Page 65 of Brigand

“He is that.”

“He’s trying to be better.” And glory. He wanted to courther.

“I know.”

“Then what is it, Kaitlin? Why are you frowning?”

Kaitlin sighed. “It’s just, if you do marry the McCloud youwill probably move to Scotland and I shall never see you.”

Violet laughed, delight dancing in her soul at the thought.If she married Ewan, she would live wherever he wanted. “You’ll see me. I shallalways turn up. Like a bad penny.”

Kaitlin kissed her cheek. “Darling,” she said. “There’snothing bad about you at all. Now. We both look wonderful. Let’s go have awonderful evening and catch you a husband.”

Chapter Seventeen

Ewan stood at the edge of the floor and watched as Violettwirled through a dance, smiling adoringly up at her partner. That the man wasWilliam Winslett didn’t help. His fingers curled into a ball.

He knew what a charmer Winslett was with the ladies. Hecould tell she was taken with him. He’d sat through dinner at the impossiblylong Moncrieff table and watched them banter back and forth. He’d barely beenable to choke down a bite.

The duchess—apparently to punish him for his sins—had seatedhim at the far end with Violet’s brothers. Too far away from Violet to so muchas speak to her. And the brothers had taken it upon themselves to glare at himrepeatedly throughout the meal. One of the twins—he couldn’t remember whichone—had had the temerity to kick him, more than once.

It was clear, if he was to win her, he had to woo herbrothers as well. He wasn’t sure which would be more difficult.

He had been heartened by the shy smile she offered when heentered the drawing room prior to the private family meal. Although that smilecould have been for William. It was hard to tell.

“Stop staring at her as though you want to gobble her up,” adeep voice sounded at his elbow. He turned to glower at Moncrieff. “You’recausing a twitter.” Edward handed him a tumbler and Ewan tossed it back. Theduke frowned. “Easy now.”

“I needed that.”

“You’re doing fine. Calm down.”

“How can I calm down? Will you look at her? She’s surroundedby…wolves.”

Indeed she was. The dance had ended and Violet had beenswarmed by suitors. They boxed her in and vied for her attention, thrustinglemonades and plates at her.

“Why don’t you ask her to dance?”

Annoyance rippled in his gut. “I don’t know how to dance,”he grumbled. Not like this at any rate.

Edward stared at him. “I didn’t even think about that.”

No. He wouldn’t. Edward had been raised with…all of this. Hehad no inkling how lacking Ewan’s education had been. He lifted a hand to rakeit through his hair and, at the last minute, remembered not to. It had takenquite some time for William’s valet to arrange it just so.

“We shall have to get you a tutor.”

“Lovely.”

Perhaps his tone was a trifle harsh because Edward lifted abrow. “You do want to win her?”

“You know I do.” But a dancing master?

Edward chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. “My man,sacrifices must be made. In the meantime, why don’t you ask her to take astroll in the gardens? She does seem flushed.”

Ewan’s eyes narrowed on his quarry. Yes. She did seemflushed. Beautiful—heartbreakingly so—but flushed.

Without a word to his companion, he set off across the room.

Violet’s heart lurched as she saw Ewan making hisway—directly through the dancing couples—toward her. Her breath hitched.