Chapter Five
Liam was tiredof being entertaining.
Knowing that Lady Clara was less than thrilled about this trip, he had worked extra hard to be delightful. He teased her with winks and smiles, he filled their meals with delightful anecdotes, and when the weather forced all four of them inside the carriage, he became as fascinating a conversationalist as he knew how to be. Which was to say, he asked about everyone in the carriage, doing his best to get them talking about whatever struck their fancy.
After five days and nights of entertainment, he was feeling the strain. Plus Aaron snored, and they’d had to share a room at the last posting inn. Liam was ready to be done with this charade. They were in Scotland now, arriving in Edinburgh this afternoon.
It was time to close the trap. He had to find a way to get Clara to his home in Kipcoille. And yet, perversely, the closer her came to capturing Lady Clara and her large dowry, the more distempered he became.
“Look at all those buildings!” the lady exclaimed as she pressed her face against the carriage window. “And there are people everywhere!”
“Did you think Scotland was just cowpies and hovels?”
She looked back at him. “No, of course not. No more than England is. But this is quite beyond what I’d expected.”
“It’s called the modern Athens. The topography and the architecture in New Town are reminiscent of Athens.”
She frowned, obviously trying to create a mental picture of both cities. “But Athens was a center of intellect and—”
“As are we, my lady,” he chided gently. Or maybe not so gently because he was tired of this argument. “Have you heard of theEncyclopaedia Britannica?It is published here. I shall take you to see it if you like. Sixteen thousand pages in twenty volumes, all written and printed here. Every page filled with the categorization and explanation of knowledge.”
Her mouth opened in a shocked O. “I have heard of the publication, of course, but I did not know that it—”
“It’s Scottish, Lady Clara.”
She bit her lip. “I didn’t know.”
Of course, she didn’t and damned if that didn’t rub him raw. Meanwhile, Miss Rees turned to him. “Is that something you enjoy doing, my lord? Visiting publishing houses? Categorizing bits of knowledge such that others can learn from you?”
Not in the least. “I am thinking of entertainments for Lady Clara.”
“Yes, I can see that, and it is very kind. But perhaps you could share what you enjoy most.”
He’d been telling tales of Scotland since the first day of travel. Anything he could think of that might intrigue his three very English companions. But he supposed he never stated his favorite amusements. Probably because they weren’t appropriate for polite company.
“I used to love the Highland Games,” he offered. “I was never the top competitor, you understand. I can toss a caber—that’s a very big log—with the best of them, but I never developed the full brawn to beat my neighbors. They said it was because I spent too much time studying. I think it was because I didn’t stuff my face with haggis.” He shook his head in memory. “My mother used to complain that they ate their weight in meat, then came back for more.”
“You throw logs?” asked Miss Rees.
“And hammers and iron balls. There’s a lot of heaving and hurling of big, heavy things, and a tug-o-war that is great fun.”
Aaron stretched his legs a little in the tight confines of the carriage. “I ran the footraces when I was young,” Aaron said. “Clara was the fastest at those, but I could beat her.”
“That’s because you’re older.” she shot back. Then she looked back at Liam. “We didn’t throw a lot of things at our fairs. People competed to see who had the biggest pig or the prettiest flower. Things like that.”
“Would you like to see some Highland Games?” Liam asked, striving to be casual about the offer. It was his best hope of getting her to Kipcoille.
“Oh, I don’t think so. I shouldn’t like to wait around—”
“Are they fun, Lord Loughton?” interrupted Miss Rees. “Do you enjoy seeing them?” There was a pointed note to her question as she shot a look at Lady Clara. No doubt because she’d challenged the lady to try new amusements. His amusements, to be specific, and that was the best way to get her to his home.
“They’re great fun even if I haven’t thrown a weight over the bar in years. I’m usually in England during the festival.”
“So this is a favorite pastime of yours?” Miss Rees pressed.
Not his top choice, but it counted as an entertaining event. “It can be great fun.”
“Then wouldn’t it be fun to experience something Lord Loughton enjoys? Clara was just saying she wanted to learn more about what makes Scotland special.”
