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Kathleen knew her sister had yet to fully forgive Kade’s appropriate but embarrassing rejection at Mugdock. Kade, fortunately, had been nothing but patient with Jeannie ever since, although he’d been careful to avoid too much contact with her.
Still, he’d readily agreed to their absurd plan this afternoon, and Kathleen was now relieved to see Jeannie behaving more comfortably with him.
“Don’t encourage him,” Kade wryly replied. “He might actually take you up on it.”
“You did accuse him of cheating,” Jeannie said.
“Because he is.” Kade frowned at his grandfather. “And why are you taking the stool? That’s supposed to be our wicket.”
“I need to sit myself down,” Angus said, perching on the stool.
“We need a wicket to play the bloody game,” Kade retorted.
The old fellow began to refill his pipe with tobacco. “Ye’ll manage.”
Kade scoffed. “This is the silliest game of cricket in history.”
“Yes, but it’s good fun, don’t you think?” Jeannie replied as she took practice swings with her bat.
Kade hastily stepped to the side. “You say that because you’re winning.”
Jeannie’s laugh echoed through the small park, drawing the notice of two matrons on a stroll. They paused, eyeing the cricketers with vague disapproval. Still, when Kathleen dropped a curtsy and flashed a smile, one of the ladies gave her a friendly nod.
“Stop jabbering and throw the ball,” Gillian yelled from her end of the pitch.
She’d assumed her stance, slightly crouched, waiting for Kade to bowl.
The matrons, after giving them now decidedly disapproving stares, disappeared into a mansion a few doors down from Kendrick House.
“Perhaps we should lower our voices,” Kathleen suggested. “We don’t want to disturb the neighbors.”
“Och, nae need to worry about Mrs. Buchanan and her sister,” Angus said. “Vicky always turns ’em up sweet.”
Kade flexed his arm, preparing to bowl. “Mrs. Buchanan secretly likes all of us, especially Grant. We can always send him over to charm her if she kicks up a fuss.”
“Why Grant?” Kathleen couldn’t help asking. Of all the Kendricks, he seemed the least likely to charm anyone.
He charmed you, though, didn’t he?
She steadfastly ignored that inner voice.
“That’s because our Grant is an old sobersides, just like Mrs. Buchanan,” Angus said. “She was married to a vicar, ye ken. Says Grant reminds her of yon late husband.”
Kathleen laughed.
“Course, our lad wasn’t always that way,” Angus added with a broad wink. “He just needs to find the right lassie to remind him how to have fun again.”
Kathleen mentally winced. After their Mugdock outing, Grant seemed to be avoiding her. That was rather a shame, since she’d caught a glimpse of a different sort of man up there on that high tower. Grant had been the opposite of boring, then. He’d displayed an intensity she’d found both attractive and disconcerting.
But by the time they’d returned to Kendrick House, he’d reverted to form—politely bland and mostly disinterested. He’d been that way for the last five days. And, yes, unfortunately, she’d been counting.
Yet, what difference did it make? She wouldn’t be changing her plans for Grant or for any man. And those plans were proceeding well. Jeannie would soon be returning to London, her enthusiasm for Glasgow dimmed after her falling-out with Kade. Jeannie wasn’t wild about returning home, but she’d come to accept it as inevitable.
As for Kathleen’s situation, Victoria and Lord Arnprior had made it clear that she could spend as much time as she liked in Glasgow and even spend the winter holidays with them at Castle Kinglas. Although she still planned to travel to Lochnagar to visit with Sabrina, she would no longer be required to spend the entire winter in a dreary corner of the Highlands.
You’ll be spending more time with Grant, too.
Again, she tried to ignore that annoying little voice. “Are you ready, Kade?”
