His brother walked into the study and glanced at the open trunk. “Could you not ring for a chambermaid, Duncan? This room is the very essence of anarchy.”
It was no secret that Duncan’s younger brother preferred order over chaos. He was exceptional ywellmannered, highlyintelligentand educated, and when faced with a choice, he never, under any circumstances, selected the path of greater risk. He detested conflict, had never held a sword or set foot on a battlefield.
And that morning he had reached the absolute pinnacle of panic when Amelia was announced—not five minutes after Duncan had come charging into the bailey like a cannonball.
“I like this room in its current state,” he replied. “Sit down, Iain.” Duncan gestured toward the settee.
Iain moved toward it but had to move a box of candlesticks in order to clear a space. He flipped back the tail of his morning coat and sat down. “Tel me what happened with Lady Amelia. What in God’s name are we going to do?”
Duncan sat down at his desk. “There’s no need to panic.
She’llnot reveal our secret. I’m confident she’llbe loyal.”
Iain’s eyebrows flew up in disbelief. “She gave you her word, did she? Freely?”
“I did not threaten her, if that’s what you think.” He paused.
«Well… maybe I did, but the lass is plucky and she threatened me, too. It was a fair fight. But now that it’s done, I’lltrust her not to betray me.”
Iain frowned. “But how can you risk such a thing, Duncan?
Bluidyhell! She just fled from you. She ran away in desperation, and the first thing she asked was whether or not Colonel Bennett wasstillhere. She no doubt wanted to run straight into his arms and cry on his shoulder.”
Duncan did not want to hear Iain’s speculations, for they were pointless now. Whatever happened when she first arrived was of no consequence, because that was before she and Duncan had reached an agreement.
“Lady Amelia has agreed to become my wife,” he said.
“She’llbe Countess of Moncrieffe as soon as the marriage can be arranged, andwillnot be able to speak against me as her husband. Her uncle and guardian, the Duke of Winslowe,willsoon arrive, and I am certain hewillapprove the match.”
Iain sat for a long moment without moving. “You’ve already proposed to Lady Amelia? And she has accepted you?”
“Aye.” Duncan stood and walked to the window. He bent to peer through the telescope at a mother duck and her ducklings, waddling along the banks on the other side of the lake. Quite unexpectedly, he felt rather buoyant.
“Are you sure it was not a ploy,” Iain asked, “to make you let down your guard, so she can escape you again?”
Duncan straightened and looked up at the sky, dotted with fluffy white clouds. “I am not a fool, Iain. I know that she has feared me in the past, despised me, even. I cannot begin to make you understand what exists between us, but she gave me her word, and I gave her mine.” He faced his brother.
“You know, she is very much like her father. Do you remember the duke from his visit last spring? He was a decent and honorable man.”
Iain continued to stare at him in shock. “But she’s English, Duncan. The clanwillnot approve of an English countess.
You already know what people say about you, since your negotiations with the duke. They say you only seek the King’s favor to increase your lands and treasury. Now you want to marry an English duke’s daughter? Besidesallthat, she’sstillbetrothed to Colonel Bennett.”
Duncan sat down again. “She belongs to me now.”
His brother sighed and leaned back against the cushions.
“Your prisoner,still?”
“Nay,” he said angrily. “My wife.” He regarded his brother withchallenge. “There is something else I musttellyou. Now that I have made this pledge, certain things are going to change.”
Iain sat forward again. His brow wrinkled with curiosity.
“What things?”
A knock sounded, and they both turned their attention to the door.
Angus walked in and stood with a tight grip on the hilt of his sword. His golden hair was tied back in a queue. He had shaved and changed his shirt.
