The image of Paisley's wide blue-green eyes flashed into Dominic's mind, her expression bewildered, leaning against the wall and looking up at him in utter confusion. What had he beenthinking?
Clearing his throat, Dominic gave his head a little shake to get rid of the image.
"I doubt she would come." he said shortly.
Thomas raised an eyebrow. "Wouldnae come to a party, with a laird, with food, music, dancin', and all the drink she fancies? I think she could be persuaded."
"Paisley isnae like that. That sort of thing wouldnae bother her."
Thomas suppressed a smile. "Yedaeknow the lass well, daenae ye?"
"Pack it in, Thomas. Look, if I were to ask her, I'd have to tell people we were betrothed. It's the simplest explanation, and one that would get Ma off me back for a while. I'd want ye to promise that ye wouldnae cause a scene or say anything to the contrary. It's important. Can ye promise me that?"
Thomas straightened up, his eyes wide and solemn, and lifted a hand, palm out.
"Cross me heart and may the Lord strike me blind, Dom. I'd take it seriously, I swear."
Dominic sighed again, raking fingers through his already disheveled hair. The night was coming to an end, thank goodness, with some of the patrons already getting ready to leave. Soon they'd want to settle their tabs or order their last drinks.
Brodie had disappeared somewhere – probably shaken from his altercation with that mysterious, unsettling gentleman – and that would leave Dominic to handle the closing rush.
Lovely.
And yet he couldn'tconcentrate.He kept seeing Paisley when he closed his eyes, kept feeling the tickle of her breath against his cheek, the warm weight of her head against his shoulder.
Stop it, stop it,he told himself angrily.Stop this. Ye cannot have her, so there's nay point thinking on it. Ye are a man of logic and business, not a lovestruck boy.
"I'll ask her," Dominic heard himself say, and saw Thomas perk up eagerly.
"Ye will?"
"Aye, I will. I make nay promises, but if she's willin' to come with me and play along with me rules, there's nay reason why this cannae work for everyone."
Thomas nodded eagerly. "Buy her a dress."
"What?"
"Ye heard me. Buy her a dress. Or at least offer. Trust me, man, I'm married. And let her talk to Veronica and Emma a wee bit. Lassies always get along well together. They'll figure her out in nay time. They'll get her to talk, I can guarantee it."
"Ye make it sound like they're goin' to torture her." Dominic muttered.
Thomas chuckled evilly. "I never said that they wouldnae."
"Oh, get lost, man. And if ye see a well-dressed, snooty Englishman on your way home, give him a wide berth, ye hear me?"
12
Paisley rose and dressed quickly the next morning, her mind preoccupied with Dominic and the letter.
Today, the letter took precedence. She longed to scribble off a reply to her brother and sister, to hear how they were doing, to tell them how much she missed them.
But Eliza, always the most practical one of the three of them, had told her not to do that, so Paisley would obey.
Paisley was the oldest of the three, while Eliza and Alex were twins, both twenty years old. Eliza was something of a bluestocking, and Alex was shaping up to be a bit of a dandy. They often joked that Eliza got all the brains out of the two.
Still, it was Alex who'd organized a late-night coach to take her far away from London, when they realized that her marriageto the earlwashappening, regardless of anyone else's personal feelings.
Alex had carried out the arrangements, escorting her as far as the Scottish border, while Eliza came up with the plan. It wasn't just a matter of getting away from her parents and the earl. Paisley needed tostayaway.
