Chapter Seven
Victoria almost stumbled when she confronted three sets of intent male gazes. Once again, she’d been caught flat-footed.
It was the right decision to leave Castle Kinglas, but it was never a pleasant thing to admit defeat, especially when doing so would disappoint those trying to help her. Victoria hated disappointing people, and she hated giving up. She had no desire to engage in what was sure to be a humiliating discussion in front of witnesses, even if one was Alec.
The gentlemen rose from their seats, and Alec gave her a warm smile.
“Good morning,” he said. “Why don’t you join us for a cup of coffee?” He glanced at the large coffee service. “As you can see, his lordship has been expecting us.”
The earl stood quietly behind his desk, regarding her with an unnerving, calculating gaze.
Blast.
He wasn’t going to make it easy on her, even though she had a stack of objections that, if written down, would be a foot high. Enumerating all those objections—and her reluctance to deal with them—would be embarrassing enough in private.
“I beg your pardon for the interruption, Lord Arnprior,” she said, edging backward toward the door. “I can return later after your business with Captain Gilbride and Mr. Kendrick is concluded.”
“Miss Knight, you are the business under discussion,” the earl said, a growly note coloring his voice. “Please join us.”
The shadows under his eyes and his unshaven jaw gave him an unexpectedly rakish and arrogantly masculine appearance. That she found it a dangerously appealing look was a disturbing discovery.
It’s just your nerves, you nitwit.
Lord Arnprior was not the sort of man she normally found attractive. “Thank God,” she muttered.
“What was that, Miss Knight?” the earl said.
“Only that I’m sorry I interrupted you, my lord. Again, I’ll be happy to return later.”
“Nonsense. We need to have this discussion immediately, and it makes perfect sense for Captain Gilbride to remain.”
He flicked a covert glance at Alec, who continued to regard her with a deceptively innocent expression, as if they were all at a jolly little tea party. Victoria had the distinct impression that the men were conspiring to manipulate her. Well, except for Royal, who simply looked bored.
“Arnprior thought you’d be more comfortable with me here,” Alec said. “We’re just going to have a little chat about the situation and see how we can improve things.”
Oh, dear. Her cousin had clearly gone over to the other side.
“Situation?” she inquired politely. “Would that be the circus troupe that performed underneath my window last night?”
Alec winced and Arnprior looked even more annoyed.
Royal, however, chuckled. “I heard there was something of a ruckus in the courtyard. So sad that Taffy had to move you to a bedroom in the tower. It’s always much quieter in the east wing of the house.”
The earl slowly turned, his gaze narrowing to ice blue slits as he stared at his brother. Royal shrugged, but a flush crept up the young man’s cheeks.
Arnprior’s attention came back to her. “That is one of the topics I’d like to discuss with you, Miss Knight.” His mouth edged up in a rueful smile. “And apologize for. It seems I’ve had to do that quite frequently over the last twenty-four hours.”
“I assure you, sir, I am not keeping count,” she replied graciously. So far, he’d apologized at least four times, and she might have missed one or two.
His skeptical look suggested he realized that she was, in fact, keeping count. That was rather embarrassing.
“That is most kind of you,” he finally said. “Now, do sit and join us for a cup of coffee. I’m sure you can use it.”
That was true.
Alec came to escort her to one of the leather club chairs. Arnprior’s library, while not large, was well organized with inset, glass-fronted bookshelves that carried an impressive number of volumes. The walls were painted a deep burgundy, and the fireplace boasted a beautiful and elaborately carved granite surround topped with a handsome timepiece in dark polished wood.
The centerpiece of the room was the earl’s desk, an impressive piece of cabinetry with medieval-looking carvings on the legs and across the front. Ledgers and papers were stacked in neat piles on its leather-bound surface, hinting of the earl’s active role in estate business. The room seemed a reflection of its occupant—a serious man who kept close watch over everyone and everything in his domain.
The rather somber atmosphere was lightened by the view of the loch out bay-fronted windows. That view was compelling, with white-crested waters, and craggy hillsides covered in bright autumn foliage rising up on all sides. Sunlight streamed into the room, making the dark red walls and polished floorboards glow with warmth. If she were alone, Victoria would be tempted to sink down on the comfortable-looking chaise in front of the window and allow herself to be lost in the beauty of water, hills, and sky.
