And then his mother’s voice rose above it all.
“Cease this at once!” she demanded. She’d sat at the head of the table, watching the scene, but she’d obviously had enough.
Draven, fist pulled back for another blow, paused and looked at Lady Charlotte. Duncan took a breath, which was not easy with the colonel’s hand clamped around his throat and his head pushed against the wall. Lady Charlotte pointed at Draven.
“Release him.”
The colonel hesitated, but he was a soldier first and Lady Charlotte had been born a commander. Draven released him and stepped back. Duncan almost slumped over but caught himself just in time. The punches had been harder than he’d expected. His cheek throbbed and one eye was swelling closed.
“Now step away.”
Draven did as ordered, and Duncan steadied himself against the wall. Jasper must have released Ines because a moment later she was at his side, supporting him. Of course, she was. The lass was one of the few genuinely kind, compassionate people he had ever met. She’d barely known him, yet when Nash had shot him, she’d never left his side. Duncan put his arm about her, pulling her tight against him. He’d come perilously close to losing her, and only now did he realize how close to the precipice he’d been standing. For once, he did not want to go over. He did not want to risk it. He wanted the assurance that the woman holding him up now would be at his side forever.
It was the sort of predictability Duncan had never thought he’d want, but he now realized—almost too late—that it was what he’d needed all along.
“I do believe you have forgotten yourself, sir,” Lady Charlotte said to Colonel Draven. “How else to explain why you have come into my house and begun a brawl as though you were in some sort of tavern.”
“My apologies,” Draven said. “I was not myself.”
She nodded. “None of us have been ourselves lately.” She surveyed the room with accusation in her eyes. “But we must maintain some semblance of order. Duncan, introduce your...friends, please.” Her gaze dipped to Ines at his side, but Duncan saw only resignation in her eyes.
“Lady Charlotte,” Duncan said, taking a breath as his was short after the blows he’d taken. “Might I present Lieutenant-Colonel Draven and Lord Jasper Grantham. We served together in the war.”
“You are heroes then,” Lady Charlotte said. “Four heroes at my dinner table.” She gestured to Stratford and then Duncan. “I am fortunate indeed. Please sit.” She gestured to the empty places at the table. “I will have two more place settings brought in.” The footman departed immediately without having to be told.
“Thank you, my lady, but we would not wish to intrude,” Draven said.
“Oh, nonsense,” Lady Charlotte said, taking her seat again. “I imagine you have been traveling day and night, tracking my son’s betrothed.” She glanced at Ines, and Duncan started at how easily she used the word betrothed for Ines. “And now you have found her.”
“And we are anxious to take her home. My wife—her sister—is worried sick.”
“Completely understandable. Do sit,” she said, ignoring Draven’s obvious desire to be gone. “After all, you cannot start back tonight and on an empty stomach.”
Draven looked at Jasper, and Jasper shrugged then moved toward the table. The colonel gave Duncan one last menacing look and followed Jasper. Unwilling to relinquish Ines, Duncan held her tight as he hobbled back to the table then seated her in the chair beside his mother and stood behind her. He would not leave her side again.
His mother gave her new guests her best hostess smile, and then looked at Duncan and sighed. “Colonel Draven,” she said.
“My lady?” He had sipped from the glass of wine in front of him and still held the glass aloft.
“How long will it take for Mrs. Draven to travel to Scotland?”
“Mrs. Draven?” he asked. He’d removed his hat, and his red hair stuck up, mirroring the lift of his brows.
“She will want to attend the wedding, yes?” Lady Charlotte looked at Miss Wellesley. “And your own mother? We should send to her first thing.”
“My lady?” Miss Wellesley looked confused. “I am not sure I understand.”
Lady Charlotte lifted her own wine glass and sipped, slowly as though she had all the time in the world to explain herself. “For the double wedding, my dear. I plan to hold it here.”
Miss Wellesley stared; Stratford dropped the fork he’d been playing with. Jasper laughed, and Draven’s cheeks turned red before he nodded tightly. But Ines...Ines looked up at Duncan and smiled.
That smile was like the sun in the warmth it brought. Duncan smiled back at her then looked at his mother, who was watching them. Duncan thought he saw a suspicious sign of moisture in her eyes. But that couldn’t be, because Lady Charlotte never did anything so human as cried.
“Thank ye, Mother,” Duncan said.
“Anything for you, dear boy,” she said. “I only wanted to know that you loved her, that you would fight for her.”
“I do.”
“Then I do as well.” She raised a hand. “You must promise me one thing, though. You won’t go running off to England or to war again. I want you and Ines to live here.”
“You do?” Ines asked, her voice filled with shock.
“I do,” Lady Charlotte lifted the lace cuffs from the wooden box still before her. “I want you to be here when I wear these.”
Twenty-Three
STRATFORD
Baron Fortescue did not arrive at the Duke of Atholl’s castle, where the wedding parties were to stay, with the rest of the wedding guests. The baroness said he was needed in Town and Scotland was simply too far to travel. Stratford did not think his mother would have come if he hadn’t been marrying her best friend’s daughter. Later Emmeline, Loftus trailing behind, had come to her betrothed, put her arms around Stratford, and simply held him. “I’m so sorry,” she had whispered in his hair.
Stratford pulled back and looked at her lovely face—her blue eyes like the color of the Scottish sky on this sunny, summer day. “I wasted years trying to earn their love, and now I ask myself why. I never needed it. Everyone who matters is here.” He looked at her with a smile. “My friends are here—Jasper, Ewan, Colin, even Mayne forgave us and came.”
Emmeline smiled. “The duke still will not accept any cup Murray hands him. He said he slept for almost two days the last time Mr. Murray gave him a drink.”
Stratford chuckled. “Duncan forgets that what would put him out is enough to flatten another man.” He pulled Emmeline into an embrace. “I love you, Emmie.”
“I love you.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “Do you believe you are worthy of it yet? All this love?”
“I’m gradually accustoming myself to the idea,” he said. He pulled back and took her hand. “But I wouldn’t mind being shown just one more time.” He led her toward a hidden entrance Duncan had shown him was the perfect way to sneak into the keep, unseen. He knew he could have her in his bed chamber within minutes.
But Emmeline tugged at him. “The wedding is in the morning. I have to go hide from you. It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. Besides, my mother and sisters will come looking for me soon. They brought an entire coach of dresses, ribbons, and lace. I imagine they mean to drape me with it until I teeter under the weight.”