to leave, and knew her uncle was, too. The moment the
physician gave them leave to take Arden home, they would go.
“Miss Stillwater, I do not believe we have ever met,” Mr. Munro said.
“No, I’ve never been to Scotland. My family is from Berkshire,” she said.
“You are very far from home, then.”
“Yes.”
He looked at Lucy’s uncle. “Lord Kildrum, why have you never said your family was connected to such loveliness?”
“Well, I—”
“Miss Stillwater, I sincerely do hope you have sisters.”
“Uh, yes, I have several,” Lucy replied, unsure how to respond to such unabashed flattery.
“Marvelous,” Mr. Munro said. “Will they be joining you in Scotland?”
His overt attentions were disconcerting. “No, I am afraid not.” Although it would be such a comfort to have at least one of them with her.
Preferably Meg, but even Emily would do.
“Tsk. That is a shame, is it not, Kindale?”
“To be sure, Munro,” Lord Kindale replied. Lucy noticed he was frowning, but said nothing untoward.
“What are your plans, Duncan?” Broxburn asked abruptly. “Will you go up to Brodie House tomorrow?”
“Perhaps,” he said lazily. “I am just returning from a house party at Gilford Castle.”
Lucy noticed Ian rolling his eyes and realized she didn’t really understand the undercurrents here. But it was obviously a family affair, and she had
no intention of intruding on their privacy.
“Gilly had a bunch of us up for a bit of shooting and some card-playing,” Mr. Munro said. “Nothing very interesting, though. By God, this
fish is delicious. My compliments to Mrs. Kilgore!”
Lucy’s uncle asked Mr. Munro another question about the gathering at Gilford Castle and the conversation continued without any contribution from
Broxburn. She could see that he was annoyed by his cousin’s presence, though she could not fathom why. The young man was pleasant enough, if perhaps
a bit flirtatious.
However, Lucy did think it odd that Mr. Munro did not question the whereabouts or wellbeing of the duchess and duke – his own aunt and uncle –
but tucked into his meal as though he were right at home.
Oh! Perhaps this was his home. Lucy had never heard, one way or the other.
Broxburn finally broke into the conversation. “How is your mother, Duncan?”
“She is her usual
cheery
self, Broxburn.”
Lord Broxburn’s color deepened, and Lucy doubted his lips could close any tighter.
“Do you plan to visit Edinburgh, Miss Stillwater?” Mr. Munro asked. She was sure she was not mistaken in his overt interest in her. His eyes
lingered upon her mouth, then her throat, and down to the modest row of buttons that held the bodice together. It was more than a mere flirtation. It was
indecent.
She cleared her throat and suppressed the urge to cross her arms over her chest. “Yes, when my aunt is able to travel.”
“I am sure you will enjoy it,” he said with a grin. “We have a very active social set, with balls, soirees, and musicales. You must
attend some of them.” He turned to her uncle. “Lord Kildrum, please say you will bring Miss Stillwater to Lady Muirhouse’s ball.”
“I, uh…” Kildrum said, noncommittally.
“We gentlemen always welcome the addition of beautiful young lad—”
Broxburn stood abruptly. “We will take coffee in the sitting room, Lockhart.”
Mr. Munro looked down at his unfinished meal, and said, “But Ian—”
“Feel free to stay here and finish, Duncan.”
* * *
Ian would have liked to smash his fist into Duncan’s face. But he refused to be as uncouth as his cousin. Brother. Whatever he was.
Ian could almost see wheels turning in Lucy’s brain, and he wondered what she was thinking. She had to have been offended by Duncan’s manner.
He’d looked at her as though she were nothing more than an Edinburgh trollop.
He shoved his fingers through his hair and led the way out of the dining room.
“If you will excuse me, Lord Broxburn,” Lucy
physician gave them leave to take Arden home, they would go.
“Miss Stillwater, I do not believe we have ever met,” Mr. Munro said.
“No, I’ve never been to Scotland. My family is from Berkshire,” she said.
“You are very far from home, then.”
“Yes.”
He looked at Lucy’s uncle. “Lord Kildrum, why have you never said your family was connected to such loveliness?”
“Well, I—”
“Miss Stillwater, I sincerely do hope you have sisters.”
“Uh, yes, I have several,” Lucy replied, unsure how to respond to such unabashed flattery.
“Marvelous,” Mr. Munro said. “Will they be joining you in Scotland?”
His overt attentions were disconcerting. “No, I am afraid not.” Although it would be such a comfort to have at least one of them with her.
Preferably Meg, but even Emily would do.
“Tsk. That is a shame, is it not, Kindale?”
“To be sure, Munro,” Lord Kindale replied. Lucy noticed he was frowning, but said nothing untoward.
“What are your plans, Duncan?” Broxburn asked abruptly. “Will you go up to Brodie House tomorrow?”
“Perhaps,” he said lazily. “I am just returning from a house party at Gilford Castle.”
Lucy noticed Ian rolling his eyes and realized she didn’t really understand the undercurrents here. But it was obviously a family affair, and she had
no intention of intruding on their privacy.
“Gilly had a bunch of us up for a bit of shooting and some card-playing,” Mr. Munro said. “Nothing very interesting, though. By God, this
fish is delicious. My compliments to Mrs. Kilgore!”
Lucy’s uncle asked Mr. Munro another question about the gathering at Gilford Castle and the conversation continued without any contribution from
Broxburn. She could see that he was annoyed by his cousin’s presence, though she could not fathom why. The young man was pleasant enough, if perhaps
a bit flirtatious.
However, Lucy did think it odd that Mr. Munro did not question the whereabouts or wellbeing of the duchess and duke – his own aunt and uncle –
but tucked into his meal as though he were right at home.
Oh! Perhaps this was his home. Lucy had never heard, one way or the other.
Broxburn finally broke into the conversation. “How is your mother, Duncan?”
“She is her usual
cheery
self, Broxburn.”
Lord Broxburn’s color deepened, and Lucy doubted his lips could close any tighter.
“Do you plan to visit Edinburgh, Miss Stillwater?” Mr. Munro asked. She was sure she was not mistaken in his overt interest in her. His eyes
lingered upon her mouth, then her throat, and down to the modest row of buttons that held the bodice together. It was more than a mere flirtation. It was
indecent.
She cleared her throat and suppressed the urge to cross her arms over her chest. “Yes, when my aunt is able to travel.”
“I am sure you will enjoy it,” he said with a grin. “We have a very active social set, with balls, soirees, and musicales. You must
attend some of them.” He turned to her uncle. “Lord Kildrum, please say you will bring Miss Stillwater to Lady Muirhouse’s ball.”
“I, uh…” Kildrum said, noncommittally.
“We gentlemen always welcome the addition of beautiful young lad—”
Broxburn stood abruptly. “We will take coffee in the sitting room, Lockhart.”
Mr. Munro looked down at his unfinished meal, and said, “But Ian—”
“Feel free to stay here and finish, Duncan.”
* * *
Ian would have liked to smash his fist into Duncan’s face. But he refused to be as uncouth as his cousin. Brother. Whatever he was.
Ian could almost see wheels turning in Lucy’s brain, and he wondered what she was thinking. She had to have been offended by Duncan’s manner.
He’d looked at her as though she were nothing more than an Edinburgh trollop.
He shoved his fingers through his hair and led the way out of the dining room.
“If you will excuse me, Lord Broxburn,” Lucy
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