Too many years of solitary company, Duncan supposed, would make a large house party of the scope this one had become very intimidating, or rather, unappealing. Neville wasn’t the sort to be intimidated, after all, though at his age, he didn’t inspire that emotion either, at least not with his grandson. But he was the sort who wanted to just be left alone, thus the “recluse” description that Duncan had heard more than once paired with Neville’s name.
He had no intention of disturbing the old man for long, in fact, got right to the point in asking about his violet-eyed neighbor.
After blinking a few times, indicating that Duncan’s knock might have caught Neville nodding .off for an afternoon nap, the marquis said with assurance, “There are no young women of gentry in the neighborhood, not suitable for marriage to you, that is, or I would have invited them, since they, at least, wouldn’t have to abide here for the duration, but could commute back and forth. Bloody well running out of room here as it is.”
Duncan dismissed the notion that the lass could have been common stock—her speech had been cultured, and she’d displayed no nervousness in dealing with a lord, as the working class tended to do, so he insisted, “She’s gentry.”
“Then she might have been a visitor, might even have been one of those fools who came here at the Reid girl’s request and were sent packing with her. Lilac eyes, you say?” Neville shook his head. “I don’t know a single person with unusual eyes like that. But if you were taken with the girl, I’ll investigate and find out who she was.”
Duncan shook his head. “I just enjoyed her company when I met her. She made me laugh, and I was sore in need of that at the time.”
That remark had been thoughtless on Duncan’s part, rather than deliberate, and now they were both embarrassed. Sighing over his own loose tongue—if he was going to get a dig in on someone, it should at least be intentional—Duncan went back downstairs.
He was disappointed, though, that the lass wouldn’t be showing up as he’d thought, so he was in no hurry to rejoin the guests in one of the many rooms they were congregating in, and hearing the knock at the door, took that opportunity for delay by answering it himself. The butler, absent, was no doubt off searching for him to deliver another note. The thought almost amused him.
But he really wished he hadn’t decided on this particular delay when the young man standing on the other side of the door looked him over in a rude manner and then exclaimed, “Good God, you must be the barbarian, with that hair, yes, must be indeed. Didn’t expect to meet you this soon. They’ve put you to opening doors, have they?”
Duncan, in the process of trying to unravel the English drawl, with not all that much success, latched on to the one word he’d heard a bit too much since coming to England. And in his present mood, which was still mixed with embarrassment, he very easily could come to blows over it.
“You’re calling me a barbarian, are you?”
“Me? Wouldn’t think of it. Barbarically handsome, perhaps, but no, no, just what’s making the rounds, don’t you know, but then—perhaps you don’t know? You’ve been the major on-dit for weeks now.”
Duncan decided what he was hearing might as well be an unknown foreign language, yet he did grasp the “you’ve been the major ...” part, he wanted clarified, “What is ‘on-dit’?”
“Gossip, dear boy, juicy gossip of the slanderous sort,” he was told. “I have it on good authority—but then can there really be such a thing when dealing with rumors?—that your dear fiancée, er, well, your dear ex-fiancée, was the very one to start it all.”
It wasn’t the first time he’d heard that he had been the subject of rumors, either. Hadn’t the lass on the hill mentioned something about hearing that he was a barbarian? With her, though, he’d been unable to take offense. With this fellow, he was having a hard time not being offended.
Nearly as tall as himself, though not quite as broad of shoulder, the man was athletically built. Wearing a traveling greatcoat merely draped over his shoulders, impeccably dressed beneath it, despite the fact that he’d been traveling and that tended to rumple even the best materials, he cut a dashing figure. Blond—Duncan was truly beginning to think most of England was—blue eyed, and in his mid-twenties, he had an air of importance about him.
Duncan wouldn’t have cared if he were royalty, he still didn’t like the fellow’s manner, and in one of his calmer tones—though those who knew him would surely call it ominous—he asked, “What, exactly, has been said aboot me, if you dinna mind telling me?”
