that I am well and visiting friends in the north.”
“The devil you say?” Kiernan looked at Regan, who gave a nod of confirmation, then turned back to Phoebe. “You said he would move heaven and hell for you.”
Her lips tightened. “Sir, I would not look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm offering you a way out.”
“Offering me a way out? Madam, honor dictates there is no way out.”
“My freedom for your honor?”
“I would think it would be your honor, as well." He shoo k his head in frustration. "I'm sorry. Get whatever notion you have of avoiding a scandal out of your head. You have no choice.”
Her eyes blazed and she faced his father. “Your Grace, I remain firm in my resolution. I will not marry your son. This is Scotland, and women here have the right to refuse any offer, no matter how fantastic it may be.”
“But you aren't Scottish,” he replied.
“We are in Scotland, therefore, Scottish law prevails.”
“But your uncle is English, and he will demand you marry.”
“Think of the life you sentence me to,” she begged. “You force me into a marriage that neither of us wants.”
Doubt flickered in his father’s eyes and Kiernan burst out, “Heddy, bloody hell!”
The din of the room quieted.
“Kiernan,” the duke admonished in a low voice.
Kiernan gave the men nearest him a glare that sent them about their business, then he stepped closer to Phoebe. He placed a hand on the back of her chair and said in a low voice, “Forgive me, Phoebe, but you mistake my surprise for reluctance.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don't act as though you are a willing groom.”
He scowled. “You know I want you.”
She gasped. Regan cleared his throat, and his father sighed.
“Don't pretend you have no idea what I'm talking about,” Kiernan muttered.
“Miss Wallington,” his father cut in, “you said my son didn't force his attentions on you.”
“Of course, I didn’t,” Kiernan retorted. But he'd come damned close, truth be told.
“You said he was a perfect gentleman.”
“I knew, er, thought she was Regan’s.” He looked at Regan and shrugged. “That didn’t stop me from—”
“ Sir .” Phoebe shot to her feet and shoved at her chair with the back of her leg, but it didn’t slide and she nearly fell back into the seat. Kiernan and his father reached for her. She slapped at them, then her eyes widened on the duke.
“Your Grace,” she whispered, then added under her breath, “By heavens.”
"Phoebe,” Kiernan said, then, “love.”
“Oh no, you don’t.” This time she managed to shove the chair aside. “I am not some schoolgirl who will swoon with your charm.” She started to turn, but whipped back around and poked her finger in Kiernan’s chest, causing him to jerk back with every jab of her forefinger. “I am not your love . I wasn’t your love before, and I—ohhh—” her blazing eyes turned on his father “—and I am not your—your—anything.” She stalked to the far side of the room and disappeared up the narrow staircase.
“Interesting,” his father remarked.
“Interesting?” Kiernan scowled. “Has everyone gone mad?”
The duke regarded him. “You are a fine one to talk. Abducting a woman?”
Kiernan sat in Phoebe’s chair. “I had no idea who she was.”
His father’s mouth twisted down reprovingly.
“Yes, yes,” Kiernan said impatiently, “she told me her name, but did she tell you the circumstances?”
“I believe she explained things quite thoroughly,” Regan said.
“Did she explain she was in Heddy’s coach?”
Regan and his father nodded.
“Did she tell you she was flirting with Lord Beasley?”
His father reached for the mug of ale sitting before him. “I would be careful about mentioning that, lad.”
Kiernan stared at him.
“A future wife doesn't care for being reminded of past flirtations.”
*****
Phoebe to ok a sip of her morning tea just as the Duke of Ashlund stepped from the staircase into the great
“The devil you say?” Kiernan looked at Regan, who gave a nod of confirmation, then turned back to Phoebe. “You said he would move heaven and hell for you.”
Her lips tightened. “Sir, I would not look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm offering you a way out.”
“Offering me a way out? Madam, honor dictates there is no way out.”
“My freedom for your honor?”
“I would think it would be your honor, as well." He shoo k his head in frustration. "I'm sorry. Get whatever notion you have of avoiding a scandal out of your head. You have no choice.”
Her eyes blazed and she faced his father. “Your Grace, I remain firm in my resolution. I will not marry your son. This is Scotland, and women here have the right to refuse any offer, no matter how fantastic it may be.”
“But you aren't Scottish,” he replied.
“We are in Scotland, therefore, Scottish law prevails.”
“But your uncle is English, and he will demand you marry.”
“Think of the life you sentence me to,” she begged. “You force me into a marriage that neither of us wants.”
Doubt flickered in his father’s eyes and Kiernan burst out, “Heddy, bloody hell!”
The din of the room quieted.
“Kiernan,” the duke admonished in a low voice.
Kiernan gave the men nearest him a glare that sent them about their business, then he stepped closer to Phoebe. He placed a hand on the back of her chair and said in a low voice, “Forgive me, Phoebe, but you mistake my surprise for reluctance.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don't act as though you are a willing groom.”
He scowled. “You know I want you.”
She gasped. Regan cleared his throat, and his father sighed.
“Don't pretend you have no idea what I'm talking about,” Kiernan muttered.
“Miss Wallington,” his father cut in, “you said my son didn't force his attentions on you.”
“Of course, I didn’t,” Kiernan retorted. But he'd come damned close, truth be told.
“You said he was a perfect gentleman.”
“I knew, er, thought she was Regan’s.” He looked at Regan and shrugged. “That didn’t stop me from—”
“ Sir .” Phoebe shot to her feet and shoved at her chair with the back of her leg, but it didn’t slide and she nearly fell back into the seat. Kiernan and his father reached for her. She slapped at them, then her eyes widened on the duke.
“Your Grace,” she whispered, then added under her breath, “By heavens.”
"Phoebe,” Kiernan said, then, “love.”
“Oh no, you don’t.” This time she managed to shove the chair aside. “I am not some schoolgirl who will swoon with your charm.” She started to turn, but whipped back around and poked her finger in Kiernan’s chest, causing him to jerk back with every jab of her forefinger. “I am not your love . I wasn’t your love before, and I—ohhh—” her blazing eyes turned on his father “—and I am not your—your—anything.” She stalked to the far side of the room and disappeared up the narrow staircase.
“Interesting,” his father remarked.
“Interesting?” Kiernan scowled. “Has everyone gone mad?”
The duke regarded him. “You are a fine one to talk. Abducting a woman?”
Kiernan sat in Phoebe’s chair. “I had no idea who she was.”
His father’s mouth twisted down reprovingly.
“Yes, yes,” Kiernan said impatiently, “she told me her name, but did she tell you the circumstances?”
“I believe she explained things quite thoroughly,” Regan said.
“Did she explain she was in Heddy’s coach?”
Regan and his father nodded.
“Did she tell you she was flirting with Lord Beasley?”
His father reached for the mug of ale sitting before him. “I would be careful about mentioning that, lad.”
Kiernan stared at him.
“A future wife doesn't care for being reminded of past flirtations.”
*****
Phoebe to ok a sip of her morning tea just as the Duke of Ashlund stepped from the staircase into the great
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