Page 91 of The Highlander Is All That

“Again?” Oh, this was not good. The whole point of her sacrifice was so her sisters could continue on in search of their husbands.

“It’s not so bad,” Mary said. “Peter Ross still visits.” She shot a glance at Victoria who, unaccountably, blushed. “And the duchess.”

This was bolstering. “Kaitlin?”

“Yes. I like her,” Mary said.

“And Twiggenberry,” Victoria added. “He comes each day. He’s eager to see you.”

“I can imagine,” Elizabeth muttered. “I can’t see him, of course. I’m still too angry. I would probably flatten his nose.”

Mary laughed. “Oh, you could have Hamish do that.”

To which Elizabeth perked up. “Hamish?” She tried to ask with as casual tone as possible.

“He’s been a bear lately.”

“Oh, a complete bear.” Victoria rolled her eyes. “He and Bower got into a fight in the parlor yesterday.”

“Did they break anything?”

“No.” Mary sighed. “Aunt Esmeralda stopped them before anything interesting could happen. But she’s asked him to move out.”

Elizabeth’s heart lurched. “What?” Was he going back to her?

“To Ross House,” Victoria said. “Aunt Esmeralda said something about him being able to drink himself to death there without being a bad influence.”

Mary shrugged. “Except on Peter, one would imagine.”

Elizabeth snorted. “Peter hardly needs a bad influence.”

The annoyance on Victoria’s face surprised her. “Don’t talk about Peter like that,” she snapped.

Seriously? “You do know he gambled away the family fortune. Catherine was forced to marry Duncan to save their house.”

“Catherine is in love with Duncan.”

“She wasn’t then!” Elizabeth drew in a breath to calm herself. “But that does not signify. The fact is, the man is an inveterate gambler.”

“He’s changed.”

Oh dear. The tone of Victoria’s voice told a tale all its own. She was besotted.

“Victoria, forget about Peter Ross. Focus on finding a husband. One who will not gamble you into penury.”

Her sister put out a lip. “Honestly. You sound just like our aunt.”

“How is that a bad thing?”

“How is it? How?” Victoria sprang to her feet—as tears sprang to her eyes—and she bolted from the room.

After the door slammed behind her, Mary grinned. “Well, you’ve done it now.”

“I’ve done it?” Elizabeth practically fumed. “I can’t believe she is even considering Peter Ross! What is the point of my sacrifice if she marries Peter Ross and lives the rest of her life in the gutter outside Newgate waiting to visit her husband?”

Mary went preternaturally still. “What do you mean, your sacrifice?”

Oh ballocks. “Nothing.”