My Fair Lily(56)

“You think I had a hand in it? Me? A duke of the realm! Sending wharf rats to hurt my own flesh and blood? Ordering one of those rats to draw a knife on an innocent girl? Is this what you all think of me? That I’m a detestable old man living in a mausoleum, just as that Farthingale girl wrote?”

“The word is despicable,” said a young female voice at the doorway. “Sorry I’m late. I was out riding and lost track of the time. Grandfather, she called you despicable.”

“Meggie, he gets the point,” Ewan said, nodding for her to approach and join the family meeting. Since all five of them were now standing, their hands balled into fists, it didn’t seem like much had been accomplished during their brief conversation—if that’s what one could call accusations hurled back and forth. But Ewan suddenly felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his chest.

Meggie wasn’t quite so brave as to approach their grandfather. Instead, she stopped beside Ewan, remaining a step behind him and resting a hand lightly on his arm, as though his nearness would somehow protect her from the other three as she spoke to them. “I’m so glad it wasn’t any of you,” she said, revealing that she had heard the discussion before she entered the room. “I know you hate us, but we don’t hate you. That is... we thought we would... but Lily says family shouldn’t hate each other. So I don’t want to hate you anymore. I want to honor my father’s request. I’m glad you didn’t do those awful things.”

Assuming the duke and the cousins could be believed. Ewan ran a hand through his hair in consternation. He wanted to believe them. In truth, he did believe them. It was something he felt in his gut, and that gut instinct had never been wrong. But if not his own family, then who wanted to hurt him?

His grandfather must have had the same thought. “Seems this meeting was productive, after all. But in answering one question, it raises a host of others. Ewan, who could have done this?”

“My problem,” Ewan said. “I’ll deal with it.” Had he made enemies in the Highlands? Someone who wished him ill? Someone who hated him enough to follow him to London and attempt murder?

“It’s a Cameron family problem,” his grandfather said, stiffening his spine and casting all a look to remind them that he was the Duke of Lotheil, a man used to giving orders and having them obeyed. “I’m head of this family, and while I live and breathe, no one is going to lay a hand on any blood relation of mine.”

Desmond let out a low growl. “I see. That’s what you’ve wanted all along. Any excuse to make up with that side of the family. You don’t care a whit about Evangeline or me. You never wanted me to succeed you as duke. It’s Ewan you want. The Scottish boor. For all your talk of proper English bloodlines, you’re still a Scot. You’ve never escaped your Lowlander roots.”

Evangeline’s lips began to quiver. Lord, she was another one like Meggie, weepy and afraid of her own shadow. A dose of Lily would do her good, Ewan mused. Since Lily had worked wonders on Meggie, she might do the same for his cousin.

“Damn it, Evangeline. Don’t cry,” Desmond said, his voice surprisingly gentle for a man so enraged.

“I can’t help it.”

The duke reached out and took her into his arms. It was the first sign of affection Ewan had ever seen spring from the man. Obviously, the old man wasn’t used to such displays for he held Evangeline awkwardly and looked lost as he patted her hand. “I’m proud of all my grandchildren.”

“You don’t even know us,” Desmond said, a remark that must have cut the old man deeply coming from the grandchild he knew best.

He suddenly looked twice his years, a weary sadness on display as he glanced from grandson to grandson, then to his granddaughters. “Apparently I don’t.” He released Evangeline and turned to walk away, but paused in front of Ewan.

Ewan felt Meggie take another small step back. Even when sad, the proud Duke of Lotheil was a daunting force. Ewan stood his ground and waited for the old man to speak, which he did after a long silence. “Tell that girl she’s no longer banned from Lotheil Court.”

Ewan nodded. Lily had already violated that ban and intended to do so tomorrow as well, so it wasn’t much of a concession. “And the Royal Society?”

His grandfather’s expression hardened. “No. I understand that she’s young and was obviously rattled by the attack upon her person at Tattersalls. But she humiliated me in public, accused me of that crime. Or at the very least, accused me of goading Desmond to commit that crime. I’ve told you, Ewan. She doesn’t step foot in that vaunted hall unless it is to crawl on hands and knees upon the cold marble and apologize to me.”