Page 39 of Scandalous: Family Ties and Spies

“I told you, Val accepted my apology, and we’ve resolved the matter between us.”

“I’m still not happy with your behavior, Lord Westbury, but if Val has forgiven you, I’ll try not to repeatedly reiterate my disappointment in you.”

“I knew the instant I questioned him it was a mistake, and I told him that,” Jamie said with a look of self-disgust. “Val understood why I reacted as I did, and agreed he would have reacted the same way if the situation had been reversed.”

Lady Lyndham released a disgruntled sound before nodding sharply at her oldest son. Relief swept across the young man’s face before he surveyed the room and saw the irritated expressions of the Rockwood women. His mouth twisted in a wry grimace.

“I just passed Amalie storming her way up the stairs. I take it you’ve told her about this ludicrous, although brilliantly imaginative scheme, Aunt Louisa has convinced the rest of you to put into motion.”

“It is not ludicrous, Lord Westbury.” The Countess of Argaty released a noise of aggravation at her nephew’s less than enthusiastic support of their plan. “And it will work.”

“James Percival, if you find it impossible to be supportive of our efforts, you need to remain silent,” his mother snapped.

The moment her nephew arched an eyebrow in skeptical disbelief, Patience waved her hand at Constance and her son. Reluctant to see mother and son have a falling out, she nibbled at her bottom lip at the concerned expression on her nephew’s normally cheerful features.

“Jamie, it is a good plan, provided you and I—”

“That the an dara sealladh showed the two of us what we think is my cousin and best friend being in love with each other?” he asked in a quiet, somber voice.

“You know good and well Amalie is in love with Val,” Patience said firmly. “Although I don’t think she realizes it, or perhaps she’s simply unwilling to admit it. But I know my daughter, and it’s why she’s avoided him like the plague for the past two years.”

Patience frowned as she met Jamie’s worried gaze. She’d just said she knew Amalie, but a sudden jolt of fear made her bite down on her bottom lip. What if she was wrong? It had taken her several years to accept her gift was sometimes quite accurate when she used it with information she already knew.

From the moment the an dara sealladh had shown her an image of Val holding Amalie in his arms, his forehead pressed against hers, Patience hadn’t wavered in her belief the couple was meant for each other.

But Amalie’s reaction just now was making Patience question everything she thought she knew and understood about her oldest daughter. As she met her nephew’s troubled gaze, she shook her head.

“Something’s happened since you and I spoke at the end of November, Jamie. Just like she has for the past two years, Amalie avoided Val from the moment he arrived at the abbey last week, but it was different this time.” Patience frowned.

“You’re right,” her nephew mused quietly, a contemplative expression on his handsome features. “Val seems to have suddenly realized Amalie’s been avoiding him, and Amalie is no longer frightened when she sees him. If anything, she looks like she’s ready to slice him to pieces with Angus Stewart’s claymore.”

“I agree. In fact, she’s angry. One might even say livid. Do you have any idea what she and Val were arguing about on the cnoc beag yesterday?”

“No, after bringing Amalie back to the abbey, I questioned Val about it, and he told me to mind my own business.” Her nephew frowned. It was obvious the incident between the couple bothered him. “Although, Val did mention Amalie’s tongue was sharper than my sigan dubh. He’s convinced Amalie doesn’t like him. Apparently, my cousin detailed his faults with the scathing finesse she excels at when she’s angry. But that’s all I know.”

“What about that afternoon at Madame DuBois’s a few weeks ago?” Louisa murmured thoughtfully. “We all put Amalie’s dark mood down to our tricking her into being fitted for new dresses. But she said she’d had tea at Rules before coming to the shop. Could something have happened between the two of them in the time before breakfast and Amalie’s fittings?”

Jamie made a guttural noise in the back of his throat as Patience saw him narrow his eyes at his mother. She immediately turned toward Constance to see guilt flit across her older sister’s face before Lady Lyndham arched her eyebrow at her son.

“I know you far too well, Mother. You’ve seen something.” Jamie narrowed his gaze at Constance, who immediately made a sound of annoyance. Louisa immediately turned her head toward the oldest of the Rockwood sisters.

“The cat’s out of the bag now, Constance,” the youngest Rockwood said as she pinned her gaze on the oldest Rockwood sister. “What did the an dara sealladh show you?”

At Louisa’s resolute demand, Lady Lyndham glared at her son and sister before she met Patience’s gaze. The troubled expression on Constance’s lovely features made Patience’s heart sink. Whatever her sister had seen, Constance had been unwilling to mention it.

“I’m sure it’s nothing, dearest,” the Countess of Lyndham said reassuringly. “But two days after our battle with Amalie over her new dresses, the an dara sealladh showed me something that might be the source of her antagonism where Val is concerned.” The moment she hesitated, Patience rose from her chair.

“What did you see?” she asked quietly, trepidation skimming down her back.

“Val seated at a table with Lady Chattfield, while Amalie stood nearby with a look of devastation on her face.”

“Oh, dear Lord,” Patience gasped, then glared at her sister. “Why didn’t you tell me before now? Jamie and I were so certain…”

Patience turned her head to look at Jamie, whose expression said he’d become all the more worried. Horrified, she might have condemned her daughter to a marriage without love, tears formed in Patience’s eyes.

“Oh, God, if we’re wrong….I insisted, demanded Julian order Amalie to marry Val. He’ll never forgive me, nor will Amalie if they discover what I’ve done.” Nausea rolled over Patience, as she remembered that of all the members of the family she should know better than to take the an dara sealladh at face value. Constance released a soft sound of dismay and hurried to her side.

“It will be all right, Patience. I’m certain it will.”