Juliana’s eyes narrowed as she watched him take the reins of his enormous gray stallion from a waiting stable boy and swing himself up into a saddle burdened with two bulging saddlebags, one on each side.
“Where do you suppose he’s going?” It didn’t look to Juliana as if he was off on a mere ride. No, he was outfitted for a journey, and a long one, at that.
“Off to visit some tenants, perhaps. He often does so.”
A knot of suspicion was tightening in Juliana’s chest. “I see. Is he usually gone for quite some time?”
Emilia shrugged. “It varies. Sometimes just a day or two, but I’ve known him to go off for several weeks before.”
Several weeks!Without another word, Juliana whirled around and rushed to the parlor door. Why, that despicable coward was running away from her!
Emilia startled, then hurried after her. “Lady Juliana! Where are you going?”
“I’m going after Mr. Blair.”
Emilia’s eyes went wide. “Going after him! Butwhy?”
“Don’t you see, Emilia? He knows very well I can’t hang about Castle Kinross for weeks, waiting for him to return. He thinks to escape a marriage to me this way!”
“Oh, no, Lady Juliana! I’m sure that’s not so!” Emilia looked appalled. “Logan isn’t like that. He’d never do something so cowardly!”
Juliana didn’t see why not. He was a thief, wasn’t he? Why shouldn’t he be a coward as well? “Perhaps not, but I’m not willing to take that chance. Mr. Blair is going to have company today, whether he likes it or not.”
Emilia was growing more distressed with every word out of Juliana’s mouth. “Oh, dear. Perhaps I should send a servant to Inverness to find Fitzwilliam?”
“No, there isn’t time. I’m sorry, Emilia. I don’t like to upset you, but I’m going after him. Will the groom be able to give me his direction?”
“Yes, but you’re not goingalone?” Emilia was wringing her hands.
Oh yes, she was. If she was alone when she caught up to Mr. Blair—and shewouldcatch up to him—he’d be forced to bring her back to Castle Kinross himself.
If Logan Blair thought he was going to just ride blithely off into the distance and remain there until she was forced to leave Scotland, he was very much mistaken.
* * * *
She couldn’t feel her backside anymore.
Juliana shifted this way and that on the saddle, but it was no use. Her poor posterior had gone completely numb. She was an accomplished rider, but a ramble around the grounds with Grace wasn’t quite the same thing as a mad dash across the Scottish Highlands.
Perhaps she should have listened to Emilia and waited for Fitzwilliam to return home. He’d warned her to let him deal with his brother, but Juliana was reluctant to let Mr. Blair out of her sight. Why, even now the man might be running off to some far-flung firth, or some out-of-the-way castle to escape her.
She’d paused only long enough to confirm with a stable boy that Mr. Blair was heading for the Robertsons’ farm, and that if she rode due east, she’d catch up to him before he arrived. It had taken several hours of hard riding, but twenty minutes ago she’d caught sight of him ahead of her, perched on the back of his gray stallion.
He’d since become aware she was following him, but so far, he hadn’t acknowledged her by so much as a glance. He was so intent on ignoring her, in fact, that Juliana was tempted to charge after him, leap onto his horse’s back, and tackle him to the ground.
Let him try and ignorethat.
Upon further thought, though, she decided a less confrontational approach would be best. No man wanted a bride who wrestled him into the dirt. No, it would be far better if she kept her temper in check, and tried to charm him instead.
She’d been charming, once upon a time.
Juliana tapped her heels into her horse’s flanks, her gaze locked on Mr. Blair’s broad back. He was still some distance ahead of her, but she urged her horse into a canter, and soon she drew close enough to him it became ridiculous for him to refuse to notice her.
At last, he turned to her with a resigned sigh. “Is it a habit of yours, Lady Juliana, to chase after men who don’t want your company?”
She arched a brow. “If theydidwant my company, I wouldn’t have to chase them, would I? Besides, following you has proven to be quite a productive use of my time. You did lead me straight to Castle Kinross last night, if you recall.”
She took care to keep her voice pleasant, but all she got for her efforts was a dark frown.