Then again, within a matter of weeks the winds would howl and snow would pile up around the high castle walls. Then she’d be trapped for months with demented strangers. Not that she would call Lord Arnprior demented, but spending the winter in close quarters with him was not a comfortable prospect for reasons she had no intention of admitting to anyone.
“All right, lass?” Alec murmured.
She nodded.
“Good,” he said. “And you’re not to worry. We’ll figure it all out.”
Victoria eyed her cousin with suspicion as she sat down in the club chair in front of the desk, but he refused to meet her eye.
She took the cup of coffee the earl offered her. When their hands touched, her insides skittered and her cup rattled. The earl, blast him, raised an ironic eyebrow, which she did her best to ignore—even though she was tempted to scowl at his arrogance.
The coffee, blessedly hot and strong, gave her a needed jolt. Arnprior and Royal resumed their seats, while Alec propped a shoulder against a bookshelf. She couldn’t help feeling a bit abandoned, although she knew that was silly. Alec might try to persuade her to take the position, but he would never attempt to force her.
The earl lounged back in his chair, lacing his hands across his flat stomach. “I take it you’ve reached a decision, Miss Knight.”
She set down her cup on the corner of his desk. “I have, my lord. As much as I regret doing so, I find I must turn down your kind offer.”
Royal let out a snort. “Regret escaping from our circus, as you called it? I highly doubt it. You’d be an idiot for staying, and I don’t think you’re an idiot, are you?”
Victoria almost gaped at his appalling display of honesty. If she did stay—which she wouldn’t—she’d certainly have her work cut out teaching him proper manners.
Arnprior simply gave her a shrug and a polite smile.
Well. Two could play at that game.
“You are correct, sir,” she said to Royal with a polite nod. “But I did not wish to give offense by stating how I truly felt about his lordship’s offer of employment.”
“Your feelings on the matter are already quite clear, Miss Knight,” the earl said. “After all, you did label my family a circus.”
She’d walked right into that one.
“I beg your pardon, my lord,” she said as heat crawled up her neck. “I am not myself this morning. Last night obviously unsettled me more than I realized.”
His eyes gleamed with sudden amusement. They really were the most extraordinary shade of blue, deep and yet clear, like ice on a mountain lake. He had the eyes of a Viking, perhaps a Nordic ancestor who had crossed the frigid seas of the north centuries ago, bent on plunder and conquest.
“I think we can also agree that ‘unsettled’ is an understatement,” he said. “And ‘circus’ fits quite handily as a description.”
“Perhaps next time you could sell tickets,” Alec suggested.
“There won’t be a next time,” Arnprior said. “Miss Knight, if last night’s unfortunate events caused you to decline my offer, I would ask you to reconsider.”
“Forgive me, my lord,” she said, “but I don’t think you can guarantee that a similar commotion will not occur again.”
“Trust me,” the earl said in a cool voice. “My brothers will do as I tell them, or suffer the consequences.”
She stiffened. “I don’t want them to suffer any consequences. Not on my behalf.”
Royal snorted. “He’s not going to beat us or throw us in the dungeon, Miss Knight.”
“Actually, I considered the dungeon,” the earl said.
Royal ignored him. “No, my sainted brother will simply scowl and lecture, and convey a great sense of disappointment until he has us begging for mercy. Or else he’ll scold us until my brothers and I throw ourselves off the castle battlements. Problem solved.”
“Thank you for that charming depiction of my character,” Arnprior said. “I’m sure you’ve done much to convince Miss Knight to stay.”
Royal smiled. “You’re welcome.”
A muscle ticked in Arnprior’s jaw as he quite evidently ground his molars. Victoria couldn’t help feeling sorry for the poor man. He was trying to do his best for his family, and they were fighting him every step of the way.
Still, that was not her problem.
“Forgive me for speaking bluntly, my lord,” she said. “But I believe Mr. MacDonald will do everything he can to undermine me, and at least some of your brothers appear greatly influenced by him.”
“She’s got you there, Arnprior,” Alec said from his corner. “Old Angus will drive you all crazy if she stays.”
The earl shot him a nasty look. “You’re supposed to be helping me, remember?”
“He is, is he?” Victoria wasn’t surprised but couldn’t help feeling annoyed.
Arnprior nodded. “Captain Gilbride feels it would be in everyone’s best interests—including yours—if you were to take up the position.”
