The countess folded her arms. “Is this Sadie as independent as you?”
“Yes,” Mairi affirmed.
God help him, she was right.
“Will she come on her own? If we know the time, we can meet her at the innyard. Though I shudder to think—”
“Absolutely not! She will not travel here alone!” Good God, the idea that any woman he knew would be subjected to unwanted attention made his blood run hot. But the moment the words were out of his mouth, he knew he’d walked straight into a trap.
“I’m glad you agree,” said the countess with a smile. “You are quite correct, of course. It’s most dangerous on the mail coach and if word got out…” She shuddered. “Well, it would severely handicap her ability to wed. I’m so glad you will bring her down without delay. Hopefully, she will learn to speak proper English as quickly as Miss MacAdaidh. Indeed, I can almost understand her now.”
“Thank you, countess,” Mairi said with a sweet smile. Then both women turned to him as if he had agreed to this mad plan.
“I cannot bring Sadie here this week. Not after losing it to Mairi.”
“You do not wish to see your cousin happy?” the countess asked.
“You are being unreasonable.”
The countess folded her arms. “Mr. Aberbeag, you keep speaking of your responsibilities. You are the son of the laird, yes? The duke’s eldest son?”
“Yes.”
“Then you also have responsibilities to the women of your clan. Your cousin is well past an age to marry. You have hurt her chances enormously by waiting this long. And you will hurt her even further if she does not get the training she requires immediately. To honor yourdutyto her, you must bring her here. Immediately.”
There was no quarter in her words or expression, and truth be told, he’d felt the weight of that neglect more of late. Perhaps from the moment Sadie had reminded him of it and demanded her Season in London.
“I do not understand what is wrong with Scotsmen!”
The countess threw up her hands. “Well, neither do I! English gentlemen know when and how to present their daughters or they know how to listen to their wives about such things. I can only assume that your father is a widower. Sad that he had no wife to explain such things to him.”
That was not at all what he meant. He wondered why Mairi and Sadie couldn’t marry at home when there were several good men interested. But he was outmatched here and not because the countess said so, but because Mairi and Sadie were old enough to know their own minds. And clearly, they both wanted a Sassenach.
Or they would think that until they got a good look at the milquetoast offerings in London. Telling him they were wrong would do no good at all. They had to learn that for themselves.
He knew it was the truth, but damn it, it was still hard to leave Mairi to see it in her own time.
“I could make you happy,” he said softly to Mairi.
She shook her head. “I make my own happiness, Connall.” She gave him a wistful smile. “Mayhap you should stay here. Many a lass will want a future duke for all that she’d have to live in Scotland.”
True. But he wanted no other. Meanwhile, the countess leaped upon that idea.
“Excellent!” she cried. “Find gentleman’s quarters nearby. You shall be our escort once the Season begins in earnest. It’s only the Little Season, of course, but having a future duke at our side will increase everyone’s consequence.”
Especially the countess’s, but he wouldn’t argue, especially as it kept him near Mairi’s side. He had one last question, though, before he committed to this bizarre time in London when he and his people were busiest.
“Mairi, you still haven’t answered my question about the robbery. Are you all right? How much did you lose?”
“Nothing of import, Connall Aberbeag. And that’s all you need to know.”
She was lying. He could see it in her eyes. The robbery had shaken her, but he had no right to help her if she refused his aid. So he did the only thing he could. He turned to the countess. “I will be your escort this Season. See that the ladies are exposed to gentlemen of quality.”
“Naturally!” the woman sounded insulted that he could think otherwise.
And after the women saw that even the best Englishman couldn’t measure up to a good Scotsman, they would both return fully chastened and ready to find a real man in the country of their birth.