Tender Rebel
Page 3

Roslynn had shared everything too in her letters over the years, though her life in the Highlands had been singularly lacking in excitement. But she hadn't wanted to worry Frances these last months with Gramp's fears, so she hadn't told her about Geordie. And how to tell her now? How to make her understand that this was not just an old man's senility to scoff at, but a very real and dangerous situation?
Roslynn decided to start at the beginning. "Frances, do you remember my telling you that my mother drowned in Loch Etive when I was seven?"
"Yes, a year after your father died, wasn't it?" Frances said gently, patting her hand.
Roslynn nodded, trying not to remember how desolate she had been from both deaths. "Gramp always blamed his grandnephew, Geordie, for my mother's death. Geordie was a mean child, you see, always hurting animals and causing accidents that he could laugh over. He was only eleven at the time, but he'd already caused one of our grooms to break a leg, our cook to be severely burned, and one horse to be put down, and no telling what he'd done at his own home that we never heard about. His father was my mother's cousin, and when he came to visit, he always brought Geordie. And the day my mother drowned, they'd been visiting a week already."
"But how could he have caused your mother to drown?''
"There was never any proof, Frances. The boat she took out was assumed to have overturned, and she was too constricted in her heavy clothing, it being winter, to be able to swim to shore."
"What was she doing out on the loch in winter?"
"She had grown up on the loch. It was second nature to her to be in the water. She loved it, swam every day in the summer, and did all her visiting that could be done up and down the shore, both sides of the loch. If she could row herself, she'd have nothing to do with a carriage or a horse, no matter the weather.
And she had her own little rowboat that was easy for her to handle. We both did, though I was never allowed to take mine out alone. But anyway, as good a swimmer as she was, she didn't make it out that day.''
"There was no one to help?"
"No one saw it happen. She'd planned to cross the loch that day, so likely the boat went down too far in the middle. It was several days later when one of the crofters happened to mention to Gramp that he'd seen Geordie down by where the boats were kept, earlier in the week. If Geordie weren't such a little devil for causing accidents, Gramp would never have thought anything of it. But the fact was, Geordie had taken my mother's death near as bad as I did, which was most surprising since he had never really liked my mother or me."
"So your grandfather thought Geordie had tampered with her boat?"
Roslynn nodded. "Something that would have caused a slow leak. It would have been just the sort of thing Geordie would have laughed over, to have someone get a dousing and lose a good boat. If he did do it, I don't think it was any more than a nasty prank, one gone awry. I don't think he meant tokill anyone, just get them wet and mad. He couldn't have known that my mother wouldn't have been rowing near shore. It wasn't often she crossed the loch."
"But still…"
"Yes, still." Roslynn sighed. "But Gramp could never prove it, and so what could he do? The boat was never found to show it'd been tampered with. Gramp never trusted Geordie after that, never let him come to the Hall but that he put one of the servants to following him. Hehatedhim, Frances, deep down, yet without telling his father what he suspected, he couldn't deny him his home. But he swore Geordie would never get anything out of him, and he was emphatic about that. When Geordie's father died, he left him only a small inheritance. Gramp knew Geordie resented him having so much, while Geordie's side of the family had so little, but that came with Gramp being the oldest son and inheriting the Cameron wealth.
And Gramp knew for certain Geordie wanted the money when he asked me to marry him."
"You do yourself a disservice there, Ros. You don't have only money to recommend you."
Roslynn waved that aside. "The fact was that Geordie had never liked me, Frances, even as we got older, and the feeling was more than mutual. He resented me, you see, being Gramp's closest relative. It wasn't until his father died and he learned how little was left him that he did a turnabout and became Mister Charming to me."
"But you turned him down." Frances pointed out the obvious.
"Of course I turned him down. I'm not a stupid looby who can't see through false flattery when it's poured on with such ruthlessness. But he didn't give up. He continued to pretend a great love for me even while I could see the cold hatred in his icy blue eyes."
"Very well, now I have all that, I still don't see why you have to rush onto the marriage block.''
"With Gramp gone, I've got no protection. I wouldn't need protection but for Geordie. He's asked me to marry him too many times, you see. He's made it clear in every way he wants the Cameron wealth, and he'll do anything to get it."
"But what can he do?"
Roslynn snorted in disgust. "I thought nothing. But Gramp was wiser."
Frances gasped. "The money wouldn't go to Geordie if anything happened to you, would it?"
"No, Gramp made sure of that. The thing is, Geordie can force me to marry him if he can get his hands on me. There are ways, drugging or beating, or even an unscrupulous parson, and there'd be no signing of the marriage contract that Gramp had drawn up for me. Geordie would have control of everything if he could manage it, and as I said, it would only take his getting his hands on me. Once I'm his wife, he'd have no use for me, would he? In fact, he daren't keep me around to tell all that he'd done."
