In his world, a man did not debauch an earl’s daughter. He did not tie her to a chair and make her scream with pleasure. He certainly did not toss up her skirts and paddle her behind with glee. He did not incite her to make naughty sketches of illicit activities.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
But wait…
“Her father is dead, isn’t he?”
Edward never saw it coming.
Ned’s fist landed flat in his face, sending him hurtling into the dust.
A pity that, because it was his turn to drive.
* * * * *
When they arrived at Agnes’ estate on the outskirts of Perth it was late. Still, everyone was up. All the lights in the house were burning. Hortense met them at the door. She stopped short when she saw Edward. “What for mercy’s sake happened to your face?”
“Ned punched him.” Kaitlin stripped off her gloves and set them on the table. “I cannot think why.”
“We had a disagreement.”
“Hmm.” Hortense’s bosom rippled. Edward suspected a smothered laugh. “Well, do come in. We’re in the drawing room.”
The entire family was assembled, all the boys, but unlike any Wyeths of Perth Edward had ever seen. For one thing, they were silent. And still. Hamish and Tay sat together on the divan hanging their heads. Sean brooded by the window and Dennis stood beside him fingering the drapes. They all looked as though they’d lost a part of themselves.
It was heartbreaking.
“Have you notified the constable?”
“Naturally.” Hortense took her seat. Even she looked beset. And here he’d thought her unflappable. She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.
“The constable’s a drunkard,” Malcolm, hunched in a chair by the pianoforte, grumbled.
Hortense snorted. “True. He’s not much help.” Transom entered the chamber, carrying the small bags they’d packed. “Oh good. You brought reinforcements.”
“What shall we do?” Malcolm wailed. “Whatever shall we do?”
Edward had thought a lot about this, and had formed a plan. “I’m going to visit Colonel Sterling straightaway.” It was nearly the middle of the night, but he didn’t care. Sterling had been with him and Ewan, in France. “If anyone knows how to contact the McCloud, it would be John Sterling.”
Transom nodded.
“What about Callum?” Kaitlin asked. “Shouldn’t I go and see him?”
“No!” He didn’t mean to bark but this Callum fellow had already kidnapped one woman. If he even knew Kaitlin was here, he would take her too. That, he couldn’t bear.
“But Edward, I can reason with him.”
“He does not seem like a reasonable man.”
She put out a lip. “He’s quite reasonable…just desperate.”
“We will deal directly with the McCloud.” That was the heart of the problem—that Ewan wanted Kaitlin in exchange for Callum’s debt. He would meet with Ewan and very logically offer him twice the amount due to let both Kaitlin and Violet go.
If he knew Ewan—and he did—he’d take the money.
Then Edward would take them both, take them all, back to London and everything would be fine. It would. He would work this out.
“You should go to bed. You’re all in.” He kissed Kaitlin on the forehead before he’d realized what he’d done. He turned to find every eye fixed upon him. Hortense’s was particularly sharp.
“Hmm,” she said, her gaze flicking back and forth between them.
Malcolm put out a lip.
Ned glared.
Hamish and Tay gaped at him.
Dennis’ fingers stilled on the drapes and Sean growled.
Hell. He’d done it now. “You should all go to bed.” Again he barked. “Transom and I will handle this.”
“Come along boys. Come along.” Hortense clapped her hands. They stood and filed into the hall, each pausing to narrow their eyes at Edward. As though he’d stolen one of their toys.
Between this, and the conversation he’d had with Ned, he was feeling decidedly uneasy about his relationship with Kaitlin. It was annoying, because he really liked his relationship with Kaitlin and didn’t want to lose it, or her. Also, he’d never disappointed anyone before. Not anyone he’d really cared about.
Ah. That was a surprise. He did care about them, the Wyeths of Perth. Even surly Malcolm and slightly feral Sean. When had that happened?
Still, it was a relief when they tramped up the stairs and Edward was released from their discomfiting perusal.
They all tramped upstairs—all but Kaitlin and Ned.
“Aren’t you going to bed?” he asked of the young man. Ned had been traveling for nearly two straight weeks with very little sleep.