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Authors: JOANNA MAITLAND
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look towards his sister. 'Cassandra is most grateful for the invitation, ma'am. Very generous of you, I am sure. However, we must not think of making any excursions until Cassandra is quite well again. It does not do to risk a lady's frail health.'
Ross hoped his reactions did not show on his face. The man was a lying cur. Had he not poured scorn on the assumed frailty of young ladies not half an hour ago? Why was he now declining Mrs Anstruther's invitation when he had gone to such lengths to ingratiate himself before? There was something very strange going on in the Elliott family. Very strange indeed.
Mrs Anstruther stretched up her hand to Miss Elliott. 'Forgive me, my dear,' she said. 'I hope you will be fully recovered very soon. It will not be possible for me to return your call, alas, but perhaps you will overlook my discourtesy and come to me again? I did so enjoy our talk. The colonel does his best, and he has become very knowledgeable about plants of late, but he does not share my passion. Not as you do.'
Miss Elliott blushed. 'You do me too much honour, ma'am. And I should be delighted to call on you again.' She glanced towards her brother, who was frowning. 'As soon as I am able.'
'You will understand if we take our leave now, ma'am,' her brother said. 'We must get home while it is still light. It would not do for Cassandra to become chilled.'
The normal courtesies were soon exchanged. Elliott could almost have been a real gentleman. Certainly, his assumed manners could not be faulted. Ross felt his gorge rising as he watched. The man was the very devil.
Ross insisted on escorting Miss Elliott to her carriage, offering his hand to help her to mount. With one foot on the step, she turned to look into his face. Their eyes met, and held. He felt a slight pressure of her fingers in his. 'Thank you, Captain Graham,' she said softly. 'I am truly most grateful to you.'
'Your servant, ma'am,' he said, returning the pressure for just a fraction of a second. A silent message was sent and received. Ross had no doubt that Miss Elliott—Cassandra—understood what he intended. He had risked his life to save her once. And he stood ready to do so again.
Cassie shrank back into the corner of the carriage, where James could not see her if he chose to ride alongside rather than out in front. She had only the length of the journey home to order her thoughts and to decide how she would respond to his demands. For they would certainly come.
Jamie would go to any lengths to get what he wanted. And what he wanted now was to marry Cassie off to a rich man as soon as he possibly could. His debts must be even more pressing than before, she decided, for until now, he had been planning to wait until Colonel Anstruther was free to remarry. No doubt James expected to borrow money from his future brother-in-law at every opportunity. But surely that meant finding a man who was both rich and weak? Colonel Anstruther was certainly not weak. He would never be an easy mark.
And nor would Captain Graham. He, too, was every inch the soldier— strong, determined, resourceful, and a knight in shining armour to a damsel in distress. She was sorry now that she had snubbed him when he mentioned having been thrown into gaol. But she had been mortally embarrassed at the thought that he was about to tell his valet about her outrageous behaviour. Once one servant knew of her attempted flight, it was bound to become the talk of Dumfries. What little standing she had in the community would be gone. She would not even be able to call on Mrs Anstruther again.
That meant she would not be able to meet Captain Graham again.
She felt a sinking in her stomach at the thought. She was grateful to him. Of course, she was. But it was more than that. She had not met many single gentlemen since she had left her Edinburgh seminary, and almost all of them had been old, or lecherous, or both. Captain Graham was neither. He was young and vigorous, and handsome
Ross hoped his reactions did not show on his face. The man was a lying cur. Had he not poured scorn on the assumed frailty of young ladies not half an hour ago? Why was he now declining Mrs Anstruther's invitation when he had gone to such lengths to ingratiate himself before? There was something very strange going on in the Elliott family. Very strange indeed.
Mrs Anstruther stretched up her hand to Miss Elliott. 'Forgive me, my dear,' she said. 'I hope you will be fully recovered very soon. It will not be possible for me to return your call, alas, but perhaps you will overlook my discourtesy and come to me again? I did so enjoy our talk. The colonel does his best, and he has become very knowledgeable about plants of late, but he does not share my passion. Not as you do.'
Miss Elliott blushed. 'You do me too much honour, ma'am. And I should be delighted to call on you again.' She glanced towards her brother, who was frowning. 'As soon as I am able.'
'You will understand if we take our leave now, ma'am,' her brother said. 'We must get home while it is still light. It would not do for Cassandra to become chilled.'
The normal courtesies were soon exchanged. Elliott could almost have been a real gentleman. Certainly, his assumed manners could not be faulted. Ross felt his gorge rising as he watched. The man was the very devil.
Ross insisted on escorting Miss Elliott to her carriage, offering his hand to help her to mount. With one foot on the step, she turned to look into his face. Their eyes met, and held. He felt a slight pressure of her fingers in his. 'Thank you, Captain Graham,' she said softly. 'I am truly most grateful to you.'
'Your servant, ma'am,' he said, returning the pressure for just a fraction of a second. A silent message was sent and received. Ross had no doubt that Miss Elliott—Cassandra—understood what he intended. He had risked his life to save her once. And he stood ready to do so again.
Cassie shrank back into the corner of the carriage, where James could not see her if he chose to ride alongside rather than out in front. She had only the length of the journey home to order her thoughts and to decide how she would respond to his demands. For they would certainly come.
Jamie would go to any lengths to get what he wanted. And what he wanted now was to marry Cassie off to a rich man as soon as he possibly could. His debts must be even more pressing than before, she decided, for until now, he had been planning to wait until Colonel Anstruther was free to remarry. No doubt James expected to borrow money from his future brother-in-law at every opportunity. But surely that meant finding a man who was both rich and weak? Colonel Anstruther was certainly not weak. He would never be an easy mark.
And nor would Captain Graham. He, too, was every inch the soldier— strong, determined, resourceful, and a knight in shining armour to a damsel in distress. She was sorry now that she had snubbed him when he mentioned having been thrown into gaol. But she had been mortally embarrassed at the thought that he was about to tell his valet about her outrageous behaviour. Once one servant knew of her attempted flight, it was bound to become the talk of Dumfries. What little standing she had in the community would be gone. She would not even be able to call on Mrs Anstruther again.
That meant she would not be able to meet Captain Graham again.
She felt a sinking in her stomach at the thought. She was grateful to him. Of course, she was. But it was more than that. She had not met many single gentlemen since she had left her Edinburgh seminary, and almost all of them had been old, or lecherous, or both. Captain Graham was neither. He was young and vigorous, and handsome
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