“Or Muira’s love charms don’t work. I didn’t dream of anyone,” Alanna admitted.
“ ’Tis the season, not the love charms, that count. Any girl who is ready for love will see her true love in her dreams at Midsummer!” Megan insisted. She turned to Caroline. “What did you dream of last night, Miss Forrester?”
Caroline felt her skin heat. She’d dreamed of a certain Scottish laird, though he was hardly her true love. She’d once dreamed of William, but nothing had come of that either. So much for Highland magic. Still, just in case, she crossed her fingers and counted herself fortunate that she didn’t dream of Viscount Speed. “I dreamed of poetry, of course, recited in perfect English.”
All three girls looked horrified. “Truly?” Sorcha asked. “You won’t have much fun at the bonfire tonight. Who will you dance with?”
“Didn’t your mother say you were not to attend the bonfire?” Caroline asked.
Megan smiled. “Muira promised to talk her round so we could go. What’s the harm if Alec is with us? No one would dare to insult the laird’s sisters.”
Ah, but what might the laird’s sisters get up to? Caroline noted three pairs of bright eyes, gleaming with anticipation and mischief.
“Brodie will be there too.” Megan sighed. “He’ll protect us.”
“If he’s not busy making eyes at Annie or Maire or May,” Sorcha teased.
Megan ignored her. “What will you wear tonight?” she asked Alanna, and Caroline realized that the poetry had been forgotten.
“Oh miss, Alec brought us the most wonderful gifts!” Alanna said, including her in the excitement. “I have a new shawl made of Indian silk, in the most extraordinary design.”
“I have a dozen hair ribbons to choose from. I don’t know whether to wear the blue one to match my eyes, or the red one,” Sorcha said. “Will you help me choose, miss?”
“I have a new sash, green silk, to wear with my muslin gown,” Alanna said. “Though of all the presents, I loved the books he brought the best—Walter Scott’s novelWaverley, and hisLady of the Lake. Tomorrow I shall stay indoors all day and read!”
“What if someone kisses you?” Sorcha teased. “A lass in a new green sash is hard to resist!”
Alanna blushed.
“What else did the laird bring?” Caroline asked, changing the subject.
“A dozen dress lengths of beautiful cloth, and pattern books from London!” Megan enthused. “Mama has them—she wanted to be the first to look at those.”
“There’s sugar candy and spices too. And new bonnets for all of us,” Sorcha said. “Even me.”
“And there were journals and the softest kid gloves too,” Alanna said. “Though we shan’t need gloves tonight. In fact, I’m not sure when we’ll need such finery.”
“We’ll hold elegant parties, or get Alec to take us to Edinburgh!” Megan said.
“Or when we go to London to make our debuts,” Alanna said a trifle sadly. “As soon as she finds someone to sponsor us.”
Caroline saw the mixture of delight and dismay in the girls’ eyes at the prospect. “The London Season doesn’t start until the spring. You have plenty of time to have the most stylish gowns made, and learn all the newest London dances, make lists of the most eligible suitors, and perfect your manners to win them, but the bonfire is tonight—shouldn’t we be worrying about that first?” she asked. “Now bring me your hair ribbons, Sorcha, and we’ll choose the perfect one.”
The girls rushed to obey, and Caroline smiled. As long as Muira could win the countess’s approval, and the laird was there to chaperone his sisters, what could possibly go wrong? In Caroline’s opinion, a night of innocent Midsummer revelry would be the perfect counterpoint to the stuffy London balls the girls would soon have to endure.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
Alec dressed as the sun rose, and called for a horse. He’d spent a restless night considering the possibility of marriage to Lady Sophie Ellison, unable to get the russet-haired beauty out of his mind. He’d considered the possibility ofnotmarrying her, as well. Weighing the pros and cons hadn’t been difficult—a lovely wife with a vast fortune on one hand, poverty for himself, his kin, and his clan on the other.
If Sophie was at the tower, she must be staying nearby, probably also weighing the pros and cons of the match herself. It was nearly dawn when it struck him that was quite likely the reason she was in the tower alone in the first place—she was visiting Glenlorne, deciding if she wished to marry him. If she was a biddable daughter, she’d do as her father wanted and wed where she was told to. If she was more willful—and from their brief encounter at the tower he suspected she was at least a wee bit headstrong—she might very well reject his suit in hopes of a better offer, which was sure to come.
If he wanted Sophie as his wife, he had to act now. He would have to ride up to whichever inn Lord Bray was staying at, and greet her formally, escort her to his home in person, and charm her.
He looked in the glass as he tied his cravat, and practiced his most beguiling grin, the one that never failed to make women of all ages lose their wits and leave the thinking to him.
The lovely Lady Sophie was as good as his.
Hours later, Alec was still alone. He’d visited the three inns closest to Glenlorne Castle, and five of the more distant ones. There was no sign of an English earl, or a lovely red-haired lady.
