A Fine Madness by Elizabeth Essex

Author:Elizabeth Essex
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: ERB Publishing
Published: 2017-05-01T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

“Darling Elspeth,” Hamish’s lips pressed against her forehead, and then dotted down the line of her nose to her mouth. Which she opened to give him—

“Well, well. What have we here? Found a bit of muslin you’d like to share, Cathcart?”

The words, uttered by a different deep male voice, only half-penetrated the fog of pleasure permeating Elspeth’s brain.

But Hamish immediately thrust her from his arms, pushing her behind him as he simultaneously stepped in front of her, blocking the man’s view. “Bànach.” There was a definite chill in Hamish’s voice. “Make yourself scarce.”

“And miss all the fun? Nay.” Elspeth could hear the man’s snide smile.

But Hamish could see it as well. “Bànach.”

The cold threat in Hamish’s voice was enough to move the man off, but not before Elspeth heard him mutter. “Like father, like daughter, eh? Sorry I didn’t get to that one first.”

Elspeth had never been so mortified in all her life—and the Aunts Murray had regularly mortified her in the name of keeping her from being “too proud.”

“I’m sorry for that,” Hamish said as he stooped to gather hairpins. “I suppose it’s just as well.”

“Just as well?” How could any part of public humiliation be just as well?

Elspeth moved as far away as the low privet hedge bordering the path would allow, taking some small comfort that Hamish seemed just as exercised as she—she could hear his breath sawing in and out of his chest.

Her own breath was just as unruly—she was as winded as if she had run all the way round the orchard. Twice. Before the interruption she would have thought his kisses well worth the trip—her lips still throbbed and her cheeks still tingled with the sensation of his rougher skin against hers.

“Devil take it. Someone else is—” Hamish stepped abruptly away, scattering hairpins on the ground in his haste.

“My dear?” Aunt Augusta’s careful voice floated up the path. “Is that you?”

Elspeth’s hands flew to her hair, trying to twist and jab pins back into some semblance of order, but it was too late.

“I was just given an alarming report.” Aunt Augusta took in the two of them at a glance. “No need to ask you two darling children if it were true.”

“We were just—”

“Talking,” Hamish finished.

“Of the book,” Elspeth clarified.

“Books,” Hamish corrected. “Miss Otis and I were discussing some of the difficulties she has been having with the revision.”

“Indeed?” Aunt Augusta’s tone was as dry as it was amused. “From what I saw, there didn’t look to be any difficulties at all.”

“Michty me.” Elspeth couldn’t possibly maintain her composure. Not with her aunt’s clear-eyed gaze taking in each detail of her mussed hair and clothing. Elspeth tugged her gown back into place upon her shoulder. “Please forgive me. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Mr. Cathcart, one can only suppose, came over you,” was Aunt Augusta’s wry response. “And your own natural human nature. You’ve proved yourself to be a faster learner than I would have given you credit for, dear child.” Her aunt mercifully turned her keen gaze upon Hamish.

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