rolled his eyes at that, until he said, “I’ve been charged with the same task, repeatedly, since last evening. The young lord is getting quite annoyed with me, and I can hardly blame him.” And then he leaned forward to whisper, “It’s his grandfathers, the both of them. They seem to be pulling him in two different directions without a moment’s peace.”
“His Scottish grandfather is here as well?”
“Oh my, yes, and a very… loud gentleman he is, too. But when they are in the same room together. Lord Neville and Lord Archibald, that is, well, they really don’t like each other, if you know what I mean.”
Now, that was a shame. You’d think that thegrandfathers would get along splendidly, both having their grandson’s best interests in mind. To Jacobs, though, she nodded, and much as she would have preferred otherwise, got the subject back on track.
“If Lord Duncan is busy, don’t disturb him. I can always come back another time, since I don’t think my message is of an urgent matter. But if he has a moment to spare, and it shouldn’t take any longer than that, I would like to get this duty dispensed with.”
“Certainly, Miss Sabrina. I’ll try to locate him right now. And please step in—”
“No!” She coughed, to cover how horribly appalled she’d just sounded. “I mean, I know you have a house full of guests, and, well, the weather is so nice today, I’d prefer to wait out here.”
The weather was anything but nice, was quite cloudy and looking like rain was imminent, but then anyone who knew Sabrina knew that she loved being outdoors and never missed her daily walk, no matter the weather. Rain, snow, or the hottest day in summer, she’d be out in it, so what he might see as cold and dreary weather, she might well find refreshing or even beautiful.
He nodded, and not to be rude, even left the door open as he disappeared into the house. Sabrina, afraid someone might notice her in passing, stepped well away from the door. She was hoping that Duncan would be busy; then again, she was hoping to get this over with. Contradictions in feelings really did not sit well on the stomach,and hers was protesting most vehemently with a queasiness that wouldn’t go away.
Five minutes passed, then another five. She was just about positive that she would be vomiting in the bushes if she had to endure this embarrassment even one more minute, and decided it would be better for her stomach, at least, to just leave. Then she heard the footsteps behind her.
She swung about just as Duncan began to say, “The butler said you—” He stopped, surprise lighting up his features as he recognized her, then added, “You! So you
do
live around here, aye?”
“Well, yes, our cottage is just off the road on the way to Oxbow, about a twenty-minute walk from here.”
“‘Our’? You’re no’ married, are you?”
She blinked, then grinned. “Not that I’ve noticed lately. I live with my two maiden aunts.”
He frowned. “Are you new tae the neighborhood then, that m’grandfather wouldna know you tae invite you tae this party o’ his?”
This was approaching what could be called a sticky subject, and she’d just as well not go into the details of exactly why Lord Neville wouldn’t send her any invites. Duncan was proving much too inquisitive—about her—when he should be asking about her message.
So she said merely, “I’ve never met Lord Neville, so no, he doesn’t know me.”
“Well, then.” He smiled at her. “Since I know you, let me extend a belated invitation—”
She held up a hand to stop him. Had she really thought she could avoid the subject?
“I fear I may have misled you. Your grandfather has never met me, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know of me, and I think I can safely say he wouldn’t consider me an appropriate guest for the purpose of his party.”
Bright red, her cheeks were, by the time she got all that out. But he nodded in understanding, then surprised
“His Scottish grandfather is here as well?”
“Oh my, yes, and a very… loud gentleman he is, too. But when they are in the same room together. Lord Neville and Lord Archibald, that is, well, they really don’t like each other, if you know what I mean.”
Now, that was a shame. You’d think that thegrandfathers would get along splendidly, both having their grandson’s best interests in mind. To Jacobs, though, she nodded, and much as she would have preferred otherwise, got the subject back on track.
“If Lord Duncan is busy, don’t disturb him. I can always come back another time, since I don’t think my message is of an urgent matter. But if he has a moment to spare, and it shouldn’t take any longer than that, I would like to get this duty dispensed with.”
“Certainly, Miss Sabrina. I’ll try to locate him right now. And please step in—”
“No!” She coughed, to cover how horribly appalled she’d just sounded. “I mean, I know you have a house full of guests, and, well, the weather is so nice today, I’d prefer to wait out here.”
The weather was anything but nice, was quite cloudy and looking like rain was imminent, but then anyone who knew Sabrina knew that she loved being outdoors and never missed her daily walk, no matter the weather. Rain, snow, or the hottest day in summer, she’d be out in it, so what he might see as cold and dreary weather, she might well find refreshing or even beautiful.
He nodded, and not to be rude, even left the door open as he disappeared into the house. Sabrina, afraid someone might notice her in passing, stepped well away from the door. She was hoping that Duncan would be busy; then again, she was hoping to get this over with. Contradictions in feelings really did not sit well on the stomach,and hers was protesting most vehemently with a queasiness that wouldn’t go away.
Five minutes passed, then another five. She was just about positive that she would be vomiting in the bushes if she had to endure this embarrassment even one more minute, and decided it would be better for her stomach, at least, to just leave. Then she heard the footsteps behind her.
She swung about just as Duncan began to say, “The butler said you—” He stopped, surprise lighting up his features as he recognized her, then added, “You! So you
do
live around here, aye?”
“Well, yes, our cottage is just off the road on the way to Oxbow, about a twenty-minute walk from here.”
“‘Our’? You’re no’ married, are you?”
She blinked, then grinned. “Not that I’ve noticed lately. I live with my two maiden aunts.”
He frowned. “Are you new tae the neighborhood then, that m’grandfather wouldna know you tae invite you tae this party o’ his?”
This was approaching what could be called a sticky subject, and she’d just as well not go into the details of exactly why Lord Neville wouldn’t send her any invites. Duncan was proving much too inquisitive—about her—when he should be asking about her message.
So she said merely, “I’ve never met Lord Neville, so no, he doesn’t know me.”
“Well, then.” He smiled at her. “Since I know you, let me extend a belated invitation—”
She held up a hand to stop him. Had she really thought she could avoid the subject?
“I fear I may have misled you. Your grandfather has never met me, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know of me, and I think I can safely say he wouldn’t consider me an appropriate guest for the purpose of his party.”
Bright red, her cheeks were, by the time she got all that out. But he nodded in understanding, then surprised
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