Page 67 of A Highland Lass for the English Duke

"Thank ye," she said eventually as Annice repackaged most of the things in her bag.

They were sitting together in the bedchamber that Lissie had called her own for the last few weeks. The sun was high in the sky, and for the first time since her arrival, it felt as if summer might finally be on its way.

"Elisabeth, you don't have to leave. Not right away. Why not wait a while until the summer is over. We will find you an Englishman to wed. Maybe even a baron!"

Annice rested her hand on Lissie's shoulder in an attempt at conciliation. She smiled, hopeful.

"I know you don't want to do it, but Will's engagement feast is bound to be full of⁠—"

"Nay," said Lissie, cutting her short. A heat burst up in her throat. It felt hot and tight. "Nay. I must leave right away. Fiona..."

"Of course," said Annice, looking down. "I know how close you are, and I hope she has a speedy recovery from..." Her eyes glanced up at Lissie.

"Dropsy," said Lissie quickly, her eyes darting away. "She can barely hold a quill!"

"In one so young?" questioned Annice, looking at her strangely. "And yet, she wrote you such a beautiful missive."

Sweating profusely, Lissie thought fast. Suddenly, she regretted telling her cousin that Fiona was bedridden from the nose down. But she needed to make clear her escape. In theory, she could leave any time, but someone like Annice would not take it well without reason. Not wanting to hurt her cousin, she had amplified her sister's maladies.

"Aye an' quinsy, ague, scarlatina, milk leg, an' canker," she added, with a sly glance to Annice.

Was she buying this? It was hard to tell. But Jane looked up.

"I thought she had broken her arm," Jane said, putting aside her pile of folding.

"That too," cut in Lissie quickly. She sent a dart of loathing at Jane's way. Clearly, she had read the letter from the Highlands in its entirety.

"How could she write?" asked Annice, her eyebrows locking intently as if in a fight. "With a broken arm and such odorous handicaps?"

Lissie felt her stomach knot. "I believe she got her lady-in-waiting to help her," she said, as if it should be perfectly obvious.

Annice looked to Jane. Jane looked to Annice.

"A lady's maid?" said Annice, as if she had never heard such a thing. "In the Highlands? Well, you come more highly placed in the world than I thought!"

Lissie sat with her eyes cast down as Annice ruminated over this. But inside, everything raged. Why was she even inventing an elaborate excuse such as this? She should tell Annice she had simply had enough of London. And its men. But of course, she did not.

Annice already thought she was ridiculous for pursuing Will, and her attitude to his engagement only hammered this home. Thinking miserably, Lissie pondered her failure of a mission.

Go to London to wed an earl.

It sounded simple. Yet, given her background, it proved so much more difficult.

Smarting, Lissie wondered if she might instead wed a noble in Edinburgh. Right then, she was so desperate to leave town she would have even considered married life with Donald, the odd-toothed laird's son.

Just as Annice was poised to offer her another homily, there was a knock upon the door. Displeased, Annice dispatched Jane to deal with it. She shortly returned with a conspiratorial shift in her eye.

"Gentleman caller for Miss Elisabeth," said Jane, looking straight at Lissie.

Lissie felt her heart prick up. For the first time, she straightened up, arranging her hair. It was only in a simple bun, but she hoped it would do. Self-consciously, she rearranged her skirts. The kirtle was not her best one; she had been dressed to start her ride, but she hoped it would do.

"Send him in, please, Jane," said Lissie with a flash of a smile. Beside her, Annice watched suspiciously. Lissie could tell she did not want to leave them on their own, but eventually, she gave in.

"Very well," she said, finally rustling her skirts. Annice got up from her stool and headed toward the bedchamber door. "I will allow you a few moments but nothing more!"

Watching her go, Lissie smoothed down the bed and her hair before there came a knock at the door. Tummy prickling, she called out, "Come in!"

Lissie's heart was a tremble as the heavy door to the chamber creaked open. Despite her misgivings, Lissie could not help the giant jolt that went through her spine.