AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I expect she didn’t have much choice after I ruined her reputation. Everyone knew I was going to ask her to marry me.”
“As I recall, ye did ask her, and she refused.”
“Then why are you looking so sour? You never wanted me to marry her.”
“True, but I’ll nae be havin’ ye feel sorry for the girl. She didn’t put up the least little fight for ye when it all went to hell. If the lass had loved ye, she would have.”
Logan had once thought that too, but he was older now and wiser. “It would have meant leaving her family and leading a precarious existence. I can’t blame her for refusing me.”
“I can,” Angus snapped.
“But it no longer matters, does it? And I hope her marriage was a happy one.”
“Och, she’s certainly a happy widow.”
Logan reluctantly smiled. “And a rich one, I suppose.”
“Ye’d be wrong about that. Why do ye think she’s sniffin’ aboot yer heels, ye booby?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’ve heard she’s got only a small widow’s portion. Her husband had a son and daughter from a previous marriage. They inherited, not yon widow.”
“You gossip as much as any old biddy, Grandda. In fact, youarean old biddy.”
Angus waved away the insult. “I’m right about this one, laddie boy. Trust me.”
Logan couldn’t help remembering that Jeanniehadasked him a number of quite pointed questions about his business. He’d assumed it was simply her attempt to be polite.
“It doesn’t matter,” he replied. “I have no intention of getting involved with Jeannie MacArthur. You may rest assured.”
“I’ll nae rest on anything until ye get yerself into the drawin’ room and make yer apologies to Donella.”
“For God’s sake, that is exactly what I’ve been trying to do ever since I got here.”
“Then let’s get to it,” Angus said, bustling off ahead of him.
It was inevitable that he’d have a small but highly critical audience for his apology. Then again, the presence of his son and grandfather might cut down on the chances of Donella throwing a vase at his head.
But as soon as he could, he intended to get her alone. Then he would do whatever it took to convince her to forgive him.
* * *
“Dearest, why don’t you let me do that?” Donella asked as she steadied Joseph on the ladder.
They were trying to drape swags of bay leaves around the portrait that hung over the fireplace, a splendid depiction of her great-uncle in full clan dress. The colors in his tartan would match perfectly with the greenery, especially once she finished it off with red velvet ribbon.
Unfortunately, Joseph wasn’t tall enough to reach the top of the frame.
“If you’d let me climb to the top of the ladder, I could reach it,” he said.
“I’m afraid it’s too high. If you were to fall, your father might toss me off a cliff.”
“I’d like to tossPapaoff a cliff,” the boy muttered.
She couldn’t hold back a small chuckle, despite her dreadfully gloomy mood. Although she didn’t regret her decision to leave Kendrick House, she hadn’t anticipated how emotionally wrenching it would be. It was silly, since she was still close by, and it was lovely to be with Eden, Alasdair, and the children again. Breadie Manor was very familiar and should feel like home.
But it didn’t. Kendrick House now felt like home.
