Da gave her a firm nod as he stood from the breakfast table, looking every inch the stern laird and not at all the complete pushover Athena knew him to be.
She sighed. “Da, yekenI have nae need to dance with this duke?—”
“It’s no’ about the duke, Athena?—”
“It is most certainly about the duke?—”
“It’s about no’ disrespecting Melanie—I mean, Lady Dumpkins,” her father finished in a growl.
This time, Athena hid her sigh. “It really is this important to ye, Da? That I attendtonight’sentertainment?”
Her father’s expression softened, likely because he knew he’d won. “It is, lassie. The Countess requested yer presence specifically.”
Well,shite, as her oldest brother Lyon might say.
Her father knew as well as anyone that Athena preferred to avoid Society functions, what with the whispers and pointed looks. But during the recent rainy-day play-acting, Lady Dumpkins had very pointedly invited Athena to the dancing tonight. It wasn’t the sort of “invitation” she could weasel out of easily. She had seriously considered faking a bout of the plague—it had worked to get out of that geography test when she’d been in school—or something equally dire, but had eventually dismissed it.
According to her new friends at Dumpkins, the Countess had made it clear each and every one of her “ladies” was expected to entertain the blasted duke by dancing with him, and Athena had put it off as long as she possibly could. All she had to do was attend the one event, dance the one dance with him, and make her escape before the tongues began to wag.
The Countess had it in her head that the duke, the coup of her party, needed a wife, and she was just the woman to supply one. From what Athena had heard from her friends, the man was cold, aloof, cold, and far too haughty. Oh, and cold.
He sounds delightful.
But that was tonight, and Athena didn’t want to dwell on the evening’s entertainment, not when the afternoon’s entertainment was bound to be far more interesting.
Interesting? Try invigorating, arousing, titillating, fulfilling?—
She could likely continue, but her mind would eventually become taxed trying to come up with the more polite ways of saying, “I’ll be making love to the most arousing man I’ve ever met,” so she ought to just leave it at that.
Since her father was still watching her with that worriedPlease dinnae do anything stupidexpression, she sighed a third time and forced a smile. “Aye, Da, I will be there. I dinnae want to stay long?—”
“Ye can leave whenever ye feel necessary, lassie. Just stay long enough to make Melanie happy.”
It would make the Countess happy if she danced with the starchy duke, so Athena would manage that. She nodded. “Agreed. But I have an engagement in town this afternoon. Would ye please check in on Callan while I am gone?”
To her surprise, her father scowled. “He’ll no’ be there. The lad hasnae been in the nursery at all when I’ve popped in to visit him.” He waved dismissively as he moved toward the door. “I’ll stop in, but if he’s no’ there, yekenthat scamp’s up to something.”
Was he? Athena’s brows rose. She knew her son was mischievous, but what could hepossiblybe up to here at Newfincy, where the whole clan kept an eye on him?
Well, she had a few hours to investigate.
Fortunately, Callan was an absolute angel that morning, as she sat with him as he worked on his letters and arithmetic. Like her, he far preferred stories—having them read to him, at least—than maths, but she was determined he’d grow up to be an accomplished young man. After all, he was the grandson of a great laird, the nephew of a viscount and earl’s heir. Just because he was a bastard didn’t mean he wouldn’t do great things.
It was why she so strongly believed in preserving Oliphant history for Callan’s generation. Of course, the Oliphant Collection’s most recent addition was entirely too wickedfor the lad to see until he wasmucholder, but he enjoyed listening to her read from the official clan histories.
The hours passed amicably, and her son didn’t seem too disappointed when she told him they would have to forego their trip to the river. “That’s alright, Mama,” he told her with that toothy grin. “I’ll play with Matthew in our fort.”
Annie wasn’t in the room at the time, so Athena made a mental note to ask the nurse what in the world the boy meant.
Of course, that mental note was completely forgotten when it came time to head to town. She’d spent more time than usual preparing her hair just so—with a hat and veil which would obscure her from most prying eyes—and she wore a gown she knew was flattering…and easy to remove.
Her heart was pounding in anticipation when they reached the inn.
Her driver handed her down from the vehicle, and as she turned to enter the front door of The Sword and Sheath, there stood Cash. If she wasn’t mistaken, his eyes were twinkling with excitement.
“You’re early,” he stated blandly, extending a hand as propriety demanded, his expression carefully blank.
Pretending to be a proper lady, she rested her hand atop his, feeling his warmth even through theirpropergloves. “So are ye,” she pointed out, decidingbeing propercould go hang. “I suppose each of us are…hungry.”
