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I expected better of you.
Well, he had expected her to be happy that he had taken the time and effort... Well, told Angus and Mrs Merry and Beth to take the time and effort, with his money, to make her happy and a little more comfortable while she stayed with them. That was the very last time he bothered on her account, that was certain.
In fact, it would serve her right if he had Mrs Merry give all those new gowns as well to Widow McManus. Let her stay in her shifts and see how she enjoyed that! Her trips down to the beach with Jamie would not be quite so comfortable.
His mind generously offered up that image. Now that he had a better idea precisely what lay hidden beneath the grey sacks, it happily proceeded the next step to imagining her in even thinner muslin and that muslin conveniently dampened by the licking waves and plastered against her by the north wind. It also removed Jamie from the image so that she stood alone on the beach, very straight, looking up at him where he stood on his rock, her eyes as grey and deep as the sea.
‘Hell,’ he muttered as the image filled him with unwelcome heat. He shut his eyes harder and tugged at his hair again, but the tide was rising, swirling her skirts about her legs, and she wasn’t moving, so naturally he bent down to help her up on to his rock and to safety as he had that day on the beach. Except that this time he did not let go, he was standing on the rock with her, and it was a very modest little rock and he had no choice but to hold her quite close, one hand sliding over her warm curves to cup her bottom, pulling her closer as his head lowered to taste that lovely pink bow of a mouth that kept torturing him...
He shoved his hands through his hair again, pulling at it in frustration.
‘Benneit?’
‘What?’ he growled as Angus stepped into the study and closed the door.
‘Is aught wrong? Did you have words with Mrs Langdale?’
‘Why?’
‘I came by her and she thanked me for the gowns and I said it were you, not I, that should be thanked and she looked fit to cry. Not like her at all. Knew she’d crack at some point. You can only fit so much whisky in a cask before it starts to leak.’
‘What the devil does that even mean? And, no, I did not have words with her, she had words, and plenty of them, for me. Far from thanking me, apparently I am merely another petty, inconsiderate slave master and she a meek and put-upon serf. Meek! She’s as meek as the worst of the McCrieff juggernauts! If ever I’ve seen a woman falsely advertised, that is Mrs Joane Langdale. She won’t rest until she has the whole of Lochmore dancing to her tune, as subtle as it is. No wonder the Uxmores wanted her shunted off to the Antipodes. And to think, I felt sorry for her and was thinking my sister-in-law Celia a vindictive little cow. What a fool I was. Well, I can safely send my conscience scurrying back to its cave. That is the last time I exert myself on behalf of that ingrate.’
Angus’s brows climbed higher and higher into his brow as Benneit’s tirade advanced.
‘That bad, eh? Still and all, I did tell you not to send her own clothes away until she was ready. People with damn all in the world can be picky about what they have.’
‘You did not...’ Benneit paused at the memory that Angus had suggested precisely that. ‘I cannot abide people who say “I told you so”.’
‘Aye, people who think they know better than others can be a right nuisance.’
‘Are you trying to pick a fight, Angus?’
‘I thought you could do with a round or two out in the yard. You’re wound tighter than a top lately.’ Angus inspected his ham-sized fists and grinned. ‘I think we take our differences outside. You strike wide when you’re angry and I’ve a score to settle with you over our last bout.’
Benneit looked down at the books.
‘McCreary will cry if we don’t finish all this before the end of the month.’
‘McCreary will cry if you snap at him like that. Besides, you owe the servants some entertainment, they’ve scrubbed the castle from tower to gate getting all ready for the ball.’
Benneit tugged at his cravat.
‘A few quick rounds back of the stables. And don’t let the young fools bet above their means.’
