Page 17 of The Beastly Earl

The Scotswoman had uttered a few choice words about the dowager countess before she’d demanded, quite emphatically, that Sebastian was to bring her niece home immediately. He was convinced Louisa would not be heeding the demand of the Rockwood matriarch. He knew his youngest sister too well. She was up to something, and God only knew what. The carriage rolled to a stop, and a stocky-built man in a dark brown work kilt hurried out to greet the vehicle.

“I’ve come to see…” Sebastian stumbled over his words slightly as he almost referred to Louisa as Lady Westbrook. “Mrs. Morehouse. I’m her brother, Sebastian Rockwood.”

“Aye, sir, she’s expecting ye. She’s still a mite unsteady on her feet so it will take her a moment to come down to meet ye.”

“I’ve brought a small trunk of clothes for her in the event she’s not yet able to travel.” Sebastian nodded toward the baggage attached to the back of the carriage.

“Aye, sir. I’ll see tae it the lady gets it right away.” The man hesitated, and Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “Forgive me sir, but I was wondering how the young man who was injured is doing. I know Mrs. Morehouse was quite worried about him.”

“The young man was found by Lady Stewart’s staff a few hours after the accident.” He suddenly frowned as he realized how Louisa’s reckless nature had almost killed her. “If my sister had not been so impulsive she would not be imposing on the earl’s hospitality.”

“Aye, the lass does have a stubborn streak in her, and she will be relieved tae hear the young man is well.”

The Scotsman chuckled, and Sebastian’s heart sank. His sister had already caused a stir, not to mention she’d obviously charmed the man in front of him. Who else in the household had she managed to put under her spell? The man nodded toward the house.

“If you would, sir.”

With a nod, Sebastian followed the Scotsman into the house and was shown into a large room that doubled as a salon and library. He quietly perused the titles on the shelves as he waited for his sister. The earl, or someone else, had an obvious love for writings of ancient Roman generals and other military greats. Sebastian had just found a small volume of Marcus Aurelius’s writings when a small cry of happiness made him turn around to see Louisa hurrying toward him.

“Oh, Sebastian. I’m so happy to see you,” she exclaimed as she hugged him tight then looked up at him with a worried frown. “How are the boys? Are they behaving? I’m certain the family is terribly worried. I’m so sorry to have made everyone fear something horrible had happened to me.”

As always when she was excited, Louisa didn’t allow anyone to answer a question without barreling on to the next. Patiently he waited for her to stop speaking and smiled as her questions died away, and she eyed him with a look that demanded his immediate answer.

“I’m delighted and greatly relieved to see you as well. And yes, everyone has been quite worried about you,” he said as he kissed her forehead. “In fact, I had to put my foot down when the lot of them demanded to come to Callendar Abbey with Aunt Matilda and me. Although I’m certain they began to make preparations to come north the moment they received my telegram stating you had been found safe, but a bit under the weather.”

“Oh no, they mustn’t.” A crestfallen expression fell over his sister’s face. Sebastian sighed with resignation. He’d been correct in his assumptions.

“What scheme or plot are you hatching now, Louisa?”

“I do not hatch plots,” she harrumphed then laughed softly as he eyed her with mocking disbelief. He recognized her lively expression as one he’d known before the fire. This was the mischievous Louisa of old, and it lightened his heart as she chuckled. “All right, sometimes I do, but you know they’re always for a worthy cause.”

“Sometimes,” he murmured ruefully. “Now then, as you can see, I’ve followed your instructions to the letter, and I’d like to know what this intrigue is all about?”

A secretive look crossed Louisa’s face as she quickly turned and went to the door to ensure it was closed. The minute Sebastian saw the sparkle in his sister's hazel eyes he suppressed a groan of dismay. The Louisa who’d been missing for so long had returned, and he knew without a doubt he wasn’t going to like whatever she was about to propose. Despite that fact, Sebastian knew he would give way to her simply to ensure Louisa didn’t retreat into the shell she’d lived in for more than two years. He wasn’t about to lose her a second time.

§ § §

“Don’t look at me like that,” Louisa said with exasperation. “I can’t possibly leave Ross here without someone who will treat him kindly.”

“You’re not thinking clearly, Louisa.”

Frustration darkened Sebastian's face as he rubbed his forehead in obvious aggravation. They’d been arguing about her plan to remain at Argaty as Ross Colquhoun’s governess for the past fifteen minutes. Louisa knew she was pushing her brother's patience as always, but she was determined to have her way in the matter.

“You have two boys of your own to tend to. You cannot leave them in our care indefinitely. No one in the family would ever object to having the boys with them for whatever length of time you asked of us. We love them as much as our own, but they need their mother.”

“I don’t intend to leave them with the family. I’ll have them brought here once the earl agrees to take me on as Ross’s governess. The child needs playmates. Charlie and Wills are exactly what Ross needs.”

“And what makes you think the earl is going to agree to a woman of title serving as a governess to his son?”

“He doesn’t know who I am. No one does. I’m simply Mrs. Morehouse, a widow who was injured on my way to Callendar Abbey to be a companion for Lady Stewart. A position, I’ve now lost.”

“How and why would you have lost your position so quickly?”

“Lady Stewart sent for you when I didn’t arrive at the abbey. When you mentioned the boys, she immediately dismissed me from my post. “

“And that calls into question why you would take on a companion role to begin with when you have two boys.”

“I’ll say it was because I was unable find a suitable governess’s position and needed to support myself and the boys.”