Chapter Eleven
“I am so very pleased that all of ye could join us at Houghton Manor as we prepare to celebrate Dougal and Sally’s wedding. The day they speak their vows will be a joyous and memorable occasion.” Catriona was every bit the gracious hostess as she greeted her guests in the vast dining room.
Seated with the other members of the wedding party, Evelyn tapped a finger against the dining table, expelling a tiny bit of nervous energy. The long, carved wooden table brought to mind something a medieval despot might’ve pillaged to furnish his castle. Despite the spaciousness of the high-walled chamber, the current of chatter by the large group set her on edge. Well, that, and the prospect that Catriona would soon tire of heaping compliments upon her younger brother and would soon turn to another, far more lascivious topic of conversation. Under more ordinary circumstances, Evelyn would dismiss the possibility that her hostess would reveal that a luscious Scot had happened upon Evelyn while she was clad in nothing more than a towel. But Lady Houghton had made a point of alluding to the incident. Had there been a purpose behind her comment in the billiard room? If the gleam in the Scotswoman’s eyes was any indication, she’d seize the first opportunity to inform anyone within listening distance of the latest scandal to fall at Evelyn’s feet.
The Highlander who’d kissed her so deliciously was seated across from her. Dressed for dinner in an immaculately tailored jacket that hugged the sleek muscles of his shoulders, a silver-gray waistcoat, and dark trousers that clung to his powerful thighs, he was more than six feet of well-muscled Scot. Utterly tempting.
And utterly wrong for her.
The man was arrogant. There was no denying that. One could see that in his eyes, hear it in his voice. Try to give a smile now and then…
Well, it would be easier to smile if she didn’t have a Scottish rogue wandering into her bathing chamber…far easier if the rake had not kissed her until she’d wanted more, stirring up a hornet’s nest she might not have the strength to contain.
She pulled in a calming breath. When that long, deliberate inhalation and exhalation did nothing to ease her tense state of mind, she took another slow gulp of air, then another. Still, her nerves felt as if they’d been stretched tight as the skin on a kettledrum. At this rate, she’d soon develop palpitations.
Giving up on the notion of breathing her way to calmness, she reached for her goblet. The bouquet of rich red wine filled her senses. A few sips would go a long way toward settling her nerves.
“For so long, I’ve prayed that my dear brother would find the true contentment that comes with marriage.” Catriona went on, casting a beaming smile at Sally. “He could not have found a better bride. Sally, ye’re dear to me, the sister I’ve always longed to have.”
“Thank you.” Sally returned her smile. “I am delighted to become a part of your family.”
“If Ma had lived to see this day, she’d be proud of ye, Cathy.” Dougal McLeod touched a hand to his heart.
Catriona’s eyes filled with a misty sheen. She blinked it away, swiping at her cheeks. As she and her brother reminisced about their late mother, a tear escaped and streamed down her cheek. Evelyn swallowed hard against an unexpected lump in her throat. The poignant display of emotion touched her heart. Perhaps Catriona had shed her brittle shell. Was it possible she’d misjudged her?
“I do hope everyone has found their accommodations to their liking. We want our guests to feel at home,” Catriona said. As the guests voiced their appreciation, she turned her attention to Evelyn. “Ye’ve had the most interesting afternoon—encountering both a criminal and Mr. MacMasters in a bookseller’s shop, of all places. I can scarcely imagine my reaction if I’d stumbled upon a crime.”
“It was a bit of a shock,” Evelyn replied. “But nothing a new hat could not cure.”
“I suppose one must take the bad with the good.” Pausing to take a sip from her water goblet, Catriona shot MacMasters a glance. “After all, it’s not every day that a woman has a gallant man come to her rescue.”
Seeming to take no note of Lady Houghton’s pronouncement, MacMasters took another bite of bannock while Evelyn forced a smile.
“I was quite thankful for Mr. MacMasters’ reassuring presence.”
“The episode must have left ye a bit unsettled,” Catriona went on. “How else to explain the tumble ye took in the garden this afternoon?”
“I am quite well—other than the blow to my dignity, that is.”
“That is indeed a relief. It’s just that…well, I am concerned for ye. Since the incident at that dank little shop, ye’ve seemed a bit excitable. We can pray yer nerves have adequately recovered and ye’re steadier on yer feet by the time Dougal and Sally exchange their vows.”
“My nerves, frayed or not, had nothing to do with my little accident.” Evelyn fashioned a small, conspiratorial smile. “Perhaps I should confess the truth of the matter. Shall I?”
Sally softly shook her head. She’d obviously detected the mischief Evelyn couldn’t entirely hide. “I don’t think—”
“I, for one, would love to hear it.” Bonnie grinned and lifted her wine goblet to her lips.
Evelyn turned to Catriona. “You see, I’ve always considered myself rather a poor dancer. Two left feet. Or is it two right feet?” She gave a little shrug. “But lately, I’ve become fascinated with one of the music hall dances out of Paris. One leg up. One leg down. Skirts in the air. Sadly, I forgot the one leg down part of the movement.”
