Read Online Return to Clan Sinclair by Karen Ranney - Free Book Online Page B

“You should leave before Brianag discovers you’re here.”
    The thought of the housekeeper finding her was enough to stop her heart for a second.
    She sat up, gathering the sheet in front of her. “You said that just to scare me,” she said.
    His grin was unrepentant and utterly charming. She ran her fingers through her hair, knowing it was a mess of curls around her head. Her chin was no doubt pink from his night beard, just as there were places all over her body slightly sore from being fiercely loved twice.
    Daring herself, she dropped the sheet and walked naked into the sitting room, where she gathered up her nightgown and wrapper. How odd to wear mourning on this beautiful dawn. For the first time in three years something had replaced the yawning loneliness of her life.
    The strangest thing was, she wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed. She felt well loved, satiated. Satisfied. Well pleased.
    He stood at the door between the two rooms. She turned, stretched out her hand, then pulled it back. Words were behind her. Besides, what could she say? She only nodded to him, opened the door slowly and looked both ways. She sent him another glance before she left, closing the door quietly behind her and racing to her suite, hoping she was unseen but not caring all that much if she was.
    Some things were worth the price you paid for them. She knew she would always feel that way about this night with Bruce.

 
    C HAPTER N INE
    M acrath was pacing.
    That he was pacing in front of her was a sign to Virginia of how distressed he was. Normally, he did everything in his power to prevent her from becoming worried. As if his children didn’t do that every single day.
    Did it have to do with Carlton? Her son had been suspiciously well behaved for the last few days, but he’d also been cloyingly present. Usually, she had to go in search of her youngest child. Now he was always underfoot. That, too, was odd.
    His birthday wasn’t coming up, so his good behavior couldn’t be ascribed to wishing for an expensive present from Edinburgh. Had Macrath promised him some reward if he behaved himself?
    â€œWere you like Carlton when you were younger?” she asked, not the first time she’d thought such a thing.
    The question did exactly what she wanted it to do, stopped him in mid-­pace.
    He turned and stared at her. “No,” he said, his tone disbelieving. “I was working too hard.”
    â€œMaybe that’s what you need to do for him,” she said calmly. “If there’s nothing he can do to help you here, maybe Mairi and Logan have duties.”
    â€œWhat do you think he could do, sell newspapers on the corner?”
    â€œWhy not? It’s better than spending all his time trying to escape Drumvagen, don’t you think?”
    He looked away, then back at her. “Do you think he’s bored?”
    She folded her hands calmly and nodded. “I think he’s as intelligent as you were, Macrath. I think that’s what’s at the root of all of this. Give him a job. Give him something to do.”
    â€œHe doesn’t do what his tutor tells him to do as it is.”
    â€œNo doubt because he finds other things more interesting. How many times have you found him in your laboratory?”
    â€œToo many to count.”
    â€œThen have his lessons taught there. Talk to his tutor, see if you can make the lessons have more meaning to Carlton. Instead of learning about Spain and England’s wars, what about teaching him about the trade we do with Australia?
    He frowned at her. It was such a ferocious expression, she might’ve been disturbed had she not been the recipient of its cousin over the years.
    â€œYou’re much too intelligent for the likes of me,” he said.
    She smiled back at him. “Only occasionally, my love,” she said. “Now tell me why you’re pacing.”
    She reached for her knitting, finding it a wonderful way