convivial surroundings.”
A silence then descended upon the table, both Hugh and Lady Caroline having acquiesced to the general’s bidding. And it was no great hardship listening to the music, Hugh thought. The bright and delicate notes put him in mind of the wild brooks of the Highlands—although to his way of thinking, the pretty music in no way compared to the sound of the pipes. Now there was a sound to stir men’s souls, he mused, raising his cup to his lips. Mayhap when he returned to Loch Haven with the castle once more in his hands, the clan would have a feast day to celebrate.
He was envisioning the great hall strung with victory pennants and ringing with the sound oflaughter and the wail of the pipes, when the general gave a sudden exclamation.
“Upon my soul, is that Lady Hanfield?” he said, setting his cup down with an eager clatter. “I did not know her to be in Bath!”
Hugh glanced to his right, spying an ancient lady in a gown of pink silk, her frail frame all but bent under the weight of her towering wig. She was accompanied by half a dozen footmen, who were doing their best to help lower her onto her chair. A rather difficult task, Hugh noted, since the wig looked near to toppling her over. It was two feet in height, if not more.
“I must go over to her.” General Burroughs was rising to his feet. “Her late husband was one of my dearest friends, and I should be remiss did I not bid her hello.” He scurried off, leaving Hugh and Lady Caroline alone.
Hugh was expecting a stiff silence, and was surprised when she suddenly leaned forward. “I must speak with you,” she said. “At what hour do you call upon my grandfather?”
Hugh arched an eyebrow at the urgent note in her voice. “One of the clock,” he replied coolly, wondering what she was about.
“Come at twelve-thirty instead,” she instructed, her gaze flicking to the nearby table where the general was bowing over the elderly lady’s hand. “Have the butler conduct you to the drawing room; I shall be waiting for you there.”
Hugh hid his astonishment at her command. To be sure his knowledge of English noblewomen was scarce, but he was fairly certain they did not normally arrange clandestine meetings with strange men. Certainly he would never permitMairi to do such a thing, and his cautious nature stirred to life.
“Will you?” he asked, his accent deepening along with his suspicions. “And what might you be waiting for, I wonder?”
Her gaze returned to his, the dark-blue eyes flashing with annoyance. “Not for the reason you appear to be thinking,” she informed him with a proud lift of her chin. “I have something I wish to discuss with you, and it is something best done in private. Will you be there, or will you not?”
Tempting as it was to toss her arrogant demand back in her face, Hugh managed to resist. It would do him no harm to hear what she had to say, he reasoned—and a MacColme never fled from a challenge, but faced it head on.
“Oh, I shall be there,” he drawled, his mouth curving in a mocking smile. “Indeed, I would not dream of missing it. Only mind you make it worth my while,” he added, taking a small satisfaction in seeing her cheeks pinken with anger. “I’ve no patience to have my time wasted by some schoolroom miss bent on making mischief. Keep that in mind, my lady, and we shall get along fine.”
Schoolroom miss, indeed! Caroline fumed less than an hour later, the full skirts of her gown flaring about her as she paced the elegant confines of her bedchamber. And how dare he accuse her of attempting to make mischief? It was beyond all enduring, and for twopence she’d keep the arrogant Scot waiting in the drawing room until he died from hunger! Grandfathermight think the sergeant the perfect solution to her difficulties, but for herself, she would as lief bargain with the devil. Heaven knew he couldn’t make a more dangerous adversary, she brooded, pausing to glare at her reflection
A silence then descended upon the table, both Hugh and Lady Caroline having acquiesced to the general’s bidding. And it was no great hardship listening to the music, Hugh thought. The bright and delicate notes put him in mind of the wild brooks of the Highlands—although to his way of thinking, the pretty music in no way compared to the sound of the pipes. Now there was a sound to stir men’s souls, he mused, raising his cup to his lips. Mayhap when he returned to Loch Haven with the castle once more in his hands, the clan would have a feast day to celebrate.
He was envisioning the great hall strung with victory pennants and ringing with the sound oflaughter and the wail of the pipes, when the general gave a sudden exclamation.
“Upon my soul, is that Lady Hanfield?” he said, setting his cup down with an eager clatter. “I did not know her to be in Bath!”
Hugh glanced to his right, spying an ancient lady in a gown of pink silk, her frail frame all but bent under the weight of her towering wig. She was accompanied by half a dozen footmen, who were doing their best to help lower her onto her chair. A rather difficult task, Hugh noted, since the wig looked near to toppling her over. It was two feet in height, if not more.
“I must go over to her.” General Burroughs was rising to his feet. “Her late husband was one of my dearest friends, and I should be remiss did I not bid her hello.” He scurried off, leaving Hugh and Lady Caroline alone.
Hugh was expecting a stiff silence, and was surprised when she suddenly leaned forward. “I must speak with you,” she said. “At what hour do you call upon my grandfather?”
Hugh arched an eyebrow at the urgent note in her voice. “One of the clock,” he replied coolly, wondering what she was about.
“Come at twelve-thirty instead,” she instructed, her gaze flicking to the nearby table where the general was bowing over the elderly lady’s hand. “Have the butler conduct you to the drawing room; I shall be waiting for you there.”
Hugh hid his astonishment at her command. To be sure his knowledge of English noblewomen was scarce, but he was fairly certain they did not normally arrange clandestine meetings with strange men. Certainly he would never permitMairi to do such a thing, and his cautious nature stirred to life.
“Will you?” he asked, his accent deepening along with his suspicions. “And what might you be waiting for, I wonder?”
Her gaze returned to his, the dark-blue eyes flashing with annoyance. “Not for the reason you appear to be thinking,” she informed him with a proud lift of her chin. “I have something I wish to discuss with you, and it is something best done in private. Will you be there, or will you not?”
Tempting as it was to toss her arrogant demand back in her face, Hugh managed to resist. It would do him no harm to hear what she had to say, he reasoned—and a MacColme never fled from a challenge, but faced it head on.
“Oh, I shall be there,” he drawled, his mouth curving in a mocking smile. “Indeed, I would not dream of missing it. Only mind you make it worth my while,” he added, taking a small satisfaction in seeing her cheeks pinken with anger. “I’ve no patience to have my time wasted by some schoolroom miss bent on making mischief. Keep that in mind, my lady, and we shall get along fine.”
Schoolroom miss, indeed! Caroline fumed less than an hour later, the full skirts of her gown flaring about her as she paced the elegant confines of her bedchamber. And how dare he accuse her of attempting to make mischief? It was beyond all enduring, and for twopence she’d keep the arrogant Scot waiting in the drawing room until he died from hunger! Grandfathermight think the sergeant the perfect solution to her difficulties, but for herself, she would as lief bargain with the devil. Heaven knew he couldn’t make a more dangerous adversary, she brooded, pausing to glare at her reflection
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