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Vicky patted her hand. “We were all sorry to hear about your mother-in-law’s accident, and we hope the dowager duchess makes a speedy recovery.”
At the same time as the cricket debacle, an express post had arrived from the Duke of Leverton. The dowager duchess had been visiting her son and grandchildren during Gillian’s absence. While playing with her grandson in the back garden, the old gal had tripped on a paving stone and taken a fall, breaking her wrist. The dowager, understandably, had kicked up a fuss and was now insisting that her son escort her back to the country, where she could recover away from what she called the dreadful noise and bustle of the city.
“I feel terrible for the dear old dragon,” Gillian said. “Though you’d think we were living in the middle of Seven Dials instead of an enormous mansion in boring old Mayfair. But the country it must be. And since Charles will not leave the children until I’m home . . .”
“That means you must return posthaste to London.” Vicky let out a wistful sigh. “I’ll miss you dreadfully, though. We’ve had very little time together.”
“I know, pet. But I’ll return next summer, with Charles and children in tow. We’ll camp out with you for weeks and weeks until you’re thoroughly sick of us.”
Grant had to smother a laugh at the look of alarm on Nick’s face.
Vicky, however, beamed. “That sounds simply lovely. We’ll all go up to Castle Kinglas and have a nice, long visit.”
“Nicholas will be thrilled with that prospect,” Gillian replied, giving him a wink.
“I’ll be on pins and needles until your return,” he wryly said.
She laughed. “At least I’m getting Jeannie out of your hair. That girl rather makes me look like a piker.”
“Nonsense. She’s lovely,” Vicky stoutly said. “Jeannie simply has a great deal of energy and doesn’t quite know what to do with herself.”
Kade winced. “True enough.”
“Runs in the family,” Grant couldn’t help adding.
Vicky tilted a questioning eyebrow. “Kathleen is a delightful young woman, Grant. And you seem to get along with her quite well.”
Nick, who was almost as annoying as Angus on the matchmaking front, perked up his ears. “I am happy to hear that. I hope you’ve been paying Kathleen the attention she deserves.”
“You did seem to be having quite the discussion on the steps this afternoon,” Royal said with an annoying smirk. “Anything you’d like to tell us?”
“There was nothing pleasant about that particular discussion,” Grant said in a tone he hoped would end the conversation.
Gillian pointed a finger at him. “Really, dear boy, Kathleen did not need a reprimand from you on the front steps of the house. She truly did her best with that awful young Trim.”
Nick scowled. “You reprimanded Kathleen?”
Grant rolled his eyes. “Of course not. I simply suggested that she needed to exert a bit more control over Jeannie.”
“Och, ye all but bit the poor lass’s head off,” Angus scoffed.
“Grandda, you weren’t even there,” Grant said.
“I was watchin’ out the window, ye ken.”
“Of course you were,” he dryly replied.
Vicky leveled her best governess scowl. “Grant, I amquitesurprised to hear this about you. I do not approve.”
“And I thought you were the nice Kendrick,” Gillian drolly said to him.
Kade raised his hand. “That would be me.”
“I am not best pleased about this, Grant,” Nick said in a stern tone.
“Hang on, everybody,” he protested. “I was perfectly polite. If anything, she was rude to me.”
Angus clucked his tongue. “And ye wonder why yer still unmarried, what with yer moods and all.”
