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Donella patted her husband’s cheek. “Poor you, having to live with one of the finest concert pianists in Europe.”
“Maybe we could ask Angus to play his bagpipes instead,” Braden said. “That should be a nice change.”
Logan grimaced. “Lad, don’t even suggest it. He’ll have Taffy send him the bloody things from Kinglas, and then we’ll all have to shoot ourselves—or him.”
“He’s already written to her,” Kade dryly replied. “Grandda suggested that he and I give a Christmas recital at the family holiday party.”
“That’s it,” Logan said, “I’m loading my pistols as soon as I get home.”
Angus was undoubtedly the worst piper in the Highlands, but loved the damn things and played them whenever he got the chance.
“No need for bloodshed. Just shoot the bagpipes,” Braden suggested. “By the way, where is Grandda?”
“He and Samantha are checking on the seating arrangements in one of the supper rooms,” Donella said. “Ah, here they are now.”
Braden turned to see Samantha and Angus come into the room and promptly felt his jaw drop to the floorboards. While she was always bonny, Samantha’s style was generally subdued, even stark. Tonight, though, she was an absolute stunner in a gown that made her look like a fairy princess.
An exceedingly lush fairy princess.
Her wine-colored dress shimmered in the candlelight, providing a perfect template for her creamy-white skin. And there wasquitea bit of skin on display. Her neck and shoulders were exposed by the low neckline of her form-fitting bodice, and a hint of bosom peeked over the curved top. Her sleeves, lacy little contraptions that defied gravity, prompted a desire in him to conduct an intimate investigation of their workings, all in the interest of science, of course. From the narrow waist, the gown belled out in a graceful sweep of satin that was lavishly trimmed with lace.
Even more appealing was the shy smile that parted her pink lips when she spotted him. And for once, that smile reached her beautiful dark eyes. Samantha was so lovely that it made Braden’s heart ache with a longing he’d not felt in a very long time.
And if ye keep starin’ like that, somethin’ else will start to achin,’ too.
He ordered his body to calm the hell down and mustered a smile that he hoped wasn’t that of a lust-smitten idiot.
“Och, the slackers are finally here,” Angus said. “The puir lassie and I have been doin’ all the work.”
Samantha patted his arm. “It’s been a team effort. We never would have managed this event without your family’s help. I’m so grateful.”
“It was our pleasure,” Braden said, smiling down at her.
She dimpled back at him. He’d never noticed the dimples, likely because she hadn’t had many opportunities to smile.
“Even when you were dragooned into carrying classroom desks to the third floor?” she asked. “Or sent up rickety ladders?”
“Hang on,” protested Logan. “I was the one risking life and limb on that blasted ladder.”
“And we were most impressed, my love,” said Donella, with a twinkle. “But you’ve not yet been properly introduced. Lady Samantha wasn’t here yesterday, when you were risking life and limb.”
Samantha extended her hand. “Indeed, sir, I cannot thank you enough forallyour help. I owe you a great debt.”
Logan bowed. “For such a good cause, I’m happy to be a beast of burden.”
“And then there’s them ledgers,” Angus said. “Bit of a mystery, that.”
Braden mentally sighed. When it came to mysteries, his grandfather was a dog with a bone.
“Nothing mysterious at all, Grandda,” Logan said. “I was just helping Lady Samantha figure out the best way to recoup some of the losses from the past year.”
Angus snorted. “That’s a load of—”
“Your grandfather was just saying that he remembers meeting me when I was a little girl,” Samantha brightly cut in. “Isn’t that amazing?”
Donella smoothly picked up the diversion. “What an extraordinary coincidence. Was it a clan gathering? I wonder if my family was there.”
If there was one topic Angus could never resist, it was clan business.
