Page 64 of Walk on the Wildsyde

Chapter 17

Lyall,

It is horrifying to have to admit this in writing, but I took your advice.

I’m marrying the girl.

―Excerpt of a letter from The Hon’ble Mr Hamilton Anderson to his elder brother, The Right Hon’ble Lyall Anderson, Viscount Buchanan.

25th June 1850, Wick, Caithness, Scotland.

The next morning, Hamilton arrived at the vicarage front door, smartly dressed as curtains twitched the length and breadth of Wick. News of his having won not only Miss Halliday’s hand, but the Reverend Halliday’s approval, spread with such speed that, by midmorning, there was no one who did not know of it.

Bemused but in too good a humour to complain, Hamilton accepted the words of thanks as he walked from his offices close to the harbour and endured the good-natured ribbing from the fishermen who were full of helpful, if vulgar, advice for his wedding night.

To his surprise, Jimmy opened the door of the vicarage, and Hamilton grinned at him.

“Ye are still here, then. I thought ye would stay with Mrs Macready now?”

“I did,” he said proudly, adding in a confidential tone. “I slept in a proper bed last night, with sheets and blankets and everything. It was her son’s room, and she give it to me.”

“Ye deserve it,” Hamilton said, patting the lad’s skinny shoulder. “But as soon as we have a new schoolmaster, I expect to see ye there, ye hear me. Ye are a bright laddie, and ye must make the most of yer skills.”

“Aye, I know it. Mrs Macready said so too,” he said gloomily.

“But if ye are clever at school, I’ll be able to find a place for ye. Perhaps if ye do very well, ye could work with Angus one day, running things for me.”

“Like Angus Stewart? Him with that nice house and the pretty wife?” Jimmy said with interest.

“Aye, the same, and ye could have a nice house and a pretty wife too one day, if ye want it and dinnae mind working for it. It’s a way off, Jimmy, but it does ye nae harm to have ambition, aye?”

“Is that why you have so much money, ’cause you’re ambitious?”

Hamilton snorted. “Aye, I guess so, and I dinnae like being idle. I’m the sort that gets into mischief if I have nae something to occupy me.”

“So am I,” Jimmy admitted ruefully.

Hamilton nodded, understanding. “Well, at least ye ken it. Now, take me to Clara, is she ready?”

“She is,” Jimmy said, leading him through to the front parlour.

To his alarm, Hamilton found not only his betrothed, but her father and Mrs Cameron too, all of them dressed for an outing. Clara’s face was the picture of dismay as he met her eyes. “Papa and Mrs Cameron are going to accompany us on our walk,” she said, an apology in her voice. “For propriety’s sake.”

Hamilton swallowed a curse and merely nodded. “Aye, well, we’d best do things right. If ye are ready, then, Clara?”

She nodded, and the party headed to the front door. Mrs Cameron laid a hand on his arm as she passed, whispering, “Sorry, laddie, I tried my best. Ye had best marry her as soon as ye can.”

“It had not escaped my attention,” Hamilton said dryly. “I thank ye for trying, though.”

Mrs Cameron winked at him as she hurried out the door and took the reverend’s arm.

“I’m sorry,” Clara whispered as they fell into step, with Reverend Halliday leading the way.

Hamilton patted her hand. “’Tis nae bother, mo leannan. We’d nae have got a moment of privacy in any case, not with the whole town flapping its gums about us. But we must do our best to set a date, aye? I dinnae want this situation to carry on long. I’m nae a fan of long engagements, ye ken.”

“Tomorrow suits me,” Clara said impishly, smiling up at him. Hamilton gazed down at her, realising he must have the same daft expression on his face that Muir got when he gazed at Delia. He didn’t care, either. He wanted to drink in the sight of her beautiful face for hours, just to be in her company, even if the blasted reverend had to come too. His heart felt oddly light, and yet full to bursting. It was a strange sensation, not unpleasant, but it would take some getting used to. He smiled, remembering not so very long ago when he’d danced at his brother’s wedding and convinced himself he wasn’t green with envy. He’d told himself he was in no hurry, that he was happy enough, but he knew now he was ready for this, for Clara, for a life together that promised to be everything he could have dreamed of.

Still, for Clara, this would be another upheaval, and not long after having moved to Scotland. “Do ye mean it? It’s not going too fast for ye? It will be a big change, to leave yer father’s house.”