Julian placed his empty glass on the table beside him, then anchored his hands on the arms of the chair prepared to stand as Pickmore moved closer to Kilsyth and Keegan struggled to his feet, still leaning on a crutch from his leg being fractured in the carriage accident nearly a month ago. The same accident where Julian suffered a concussion with the accompanying dizziness.
Her heart started to pound in fear that they could come to blows over what occurred last night, which meant they all might already know. Claudia had insisted that Norbright would say nothing.
Oh, Cait wished the floor would open and swallow her.
“A much-inflated reputation,” Claudia reminded them as Norbright placed a hand on Julian’s shoulder forcing him back into the chair. “I hardly constitute sitting in the gazebo or looking at books in my husband’s library scandalous.”
Cait nearly blew out a sigh of relief. Nobody had been told, thus her reputation was safe—for now.
“I thought you had a wedding trip. Why are you still here?” Julian barked at Kilsyth.
“I do not feel right leaving. Not now.”
“If you are remaining for me, it is not necessary.”
Their eyes held for a moment. “It is.”
“Not if you are going to accuse me of…” he trailed off with a look to Cait.
“I do apologize,” Kilsyth finally said. “It seems that now that I have married Eve, I feel a responsibility to look after Caitlin.”
The last thing she needed or wanted was a gentleman to assume control and protection of her life. “That is not necessary, Lord Kilsyth. I am perfectly capable of seeing to myself.”
“I told you,” Eve practically sang.
“Does that mean that you will not accept my offer to come live with us at Windcove Hall in Bedfordshire?”
“No,” she answered, then realized that her rejection may have been harsher than she anticipated. “I thank you for the offer, Lord Kilsyth, but I prefer my independence and do not want to become the poor relation that you take on because you married my sister.”
“I would not think of you in such a way. In fact, in the spring we could travel to London, and I know my mother would adore giving you a Season.”
Panic rose in her chest at the very idea. Maybe once, long ago, when she’d been fresh from the schoolroom, Cait would have eagerly accepted the offer, but she was no longer young, and sometimes it felt as though she’d already lived far more years than three and twenty.
“You also are not so very poor,” Norbright reminded her.
That was true, she was in possession of ten thousand pounds from a trust that her derelict brother could not squander, but Cait was saving that for when she was much older and could no longer teach. If she were frugal, she would also be able to increase those funds. “Thank you for the kind offer, but I prefer to remain at the school.”
Eve smiled at her. “I knew that would be your answer, but Kilsyth insisted on asking.”
This was certainly not the conversation she had expected to have when she arrived at Harrington Manor this evening, though Eve had warned her that Kilsyth would be broaching the subject. At least he now understood her position and hopefully would not be an unwanted guardian in her life.
“Now, if you are finished warning me away from your sister-in-law and trying to set her future, can we discuss selkies?” Julian asked.
In his conversationsand later kissing of Cait, Julian had forgotten that her new brother-in-law was also a friend. Had Kilsyth been the one to catch them last night, no doubt Julian would have suffered a black eye, bruised jaw and they would be waiting for a Special License to be signed.
He had not known Kilsyth to be so protective before but maybe that is what happens when a man fell in love.
“All we need to do is fashion capes,” Cait said. “Which sounds easy enough, but I cannot sew. However, I can slip them into Eliza’s belongings once I have them.”
“I thought perhaps we could ask the modiste to fashion grey capes. There is no point in wasting fabric on something that would serve only one purpose,” Claudia offered.
“I could commission matching capes for Eve and Cait,” Kilsyth offered.
“That is not necessary,” Cait insisted.
“Nonsense!” he argued. “I have heard enough stories of those three. Besides, it would not be proper for anyone else to commission them. Not if you want to guard your reputation.”
Cait frowned. “Why would that matter? Though, I can pay for my own cape.”
