Page 11 of The Highlander’s Unexpected Wife

Everyone’s eyes turned to her sleeve. Alison glanced at the sleeve and gasped. She’d forgotten. She tore the sleeve when fleeing upstairs. If she hadn’t grown warm by the fire and removed her cloak, no one would have seen the tear.

She looked at the men. “Surely, you cannot believe the viscount tore my dress. He is not an animal.”

Just a criminal.

“I am gratified to hear you hold me in such high esteem,” he murmured.

Alison frowned. “As you see, Uncle Harrison, ‘tis only a misunderstanding. I now understand how foolish it was for me to come here at this hour. But I feared my cousin wouldn’t approve of my acting and, you see, it has become a passion of mine.”

Her uncle heaved a sigh. “Aye, this is all a misunderstanding. If all that has transpired remains within this room, then nothing more need be said.”

Selwick cleared his throat. “I do not see how you can so easily dismiss the situation.” He turned to Lord Weston. “There are already rumors regarding your association with Miss Lennox. How else do you explain the note to his daughter?”

“What note?”

“Ignorance does not suit you,” Selwick said. “To discover Alison here tonight… Well, you have gone too far.”

“You know nothing of the situation,” her uncle said to Selwick. “His lordship has a tendréfor Erin.”

The viscount’s eyes narrowed.

“There is no reason to deny it, my lord.” Alison touched his arm. His flesh was warm, the strong muscle beneath hard and flexed. His gaze dropped to her hand. She snatched her hand back. “Erin has expressed the tenderness she feels for you. What harm can come from the truth now?”

“Aside from being trapped?” he gritted out.

“Trapped—” she began.

“You have brought that upon yourself,” her uncle cut in. “Erin has told me about your time with her.”

“What is the meaning of this?”

Alison jumped at the loud male demand and whirled. The 7th Earl of Weston stood in the doorway staring at them.

“Oh dear,” Alison said.

“You have a knack for understatement,” Cameron Hunter said.