Page 84 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Erroll laughed. “You know perfectly well our father would beat you senseless if you intimated otherwise.”

“He treated my mother with the same respect,” Ash said, to Erroll’s surprise. “But the marquess always does his duty.”

Erroll shuddered. “I hate that four letter word.”

“Every man has duty,” Ash said.

“I never cease to be amazed at how sanguine you are on the subject. Duty forced our father to marry a woman other than your mother. If not for that, you would be his heir.”

Ash grinned. “His duty saved me from a life—well, your life—and I am not sorry for that.”

“No?” Erroll laughed. “Despite the fact we got a sister in the bargain who hates us almost as much as she hates our father?”

Ash grinned. “She hates me far worse than you.”

Erroll thought for moment. “It is only fair that you get something from this family in a larger portion than I.”

“I have a fair enough portion.”

“Certainly the better lot than I,” Erroll grimaced. “You have enough money to do as you please and not enough duty to interfere with your pleasure.”

“You romanticize the situation,” Ash replied. “My duty is no less trying than yours. The difference is, I am not obligated to the King of England.”

“King George would beg to differ.”

Ash’s grin widened. “Let him come here and try to force the issue.”

Erroll gave him a recriminating look. “That would mean I would haveto work all the harder.”

“Duty.”

“You will send me to an early grave.”

“You always tended toward the dramatic,” Ash said.

Erroll eyed him. “You are the third person in a week to tell me that. I might have to give the matter some thought.”

“Don’t tax yourself. You know how out of sorts you get when you think too hard.”

“You could not be more right, and I believe I have reached my limit for one day.” Erroll saluted him with his cup and drank down his whiskey in one big gulp. “As you clearly have things well in hand, I will leave you to deal with the slavers.”

“Spoken like a true marquess in the making.”

Erroll couldn’t fault his brother for the jab. The truth was the truth. “How is our sister, Olivia, by the way?”

A cloud passed over Ash’s eyes. “She is well, but she worries night and day about Grant.”

“The seas are quiet these days and he is far from any potential trouble in the Colonies.”

“The Colonies? I last heard talk of his ship headed to Constantinople.”

Erroll nodded. “I believe I heard that as well. But Grant was reassigned to the Sea Dragon with some diplomat who was sent to America to encourage Jefferson to stay home.”

“America, eh?” Ash studied him. “How interesting that Grant was reassigned to a ship that wasn’t likely to see battle anytime soon. It would seem your connections in the military are far reaching.”

Erroll snorted. “As much as I would like to take credit for being in the Royal Navy’s good graces, I cannot.”

Ash’s brows furrowed, then light dawned in his eyes. “You don’t mean Val?”