Read Online Highland Heiress by Margaret Moore - Free Book Online

he’s doing,” she replied, her hands clasped in her lap, hoping that if she was calm, he would be, too, although it might take a while. “Apparently his attorney thinks he has a case because our engagement was public knowledge, so what can be considered a verbal contract was also public knowledge.”
    â€œPublic knowledge?” her father angrily repeated. “Aye, your engagement was public knowledge and so were his liaisons with all those young women—to everybody in Dunbrachie but us!”
    â€œNevertheless, his solicitor said—”
    â€œHas Gallagher lost his mind?” her father demanded, naming Sir Robert’s usual solicitor, the man who’d been involved in the drafting of her marriage settlement.
    â€œIt wasn’t Mr. Gallagher. The solicitor is a friend of Sir Robert’s from Edinburgh, Mr. Gordon McHeath.”
    â€œI don’t give a damn who he is or where he’s from. They’ll never win.”
    It was probably better to tell her father everything here and now. “Mr. McHeath said he can argue that it was my duty to find out more about Sir Robert before Iaccepted his proposal. Since I didn’t, the fault lies with me for breaking the engagement.”
    Unfortunately, she had to admit, if only to herself, that Mr. McHeath was right about that one thing, at least. She should have tried to find out more about the handsome, flirtatious Sir Robert before accepting his proposal. If she hadn’t been so flattered by his attention, she might have realized that he didn’t stir her passion, certainly not the way Mr. McHeath did from the moment she met him.
    But then, nobody had stirred her passion the way Mr. McHeath did.
    Her father strode to the windows, turned and marched back again. “That man has the morals and backbone of a worm!” he declared, shaking his fist. “To sue a woman for jilting him! The man is even more of an idiot that those silly women.”
    â€œI don’t think he’s stupid, Papa, or that idea would never have occurred to him. He’s certainly vain, though, and I’ve wounded his pride, enough that he’s seeking five thousand pounds in compensation.”
    â€œFive thousand…?” her father gasped. “The man is mad if he thinks we’ll pay him even a quarter of that.”
    â€œThat’s exactly what I told Mr. McHeath, or as good as. Perhaps once Sir Robert realizes we’re not going to surrender easily, he’ll drop the suit,” she said as, relieved the worst of her revelations were over, she poured her father another cup of tea. “Please sit down, Papa, and have some tea.”
    â€œTea? I can’t think of tea at a time like this!” the earl cried as he stalked to the window again. He faced heronce more, glowering. “You should have set the dogs on that lawyer!”
    Moira didn’t want to think about Mr. McHeath and dogs, and her father mustn’t get so agitated. She had to find a way to calm him and deal with this problem as quickly and easily as possible, even if it was a way she didn’t like.
    She went to him and took his hands in hers, looking up at the man who had always striven to provide for her and make her happy despite his disturbing predilection for strong spirits in the past several months. “I’ve been thinking that perhaps it would be best to rid ourselves of this nuisance as swiftly as possible. It could be that if we offer Sir Robert a lesser sum, he’ll leave us alone.”
    â€œWhy on earth should you pay him because we found out the truth?” her father demanded, his hands gripping hers tightly. “If we hadn’t and you’d married that disgraceful, dishonest rogue, he would have broken your heart and ruined your happiness.”
    Moira reached for the arrows in her quiver that her father would most appreciate. “Regardless of Sir Robert’s behavior, my reputation is already