The Scoundrel's Pleasure by Jane Bonander

Author:Jane Bonander [Bonander, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781682303443
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2017-01-04T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Duncan was just leaving the great room when Ian nearly skidded to a stop in front of him. “Yes, Ian?”

“Mam told me to ask you where you lived on the island.”

“She did, did she? Where is she now?”

“She’s in the garden with Hamish,” he answered.

“I tell you what. You go and ask her if it’s all right for me to take you there.” He watched Ian race back outside. When he returned, Isobel was with him.

“You want to take him there?” Her question was cautious.

“Is there a better way to explain it all to him?” Duncan asked. He could see the anguish she was trying to hide. “Do you want to ride along?”

She quickly shook her head. “No. No, no. I’ll have my baptism by fire soon enough.”

He felt a jolt of sympathy for her situation. Suddenly being thrust into his family, their lives, their inquisitiveness about her and Ian; certainly it was terrifying for her. “I’m sorry you feel that way.” He gave her a lopsided smile. “We’re really not such a bad bunch.”

She appeared reluctant to return the smile, but it appeared anyway. “I’m sure you’re not, but after all these years…I’ve been here, in this ramshackle building, and they’ve been up there,” she said, glancing toward the window.

“They will love you, Isobel.” He almost said “as I do,” but stopped himself. Where in the hell had that thought come from?

She waved off the comment. “Off with you two or you won’t be back before dark.”

“Isobel,” Duncan said, “think about a day for the wedding. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable. We can do it alone, or with family. Naturally I’d prefer to have my family there, and I know Delilah, Henry, and Lily would be very put out if they weren’t invited.”

Isobel watched them go off on Duncan’s mount, Ian tucked comfortably in front of his da. His da. She would have to get used to that. And she had to plan a wedding. She was to marry His Lordship Duncan MacNeil! Unbelievable. Her emotions were in tatters. What would she wear? She had sewn beautiful gowns for many women in the community, but had never had one herself. And she didn’t have time to sew one now, nor did she have the means to purchase the material. All of these preparations suddenly made her want to curl up into a ball and go into hibernation. And she had butterflies, just as if this were something she had looked forward to all of her life. But these butterflies were different; they weren’t ones of excited anticipation; they were of fear of the unknown, maybe even dread.

Lily called to her from the classroom. “Could you come here a moment, please?” She was holding a letter and her expression appeared quizzical.

“What is it?”

She handed Isobel the letter and she read it. When she’d finished she glanced up at Lily. “So, the elderly couple you helped and lived with left you something in their will. That’s wonderful, Lily!”

“But that means I have to travel to Ayr to meet with the solicitor.

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