Read Online Flirting With Fortune by Erin Knightley - Free Book Online

England, after all. If our furniture couldn’t hold up to a few drops of rain, it’d be positively unpatriotic.”
    Colin chuckled. “Well said, my lady. Before I left Scotland, I thought we had the corner on dreadful weather.”
    “I’ve heard Scotland has the corner on all manner of dreadful things,” Godfrey remarked, leaning forward to set his empty teacup on the sofa table. “You must be so relieved to have an aunt here to take you in.”
    Right—more of a bastard than an ass. Colin opened his mouth to retort, but Jocelyn cut him off.
    “I always thought Scotland was romantic. If Romeo and Juliet would have had a Gretna Green to run off to, that play would have had a
much
happier ending.”
    Lady Granville nearly choked on her tea as Beatrice widened her eyes at her sister. Setting down her cup, Lady Granville offered a forced chuckle. “Jocelyn,
we
know you are only teasing when you say such a thing, but our guests may not. Please,” she said, turning back to offer Colin and Godfrey apologetic smiles, “pay her comment no mind.”
    Godfrey gave the girl a little sideways look before smiling at Beatrice. “Yes, of course.”
    Colin rather liked the girl—she reminded him of his own sister. “No mind paid. Although, if I had, I would be inclined to say that Lady Jocelyn has a point.”
    •   •   •
    He’d defended her sister.
    Beatrice pressed her lips together, stifling the silly grin that threatened to emerge. He’d managed to handle Mr. Godfrey’s subtle rudeness quite well since the moment he arrived, and now he’d championed Jocelyn. She tossed a displeased look in Godfrey’s direction. The man should have taken his leave when Colin arrived. He’d already been here a quarter hour, so it wasn’t as though Colin’s visit was cutting anything short.
    Sitting forward slightly, Beatrice turned the whole of her attention to the dark Scotsman—or should she say half Scotsman? “I’d love to hear more about Scotland, Sir Colin. None of us has ever been, but the paintings I’ve seen are quite majestic.”
    His charcoal eyes warmed as he smiled at her, a lock of damp black hair falling across his forehead. “It’s rugged, and mountainous, and almost unbearable in its beauty. In the spring, when lilacs scent the air and heather blankets the fields, it is almost magical. My family’s estate is on the edge of a forest at the foot of a steep hill, and my gran swears she can hear the faerie wings on many a quiet night.”
    Carolyn sighed. “It really does sound romantic. Not Gretna Green romantic, but inspiring-in-its-loveliness romantic.”
    Beatrice saw her mother press her eyes closed for the space of a second. The twins would do well to purge the words “Gretna Green” from their vocabulary. “Yes, very inspiring, Sir Colin. Is your family still in Scotland?”
    “Yes. My stepbrother and stepsister live there with our grandmother.”
    “My, how they must miss you, especially so soon after your father’s passing,” Mr. Godfrey interjected, shaking his head. “I hope you won’t be gone from them long.”
    The man’s jealousy—which was completely unfounded—was beginning to grate on Beatrice’s nerves. Did he think he was helping his case by acting the cad toward Colin? Yes, she realized there were some who looked down on him and his freshly created title, but that was rubbish, as far as she was concerned. If he treated Colin this way, how would he react to Jane and her background?
    Colin, at least, seemed to take the statement in stride. “They are happy that I could be here for the memorial exhibit. It was too much of a journey for Gran, but I know she is comforted that I am here now.”
    Mama tilted her head, sympathy clouding her eyes. “It really is lovely that you could be here for the exhibit. I know that many, especially our resident artist, Lady Beatrice, are eager to attend.”
    Colin opened his mouth to respond, but Mr. Godfrey jumped in. “Perhaps you would allow