Page 66 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Chapter Eleven

Three hours later, when Erroll returned with Somerset, he wasn’t surprised at the mountain of packages loaded atop their coach. He was, however, curious about the pensive direction Miss Eve Crenshaw’s mood seemed to have taken.

“I see you are wearing new dresses,” he commented. The younger sister wore a pretty yellow muslin and the elder a white muslin that contrasted the soft, honey brown curls of her hair.

“Why buy new clothes if we don’t wear them?” Grace Crenshaw said.

“I quite agree.” He particularly liked the way the long, Indian muslin pelisse molded to the elder sister’s breasts. “Shall we walk?” he asked. “There is a millinery shop not far from here I thought you might like. We aren’t in the heart of town, so it should be a quiet walk.”

“How wonderful,” Grace Crenshaw cried. “Do not forget, my lord, you promised we would stop at the bakery on the way back to the ship.”

“Thank you for reminding me. We cannot forget that. Oscar,” Erroll called, “we plan to walk to our next destination.”

Oscar nodded and climbed up beside the driver of the carriage.

Erroll surveyed his group. “Shall we proceed?”

Miss Eve Crenshaw stepped forward with the obvious intent to partner with Somerset, but Somerset winged an arm at the younger sister who stood between them.

“May I?” he asked.

She demurred with calculated perfection, but Erroll caught the drop of her lashes before he turned to the elder sister. “Seems you’re stuck with me.”

“How fortunate for me,” she said.

He offered his arm. She accepted and they followed the other two along the narrow walkway.

“I see you did a bit of shopping yourself.”

Erroll’s mind snapped to attention. Had her glance indicated more than the notice of his change of attire? “Buckskin breeches are more suited to our current adventure,” he said. “Do you not agree?”

“I couldn’t say, my lord.”

Her voice had been casual, but Erroll noted with delight a hint of color rising in her cheeks. So the form fitting breeches were to her liking. Would it be to her liking if he pulled her into the warmth of his greatcoat and wrapped his arms around her?

They walked a moment with the carriage following behind when Eve Crenshaw slowed, her gaze fixed on a patch of snowdrops that had sprung up wild in the grass beside the sidewalk.

When Grace and her escort were several paces ahead of them, she said, “What will you do if Lord Halifax dies?”

“No need to worry yourself over that.”

“You will leave the Continent,” she persisted.

“Perhaps.”

“I don’t think our father will allow either of us to marry a man who is wanted for murder.”

“I should say not,” Erroll said.

“That is why you didn’t insist that one of us marry you in Gretna.”

It wasn’t a question. “That was one reason,” he replied.

“Your wish not to marry is another.”

This was not a question either. “Perhaps I simply never found someone I wanted to marry.”

She gave her head a frustrated shake. “That is a very convenient answer.”