get you here.’ She tucked her hand in the crook of his arm, and tugged him to one side. ‘If I’d told you that I wanted you to come and meet my friends,’ she said, lowering her voice, ‘you wouldn’t have even bothered replying. So I had to resort to a little deception.’
‘A little deception?’ He flung her arm off, and turned so that they were standing face-to-face. ‘You wrote that you were involved with a man. You wrote that you were going to meet him at Ness Hall, no matter what I said. You wrote...’
‘I wrote what I had to, to get you here.’
‘You lied to me,’ he growled.
‘Not exactly. I am involved with a man. A man I love very much.’
‘What? But you just said—’
She giggled. The minx actually giggled. Then laid her hand on his chest, smiled naughtily up at him, and said, ‘You, you nodcock.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes, you. I’ve been so worried about you. You hardly ever come ashore, and when you do, you always look so grim. And here was I, invited to the kind of place where I knew you were bound to have some fun, for once, and perhaps even meet someone who could make you happy
all
the time.’
You could have knocked him sideways. He’d never dreamed she could have lured him here because she’d been trying to make him happy. It was his job to make her happy, not the other way round.
‘The more I thought about it, the more determined I became to get you to Ness Hall, in spite of your stupid objections about being too busy. You’re always too busy to have any fun, or meet anyone suitable to become your countess.’ She pouted. ‘But you have to admit, now, that I did the right thing by you.’
Yes, he supposed he did have to admit that he’d completely misinterpreted her motives. But then, he’d been a fighting man for so long he saw enemies everywhere.
‘As soon as they announced your betrothal I knew I didn’t need to avoid you any longer. Oh, you are a clever man. You only needed a little nudge in the right direction, didn’t you? Here only two days and you’ve secured just about the richest prize on the marriage mart!’
‘Lizzie!’
They both started guiltily at the sound of Julia’s disapproving voice. Neither of them had noticed her come and join them, so intent had they been on their quarrel.
‘You make it sound as though your brother deliberately valued all the girls here and then cold-bloodedly seduced me! When you know full well he had no intention of marrying
anyone
when he came here.’
Lord Dunbar blinked at Julia. Was she actually defending him? Although...it wouldn’t be the first time. Last night, when her father had accused him of the same crime, she’d hotly denied it.
Well, well. She might not love him. She gave no sign of even feeling anything as lukewarm as liking him. But she didn’t like anyone laying false charges against him.
It was...a start.
‘I didn’t mean that,’ Lizzie was continuing.
‘Well, you should be more careful about what you say, when anyone can overhear you. Think how dreadful it would be should anyone think you believe your brother is a fortune hunter.’
Julia went to stand at his side, and tucked her hand through his arm, presenting a united front.
Alec could only surmise that whatever she thought of him, whatever she chose to say to him in private, at least in public, he might be able to hope for her support.
‘But I can’t be sorry you’re so rich,’ Lizzie protested. ‘It’s about time he had the means to enjoy his life. So far he’s spent every penny he has on me. Don’t think I don’t know what sacrifices you’ve made, Alec,’ she said, when he took a breath to protest. ‘It’s about time I did something for you. And I’ve met so many girls, wealthy girls, at the school you sent me to, and all of them wanting to marry someone dashing, and brave, and handsome, like you, I thought the least I could do was introduce you to some of them. And they did all like you. You could have had any of them
‘A little deception?’ He flung her arm off, and turned so that they were standing face-to-face. ‘You wrote that you were involved with a man. You wrote that you were going to meet him at Ness Hall, no matter what I said. You wrote...’
‘I wrote what I had to, to get you here.’
‘You lied to me,’ he growled.
‘Not exactly. I am involved with a man. A man I love very much.’
‘What? But you just said—’
She giggled. The minx actually giggled. Then laid her hand on his chest, smiled naughtily up at him, and said, ‘You, you nodcock.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes, you. I’ve been so worried about you. You hardly ever come ashore, and when you do, you always look so grim. And here was I, invited to the kind of place where I knew you were bound to have some fun, for once, and perhaps even meet someone who could make you happy
all
the time.’
You could have knocked him sideways. He’d never dreamed she could have lured him here because she’d been trying to make him happy. It was his job to make her happy, not the other way round.
‘The more I thought about it, the more determined I became to get you to Ness Hall, in spite of your stupid objections about being too busy. You’re always too busy to have any fun, or meet anyone suitable to become your countess.’ She pouted. ‘But you have to admit, now, that I did the right thing by you.’
Yes, he supposed he did have to admit that he’d completely misinterpreted her motives. But then, he’d been a fighting man for so long he saw enemies everywhere.
‘As soon as they announced your betrothal I knew I didn’t need to avoid you any longer. Oh, you are a clever man. You only needed a little nudge in the right direction, didn’t you? Here only two days and you’ve secured just about the richest prize on the marriage mart!’
‘Lizzie!’
They both started guiltily at the sound of Julia’s disapproving voice. Neither of them had noticed her come and join them, so intent had they been on their quarrel.
‘You make it sound as though your brother deliberately valued all the girls here and then cold-bloodedly seduced me! When you know full well he had no intention of marrying
anyone
when he came here.’
Lord Dunbar blinked at Julia. Was she actually defending him? Although...it wouldn’t be the first time. Last night, when her father had accused him of the same crime, she’d hotly denied it.
Well, well. She might not love him. She gave no sign of even feeling anything as lukewarm as liking him. But she didn’t like anyone laying false charges against him.
It was...a start.
‘I didn’t mean that,’ Lizzie was continuing.
‘Well, you should be more careful about what you say, when anyone can overhear you. Think how dreadful it would be should anyone think you believe your brother is a fortune hunter.’
Julia went to stand at his side, and tucked her hand through his arm, presenting a united front.
Alec could only surmise that whatever she thought of him, whatever she chose to say to him in private, at least in public, he might be able to hope for her support.
‘But I can’t be sorry you’re so rich,’ Lizzie protested. ‘It’s about time he had the means to enjoy his life. So far he’s spent every penny he has on me. Don’t think I don’t know what sacrifices you’ve made, Alec,’ she said, when he took a breath to protest. ‘It’s about time I did something for you. And I’ve met so many girls, wealthy girls, at the school you sent me to, and all of them wanting to marry someone dashing, and brave, and handsome, like you, I thought the least I could do was introduce you to some of them. And they did all like you. You could have had any of them
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