Page 11 of Return to Wildsyde

“Why, thank you, Jack,” she said, and waited for him on the landing where he offered her his arm.

“Nicely done, Master Fulbright,” the countess said approvingly, and led them down the stairs.

When they arrived at the door to the study, the countess knocked.

“Come in,” barked a deep voice.

Luella’s heart leapt to her throat and, despite her previous promise that everything would be all right, a terrible sense of foreboding hit her square in the chest. Thoughts of wishing to stay in that lovely room in this beautiful place faded, and she wanted nothing more than to run all the way back to London.

“He doesn’t bite,” the countess said, turning the handle and pushing the door open. She gestured for them to enter.

“You’re not coming?” Luella asked, wanting to cling to the woman who had been kind to them, despite what their family had done to her son.

“No. He wishes to speak to you alone,” she replied, something in her voice that made Luella suspect this went against her wishes. It did not make her feel better. Still, she was no coward, so she stiffened her spine, put her head up and, holding tightly to Jack’s hand, entered the room.

Lord Buchanan was standing by the window, his back turned to them, and for a moment Luella blinked, for in the dimly lit room he seemed almost a part of the landscape beyond, not simply that he belonged there but as if he was integral to it. His hair was tawny, in shades that ranged from gold to amber and everything in between. He wore the tartan she had seen much of in the castle, including in her room. It was dark green and blue and, set against the landscape beyond, with the earthy shades of the hills visible behind his head, he seemed to have emerged from the landscape itself like some ancient myth.

He turned and her breath caught as she discovered a living, breathing highlander stood before her, just as she had imagined. His large and forceful presence seemed to overwhelm the entire room. His shoulders blocked a good deal of the weak daylight filtering past the windows, and he looked strong enough to have carried the massive beam over the fireplace all by himself. Picking Luella up and removing her from the castle certainly would not be a problem.

At least he wasn’t raging at them as she had feared he might, but the uncompromising look in his eyes was not welcoming. Neither was the rigid line of a hard, square jaw. Here was a man with a will of iron, as stubborn and uncompromising as the surrounding land, and just as unforgiving if they put a foot wrong. Magnificent. The errant thought entered her brain, and she was too shocked to even deny it. He really was quite… magnificent. It was a moment before she realised she was staring, and only then because Jack jabbed her with his elbow. Galvanised, she dipped into a curtsey.

“Good evening, Lord Buchanan. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. This is my brother, Jack.”

He said nothing, just watched them. His eyes were the same shade as his hair, or shades, for there must be a dozen colours at least in that yellowish-brown and amber mixture. She had a sudden recollection of a visit to a menagerie in London, and the sight of a lion behind the bars of a cage. His eyes had looked like that, as if he was biding his time, just waiting for the opportunity to strike out in anger.

Movement from the corner of the room caught her attention and Luella dragged her unwilling eyes from him to three huge, shaggy grey dogs. One got to its feet and approached her warily. Luella gasped and grasped Jack’s hand tighter, pushing him behind her, for her only experience of dogs had been the one in the pawnshop next door that would savage you as soon as look at you, and the numerous starving strays that wandered the city in search of food. Glancing back at Lord Buchanan, she saw his lip curl with distaste.

“He will nae eat ye,” he said impatiently, and the low rumble of sound startled her, especially as he so closely echoed his mother's words about himself. “Murdoch, here.”

The dog immediately returned to him, sitting down at his master’s feet and gazing up at him adoringly. The look his lordship cast on Luella was devoid of any such kindness.

Nervous, Luella swallowed and hurried on.

“I know we must be the last people on earth you wish to share your home with,” she said, unsettled to discover how breathless she sounded. “I assure you, the arrangement was as much of a shock to us as it must have been to you. We have no desire to… to disrupt your life. I understand I have a small inheritance left to me, so if you prefer we go our own way and not inconvenience you any further, you need only hand it over to me and—”

“Aye, breaking the law comes easy to yer family. Well, it does nae in mine. You’ll nae touch a penny until ye have attained the lawful age stated in the will.”

Luella stiffened. She supposed they deserved that but still, his tone had been so filled with disgust that her temper flared. “I only meant to save you the embarrassment and inconvenience of having us under your roof,” she said coldly.

“Embarrassment?” he repeated with a bark of laughter. “Ye wished to save me embarrassment? Aye, that’s a good one. Dinnae fash yerself, lassie. Lilith did ye proud. I care little enough for what people think but I will nae have them say I put my dead wife’s orphan kin out on the streets to fend for themselves.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Luella asked, aware of Jack clinging to her hand and gazing at Lord Buchanan with wide eyes.

The man strode closer to them, staring down at Luella. “I suggest ye do as yer told and keep out of my way. Mrs Baillie is my housekeeper and cook. She has instructions to feed and clothe ye as ye require. I am no miser and I’ll provide what ye need, but dinnae think ye can bleed me as Lilith tried to do. She failed, and so shall ye if ye try it. I’m nae a green laddie to have the wool pulled over his eyes by a pretty face.”

“I never supposed you were and, if Lilith failed, I cannot imagine why you think I should make the attempt,” she shot back, annoyed now, for he must be able to see she was not the beauty her cousin had been. “I did not ask for this, I have no desire to be in your way, and we will leave as soon as we have the means to do so,” Luella said, relieved that her voice was steady.

He stared at her for a long moment and then grunted. It seemed to be an acceptance of her words, but she could not be certain. His gaze turned to Jack, and she thought perhaps that austere gaze softened a little.

“Master Jack. Do ye ride, lad?”

Jack shook his head.

“We lived on Tottenham Court Road,” Luella said defensively. “We neither had the means nor the opportunity for—”

“Aye, I get the picture. I’ll have one of the lads teach ye, aye? Ye cannae live out here and not ride.”

“What about me?” Luella demanded.