“Just rubbish that anyone with a whit of intelligence would dismiss, but you know how ridiculous some females can be. Take my sister there.”
The fellow nodded over his shoulder at a lass with the same shade of blond hair that the gentleman sported. She was in the process of directing no fewer than four servants in the unloading of no fewer than six large trunks from the coach pulled up nearby. Very pretty girl, though.
Duncan no sooner had that thought than the fellow added, “Had to drag her here kicking and screaming, the silly chit is so sure you’re going to be toting a club and wearing bearskins to dinner. Takes gossip as the literal truth, Mandy does, when it should be enjoyed for what it is, titillating fiction designed to break the inevitable boredom of a nonworking class.”
“Why come, if she didna want tae come?”
“And miss this golden opportunity to meet the reclusive Neville Thackeray? Wouldn’t think of it. He’s only been speculated about for years and years, and most of the people I know have never even clapped eyes on him. ‘Sides, the little sister there is in the market, if you know what I mean, so Mum and Dad pretty much insisted she not miss the exposure of a grand country gathering as this one is sure to be. Not that they’re hoping for you in particular, dear boy, just that they want to keep her circulating while the Season lasts, and yours truly gets to chaperone, don’t you know.”
Duncan was starting to understand the fellow better now, and wishing he didn’t. That “dear boy,” he found particularly condescending, enough for him to remark, “If you havena noticed, I’m no‘ exactly a boy, and certainly no’ a dear one tae you, when we havena met prior. I’ve laid men on the floor for implying less.”
“Have you?”
This was said in a very unimpressed tone. But then the fellow began to chuckle. That in turn turned into some extended laughter. When that wound down, the Englishman continued, “A piece of advice, my friend. Learn to distinguish between a deliberate insult and what is clearly, or at least clearly intended as, no more than an affectation of speech. It might save you much angst, I’m sure, and might save a few innocent noses as well.”
Feeling foolish never had been a preference of Duncan’s. It usually annoyed the hell out of him instead, and now was no different. “Your own nose isna safe yet, mon. Just who are you?”
Grinning, and so obviously not taking Duncan’s threat seriously, the Englishman answered, “I’ve a few titles, but truly deplore passing them out. Just call me Rafe, old chap.”
That last crack got the door shut on one of the most highly sought-after young lords of the realm, heir to a dukedom, wealthy beyond measure, the most eligible bachelor of the Season and every hostess’s dream come true. And yet the door was being shut on him.
Duncan would not have been impressed had he known all of that. He was hoping their first meeting would be their last. They were to become great friends, though. They just didn’t know it yet.
Chapter Seventeen
“Why, Miss Sabrina!” Richard Jacobs exclaimed in surprise. “You’ve never come this far on one of your walks before. Is something amiss?”
Sabrina smiled at Lord Neville’s butler to put him at ease. She knew the man well, and his family. She knew just about everyone in their small area of Yorkshire, after all, including everyone’s servants, and everyone knew her. Her walks did take her everywhere, after all, and being the friendly sort she was, she would usually strike up a conversation with anyone she came across.
Then, too, she had grown up here, and it was hard not to know everyone in such a small community—with the exception of Lord Neville himself.
Her embarrassment was starting to show, however, since Jacobs would know that she wasn’t there by invitation. He did so pride himself on knowing every single thing that had to do with Lord Neville, and in his position of greeting the guests, would know whom to expect.
To put herself at ease, she didn’t get right to the point, asked instead, “How is your lovely wife faring now? Better, I hope?”
“Oh, much better, miss. And do please thank your aunt Alice again for that tea recipe. It was just the thing to soothe her cough.”
Sabrina could have continued to chat, but felt her cheeks already heating, and before they got too bright a red, she wound up her courage. “I will be sure to do that. And no, nothing is amiss. I’ve just been asked to deliver a private message to Lord Duncan while I was out and about today.”
