Sir Williamson frowned. “You’re using a crutch?”
Caillen addressed Sir Williamson with a defensive tone. “Yes, he’s using a crutch until he gets his strength back.”
“Are you milking this injury for the lady’s attention, Astley?”
He drew back in affront. “Don’t be absurd. I didn’t even know she was still here until this morning.”
“Everyone knows she’s here.”
Simon sighed. “They didn’t know she was here until that blasted paper published that…that…”
“Scandalous etching?” Caillen suggested.
“Wonderful artwork?” Ailsa offered.
Robbi poked her head back in the door. “The rendering that looked nothing like you?”
Simon frowned. “I beg your pardon?”
Caillen thought it was actually a very good likeness of him. Muscular, strong, and singularly commanding.
“Anyone who’s seen you without a shirt knows your chest doesn’t look likethat.”
“Robbi!” Caillen exclaimed.
“Why ever not?” Simon asked with more than a little bit of affront.
“Unlike the image in the paper that depicts your body in a smooth, almost polished manner, you have hair all over, and…” she leaned forward and put her hand up to Ailsa’s ear as if to whisper, but Robbi’s voice echoed throughout the chamber. “…he has nipples.”
Simon turned scarlet and pulled the edges of his coat closed, as if to shield himself from her sister’s perusal. Sir Williamsonchoked, or gasped, she couldn’t be quite certain but from the scowl on his face, it was clear he did not approve of her sisters studying Simon, or for that matter, any man.
“Ailsa, if you would please go upstairs and see to the children for me.”
Her sister ignored her suggestion and asked Robbi. “Do all men have nipples and hair upon their chest?”
“I believe so,” Robbi said in a matter-of-fact tone.
“As much as I adore being the center of attention, I am not a creature for your anatomy lessons. I suggest you go to the museum and study the nudes on display. That will allow you to see the male form in all its glory.”
“They have nudes at the museum?” Both Ailsa and Robbi asked at the same time.
Sir Williamson made a displeased sound somewhere between a snort and a scoff. “Astley, there are ladies present. Surely, even you know this conversation is entirely inappropriate.”
“You mean because of ourdelicatenatures?” Ailsa allowed her gaze to travel down to his waist, but thankfully, not any lower.
“Married ladies may view the more mature themes at the museum. Debutantes must wait until they are married and accompanied by their husbands.”
Robbi’s hands fisted at her side. If that wasn’t warning enough, her contemptuous look and clenched jaw spoke volumes. “You mean to tell me that an unmarried young man still in university may visit the nudes, but an unmarried lady of twenty may not?”
“Apparently so,” Caillen added, not certain where she stood on the issue. At one time, she would have displayed the same level of irritation her sisters were demonstrating. Presently, she just didn’t care. What was the point? A woman was rolling thedice when it came to marriage anyway. What really mattered were the parts of a man which were invisible to the naked eye—and remained hidden in his mind and heart until it was too late.
“Caillen has seen Astley in all hisglory,”Robbi said and then added,“although I’m not certain I would use that term when talking about him at the moment. He’s rather puny.”
“Robbi!”
Ailsa giggled and then looked at the scowling Sir Williamson and stopped abruptly.
“I’m not certain my ego is strong enough to endure your sisters this afternoon,” Simon’s response was enshrouded with sarcasm.
