Harlequin Historical May 2019--Box Set 1 of 2 by Marguerite Kaye

Author:Marguerite Kaye
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

‘Your Grace.’ Jo’s voice was a little too sharp as she called out and she clenched her jaw, trying to calm her jumping nerves. Benneit stopped, his hand on the knob of the study door, eyeing her warily.

His hair was wet and dishevelled. He had evidently bathed after the fisticuffs and, though he looked weary, there was a lingering lightness in his movements and his eyes were more green than grey. It reminded her of their colour when he had picked her up on the beach the other day, the strength of his hands on her waist, how close they were for that moment before he put her down. His eyes had been as deeply green, then—jade with shards of emerald, the grey beaten back into a rocky rim. She could recall the heat of his body inches from hers, the itch of anticipation that something…

‘Yes, Mrs Langdale?’ he prompted and she looked down, focusing on her words.

‘I wished to apologise. I was ungrateful and ungracious.’

He crossed his arms and winced.

‘I owe you an apology, too, Mrs Langdale. Angus was right; I should have consulted with you. In my defence, I presumed you would continue to reject my offer of new clothes.’

‘You presumed correctly.’

‘Well, then I’m afraid I don’t truly regret my high-handedness. If you still wish to throw something, please do so at my right side, Angus has already tenderised the left.’

‘I saw. Jamie watched from the nursery.’

Colour spread over his lean cheeks and he swiped a hand over his face, as if testing the closeness of his shave. He looked so human when he blushed, she relaxed a little, then a little further at his grumbled reply.

‘You’ll probably say I should be more careful he doesn’t witness such things.’

‘No. He was so very proud. That cannot be bad.’

He stood back and motioned towards the study and she entered, far too grateful for this little show of reconciliation. Inside, she moved towards the window, too unsettled to remain close to him, her heart both racing ahead and stumbling like a drunkard down a hill. Before she could think the words rushed out of her.

‘Tomorrow is the ball. Will you be making the announcement? If so, you should prepare Jamie. He should hear it from you.’

He remained by the door.

‘The announcement?’

‘Your engagement.’

He walked to the desk.

‘The only announcement is that we are breaking ground with the distillery. As for…the other, we have reached no formal agreement yet so there is nothing to tell Jamie. However, the plans for the distillery will give people more than enough to talk about.’

Her relief was so extreme and so foolish she held herself still in her cage until her heart settled. It meant nothing. In another week or two she would return to England and melt from the Lochmore consciousness like the dew in Jamie’s deserts.

‘He knows, though. Not merely from your aunt’s comments. He hears the talk—here and in the village. He is a child, but he is surprisingly wise for his age.

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