Page 28 of The Highlander Is All That

“Most men would be appreciative.”

“I am no’ most men. In fact, I would appreciate it if you could make certain I am never in that position again.”

“Oh, do stop pouting.”

“Pouting? The woman nearly ravaged me.”

She eyed him for a moment. “Maybe Lord Bower would be more cooperative.”

“I highly doubt it,” Hamish said, even as Anne sniffed again. He pinned his attention to her. “No’ all Scotsmen are profligates.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

Well, hell. His annoyance sparked into something akin to fury. He’d had quite enough of this. “Ladies, I will leave you to rounding up the girls. Ranald and I will meet you at the coaches.” He stormed around the corner, caught his friend by the arm, and hurried him down the stairs and out into the cool night air. He sucked in a deep breath and let out a groan.

“What was that all about?” Ranald asked with a grin.

Hamish frowned. “I’ll tell you later, once I have some whisky in me.”

Ranald laughed. “That bad, eh?”

“You have no idea.”

It was a night he never wanted to repeat if he lived to be a hundred.

Chapter Seven

“Why was Hamish so overset?” Victoria mused as the coach lurched forward.

“Was he?” Mary asked.

“He absolutely was.”

Elizabeth had noticed his dark expression and his silence as she’d climbed into the carriage, but she’d assumed he was still upset over her dancing with Twiggenberry, which was perfectly fine with her.

So she was stunned when Aunt Esmeralda said, “He had an . . . altercation with Lady Jersey.”

“An altercation?” Her heart thudded. Something like that could ruin them socially. One bad word, one cut direct, and they were finished. Absolutely finished.

“Apparently Lady Jersey tried to ravage him,” Anne said in a bitter tone.

Elizabeth blinked. “What?”

“It was really quite amusing,” her aunt said with a chuckle. “Seeing him trying to escape from her clutches. Although it is probably a good thing I saw them leave the ballroom. God alone knows what could have happened had I not.”

“I have a good idea,” Anne muttered.

“Oh, do tell,” Mary gushed, her eyes far too bright.

Aunt Esmeralda cleared her throat and took a moment to affect a straitlaced demeanor. “Now, now. This conversation is highly inappropriate for young ears.”

“Young ears are interested,” Victoria chimed in.

“Nonsense. Let’s talk instead about Almack’s. What did you think of your first foray?”

The rest of the ride was consumed with critiques of the famous assembly rooms which ranged from glorious raptures (from Mary) to complaints about the cakes (from Victoria). Anne said little, but it was clear she had had a miserable time.

As for Elizabeth, she was still reeling with the revelation that Lady Jersey—Lady Jersey, for pity’s sake—had tried to seduce Hamish.