Read Online The Bad Luck Wedding Night, Bad Luck Wedding series #5 (Bad Luck Abroad trilogy) by Geralyn Dawson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Geralyn Dawson
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Jake, and she became quite protective of his friend Rand when she thought Annie Munro was working her witchy ways on the man who'd provided her escort from Texas."
"Jake told me how our own Annie bewitched his former business partner, that they married and he took her back to Texas."
"Aye. It was the most cheerisome thing I've ever seen. Dinna ask me how she did it, but after a visit to her home, he suddenly had cats following him everywhere. And the puir wee things made the mon itch and sneeze. It was awful. Your Sarah bickered with him constantly, but when she honestly thought Annie had caused him harm, she reacted like a tigress protecting her cub." After a significant pause she added, "Similar to how you act with your sisters."
"I'm just trying to keep them out of trouble. Otherwise, my English girls might turn out like a certain Scottish lass."
She stuck her tongue out at him and he grinned. When she tossed a small square pillow at him, he laughed aloud, then spoke with a gentle burr. "Ach, ye are still a pleasure to tease, Gillian Delaney. I have missed that."
"I don't see how. Ye tease the others constantly."
"True. But they do not appreciate it the way you do."
"That's because I dinna embarrass easily. You embarrass your English sisters, Nicholas."
"I know," he glumly replied. "Gillian, explain something to me. I am fluent in five languages and numerous dialects. I know how to survive a Himalayan winter, an Indian monsoon, and an Afghan desert. I've debated religious theory with a Tibetan monk, talked my way out of a Khan's ravenous rat pit, and lost gracefully to the tsar of Russia during a night of vodka and cards. I'm a capable man. So why do I struggle so in English high society?"
His sister set down her glass. "It is a puzzle, I'll admit. Ye obviously have an exceptional mind, so the problem isna an inability to learn, and you have certainly proven your ability to gain acceptance in a wide variety of societies throughout the world. So why are you having trouble in London? I have my suspicions."
Nick waited. "And they are...?"
"For one thing, you weren't trained from childhood to be a peer of the realm. Mama and Papa didn't go out in society. They didn't send you off to Eton or Harrow."
"They hired an excellent tutor for us," Nick pointed out.
"Obviously. But a young man learns more at school than how to speak Russian. The interaction with other young bloods teaches him the nuances and unstated shadings of his station. Of course, considering you had two older brothers, no one expected you would ever need to know such things. However, in my opinion, childhood experiences, or a lack thereof, contribute in only a minor way to your troubles."
"Oh?"
"Aye. Your primary problem, Nicholas, is that you are a rebel at heart. You love to stir things up, and you hate to follow rules. I have no doubt that were it not for all of us—your sisters—you'd take great pleasure in telling society to sod it."
"Why, Gillian Ross Delaney," Nick drawled, amused. "What language!"
"Can you deny it? Honestly, who else but a rebel would announce at his sister's coming-out ball that he hoped the Prince of Wales wouldn't attend because he disapproved of the man's morals? Charlotte told me all about it, Nick."
"I didn't name the prince. I referred to the entire Marlborough House set, and I stand by my conviction. That group sets a very poor example for married life, and I don't want them near my family. It's the wrong message to send to impressionable young ladies."
"Which brings me to my next point. What of the message you're sending by courting Lady Steele so openly?"
Nick grimaced. "That's different. Nobody knows I'm married."
Gillian's eyes rounded. "Ye haven't told the girls? Still? And Sarah already arrived?"
"I didn't know that until you told me, now did I?"
"Nicholas!" Gillian rolled her eyes. "You sent for her. You knew she was coming."
"Aye, but she was to go to Rowanclere and stay with you until we settled
"Jake told me how our own Annie bewitched his former business partner, that they married and he took her back to Texas."
"Aye. It was the most cheerisome thing I've ever seen. Dinna ask me how she did it, but after a visit to her home, he suddenly had cats following him everywhere. And the puir wee things made the mon itch and sneeze. It was awful. Your Sarah bickered with him constantly, but when she honestly thought Annie had caused him harm, she reacted like a tigress protecting her cub." After a significant pause she added, "Similar to how you act with your sisters."
"I'm just trying to keep them out of trouble. Otherwise, my English girls might turn out like a certain Scottish lass."
She stuck her tongue out at him and he grinned. When she tossed a small square pillow at him, he laughed aloud, then spoke with a gentle burr. "Ach, ye are still a pleasure to tease, Gillian Delaney. I have missed that."
"I don't see how. Ye tease the others constantly."
"True. But they do not appreciate it the way you do."
"That's because I dinna embarrass easily. You embarrass your English sisters, Nicholas."
"I know," he glumly replied. "Gillian, explain something to me. I am fluent in five languages and numerous dialects. I know how to survive a Himalayan winter, an Indian monsoon, and an Afghan desert. I've debated religious theory with a Tibetan monk, talked my way out of a Khan's ravenous rat pit, and lost gracefully to the tsar of Russia during a night of vodka and cards. I'm a capable man. So why do I struggle so in English high society?"
His sister set down her glass. "It is a puzzle, I'll admit. Ye obviously have an exceptional mind, so the problem isna an inability to learn, and you have certainly proven your ability to gain acceptance in a wide variety of societies throughout the world. So why are you having trouble in London? I have my suspicions."
Nick waited. "And they are...?"
"For one thing, you weren't trained from childhood to be a peer of the realm. Mama and Papa didn't go out in society. They didn't send you off to Eton or Harrow."
"They hired an excellent tutor for us," Nick pointed out.
"Obviously. But a young man learns more at school than how to speak Russian. The interaction with other young bloods teaches him the nuances and unstated shadings of his station. Of course, considering you had two older brothers, no one expected you would ever need to know such things. However, in my opinion, childhood experiences, or a lack thereof, contribute in only a minor way to your troubles."
"Oh?"
"Aye. Your primary problem, Nicholas, is that you are a rebel at heart. You love to stir things up, and you hate to follow rules. I have no doubt that were it not for all of us—your sisters—you'd take great pleasure in telling society to sod it."
"Why, Gillian Ross Delaney," Nick drawled, amused. "What language!"
"Can you deny it? Honestly, who else but a rebel would announce at his sister's coming-out ball that he hoped the Prince of Wales wouldn't attend because he disapproved of the man's morals? Charlotte told me all about it, Nick."
"I didn't name the prince. I referred to the entire Marlborough House set, and I stand by my conviction. That group sets a very poor example for married life, and I don't want them near my family. It's the wrong message to send to impressionable young ladies."
"Which brings me to my next point. What of the message you're sending by courting Lady Steele so openly?"
Nick grimaced. "That's different. Nobody knows I'm married."
Gillian's eyes rounded. "Ye haven't told the girls? Still? And Sarah already arrived?"
"I didn't know that until you told me, now did I?"
"Nicholas!" Gillian rolled her eyes. "You sent for her. You knew she was coming."
"Aye, but she was to go to Rowanclere and stay with you until we settled
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