She glanced over her shoulder to glare at Alec, who was looking sheepish. “I didn’t put it quite like that,” he said.
“I should hope not, since it’s not your decision to make,” Victoria said.
“No, but his advice is worth noting,” Arnprior said. “And following.”
“My lord, it is not up to you or my cou—” She caught herself just in time. “It’s not up to you, Captain Gilbride, or anyone else to decide what is best for me.”
The earl’s gaze narrowed thoughtfully. When he finally lifted a hand in a dismissive gesture, she could breathe again.
“Of course,” he said. “But we don’t always know what is truly in our best interests, do we?”
She stared at him, amazed by his casual assumption that he would know what was best for her. Arnprior’s response to her stare was a slight but infuriatingly arrogant smile.
“Best give it up, lass,” Royal said, looking sympathetic. “When Nick decides on something, you might as well surrender. He generally takes the field no matter the odds.”
“I am hardly a battlefield, Mr. Kendrick,” she snapped. “Nor do I have any intention of surrendering anything.”
“Well, since you are neither a battlefield nor an opposing army,” the earl said, “there is no need for surrender. I think we can, however, have a reasonable conversation about the advantages of taking up a position in my household, can we not?”
Argh. The blasted man would not give up.
Victoria rose to her feet. “No, my lord, we cannot. Please accept my apologies, but I must definitively state that I cannot—”
When a knock on the door interrupted her, she was tempted to pick up her cup and throw its contents at Arnprior—or Alec, or Royal, or any other stubborn, arrogant man who came within throwing distance.
Mrs. Taffy bobbed a curtsy. “Begging your pardon, but Mr. Braden and Master Kade are here. The footmen are helping the wee master into the entrance hall.”
The earl was already striding around his desk.
“What the hell are they doing here so early?” Royal said, hauling himself up. “Surely to God they didn’t travel through the night. Not with Kade still so weak.”
“We’ll soon find out,” Arnprior said. He paused at the door. “Forgive me, Miss Knight. We’ll have to finish this discussion later.”
“My lord, I believe you already know . . . oh, blast,” she muttered as he disappeared. To her mind, the discussion was over but Arnprior was clearly not ready to concede. She would probably have to sneak out to the stables and pole up the horses herself in order to make good her escape.
Royal limped to the door. “Come along, Miss Knight. You might as well meet the pupil you’re going to abandon.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “Excuse me, but I thought you wanted me gone.”
Royal shrugged. “I’m fine with you teaching Kade. I simply don’t want you teaching me.” Then he followed his brother out of the room.
Victoria pressed a hand to her forehead. “The Kendricks are all quite mad, if you ask me.”
“No more than the average Highlander,” Alec said, coming to join her.
She glowered at him. “I thought you were going to support me, no matter what I decided.”
“And I will. But if we can manage to sort Angus MacDonald out, I do think there are advantages to you remaining at Kinglas.”
“Name one,” she retorted.
“It’s the perfect place to fade back into obscurity,” he said. “Out of sight, out of mind, remember? Dominic was quite clear as to the necessity of that, and it doesn’t get much more obscure than an old castle in a remote Highland glen. Besides, Arnprior is bound to give you a good reference if you stay. It can only help to have the support of a well-regarded earl when you set up your own establishment, don’t you think?”
She sighed. “Must you be so rational?”
He grinned and took her arm. “Unnerving, isn’t it? Why don’t we go out and meet young Kade? At least you’ll have a better idea of what you’re in for if you decide to stay.”
“Oh, very well.” She allowed him to pull her out to the corridor. “But don’t expect any miracles.” Kade would certainly have to be a very talented musician and a nice boy to convince her to take on the rest of the lunatics in his family.
“I won’t.”
They made their way to the great hall, a hive of activity as footmen dashed about, hauling in bags and trunks under Mrs. Taffy’s careful direction. Despite the commotion, the servants performed their duties swiftly and silently, casting worried glances at the small family group clustered around a chair in the center of the hall.
Huddled in the chair sat a boy, swaddled in a heavy coat and a blanket. The earl crouched in front of him, speaking in a low tone. Royal hovered close by, regarding the pair with a somber expression. Next to him stood a serious-looking young man in spectacles, also dressed for travel. His hand rested protectively on the back of the boy’s chair.
