Read Online Let Me Be Your Hero by Elaine Coffman - Free Book Online
Authors: Elaine Coffman
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just as there was a difference between making love to a woman you loved, and making love to a woman.
“I love ye, Fraser,” she said, and closed her eyes.
“Ye better, Claire, for ye are mine, and I have no intention o’ letting ye go.”
Seven
In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud;
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
William Ernest Henley (1849-1903),
British writer.
Echoes “Invictus.
In Memoriam R.T.H.B.” (1888)
J amie returned from Edinburgh with disappointing news.
“It was a wasted trip,” he said. “It was already too late by the time I arrived, although I still canna understand how it could have happened so quickly,” he said.
“What mean ye, it was too late?” Fraser asked.
At the moment, they were the only two in the library. Jamie was half sitting, half leaning against the corner of the desk.
Fraser was pacing slowly about the room with a serious look on his face.
“It seems someone else had already been granted the ward before I arrived.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Fraser said. “Were they given right of marriage as well?”
Jamie shook his head. “Fortunately, no. Only the ward was granted.”
“Did ye find out the name o’ who it was?”
“Och, aye, I found out all right. How do ye like the sound o’ Isobel Lennox and Lord Walter Ramsay as guardians? Or better yet, how do ye think Alasdair would have felt if he knew this would happen? He never cared for Isobel, ye ken.”
“I heard he blamed her for his brother’s death,” Fraser said, “although I never knew exactly what the circumstances were.”
Jamie crossed his legs and leaned back. “He said William Lennox was healthy as a trout, and miserable living with Isobel and her son.”
Fraser stopped pacing. “Ye mean he thought she might have had a hand with William’s death?”
Jamie shrugged. “He never came out and said it, ye ken, but he did infer that was his feeling about it.”
“What was the cause of his death?” Fraser asked.
Jamie thought about that for a moment. “Weel, I dinna ken the cause exactly. Seems I remember that he became ill and it worsened and then he died, but the doctors never knew what was wrong with him.”
“So, where is Isobel’s son now?” Fraser asked.
“Hmm,” Jamie said. “I am no sure. Last I heard Giles was in Edinburgh, living well beyond his means, like his mother.”
Fraser nodded. “I have heard the same about Isobel. Some say she has spent all of William’s money already. That is probably why they needed the right toand withal to get the custody of Earl Kendrew during the time o’ his ward.”
Jamie nodded in agreement. “My fear is there willna be any money left by the time Claire reaches the age of majority when they will finally be free o’ them.”
“That must be why they wanted the right o’ ward,” Fraser said. “I am still puzzled as to how they managed to be granted the ward of Kendrew and Alasdair’s daughters as quickly as they did. It must have come about by some type of political maneuvering and, unfortunately, we are dealing with the English crown. It is my guess that Isobel claimed it by right of kinship, seeing as how she is the widow of their father’s brother, but I am at a loss as to how Lord Walter became involved.”
Jamie withdrew a letter and unfolded it. “This was delivered to me today. It is from my lawyer. He pursued the matter a bit further and learned that the ward of Kendrew was granted to his aunt by marriage, Isobel Lennox, who then committed it to the care of Lord Walter Ramsay, of Inverness. So now we have confirmation that the two of them are in this together.”
“How much time do we have before they take control o’ Alasdair’s children and his possessions?”
“Oh, they plan to move to Inchmurrin, and like many of their ilk have done in the past, I ken they will live like royalty on the inheritance of Alasdair’s children, and by
“I love ye, Fraser,” she said, and closed her eyes.
“Ye better, Claire, for ye are mine, and I have no intention o’ letting ye go.”
Seven
In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud;
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
William Ernest Henley (1849-1903),
British writer.
Echoes “Invictus.
In Memoriam R.T.H.B.” (1888)
J amie returned from Edinburgh with disappointing news.
“It was a wasted trip,” he said. “It was already too late by the time I arrived, although I still canna understand how it could have happened so quickly,” he said.
“What mean ye, it was too late?” Fraser asked.
At the moment, they were the only two in the library. Jamie was half sitting, half leaning against the corner of the desk.
Fraser was pacing slowly about the room with a serious look on his face.
“It seems someone else had already been granted the ward before I arrived.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Fraser said. “Were they given right of marriage as well?”
Jamie shook his head. “Fortunately, no. Only the ward was granted.”
“Did ye find out the name o’ who it was?”
“Och, aye, I found out all right. How do ye like the sound o’ Isobel Lennox and Lord Walter Ramsay as guardians? Or better yet, how do ye think Alasdair would have felt if he knew this would happen? He never cared for Isobel, ye ken.”
“I heard he blamed her for his brother’s death,” Fraser said, “although I never knew exactly what the circumstances were.”
Jamie crossed his legs and leaned back. “He said William Lennox was healthy as a trout, and miserable living with Isobel and her son.”
Fraser stopped pacing. “Ye mean he thought she might have had a hand with William’s death?”
Jamie shrugged. “He never came out and said it, ye ken, but he did infer that was his feeling about it.”
“What was the cause of his death?” Fraser asked.
Jamie thought about that for a moment. “Weel, I dinna ken the cause exactly. Seems I remember that he became ill and it worsened and then he died, but the doctors never knew what was wrong with him.”
“So, where is Isobel’s son now?” Fraser asked.
“Hmm,” Jamie said. “I am no sure. Last I heard Giles was in Edinburgh, living well beyond his means, like his mother.”
Fraser nodded. “I have heard the same about Isobel. Some say she has spent all of William’s money already. That is probably why they needed the right toand withal to get the custody of Earl Kendrew during the time o’ his ward.”
Jamie nodded in agreement. “My fear is there willna be any money left by the time Claire reaches the age of majority when they will finally be free o’ them.”
“That must be why they wanted the right o’ ward,” Fraser said. “I am still puzzled as to how they managed to be granted the ward of Kendrew and Alasdair’s daughters as quickly as they did. It must have come about by some type of political maneuvering and, unfortunately, we are dealing with the English crown. It is my guess that Isobel claimed it by right of kinship, seeing as how she is the widow of their father’s brother, but I am at a loss as to how Lord Walter became involved.”
Jamie withdrew a letter and unfolded it. “This was delivered to me today. It is from my lawyer. He pursued the matter a bit further and learned that the ward of Kendrew was granted to his aunt by marriage, Isobel Lennox, who then committed it to the care of Lord Walter Ramsay, of Inverness. So now we have confirmation that the two of them are in this together.”
“How much time do we have before they take control o’ Alasdair’s children and his possessions?”
“Oh, they plan to move to Inchmurrin, and like many of their ilk have done in the past, I ken they will live like royalty on the inheritance of Alasdair’s children, and by
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