?
“But as I understand it, you need the money,” she reminded him. “Have you forgotten about that? Or has that situation changed suddenly?”
“Nay, we’re cash poor, you ken, and debt ridden as well,” he told her. “You’ve a right tae know that now. When my da died a few years ago, my stepmother disappeared with a trunk full o’ money—he didna like banks, you see—as well as all the MacGregor jewels, neither of which she had any right tae take, and she’s ne’er been found. So we’ve still land aplenty, but no assets tae speak of on any of it.”
All the more reason he should be marrying for money, not making this sacrifice becauseshehadn’t had the will to prevent him from making love to her. Certainly, he was at fault there too, but she could have stopped him, should have, and didn’t. And he didn’t even know that marrying her would solve his problems after all. She hadn’t told him that yet, and at the moment, apparently didn’t need to.
But she should still tell him. He was, as far as she could tell, being honest with her. However, her curiosity was aroused now.
“It sounds as if you still need the dower, so how will you manage without it?”
“Dinna fash yourself about that, darlin’. I’ll find the money that’s needed some other way. A rich wife was an easy solution. There are others.”
He sounded so confident, she decided again not to mention her own wealth. Actually, she wanted to savor the feeling that he would be marrying her not for any monetary reason—not for the reason she would have preferred to be asked for either, but at least this did put her one worry to rest. She wasn’t being married only for her money.
So she said, “Very well, then. If you truly want to do this, I’ll still marry you.”
He smiled then, quite brilliantly. She caught her breath, feeling her stomach flip over. And then it seemed to leap right into her throat as he bridged the gap between them and slipped his arms around her.
“I’ll tell your da today.”
With him so close that his body was touching her in all pertinent places, it was almost impossible to concentrate on what he’d just said, and it was several moments before she got out, “Perhaps you should let me tell him. You’ll more than likely lose your temper in his presence again. He has that effect on people who don’t know him well.”
“But—aye, mayhap you’re right. But I will be close by if you need me.”
That warmed her. This tendency he was showing about protecting her, when they weren’t married yet. And then his lips were warming her even more, and although she’d guessed he was going to kiss her, was ready and waiting for him to, her senses were still jolted as they’d been each time previously. It was just so thrilling having his mouth on her, so incredibly thrilling…
She didn’t hear the door open, but she did recognize the soft cadence of the Widow Marston’s voice. “Cecil, are you in here?” and then when she noticed the kissing couple, “Oh! I’m so sorry. I should’ve knocked…”
Kimberly felt Lachlan go stiff just before he stepped away from her to face the intruder, but she assumed it was because they’d been interrupted. She had no idea it was because he’d also recognized the widow’s voice.
But she gathered that much when he said in nearly the same ominous tone he’d used with her father last night, “Hello, stepmother.”
Winnifred Marston gasped, took a step back, her hand going to her throat. She looked horrified, frightened, and sounded it too. “Lachlan, m’boy, I can explain.”
“Can you now?”
39
Kimberly stared incredulously as her soon-to-be stepmother’s eyes rolled into the back of her head and she crumpled to the floor in a dead faint. That, on top of just hearing that Winnifred Marston was also Lachlan’s stepmother…or had she misunderstood that? Yes, she must have. It would simply be too ironic if the same woman were to play the same role in both their lives.
Beside her, Lachlan made a sound of disgust as he also stared at the woman now sprawled on the floor. The sound, however, brought Kimberly out of her bemusement.
