Read Online The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae by Stephanie Laurens - Free Book Online

even a maid from your parents’ household around, she’ll know there’s no real ‘ruination,’ so the kidnapping itself had to be real.” He paused, studied her eyes. “I first hired Fletcher and Cobbins—you know about them?”
    She nodded. “They kidnapped Heather.”
    â€œAnd took her to Gretna Green. And yes, I chose that location because it fitted with your parents’ story, and also because it might have been useful in inducing whichever Cynster sister was brought there to . . . accept the deal I intended offering her. But Heather escaped, so I sent Scrope after Eliza, but she escaped, too.” Their gazes locked, he hesitated, then said, “I had thought that if I, personally, wasn’t involved in the actual kidnapping, then whichever of you was snared, you’d be more inclined to at least hear me out, and perhaps be more amenable to accepting my offer.”
    Given her reaction to him treating her as he had, even for so short a time, she had to agree with his reasoning. “One question. Why did you pull back when Breckenridge rescued Heather? Why did you do even more, and risk your life to help Eliza and Jeremy get away from Scrope?”
    He hesitated. When she faintly arched her brows and simply waited, he exhaled, then said, “At the time each of your sisters was kidnapped, she was known not to have developed a partiality for any gentleman. I have my sources, and that was confirmed. My plan couldn’t have proceeded if that hadn’t been the case, if she’d already been attached to another. Once an attachment formed . . . my only concern was to see the pair safely away.” He met her gaze. “Given you pursued me tonight, I assume that, in your case, you haven’t fixed your interest on any gentleman as yet.”
    She had, but he didn’t need to know that.
    He was studying her face closely. “From what I’ve gathered about your sisters’ recent betrothals, betrothals consequent on being drawn into my plans, they haven’t been harmed by my actions—by being kidnapped by my hirelings.”
    She stopped herself from nodding. Considered, then allowed, “I don’t believe they would hold their adventures and subsequent betrothals against you, if that’s what you’re asking.”
    Relief was a fleeting shadow in his eyes, then those changeable eyes refocused on her face. “Which brings us to the here and now.”
    â€œIndeed.” She held his gaze. “So what was the offer you intended to lay before the Cynster sister you snared?”
    Her, as matters had fallen out.
    His eyes locked with hers. She returned his gaze steadily and waited.
    â€œClan means everything to me—it’s my life, and I would give my life for it, and every one of my people would do the same. There is, however, one thing that stands above clan, a line I will not cross even in this instance. The family motto encapsulates it: ‘Honor above all.’ ” He paused for a heartbeat, then said, “I planned to ask for your help, to ask you to travel to the highlands, to my castle, with me, and once there to play out a charade to convince my mother that you’re ruined, a charade sufficiently convincing for her to be satisfied and hand over the goblet. I can’t tell what such a charade might entail, but as I mentioned, she apparently believes that you simply being kidnapped and taken north will be sufficient to do the deed.”
    â€œFor most young ladies, that would be enough. However, in my case, my family will conceal my disappearance until they discover what’s happened to me . . . and then they’ll devise some other tale so that I won’t be ruined and socially ostracized regardless.”
    â€œYou and I know that, but thankfully, my mother doesn’t. She has little real notion of English society, and no concept of the ways in which a family such as