Page 28 of The Highlander’s Unexpected Wife

Chapter Six

The coach lurched into motion as Lord Weston seized Alison’s arm and shoved her back down onto the seat beside Mrs. Cummings.

Alison turned to the housekeeper. “Be advised, Mrs. Cummings, I am giving you your notice. There will be no need for you to return to Eversley Place. I will have your things delivered to your home.”

“Mrs. Cummings, if Lady Alison is foolish enough not to understand the great service you did her today, you may come to work for me at twice the wages,” his lordship said.

Alison lifted her chin. “You will not steal my help. I will have you know we pay well, some of the best wages in Inverness, so you should not be so cavalier with your offers.”

“Forgive me, my lady,” Mrs. Cummings said. “But his lordship’s offer is quite tempting since Mister Hamilton lowered our wages by ten percent.”

Alison stared. “That is impossible. Henry wouldn’t.”

Mrs. Cummings shrugged. “You may take my word, my lady, it is true.”

“But there is no need to lower your wages. What reason did he give you? Did he tell you this himself?”

The housekeeper nodded. “He did, ma’am. We were told not to question him, and that if we were unhappy with the situation, he would accept our resignations.”

“How dare he,” she seethed.

“We all love you, my lady, but Harriet had not been in your employ for long, and she did find a position elsewhere. Did you not wonder why?”

“I— Well, that is, servants often leave employment. I thought nothing of it.”

“Perhaps you will see that your cousin is not so altruistic as you might like to believe,” the viscount said.

Alison turned a hard stare onto him. “That does not change the fact that you are mad.”

He kept his gaze locked with hers. “Lady Alison, do you mean to say that you do not have the slightest misgivings about your cousin?”

She hesitated. “As I told you earlier, he can be trying, but he is not the sort of man who would force himself upon a woman, particularly his cousin, in order to force her into marriage. His wife died nine months ago. He is in pain.”

“There are men who have done far worse than force themselves upon a woman in order to secure a fortune.”

“If I might say something,” Mrs. Cummings said.

Alison looked at her and arched a brow. To the woman’s credit, she didn’t look away.

“As you know, ma’am, we servants know a great deal about what goes on in a household. Mister Hamilton has been acting strange of late. For example, I suspect he has been reading your mail.”

Alison recalled her latest letter from Robert, and Henry’s apology that he had opened the letter by mistake. She returned her attention to the viscount. “None of this means that I will marry you.”

“You are completely at the mercy of your cousin,” his lordship replied. He is not to be trusted. Accepting my proposal is the safest thing for you, at this point. As I suggested earlier, we need not truly marry. By leaving Eversley Place, you will be safe from your cousin and from further gossip. In six months, when Thomson returns, if he agrees to marry you, I will make a big show of betraying you and you can cry off. No one will blame you and all past scandals will be forgotten.”

“Where do you suggest I live?” she asked.

“You claim to care nothing for Society. I have a home in the north where you can stay. Bring any and all staff you like. Take Mrs. Cummings with you—that is, if she is willing to go.” He looked at her. “We are taking you into our confidence, Mrs. Cummings. I trust you will not repeat any of this to anyone.”

She straightened. “I am not a gossipmonger, sir. Ye may depend that not one word of this will pass from my lips.”

He nodded. “I knew we could count on you, Mrs. Cummings. Pray, tell me, would you be willing to travel with Lady Alison to the country? I remind you, that I will pay twice your current wages.”

She grinned. “I feel certain my husband can do without me for a while.”

Lord Weston laughed. “Well done.”

“Just a moment,” Alison said. “I have agreed to none of this.”