Page 69 of A Stranger’s Gamble

“Then you should never have agreed to the annulment from Matthew.”

“Agreed?” she whispered. “You insisted on the annulment. You—you did that on purpose. This was your plan all along.”

“You give me too much credit,” he replied. “My plan was to protect you from Matthew’s family.”

“Lot of good that did,” she muttered, though she knew she was being melodramatic. The annulment had curtailed their demands for money and attention.

“Society understands that you have no connection with Matthew’s family,” her father said.

“Invergarry’s society.”

“Not just Invergarry,” he said.

“I care nothing for Society,” she said.

“That much is clear,” he replied in a harsh voice. “You ran off last night with the intention of marrying Lord Monthemer.”

“I ran off with the intention of marrying Mr. Adam MacAlister!”

“They are the same man,” he said. “You cannot suddenly decide you do not like what you got.”

Sophie shifted her gaze to Adam. “Lord Monthemer is involved in criminal activities.”

“Lord Monthemer is working for the Crown,” her father said.

Sophie frowned. “You are not so naïve as to believe that?”

“I have no reason to believe otherwise, but we will soon have confirmation.”

“I am agog to learn the truth,” she said with mock sweetness. “Until then, I will remain here at Aunt Maddie’s.”

“I wouldn’t think of forcing you to leave the safety of your aunt’s home,” Adam replied.

She scowled. “This is a trick.”

“A trick?” he repeated. “You do not wish to stay at my lodgings here in Edinburgh, and I am obliging.”

“Lodgings?” She nodded slowly. “You do not own a home in Edinburgh.”

“Not anymore,” he said.

Sophie looked at her father. “How can you allow a man who doesn’t even own a home to marry your daughter?”

“Lord Monthemer owns a home, just not in Edinburgh,” he said.

“Where?” she asked warily.

“Inverness,” Adam replied.

“Is this “home” a summer cottage?”

“Nae.”

“A townhouse?”

“Nae.”

“An estate?” she asked.