Page 57 of What a Highlander’s Got to Do

“No’ that I’m no’ pleased to see you here,” his mother added. “It does my heart good.”

“Mine, too,” said Tully with a smirk.

Nick shot him a glower.

It took a moment for him to collect his manners and say, “How could we not come and honor our beautiful visitors from the north.” This he said to her.

Naturally, she sniffed.

“We are thrilled to be here,” Isobel’s friend Catriona said. It gratified him that, when Tully turned to smile at her, he seemed besotted.

It gratified him as well that Tully’s attention was no longer on Isobel.

And Isobel didn’t seem to mind.

Damn, how he wished he could speak to her.

In private. Or at least directly. Without witnesses.

But there was no chance of that.

He glowered around the room, just on general principle. To his side, Susana seemed to notice, and she chuckled.

He wasn’t sure if he was pleased or not that she was able to read his mood.

On some level, it seemed dangerous.

So for the next few endless minutes, he remained silent and still and allowed the insipid conversation to flow around him.

If this was what morning calls were, he now knew why he’d never been to one.

It only helped a little that Penny seemed as out of place as he was.

Tully, deep in conversation with Catriona, was right at home. Which was annoying in itself.

But when his friend asked if Lady Catriona would like to take a turn in the garden, and she said yes, Nick leaped to his feet and said, “We all should.”

Lady Esmeralda glared at him and snapped, “No we shouldn’t. I have gout.”

Nick’s mother chuckled. “I believe he means the youngsters.”

It was wrong to scowl at her, but he was hardly a youngster.

“I would love a walk,” Sorcha said, tucking one arm into his and the other into Isobel’s and tugging them toward the door. Tully and Catriona followed. And then Penny, who trudged behind, clearly put out that he had no female companion to pair with.

Which was ridiculous. There were three men and three women.

Although Sorcha was his sister, so she hardly counted in that manner.

Because if Penny touched her, he’d have to flog him.

As they made their way down the long hall toward the back of the house, Isobel said, “I doona know if a walk in the garden is wise.”

For some reason, Catriona laughed.

“How do you mean?” Sorcha asked.

“It’s the Hellions,” Catriona explained.