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He stood up straight and jerked his head at his brother.
Logan nodded and took his grandfather’s arm. “Come on, Grandda. Lady Samantha needs a minute alone.”
Angus grimaced at her. “I’m that sorry, lassie. I didna mean nae harm.”
She managed a nod before Logan steered him out the door, closing it behind them.
“Come, sweetheart,” Braden said, resting gentle hands on her shoulders, and urging her toward the desk chair. “Sit yourself down.”
He crouched down in front of her. His big hands wrapped around hers, cupping them in welcome warmth. Her whole body felt chilled to the bone.
“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered. “I cannot let him take Felicity away from me.”
He chaffed her hands, his gaze tender and full of concern. “I won’t let him.”
“But you can’t stop him. He’s Felicity’s legal guardian.” She closed her eyes against the sudden sting of tears.
“Samantha, look at me.”
She opened her eyes and stared miserably into his fatally handsome features.Whyhad she been so stupid?Whyhad she let herself get trapped like this?
“We’ll sort it out, I promise,” he firmly said. “And as my grandfather would say, a Kendrick always keeps his promise. I will not let him take Felicity away from you.”
“But—”
“Ipromise.”
She stared at him for a moment, and then nodded. There was no point in trying to convince him otherwise.
Braden stood, pulling her up with him. His hands rested lightly at her waist until she was steady.
“Now, we’ve got to get back to the party, and you’ve got to pretend that nothing is wrong. Half of Edinburgh is here tonight watching us. Can you manage it?”
God.
He was right. No matter what happened with Beath tomorrow, she couldn’t afford to let anyone see how distressed she was. As for the problem with Haxton and the finances, that would have to wait.
She nodded. “Yes.”
He smiled and briefly cupped her cheek. “That’s my brave lady. And, don’t forget, we’ll get it sorted.”
As he led her out of the room, Samantha did her best to calm her roiling emotions and the terrible sense that she’d just blown up her life. Braden meant well, and he would do his best to protect her and Felicity from Beath’s wrath. But she knew—because sheknewBeath—that this was one promise a Kendrick would not be able to keep.
CHAPTER20
“Thank God that blasted party is done with,” Logan said as he fetched whisky and glasses from the sideboard. “It felt like we were dodging bullets all night.”
Braden sank into a chair in front of his brother’s desk. “Sadly, a few managed to hit their targets.”
After they’d arrived home only a few minutes ago, Donella and Angus, who were both worn out by the ghastly evening, had gone up to bed. Logan had insisted that Braden and Kade join him in the study for a nightcap and a discussion of next steps.
After the blowup with Lord Beath, they’d all managed to put up a credible show of normalcy for the rest of the evening. The old goat had stormed out in a huff, but thankfully unobserved by the guests.
Also thankfully, Kade had launched into a round of Christmas carols and encouraged the guests to join in. That had provided enough cover for Braden and Samantha to slip back into the recital room undetected. And although Beath’s absence was later noted, Bathsheba had done an excellent job of putting it about that his lordship had suffered a sudden attack of the gout that had forced him to return home.
So, they’d pulled it off, raising a large sum of money for the foundation and averting damaging gossip, at least for now.
But that Samantha was quietly distraught was evident to Braden, at least. While the lass had put up a brave front during the party, he’d seen the bleak expression that lurked at the back of her lovely dark gaze. Still, she’d conducted herself with a quiet dignity that underscored the strength of her character.