Catriona’s forced laugh resembled the sound of steam funneling through a tea kettle. “Oh, ye’re teasing us.”
“Perhaps,” Evelyn said. “Or could the incident have had something to do with a slick stone and my rather conspicuous lack of grace? We’ll never truly know, will we?”
Amusement brightened the Scot’s eyes. “Ye are a spirited lass—I imagine ye’d do the dance justice.”
Subtle heat crept up her throat, sweeping over her cheeks. When he looked at her like that, she could almost ignore the way Catriona’s cold gaze fixed on her.
Catriona tapped a fingernail against the rim of her glass, creating a sound like a slightly off-key bell. “I am relieved ye suffered no harm. I dinnae think I could display humor after the nasty spill ye took.”
“Someday, I’ll look back upon the muddy mess I made and laugh. Then again, perhaps not. But now, I am in the company of friends, old and new.” She raised her glass to Catriona. “I do appreciate your gracious hospitality.”
“Ye’re too kind.” Catriona’s lips pursed. “Especially since, as I understand it, ye experienced yet another unexpected…incident this afternoon.”
Drat the luck. Had the lady’s maid revealed what she’d seen?
Evelyn’s heartbeat picked up its cadence. She slowly pulled in a breath. Surely, Catriona did not intend to speak of it. It simply wasn’t done.
She would not dare.
Would she?
Evelyn steadied her voice. “Incident? To what are you referring?”
She held in a sigh that itched to escape. She’d always been inept at evasion. Some people were skilled at avoiding the truth while not uttering a lie. She was not one of them. There was nothing to be done about it now. It wasn’t as if she could’ve pursued deception as a course of study.
“Perhaps I was misinformed.” Catriona’s shoulders lifted and fell. “Lady Evelyn, dear—I was told there was a mishap…in yer bathing chamber.”
Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat. No, she would not panic. Crawling to hide beneath the table was not an option, no matter how appealing the notion. Waiting like a milksop to be humiliated was equally unpalatable.
Hadn’t she learned to hold her head high in the face of high-and-mighty hypocrites? Hadn’t she learned to look into the eyes of scoundrels who’d mistaken her for easy prey? Compared to Nigel’s heart-shattering cruelty, Catriona’s petty cuts were the work of the rankest of amateurs.
She would reveal the truth. On her own terms. In her own words. “I suppose it depends on how one defines mishap.” Amazing, how calm she sounded. Would anyone guess her hands were laced together beneath the table, her fingers trembling like twigs in a gale? “To my way of thinking, a mishap is an event one regards as unfortunate, that results in some harm.”
MacMasters slanted her a glance. He gave a small, affirming nod as a grin played at the corners of his mouth. He’d caught on quickly.
Catriona settled her attention on Evelyn, as if she attempted to puzzle her out without much success. “That goes without saying.”
“I cannot truthfully describe the moment when Mr. MacMasters entered my bathing chamber as a mishap. The incident was a minor inconvenience.” Evelyn kept her tone emotionless. “Why, I cannot even say the occurrence was particularly memorable.”
“I do not know that I would agree with yer assessment,” MacMasters spoke up, humor flavoring his tone. “But then again, my perspective was perhaps more interesting than yers.”
Sally’s gasp punctuated her sentence. “What…what are you talking about? I do not understand.”
“I will explain later,” Evelyn said.
Perhaps in a year. Maybe two. Assuming Sally was still speaking to her after tonight.
“Lady Houghton, do not trouble yerself with an apology. No offense was taken.” Gerard’s low baritone cut through her thoughts. What in blazes was the man doing?
Catriona was equally baffled. “Apology? I am afraid I dinnae follow…”
“Anyone might have made that mistake,” he went on. “I presume ye were informed I ventured to the wrong room.”
Catriona’s brow furrowed. “Why, yes…I was informed that a mistake had been made…”
“Aye, ’tis no wonder, what with yer many responsibilities.” MacMasters flashed a disarming grin. “Do not concern yerself. Neither Lady Evelyn nor myself suffered any harm. The lass’s modesty was not compromised.” His grin broadened. “Perhaps, next time, the timing will be more fortuitous—for me, that is.”
Harrison MacMasters chuckled as Houghton muttered an epithet under his breath.
“Never let it be said my brother is not a gentleman.” Droll amusement marked Harrison’s words. His eyes sparkled with wit. Such a handsome man. Undeniably attractive.
Yet, Evelyn’s heart did not speed when she met his gaze.
Pity her pulse raced like a skittish colt when she caught the fleeting glances Gerard MacMasters cast her way.
She’d have to be careful around Gerard. She’d already felt the sensuous Scot’s touch against her skin. The Highland rogue could draw her in and ensnare her in a web from which she would not want to escape.
No. She shook herself back to reality. She knew better than to consider such foolish notions. She would guard her heart. Pursuing pleasure was one thing. But no man was worth the marrow-deep pain love could inflict. Hadn’t she learned that lesson from the most expert of tutors?
If Nigel had taught her one thing, it was to protect that most vulnerable part of herself. Once, she’d made the mistake of loving a man with all her heart and soul.
Never again.