Read Online The Last Heiress by Bertrice Small - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bertrice Small
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fine manor that you possess, Elizabeth Meredith, and you love it dearly. But like each generation that lives upon this earth, ours will one day pass away. Then who will care for Friarsgate?”
“I know,” she admitted, “but the thought of having some perfumed fool for a husband does not please me.”
“Are either of your brothers-in-law perfumed fools?” he asked her.
“Nay, but then Crispin manages his own estates, and Philippa is happy to let him do it, for it allows her time at court to see to the future of their children. And Robert Neville is more than content to allow Banon to control Otterly. He prefers hunting and fishing; and Banon makes his life such an easy one I think he has no idea she is wearing his breeks.”
“Is that the kind of man you want?” he said quietly.
“I think I could share Friarsgate with a husband, but he would have to love it as much as I do,” Elizabeth noted thoughtfully. “And he would have to understand that I know my lands, and I know how to buy and sell at no loss to Friarsgate. I do not believe that there is a man like that out there in the world, but I will go to court because it will please my family that I am being cooperative and doing what they want of me. But I will marry no man who cannot share my burden with me, or who wants that burden all for himself,” she said firmly.
“What of love?” he wondered.
“Love?” Elizabeth looked surprised at his query.
“Do you not want to love the man you wed, Elizabeth Meredith?”
Baen MacColl asked her. He was leaning against the fence of the sheepfold as he spoke, his gray eyes perusing her face carefully.
“I suppose it would be nice to love the man I wed. My sisters certainly love their husbands, but neither has the responsibilities I do. I must choose the man who will be best for Friarsgate, if indeed there is such a man,” Elizabeth said.
Baen MacColl reached out and took her heart-shaped face in his two big hands. Then, leaning forward, he kissed her lips slowly and tenderly.
Elizabeth’s eyes widened with surprise, and she pulled back. “Why did you do that?” she demanded to know.
“You’ve never been kissed before,” he replied by way of an answer.
“Nay, I haven’t. But you still haven’t answered my question, Baen.”
“It seemed to me at that moment that you needed to be kissed,” he told her. “You are very serious in your devotion to your duty, Elizabeth Meredith. Have you ever in all of your life had fun?”
“Fun is for children,” she answered him.
“You had better learn how to kiss if you are going into society,” he advised.
“And you are volunteering to be my instructor,” she snapped.
“I am told I kiss well, and you obviously have a great deal to learn about kissing,” he said with a grin.
“What’s wrong with the way I kiss?” she insisted upon knowing.
“When I kissed you your lips were just there,” he said. “They did not kiss back or offer me anything other than flesh.”
“Perhaps I didn’t want to be kissed,” she said, blushing to her annoyance.
“All girls want to be kissed.” He chuckled. “Shall we try again?”
“No!”
“You’re afraid,” he taunted her.
“Nay, I’m not!” she insisted. “I simply don’t wish to be seen kissing a virtual stranger in the middle of my sheepfold. What would my shepherds say, Baen MacColl?”
“Of course,” he agreed, to her surprise. “We’ll continue our lessons this evening in the hall, when your uncle has gone to his bed.”
“We will not!” Elizabeth told him. “Like all Scots you are far too bold.”
“If you don’t learn how to kiss properly before you go to court the gentlemen will make fun of you,” he said to her.
“A respectable maid is not experienced in matters of the flesh,”
Elizabeth told him primly.
“A lass of your age should know how to kiss,” he said. “If you don’t kiss me in the hall tonight I shall know you are a coward, Elizabeth Meredith.” His
“I know,” she admitted, “but the thought of having some perfumed fool for a husband does not please me.”
“Are either of your brothers-in-law perfumed fools?” he asked her.
“Nay, but then Crispin manages his own estates, and Philippa is happy to let him do it, for it allows her time at court to see to the future of their children. And Robert Neville is more than content to allow Banon to control Otterly. He prefers hunting and fishing; and Banon makes his life such an easy one I think he has no idea she is wearing his breeks.”
“Is that the kind of man you want?” he said quietly.
“I think I could share Friarsgate with a husband, but he would have to love it as much as I do,” Elizabeth noted thoughtfully. “And he would have to understand that I know my lands, and I know how to buy and sell at no loss to Friarsgate. I do not believe that there is a man like that out there in the world, but I will go to court because it will please my family that I am being cooperative and doing what they want of me. But I will marry no man who cannot share my burden with me, or who wants that burden all for himself,” she said firmly.
“What of love?” he wondered.
“Love?” Elizabeth looked surprised at his query.
“Do you not want to love the man you wed, Elizabeth Meredith?”
Baen MacColl asked her. He was leaning against the fence of the sheepfold as he spoke, his gray eyes perusing her face carefully.
“I suppose it would be nice to love the man I wed. My sisters certainly love their husbands, but neither has the responsibilities I do. I must choose the man who will be best for Friarsgate, if indeed there is such a man,” Elizabeth said.
Baen MacColl reached out and took her heart-shaped face in his two big hands. Then, leaning forward, he kissed her lips slowly and tenderly.
Elizabeth’s eyes widened with surprise, and she pulled back. “Why did you do that?” she demanded to know.
“You’ve never been kissed before,” he replied by way of an answer.
“Nay, I haven’t. But you still haven’t answered my question, Baen.”
“It seemed to me at that moment that you needed to be kissed,” he told her. “You are very serious in your devotion to your duty, Elizabeth Meredith. Have you ever in all of your life had fun?”
“Fun is for children,” she answered him.
“You had better learn how to kiss if you are going into society,” he advised.
“And you are volunteering to be my instructor,” she snapped.
“I am told I kiss well, and you obviously have a great deal to learn about kissing,” he said with a grin.
“What’s wrong with the way I kiss?” she insisted upon knowing.
“When I kissed you your lips were just there,” he said. “They did not kiss back or offer me anything other than flesh.”
“Perhaps I didn’t want to be kissed,” she said, blushing to her annoyance.
“All girls want to be kissed.” He chuckled. “Shall we try again?”
“No!”
“You’re afraid,” he taunted her.
“Nay, I’m not!” she insisted. “I simply don’t wish to be seen kissing a virtual stranger in the middle of my sheepfold. What would my shepherds say, Baen MacColl?”
“Of course,” he agreed, to her surprise. “We’ll continue our lessons this evening in the hall, when your uncle has gone to his bed.”
“We will not!” Elizabeth told him. “Like all Scots you are far too bold.”
“If you don’t learn how to kiss properly before you go to court the gentlemen will make fun of you,” he said to her.
“A respectable maid is not experienced in matters of the flesh,”
Elizabeth told him primly.
“A lass of your age should know how to kiss,” he said. “If you don’t kiss me in the hall tonight I shall know you are a coward, Elizabeth Meredith.” His
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