threaded through gold. “Caine, she’s going to skin Daniel alive.”
“I know.” His grin was quick and wolfish. “I’m really sorry I’m going to miss it.”
Chapter 6
There was nothing, Daniel MacGregor thought as he leaned back in his massive leather chair in the tower office of his personal fortress, like a good cigar.
And since his wife was out of the house for a few hours, he could sneak a smoke without the worry of being caught.
Ah, she had his best interests at heart, bless her. But a woman just didn’t understand that a man needed a good cigar in his hand, the roll of it between his fingers, to help him think, to plan.
Which reminded him, he had to bribe one of the children to smuggle in another box. He was running low.
Content, master of his castle, he eased back in the well-worn leather of his favored chair and blew smoke at the ceiling. His life was as it should be, he decided, and he was nearly old enough now to relax and just enjoy it. As soon as he got the grandchildren settled, saw them happily tending to their duties to provide new blood to the MacGregor line, he would be content to while away his days just as he was doing this morning.
With happy thoughts and a good Cuban.
His plans for Laura were working out right on schedule. If the tidbits of information he’d managed to shoehorn out of her cousins were anything to go by. And he’d crowbarred a bit more from Royce Cameron himself.
“Boy thinks he’s cagey,” Daniel said to himself, and passed some time blowing smoke rings. “Can’t outcagey the MacGregor.”
Oh, Royce hadn’t said a great deal. Yes, he’d met Laura and her cousins. Indeed she was an attractive woman. He’d agreed it was a wonder that some smart man hadn’t snatched her up.
Played it close to the vest, had Royce Cameron, Daniel thought now. But he’d read between the lines, he’d watched the boy’s eyes.
Smitten, that was what he was, Daniel thought with a chuckle. Hooked good and proper.
He thought a spring wedding would be suitable, unless he could push them into a winter one. Best not to waste time making babies, after all. He missed having babies about.
Laura would make a lovely bride, he mused. She had the look of her mother, and Diana had been radiant when Caine finally talked her into that walk down the aisle. Of course, the boy had taken twice as long to do it as he should have, but it had all worked out in the end.
Now, the next generation needed a bit of a push. He’d give the grandsons a bit more time to season, but it was time to nudge those oldest girls along. Daniel considered himself a wily nudger.
Thinking of Laura, wearing the MacGregor wedding veil and walking on Caine’s arm down the aisle, brought a mist to Daniel’s eyes. Such a beautiful girl, he thought. Such a sweet-natured child. Such a loving—
“MacGregor!”
The voice boomed out and nearly had Daniel snapping his cigar in two when he jolted. He choked on the smoke he’d just inhaled and frantically waved his hand to clear the haze of it out of the room. With great regret, he stubbed the best part of the Cuban out while his name reverberated through the house.
“I know you’re here. I’ve come to kill you dead.”
Grimacing, and moving with surprising speed for a man just past ninety years of age, Daniel shoved the ashtray and stub in the bottom drawer of his desk, flicked the lock, then yanked open the window, still waving at smoke.
“You!” Looking glorious in full fury, Laura strode through the doorway, her finger jabbing. “The nerve of you!”
“Laurie, sweetheart, what a nice surprise.” He stood by the open window as freezing air rushed in, a bull of a man whose red hair had gone snow-white, whose beard was full and lush, whose blue eyes had never faded. And who was shaking in his boots.
“Don’t you ‘Laurie, sweetheart’ me.” She slapped both hands on his desk. “Pick a stud out for me, will you? What am I, a broodmare?”
“I don’t
“I know.” His grin was quick and wolfish. “I’m really sorry I’m going to miss it.”
Chapter 6
There was nothing, Daniel MacGregor thought as he leaned back in his massive leather chair in the tower office of his personal fortress, like a good cigar.
And since his wife was out of the house for a few hours, he could sneak a smoke without the worry of being caught.
Ah, she had his best interests at heart, bless her. But a woman just didn’t understand that a man needed a good cigar in his hand, the roll of it between his fingers, to help him think, to plan.
Which reminded him, he had to bribe one of the children to smuggle in another box. He was running low.
Content, master of his castle, he eased back in the well-worn leather of his favored chair and blew smoke at the ceiling. His life was as it should be, he decided, and he was nearly old enough now to relax and just enjoy it. As soon as he got the grandchildren settled, saw them happily tending to their duties to provide new blood to the MacGregor line, he would be content to while away his days just as he was doing this morning.
With happy thoughts and a good Cuban.
His plans for Laura were working out right on schedule. If the tidbits of information he’d managed to shoehorn out of her cousins were anything to go by. And he’d crowbarred a bit more from Royce Cameron himself.
“Boy thinks he’s cagey,” Daniel said to himself, and passed some time blowing smoke rings. “Can’t outcagey the MacGregor.”
Oh, Royce hadn’t said a great deal. Yes, he’d met Laura and her cousins. Indeed she was an attractive woman. He’d agreed it was a wonder that some smart man hadn’t snatched her up.
Played it close to the vest, had Royce Cameron, Daniel thought now. But he’d read between the lines, he’d watched the boy’s eyes.
Smitten, that was what he was, Daniel thought with a chuckle. Hooked good and proper.
He thought a spring wedding would be suitable, unless he could push them into a winter one. Best not to waste time making babies, after all. He missed having babies about.
Laura would make a lovely bride, he mused. She had the look of her mother, and Diana had been radiant when Caine finally talked her into that walk down the aisle. Of course, the boy had taken twice as long to do it as he should have, but it had all worked out in the end.
Now, the next generation needed a bit of a push. He’d give the grandsons a bit more time to season, but it was time to nudge those oldest girls along. Daniel considered himself a wily nudger.
Thinking of Laura, wearing the MacGregor wedding veil and walking on Caine’s arm down the aisle, brought a mist to Daniel’s eyes. Such a beautiful girl, he thought. Such a sweet-natured child. Such a loving—
“MacGregor!”
The voice boomed out and nearly had Daniel snapping his cigar in two when he jolted. He choked on the smoke he’d just inhaled and frantically waved his hand to clear the haze of it out of the room. With great regret, he stubbed the best part of the Cuban out while his name reverberated through the house.
“I know you’re here. I’ve come to kill you dead.”
Grimacing, and moving with surprising speed for a man just past ninety years of age, Daniel shoved the ashtray and stub in the bottom drawer of his desk, flicked the lock, then yanked open the window, still waving at smoke.
“You!” Looking glorious in full fury, Laura strode through the doorway, her finger jabbing. “The nerve of you!”
“Laurie, sweetheart, what a nice surprise.” He stood by the open window as freezing air rushed in, a bull of a man whose red hair had gone snow-white, whose beard was full and lush, whose blue eyes had never faded. And who was shaking in his boots.
“Don’t you ‘Laurie, sweetheart’ me.” She slapped both hands on his desk. “Pick a stud out for me, will you? What am I, a broodmare?”
“I don’t
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