The carriage cameto a halt, and she was relieved to be home at last. They had ridden in silence after their somewhat truce which left her a little bewildered and maybe hopeful. Her emotions had come full circle where he was concerned in the last two days, from excitement to indignance and back to admitting she had feelings for him.
At the front door, she reached up to unlatch, but her sister Alice was there before she could complete the task and swinging the door wide.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were with the king and the queen to see the earl?”
“Be easy, Alice. I am home, and the earl is with me.”
She realized how that sounded immediately and, considering the lateness of the day, regretted Alice’s obvious misinterpretation and excitement which bubbled out of her.
“Alice, who’s there?” Her mother’s voice preceded her from around the corner. “Marion! Why have you returned so quickly? Is aught amiss? Where is the queen? Where is the earl?”
Well, this wasn’t starting out as she had hoped. “Mother, Alice, the earl is here.” As she said this, she stepped to the side to reveal him.
“I needed to return home. Do not make assumptions, please, and the earl was gracious enough to see I was escorted properly.”
Her mother’s demeanor changed almost instantly upon seeingAlexander. “My dear earl, do come in and seat yourself at our table, for we are just about to seat for our evening meal.”
“I do not wish to intrude upon your family,” he said.
He, of course, would know how her mother would react to that and right on cue, she said, “Oh no, my dear, do come in and let us show you how grateful we are you kept our dear lass safe.” She ignored Marion and took the earl’s arm, practically dragging him to their small dining hall. “Do you know I have heard of these bands of highwaymen who would steal the eyes right out of your head. But they would not trouble one such as you…”
Her mother prattled on as Alice embraced her. “Whatever the reason, I am glad you have returned. Mother and Father have been relentless about my coming out next season and I fear they will be worse on me than they were on you.”
She was not in the least surprised. Alice had been far too vocal about what she would and would not do and with whom she would converse. She’d set her sights high, and her parents would quite likely have to take her down a notch or two.
“Alice, please have Jonathan see to the earl’s driver and ensure he is set up with a warm meal and a comfortable bed for the night.”
“I shall, and then I want to hear every detail about your time away. Your lips are too tight for my liking,” she said as she skipped away.
Marion drew a deep breath and joined her family and Alexander in the dining hall.
“…and I said to her that she should never have gotten mixed up in that family.”
“Ahh, there’s my wee lass,” her father said and stood to embrace her. “Sit down by me and tell me of your travels. I had not expected to see you for more days than I was willing to count.”
“Aye nor I, but a situation arose, and I felt it best if I returned to my family.”
As she said this, she pointedly looked at Alexander whose browwas knit again as he nodded at all the town’s gossip her mother threw his way.
“A situation, you say?”
“Aye, and I believe the earl would like to have a conversation with you alone after dinner.”
His brow shot up. “That sounds serious. Will I need my sword?”
Her father always had a way to break the tension with humor, but Marion was not entirely convinced this time that he was in jest.
“Nay, Father. He has a question to pose to you, and you should know already that my answer is aye. It is important to me that you be properly addressed in this matter.”
“Then I shall bring my pocketbook.”
“No need for that, either. You shall see for yourself when you have your discussion.”
Marion settled into her meal then and worked hard to not devour the fish their cook had prepared exactly how Marion loved it. So tender and juicy. Though she would have loved to have two more pieces, she maintained her politeness and settled on the one with only an extra potato and bread.
She was as nervous as she’d ever been when it came to him. Starting over meant a full-on courtship that could go on for weeks or months and then a betrothal followed by another long wait before they married. She’d have to keep him at arm’s length because even now, while he listened to her rambling mother, she wanted to sit on his lap and kiss him senseless.
Eventually the meal ended, and her father stood. “My lord Argyll, would you care to join me in my study?”
