short distance away, spinning back to face her, the lantern held at his side. âWell, Iâm not a child, and Iâm not a bloody fool.â
Ailsa blinked, her mouth hanging open in surprise. In all her years, sheâd never seen her cousin so angry. âI assure you I never think of you as a child or a fool.â She spread her hands wide. âTruly, I dinnae.â
He glared at her, and for a horrible moment, she thought heâd turn and leave her alone in the black snow, taking the light with him. But instead, he grimaced and pressed a hand to his temple. âIâm sorry, Ailsa. I just didnâtâI canât explain how thisââ He swiped his eyes as if wiping away tears.
âIâve never seen you so overset. Whatâs wrong?â
âEverything. Nothing.â He gave a shaky laugh. âItâs been a long few months. You donât know howâI justâreally, itâs not you Iâm angry with, itâs Uncle.â
âHeâs hard on you, I know.â
âHe never treats me as if I were an adult. And yes, I know thatâs partly my fault. Over the last few years, Iâve let him down more than once.â Gregor shook his head and came back to rejoin her on the path. âAilsa, I must tell you something. And it is not pretty.â He swallowed, the noise loud in the silence of the night. âI visited the Earl of Argyll at your fatherâs instigation.â
âPapaâs? But whyâ Ah. Argyllâs daughter.â
Gregor nodded glumly. âLast month, I went to see Uncle in London to apologize forâwell, for everything Iâve done wrong. He wouldnât listen; he just kept saying I was a failure and was heading for the poorhouse and how he couldnât keep me from it forever, andâ Oh, it was a horrible argument. We both said things we shouldnât have. At the end, he informed me that he and Argyll had made a decision for me, since I was unable to make one for myself. Argyllâs daughter, the indomitable Lady Agnes, was unmarried, and seemed unlikely to gain a suitor. And there I wasâa hopeless wastrel with no prospects other than my services as a well-bred stallion.â He laughed bitterly. âI was to marry her and get her with a child or two, and then Argyll would give me an allowance and I would be free to wander about the world as I wished, unfettered and unwanted.â
âGregor, nae. Papa would never be so cruelââ
âWouldnât he? Those are your fatherâs exact words. And I, having no pride, agreed. But I just couldnât bring myself to come to point.â Gregor shook his head. âWhen your father finds out, he will cast me off.â
âSurely nae.â
âItâs what he said he would do. And he meant it. He thinks the worst of me, and when he finds out I left Argyllâs in such a fashionââ Gregor rubbed a hand over his face. âWhich is why Iâm so grateful you allowed me to help. This opportunity, this chance to do something right for once, it could make the world of difference. I could prove to your father that Iâm not a waste of air.â
She slipped her arm through his. âYouâre nae a wasteof air, nor a wastrel, nor a failure. Youâre dear, wonderful, delightful Gregor, and Iâm glad to have you along. It will make the trip fly by. But I must warn you, Greer said the way is verrah rough. âTwill nae be an easy journey.â
âI donât care; Iâll do whatever I must.â Gregor sent her a crooked, strained grin. âDear, dear Ailsa. Youâre the sister I never had, which is yet another reason I must come. What if these unscrupulous abductors decide to take you prisoner, too? What then?â
âIâd be oot of luck, for Papa is nae nearby, and Lady Edana never has two coins to rub together. But Iâm certain Iâll be safe. I was never going alone, you
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