Victoria and Alec halted several feet away, not wishing to intrude. The earl glanced up and smiled, waving them over. She thought the smile looked forced, and there was no mistaking the tense set to the broad shoulders under his dark green coat.
The earl rose as they approached. “Miss Knight, I’d like you to meet my youngest brothers, Braden and Kade. Braden is currently at the University of Glasgow, while Kade, as you know, has returned home to study. Alec, I believe you met the lads last summer while you and your wife were in Glasgow.”
Braden Kendrick was tall but still boyish-looking, not yet having attained the brawny masculinity of his older brothers. He wore spectacles and had a thoughtful, diffident air that set him apart from the rest of the Kendrick men.
As he began to bow, Alec forestalled him by extending a friendly hand. “Well met, Braden. How go your studies? Arnprior tells me that you’re a splendid scholar, and that you wish to study medicine.”
The young man gave Alec a shy smile that lit up the deep green gaze he shared with Royal and the twins. “My studies are going well, sir. Thank you for asking. With any luck, I’ll be attending medical school at the University of Edinburgh in a year or so.” He cast a quick look at the earl. “If Nick approves, of course.”
Arnprior clapped him on the shoulder. “Lad, why wouldn’t I approve? I know you’ll do us all proud.”
“God knows someone has to,” Royal said sarcastically.
When Braden shot him a disapproving glance, Royal shrugged a half-hearted apology. After shaking his head at his older brother, Braden turned his solemn and surprisingly astute gaze on Victoria.
“Miss Knight, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said with a bow.
“And I can’t tell you how happy I am to meet you, Miss Knight,” Kade broke in eagerly, gazing up at her with a wide smile. “Because I could hardly wait, I made Braden leave a day early, I was that eager to get home to Kinglas and my studies.”
Oh, dear. Victoria mustered a smile and gave the new arrivals a shallow curtsy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you both. I hope your travels were not too taxing.”
Kade shook his head. “It was worth it, knowing I would soon be home and beginning my lessons with you.”
“Don’t worry, Nick,” Braden said, obviously reading Arnprior’s troubled expression. “We spent the night at the coaching inn at Arrochar. The innkeeper and his wife took splendid care of us.”
Kade huffed out an exasperated breath. “You’re all fussing too much. I’m quite well. No need to worry about my stamina, Miss Knight.”
The boy smiled up at her from the depths of his woolen cocoon, his gaze eager. His eyes were a vivid blue, the color of a loch on a sunny day. He more closely resembled the earl than his other brothers, with his dark hair, high, intelligent brow, and the beginnings of rugged features that promised he would someday grow into a handsome man.
But even under the coat and blanket, and with a flannel scarf around his neck, Victoria could tell he was much too thin. And his coloring was dreadful. He was as white as milk though with a hectic flush splashed across his narrow cheekbones. But he was obviously thrilled to be home—and to start working with her.
It made her heart sink that she would have to disappoint the boy. He seemed utterly sweet and charming, and apparently, he had considerable musical talent. Under other circumstances, she would have leapt at the chance to have him as her pupil.
But although Kade was clearly happy to be taught by her, the other Kendrick men were not. That presented odds decidedly not in her favor.
She glanced up to find the earl watching her with an ironic eye. He knew what she was thinking, and it made her flush.
Fortunately, Arnprior returned his attention to his brothers. “We’ll be having a little chat about this mad rush to get back to Kinglas. I won’t have you pushing yourself, Kade. We can’t risk a relapse.”
His little brother scoffed as he threw aside his blanket and began to unwind the scarf around his neck. “I’m perfectly well now, Nick. And Braden fusses over me like he’s already a doctor—or my old nursemaid. He’s practically locked me in my room.”
Braden snorted. “As if anyone can control you when you set your mind on something.”
“I’m not a baby anymore,” Kade said, “and it’s time you all stop treating me like one.” He smiled at Braden, as if to take any sting out of his words. Then he glanced around the great hall. “Where are Grandda and the twins?”
“Your grandfather left early to visit some of the tenants,” Arnprior said. “And Graeme and Grant are—”
“Still sleeping,” Royal interrupted sardonically.
Victoria didn’t wonder, since they’d been up most of the night tormenting the household.
“Oh, I thought they’d want to see me,” Kade said, sounding crestfallen. “It’s been months since they were in Glasgow.”
