Page 21 of A Stranger’s Promise

She stepped back, clearly shocked at his directness. With the many hateful words she’d spewed and deeds she’d done to harm him over the years, he failed to see why she would bother with such charades.

“The courts declared the matter done,” he repeated. “We must move forward, Lady Cassilis, and find a way to tolerate each other. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He turned and started up the stairs.

“I will find my proof, Alistair,” his stepmother hissed at his back. “Irrefutable proof. Your day is coming.”

He paused and looked at her over his shoulder. “Until then, Lady Cassilis. Good evening.”

He left her, standing in silent outrage, and quickly climbed to the nursery, a pleasant suite of rooms overlooking the sea. A light flickered under the door, and he entered to find Meg rocking the wee lassie by the fire, the lad asleep on a plaid nearby.

“Sit, please.” He stayed her with a smile as she started to rise.

“Losh, my lord,” the freckle-faced Meg exclaimed, her kindly eyes dropping on Charlotte. “What happened?”

Alistair glanced down at Charlotte, still nestled against his shoulder. “My fault,” he admitted wryly. “I gave her more highland whisky than she had the stomach for.”

Meg snorted a laugh.

“Her room?” Alistair lifted a brow at the three doors on the opposite wall.

She pointed to the middle one. Alistair nodded thanks, then crossed to the room. He opened the door with his shoulder and continued to the small bed where he laid her down. As she curled on her side, he picked up the folded blanket at the foot of the bed and covered her. A sense of contentment washed over him as he returned to the sitting room once again.

“Bless you, sir, for your big heart,” Meg said.

He paused and waited.

“The wee lad and lassie.” The maid darted a look at the boy as she ran her fingers over the little girl’s red curls. “You’ve a rare kindness in you, sir.”

“Let’s keep that a secret, shall we?” he teased with a sardonic twist of his lip.

“Aye,” she laughed.

He bid her goodnight and left the nursery. Minutes later, he entered the library once again to find Nicholas in his chair with his booted feet propped on the table.

“She’s here,” his friend said. “Lady Cassilis.”

Alistair seated himself in the chair opposite him. “I just spoke with her. I have heard nothing new, but I’ll have her watched, all the same. No doubt, when your guests arrive, she’ll use the distractions to carry out whatever nefarious plan she’s concocted.”

“To be sure,” Nicholas agreed with a bored yawn.

Alistair regarded him. “Is not your own true love to arrive on the morrow? You seem afflicted with a melancholy languor or a decided lack of interest. Surely, your ardor has no’ cooled already?”

The raven-haired baronet shot him a ruffled look, then picked up Alistair’s unfinished glass of whisky from the table and drained its contents. He set the glass back down. “I confess, her face has already faded from memory. Can a man truly recall a woman after a separation of a day or two?”

Alistair snorted. Not once in the past two weeks had he forgotten the spark of Charlotte’s eyes, but he wasn’t inclined to offer the observation. “I fear I cannot say,” he replied.

“Cannot…or will not?” Nicholas murmured. With a sigh, he rose. “I bid you goodnight.”

Alistair watched his friend leave, then sat in his chair and turned his gaze to the dying fire.

* * *

Alistair entered the breakfast parlor in a startling good mood. Yes, Lady Cassilis and all her intrigue had arrived with the full intent to cause him harm, but he scarcely spared her a thought. Why should he? After all, there was so much to enjoy in the day. He glanced out the window at the driving sheets of rain that battered the glass. He shrugged. A good mood did not require the sun.

A maid hurried in and set his plate of eggs and Westmoreland ham on the table, alongside a stack of the week’s papers delivered by the post. Alistair seated himself and picked up The Morning Chronicle. Setting aside the gossip section, he proceeded to scan the paper.

“My dear fellow.” Nicholas’ deep laugh sounded from the door. “Leaving the gossip column untouched? You are missing the best part.”

Alistair peered at him over the paper. “Dare I read a newspaper for news?”