My Fair Lily(26)
“Play an instrument?”
“The flute.”
Eloise nodded. “That’ll have to do. Can you sew? Knit? Embroider? Paint?”
“No, no, no, and no.”
Ewan saw the panic in Meggie’s eyes and knew by the quiver in her lips that she was about to cry again. He didn’t know what to say or do, but in the next moment he realized he didn’t have to say or do anything. Lily had all under control. “Neither can I, Meggie,” she said with genuine warmth. “In truth, I’m sorely lacking in almost every talent. I sing like a bullfrog and dance with the grace of a walrus.”
“I doubt that,” Ewan said softly, which caused her to blush. Damn, had he said that aloud?
Meggie glanced at him, then at Lily, and smiled.
Eloise saved his sorry self by moving on to topics of more general interest while desserts were served. “Mr. Cameron,” Lily started, but he cut her short.
“About that, lass. I’m Ewan. Plain and simple. Ye needn’t be so formal.”
“Yes, but what I meant to say is that you’re a lord and I should actually be calling you by your proper title, Lord Carnach, and not—”
“A title’s just a title. What’s important is the man who fills it.”
“Precisely my point. You fill it quite well,” she said with a blush, certainly revealing more than she intended through her innocent blue eyes, “yet you’ve never corrected my mistake. In truth, you don’t seem to like your title.”
He sighed. “It’s being in London that I dislike. In Scotland I’m Lord Carnach... or Laird Carnach to most Highlanders, and I don’t mind at all. But here it all sounds so pompous, so condescending to those who are not as fortunate in the circumstances of their birth. That’s all it is, the luck of the bloodstock. No valor or brilliance on my part. So call me Ewan, lass. Or Mr. Cameron. But I prefer Ewan with you. Especially since we have so much in common.”
She tipped her head and studied him. “What do we have in common?”
He glanced at Jasper. The great, foolish beastie instantly perked up and wagged his tail. “We’ve both landed on our backs thanks to him.”
She laughed, a gentle laugh that reminded him of warm summers and lush, green meadows. “Of course. That dangerous fiend who tries to slather my face with his ridiculously wet tongue each time we meet. How is it possible for a dog to generate so much liquid?”
Ewan couldn’t answer, for his brain had frozen at the mention of slathering and tongue and all he could think of was licking his tongue down Lily’s body and making her ridiculously wet... and hot... for him.
He was as big a looby as his dog. A bigger looby, if that were possible. Jasper’s affection for Lily was pure and innocent. His was just hot and wicked.
Lily pursed her lips adorably, unaware of the depraved thoughts rolling around in the mind he’d obviously lost. “Ewan,” she said with a nod, gracing him with a smile that set him on fire. The lass was dangerous, had a way of turning him inside out with a mere glance of her warm and vibrant eyes.
“Dogs have wet tongues. Particularly Jasper’s breed.” His voice was little more than a strangled rasp as he struggled to fashion a response, though none of the ladies appeared to notice the extent of his discomfort. Eloise was busily scribbling something on her paper, and Meggie was busy looking down at her toes as she’d done for most of this hour.
Lily noticed his sister’s shyness as well. “Meggie, have you any other relations in town?” she cheerfully blurted, unaware of what she had just asked. “Cousins? Uncles? Family who will receive you and Ewan?”
Meggie’s gaze shot up and exchanged tense glances with him. “We do have some.”
“Hush, Meg. They’ll no’ be helpful.”
Lily frowned. “What makes you think they won’t cooperate?”
“I just know. Leave it at that.” He was no longer smiling, for the last thing he wished to discuss was the Cameron family animosities.
“Surely, once they meet Meggie—”
“Leave it alone, lass,” he said more sternly, though he understood the reason for Lily’s persistence. She came from a big, loving family. He came from a pit of vipers.
“Would you kindly explain why?”
“I’d rather no’.”
He could practically hear her teeth grind in frustration, her agile mind attempting to get at the truth, wanting to help overcome Meggie’s fear and shyness, turn her into the engaging young lady Ewan knew she could be, one with the confidence to handle those unfriendly relatives if they chose to poison her time in London. “Ewan, what’s going on? I need to know.”