Marblestone Mansion, Book 3 by Marti Talbott

Author:Marti Talbott [Talbott, Marti]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: M T Creations
Published: 2012-08-13T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

The next morning, Cathleen finished showing James where to find everything, and then left him in the billiard room to play a match with Brookton, one of the footmen. Outside, Cameron stood near the rose garden looking a little downcast, so she decided to cheer him up. “You shall like Abigail Whitfield very much.”

Deep in thought, Cameron was a bit startled at first. “What? Oh, I met Abigail and Claymore last summer.”

“Then you’ll understand. Abigail kept askin’ what happened to the Duchess. Did she die or did Hannish divorce her? Not knowin’ made the poor lass daft, but of course, none of us would answer her. Then one day, I made mention that we had buried the duchess here.” Cathleen stepped out from in front of the plaque and watched Cameron’s face.

Cameron read the words out loud, “Here lies the duchess, for ‘twas here the duchess lied.” He could not help but grin. “You are right dead brilliant.”

Cathleen half curtsied. “I know, Your Grace. Come, you must help me decide what to tell her next. Abigail does not easily forget.” She grabbed his sleeve and pulled until he began to walk with her.

“Poor Abigail,” he said, “she knows not what she asks. Tell me, does everyone know about the duchess, about her husbands, I mean?”

“The Americans know of her, but even some of the Scots dinna know about her other husbands.”

“Then I best watch what I say.”

“‘Tis a wise choice.” When they reached the corral, she put her hand between the fence boards and soon Hannish’s dapple-gray came to her. “I should have gotten a handful of grain first.” She looked around, spotted a feedbag hanging on a fence post and headed that way. “I have not yet seen the duchess. Is she as bonnie as my sister says?”

Cameron followed her down the fence, as did the horse. “Many a lad thinks she is, but I assure you, no one admires her beauty more than the duchess herself.”

“I have heard that about her too.” Cathleen looked in the feedbag, reached in and withdrew a handful of grain. Once more, she put her hand through the fence, opened her palm and let the horse nibble.

“After Hannish sailed to America, the duchess implored me to take her to a ball. I found her flirtin’ unsettlin’ and her behavior abominable. I refused to take her after that, but she was not without an escort for very long.”

“You did not tell Hannish?”

“He is my brother. I dinna want to be the one to hurt him. Besides, I doubted he would believe me. He was so in…” He realized what he was saying and suddenly stopped.

“In love with her?”

“Aye, at least he thought he was. It was a hurried romance, designed no doubt by the duchess to get his title. She never loved him, of that I am certain.”

“Does love always make a lad blind?”

“Not always.”

Cathleen waited for the horse to finish eating, patted his nose and then wiped her wet hand on her skirt.

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