She couldn’t imagine why he rolled his eyes at that, until he said, “I’ve been charged with the same task, repeatedly, since last evening. The young lord is getting quite annoyed with me, and I can hardly blame him.” And then he leaned forward to whisper, “It’s his grandfathers, the both of them. They seem to be pulling him in two different directions without a moment’s peace.”
“His Scottish grandfather is here as well?”
“Oh my, yes, and a very ... loud gentleman he is, too. But when they are in the same room together, Lord Neville and Lord Archibald, that is, well, they really don’t like each other, if you know what I mean.”
Now, that was a shame. You’d think that the grandfathers would get along splendidly, both having their grandson’s best interests in mind. To Jacobs, though, she nodded, and much as she would have preferred otherwise, got the subject back on track.
“If Lord Duncan is busy, don’t disturb him. I can always come back another time, since I don’t think my message is of an urgent matter. But if he has a moment to spare, and it shouldn’t take any longer than that, I would like to get this duty dispensed with.”
“Certainly, Miss Sabrina. I’ll try to locate him right now. And please step in—”
“No!” She coughed, to cover how horribly appalled she’d just sounded. “I mean, I know you have a house full of guests, and, well, the weather is so nice today, I’d prefer to wait out here.”
The weather was anything but nice, was quite cloudy and looking like rain was imminent, but then anyone who knew Sabrina knew that she loved being outdoors and never missed her daily walk, no matter the weather. Rain, snow, or the hottest day in summer, she’d be out in it, so what he might see as cold and dreary weather, she might well find refreshing or even beautiful.
He nodded, and not to be rude, even left the door open as he disappeared into the house. Sabrina, afraid someone might notice her in passing, stepped well away from the door. She was hoping that Duncan would be busy; then again, she was hoping to get this over with. Contradictions in feelings really did not sit well on the stomach, and hers was protesting most vehemently with a queasiness that wouldn’t go away.
Five minutes passed, then another five. She was just about positive that she would be vomiting in the bushes if she had to endure this embarrassment even one more minute, and decided it would be better for her stomach, at least, to just leave. Then she heard the footsteps behind her.
She swung about just as Duncan began to say, “The butler said you—” He stopped, surprise lighting up his features as he recognized her, then added, “You! So you do live around here, aye?”
“Well, yes, our cottage is just off the road on the way to Oxbow, about a twenty-minute walk from here.”
“ ‘Our’? You’re no‘ married, are you?”
She blinked, then grinned. “Not that I’ve noticed lately. I live with my two maiden aunts.”
He frowned. “Are you new tae the neighborhood then, that m’grandfather wouldna know you tae invite you tae this party o‘ his?”
This was approaching what could be called a sticky subject, and she’d just as well not go into the details of exactly why Lord Neville wouldn’t send her any invites. Duncan was proving much too inquisitive—about her—when he should be asking about her message.
So she said merely, “I’ve never met Lord Neville, so no, he doesn’t know me.”
“Well, then.” He smiled at her. “Since I know you, let me extend a belated invitation—”
She held up a hand to stop him. Had she really thought she could avoid the subject?
“I fear I may have misled you. Your grandfather has never met me, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know of me, and I think I can safely say he wouldn’t consider me an appropriate guest for the purpose of his party.”
Bright red, her cheeks were, by the time she got all that out. But he nodded in understanding, then surprised her by saying, “So you’ll come anyway, at my request, and bedamned what the auld mon has tae say aboot it.”
“No, really, I couldn’t. Now, you really must let me deliver my message and be on my way.”
He twisted his lips a bit, as if he might argue, but then he sighed. “Verra well, what message is that?”
Now that she had to say it, the words just wouldn’t come out. Her cheeks, with barely a chance to cool off, were surely scarlet now. She glanced away from him, getting desperate, aware that he was waiting .. .
