Page 25 of Return to Wildsyde

He stood with his arms folded, those tawny leonine eyes fixed on her as if he might read her mind if he stared hard enough. Luella swallowed, wishing he was not such an imposing figure. He radiated strength and certainty, things she had never known in her life before, and she could only think Lilith the biggest fool on earth for not trying to put all her talents to work in making their marriage into something real. What a husband he would make for a woman he honoured and loved.

The sudden realisation that she did not wish Lord Buchanan to think ill of her was not one that Luella was pleased to admit, even to herself.

“If ye are really the proud and independent creature ye would have me believe, I can imagine how it galls ye to have me pay for everything, but ye must see, I can nae have people think I am the monster Lilith would have had them believe. I have lived here all my life, and happily most people know the truth of me well enough to not give such talk a moment’s notice, but there are always those who enjoy thinking the worst of people, and others who just enjoy scandal and wicked stories for their own sake. There are those, too, who would speak ill of you and say ye are just like Lilith and I’m a fool for giving ye a roof over yer head. We can only silence all of them if we prove them wrong, aye?”

“I suppose so,” she admitted, unable to deny the sense of this.

“Then I suppose my mother has the right of it. We had best find a way to rub along together.”

“You mean I had better not make a fuss and accept the fact I am to be forever in your debt,” she said grimly.

“I did nae say that,” he replied, temper flashing in his eyes. “Don’t go putting words in my mouth.”

“No, but it is what you meant. ‘Just shut up, Luella, and be grateful for everything you are given.’”

“I am nae asking for yer gratitude. The devil take ye! I dinnae want it!” he said indignantly. He paced the length of the courtyard, which was not far enough with his long strides, returning to her a moment later. “Ye are the most frustrating woman.”

His expression reflected those words so eloquently she could not help but laugh.

“I am, I know it. Believe it or not, my father would have been entirely in sympathy with you.”

“Why?”

“Never mind.” Luella shook her head. The anger that had given her backbone enough to spar with him suddenly gave way and she felt nothing but weary. “I am grateful. I am grateful for giving us a roof over our head and feeding us, but mostly I am grateful for everything you are doing for Jack. He is so happy to be learning to ride, I have not seen him so happy for such a long time, and you did that. That he is going to school, at least for the next three years, is such a relief to me, and I am grateful for that too. So I shall do as you ask, my lord, and not make a fuss. I shall keep my head down and be useful where I may and I shall do that for Jack, because he deserves a chance in life.”

He didn’t say a word and so she dared a glance up at him. His expression was shuttered, his stance defensive once more but when he spoke his tone was not unkind.

“He’ll be under my guardianship until he is four and twenty, Luella. Ye may go in three years, but he will stay, and ye may as well get used to the idea.” He held his hand up as she opened her mouth to rage at him for keeping her brother from her. “I hear he is a bright lad, according to Mr Clugston. A quick learner.”

Luella nodded, folding her arms. “Jack loves to learn. I have always wished I could afford to buy him books for he reads everything you put in front of him and seems to absorb knowledge. I always hoped—”

She broke off, remembering who she was speaking to and determined not to let him have a grasp on her hopes and dreams.

“Ye hoped to educate him, to send him to university, perhaps?”

Luella clenched her teeth, annoyed with herself and uncertain why that was. “And why not?” she demanded.

Lord Buchanan’s eyes widened, and he held up his hands. “There is nae reason in the world he ought not, and that is something I could help ye with.”

Luella gasped, staring at him. She told herself not to be so foolish. There would be a price to pay. There always was.

“And what would I need to do to make that happen?” she asked bluntly.

He opened his mouth to reply and then snapped it closed again, scowling at her with such fury she took a step back. His voice was barely audible, yet the growl of sound was the most furious thing she had ever heard.

“If ye mean to imply I would demand favours of ye, ye may think again. I would nae touch ye with a ten-foot pole. Not under any circumstances.”

Luella’s cheeks blazed, but she put her chin up, refusing to admit how badly those words stung. What did she care if he felt so strongly the idea of touching her revolted him? It was nothing to her. She wouldn’t want him either, not if he were the last man on earth.

“I’m relieved to hear it,” she shot back. “I assure you the feeling is mutual, so you may put aside any ideas that I am hoping to do as my cousin did. I would rather starve in a ditch than marry a man like you.”

“Good,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Good,” she agreed with a sharp nod.

“Fine, then we are agreed,” he said, his enraged gaze intent on hers, burning with such intensity she struggled to keep looking at him. “I will see to it Jack receives a gentleman’s education, I will ensure he goes to university and has every opportunity available to him. In return, ye will stay out of my way until ye are four and twenty. At that time ye will receive both yer inheritance, such as it is, and a sum I have put aside for ye. Then ye will leave Wildsyde and Jack in my care, and we will never set eyes on one another again.”

Luella blinked. “Leave Jack?” she repeated, too shocked to register anything else he had to say.