The earl smoothed the thick, tumbled locks back from the boy’s forehead with such care that it made Victoria’s throat go tight. Though he was a rugged, hard man, he treated his young brother with incredible gentleness.
“We thought you were arriving later in the day, remember?” Arnprior said.
Kade brightened. “Oh, yes, that explains it.”
“I can go wake them up, if you like,” Royal said.
“No, Kade needs a rest,” Braden said. “He should go straight up to bed.”
Victoria had to repress a smile at the boy’s decisive manner. He might be young, but he showed a maturity that stood in stark contrast to the behavior of the twins and even Royal.
“Agreed,” the earl said. “You can see your grandfather and the twins at dinner.”
Kade wrinkled his nose. “You’re all beasts, but I suppose I could rest for a bit.” Then his eyes widened and he flapped a hand at one of the footmen. “Please be careful with that, Andrew, and bring it straight up to my room.”
“Aye, Master Kade,” the footman said as he gingerly carried a small wooden case through the hall. “I’ll not let anythin’ happen to it.”
“It’s my violin,” Kade said to Victoria. “Nick brought it back from France when he came home from the war.”
“It must be a very fine instrument,” she said.
He nodded enthusiastically. “It’s splendid, as you’ll hear. You play the pianoforte, do you not? I play that instrument, too. I’ve been studying some duets I thought we could try out together.”
This time, Victoria’s heart went straight down to her heels. “Oh, how . . . how lovely,” she stammered.
“Then we can—”
“Enough, lad,” Arnprior gently broke in. “You can speak with Miss Knight later.” He cast her a look that threatened doom and destruction if she contradicted him.
She mentally swore, but gave Kade a smile. “That would be fine.”
“Good,” said the earl. “Now, up with you, young fellow.”
He helped his brother stand. When Kade stumbled and grimaced, Arnprior hoisted him into his arms, cradling the boy against his chest.
That sight brought a sting of tears to Victoria’s eyes.
Idiot. Stop being sentimental.
“Confound it, Nick. I told you I’m not a baby,” Kade said, half laughing, half protesting.
“Of course not. But we don’t want you falling and knocking yourself out on your first day home.” The earl glanced at Victoria. “Miss Knight could hardly teach you if you had a cracked skull, could she?”
“And score one for Arnprior,” Alec murmured in Victoria’s ear.
She shot her cousin an irate glance. Still, she couldn’t help but admire his lordship’s ruthless tactics.
“I suppose you’re right,” Kade said. “Having my brains splattered all over the hall could be a problem. And Taffy certainly wouldn’t approve of the mess.”
“Good Lord, how appalling,” the earl said as he headed toward the stone staircase. “I really don’t understand why I agreed to let you come home.”
“Because you missed me?” Kade asked.
“That must be it.” Arnprior paused at the bottom of the steps and glanced at Braden. “Coming, lad? You probably need a rest too.”
Braden shook his head. “I’d like to have a quick chat with you and Royal first. Just to catch you up on the report from Kade’s physician.” He glanced at Victoria. “You as well, Miss Knight.”
Why would Braden wish to speak to her? And she certainly had no desire to further insert herself into the affairs of the family. “I don’t think—” she started.
“If you don’t mind,” Braden said.
She frowned, but then was caught short by the distraught look that momentarily flashed across the young man’s intelligent features.
“I think you’d better do it, lass,” Alec murmured.
Surprised, she glanced up at him. Alec had clearly picked up on the change in Braden’s demeanor. Royal also looked disturbed, directing a sharp, questioning look at Arnprior.
The earl, however, simply gave a nod and started up the stairs. “Very well. I’ll get Kade stowed away and then meet you in the library.”
“You don’t need to stow me away like a piece of old luggage,” Kade said in a suddenly sharp tone. “And Braden’s making a big fuss about nothing. I’m perfectly fine, no matter what the doctor said.”
“Lad, if I can’t fuss over you, then who can?” the earl said in a reasonable tone of voice.
The boy looked mutinous for a few seconds, but then he sighed. “No one, I suppose.” He rested his head on Arnprior’s broad shoulder, as if suddenly overcome with weariness.
As Victoria watched the earl carry his brother up the stairs, she had a sinking feeling that something was wrong, very wrong. It just might not be so easy for her to escape Kinglas, after all.