Spotting the edge of the stable off to the side of the house, she procrastinated after all. “It was very strange, seeing coaches milling about a stable yard, rather than horses, but still not as many as one would expect to see from a gathering this large. Have some been put out to pasture then?”
“Put out—?” he began, but the image her words produced, of fifty or so coaches grazing in a pasture, had him laughing before he finished.
Sabrina couldn’t find anything amusing about what she’d said just then and took advantage of his distraction to blurt out, “Lady Ophelia would like an opportunity to speak to you in private. She suggested a meeting in the common room at the inn in Oxbow so that she might apologize to you.”
She had managed to catch him completely unawares. In fact, he was looking at her now as if she were daft. But as quickly a scowl came and he bit out, “More like insult me again.”
“No, really, she has assured me she regrets whatever it was she said to you before. Will you meet her?”
“Nae.”
Oddly, Sabrina felt her embarrassment subside, hearing that emphatic answer. But she wouldn’t be honestly discharging her duty if she didn’t at least make another effort or two on Ophelia’s behalf.
So she said, “Is that an ‘I’ll think about it’ nay or an ‘I’ll need more convincing’ nay?”
“ ‘Twas a flat-oout ’ne’er tae be considered‘ nay.”
“Oh, dear, and I’d thought that type was obsolete.”
“What type?” he said in a tone beginning to sound like exasperation. “What are you blathering aboot now?”
“Your ‘never to be considered’ no. I thought everyone left a little room for changing their minds these days. Saves embarrassment, you know, if you try evasiveness instead—just in case you do want to change your mind later.”
“Aye, but e’en more time is saved if you know your own mind and say so.”
She gave up on that tack, asked instead,
“Would it really be so hard on you to hear what she has to say?”
“Hard, nay. A waste o‘ m’time, aye.”
She was blushing again, profusely, aware that she was wasting his time as well. “I’m sorry. I should have realized, with you needing to be in constant attendance here just now, that this wouldn’t be a good time to bother you about this. I’ll be going. G’day, Duncan MacTavish. It really was nice, seeing you again.”
“Wait.”
She had taken a good fifteen brisk steps, trying to escape her own embarrassment, which put her almost beyond shouting distance. She turned, not even positive that it wasn’t ju
st her hopeful imagination that had him calling her back. But indeed, he was walking toward her, and reaching her, he looked like a man about to eat sour grapes.
“I’ll meet her on one condition,” he said.
She was surprised enough to say, “Certainly. What condition would that be?”
“That you pack your bags and get back here afore dinner is served t’night.”
Her eyes widened. “You’re inviting me to dinner?”
“I’m inviting you tae the blasted party, for the duration, however bluidy long that is.”
She smiled then. She couldn’t help it, he sounded so aggrieved that he was compromising just to get his way.
“I, ah, don’t need to pack any bags. I do live just down the road.”
“You’ll come then?”
“My aunts would have to come with me. I can’t go to affairs like this without their chaperonage.”
“Bring whomever you like—except her.”
She nodded. “But you will meet her?” At his own curt nod, she added, “When?”
“In one hour. But if she’s no‘ there on time, I’m no’ waiting on her. And you’ll be telling me later why you were bringing me this request o‘ hers.”
He turned abruptly and went back into the house. Sabrina, utterly amazed at the outcome of her visit, turned to hurry home to give Ophelia the good news. Her debt was paid. She felt such relief that it was over, that she wouldn’t feel obliged to do again something she’d found so abhorrent.
She was nearly halfway to the hill where she’d met Duncan when Lord Neville’s butler, running after her, was finally within distance for her to hear him.
Out of breath, he more or less panted what he had to say when he reached her. “Lord Neville’s coach will pick you up this evening.”
“That isn’t necessary,” she told him. “You know we have our own coach.”
“Yes, miss, but I believe the young lord wants to make sure you come.”
She blushed. Jacobs’s assumption, surely, but it still sounded rather nice.