The Resolute Runaway by Charlotte Louise Dolan

Author:Charlotte Louise Dolan [Dolan, Charlotte Louise]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 1992-03-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

The first person Nicholas saw when he entered his aunt’s drawing room was the ubiquitous Scotsman. Did that blasted man have nowhere else to go? For the last sennight Glengarry had arrived with the first of the morning callers, planted himself firmly beside Joanna, and resisted all of her other suitors’ efforts to dislodge him.

Even while Nicholas watched, Joanna looked up at the wretched man and began speaking in an animated way. What did she find in that dour, unsmiling Scot that caused her to be so free with her own smiles?

The man was persistent, Nicholas had to give him credit for that. No matter what evening festivities Nicholas had escorted his two charges to, the man had appeared, claimed his two dances with Joanna, and spent the rest of the evening standing around near her like a lovesick calf.

As much as it pained Nicholas to admit it, the time had come when he needed to find out exactly what the other man’s intentions were. If he was trifling with Joanna’s affections, Nicholas would challenge him to a duel and take the greatest pleasure in running his sword through the other man’s gizzard.

On the other hand, he realized that it would be infinitely worse if the Scotsman’s intentions were honorable, because it was quite obvious to Nicholas that Joanna had a decided partiality for the taciturn baron. If Glengarry put his luck to the test and offered for her, doubtless Joanna would accept, and then where would he be?

Where indeed? He knew precisely where. In a hell of his own making.

But on the other hand, where would he be if he refused to allow Joanna to marry the man she loved? Deuce take it, but this was the very devil of a coil.

Well, there was nothing for it but to speak to the man. No matter how distasteful the task, it could not be delayed much longer, because people were already beginning to talk. The Scotsman was so obvious in his pursuit of Joanna, bets would soon be laid in the clubs as to his probable success, and Nicholas would be powerless to do anything to prevent that.

By the time Aunt Theophila rose to her feet and indicated that visiting hours were at an end, Nicholas had exhausted his meager supply of patience. Following the Scotsman out of the house, he quickly caught up with him.

“A word with you, Glengarry, if you’ve the time.”

The man halted his steps and turned toward Nicholas, and the look of abject misery on his face was pathetic enough that even Nicholas could not remain totally unsympathetic.

“The time has come when you need to state your intentions.”

The man nodded glumly. “Of course. They are honorable. I wish to marry her, the sooner the better.”

It was as bad as Nicholas had feared. Heartsick at the possibility that he was very close to losing Joanna forever, he began walking slowly down the street, the Scotsman automatically falling in beside him.

“Since I stand more or less as

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