Frances shivered, despite the warm summer night. "You're not making this up, are you?"
"I wish I was, Frances, I really do. Gramp always hoped Geordie would marry, but he never did.
Gramp knew he had just been biding his time, waiting for the day I'd be left alone with no one to protest very loudly if he forced me to marry him. And he's too big for me to fight, even if I am right handy with a dirk and keep one in my boot."
"You don't!"
"Oh, I do. Gramp made sure I knew how to use it too. But what help would a little dirk be if Geordie hired help to abduct me? Now you know why I had to leave Scotland so quickly, why I'm here."
"And why you want a husband."
"Yes, that too. Once I'm married, there's nothing Geordie can do. Gramp made me promise I'd marry, and quickly. He planned everything, even my escape. Geordie will search Scotland first before he looks for me here, so I have a little time to choose someone, but not much."
"Dash it all, it's not fair, none of it," Frances said with feeling. "How can you fall in love in such a rush?"
Roslynn grinned, remembering Gramp's stern admonishment. "Protect yerself first, lassie, wi' a ring on yer finger. Ye can find love later." And how she had blushed, understanding exactly what he'd meant. But he had also conceded. "Of course, if love falls into yer lap, dinna be pushing it off. Hold fast and dinna let go, fer it could work, and then ye'll have nae need tae be looking fer it later."
Gramp had had other advice too, about whom she should consider. "They say a rake makes a dandy husband, that's if a bonny lass can catch his heart— no' his eye, mind ye—his heart. He's sowed his oats, ye see, more than sowed them, plowed the whole field, sae tae speak. Sae when he settles down, he's ready tae do just that.''
"They also say, once a rake, always a rake," Roslynn had been compelled to point out. This bit of advice from Gramp she hadn't been at all thrilled with.
"Who says sae? If that's sae, then the heart hasna been caught. Ye catch the heart, lassie, and ye'll be glad of it, ye will. But I'm no' talking 'bout the young hellions, nae, nae. Ye want tae find a mon wi'
enough years on him tae ken he's had his wild days aplenty and doesna need more. But ye dinna want him jaded either. Be careful of that."
"And how do you tell the difference?"
"If he still has feeling. If ye can excite him—och, never mind those blushes, lassie. Ye'll be exciting more young bloods then ye'll ken what tae do wi', and enough rakes as well, sae ye'll have plenty tae choose from."
"But I don't want a rake," she had insisted.
"Ye will," Duncan predicted. "Happens they're the ones the lassies canna resist. Just make sure ye get the ring afore ye allow—"
"Gramp!"
He snorted at her exclamation. "If I dinna tell ye, who will? Ye need tae ken how tae handle such a mon."
"With the back of my hand, that's how."
He chuckled. "Now, hinny, ye're no' being open-minded about this," he cajoled her. "If the mon attracts ye and sets yer heart tae fluttering, are ye going tae ignore him simply because he's a rake?"
"Yes!"
"But I tell ye they make the best husbands!" He had turned to shouting in the face of her stubbornness.
"And I want the best mon fer ye, even if ye willna have much time tae find him."
"How in the blue blazes do you know, Gramp? Just tell me that, if you can." She wasn't angry, just flustered. Gramp didn't know she already had knowledge of rakes through Frances, and as far as she was concerned, they were to be avoided like the plague.
"I was one myself, and dinna look sae surprised. I'd had sixteen years of plowing the fields afore I met and married yer grandmother, and I was faithful tae the lass until the day she died."
An exception. One exception. Certainly not enough for Roslynn to change her mind about that particular breed of gentleman. But she didn't tell Duncan that.
She let him think he had made his point. Still, this was one part of his advice she wouldn't follow and so made no promises about.
To Frances and her question about love, Roslynn shrugged. "If it doesn't happen right off, then it doesn't.
You managed to live through it."
Frances frowned. "I had no choice."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reminded you of that. But as for me, show me a fine-looking fellow who isn't too much of a skirt-chaser and he'll do nicely. If I think I can like him, that should suffice." And then she
grinned. "After all, I have my grandfather's permission, suggestion even, to find love later if I don't get it in my marriage."
"He… would you?"
Roslynn chuckled at her friend's shocked countenance. "Let me find the husband before I start thinking about the lover. Just cross your fingers for me that they turn out to be one and the same."
Chapter Four
"Well, youngun? What boring bit of nonsense have you to impart? Will it do?" Anthony leaned casually against the doorjamb, watching Jeremy survey his new room with obvious delight.
"Hell's bells, Uncle Tony, I—"
"Stop right there." Anthony put on his most unnerving scowl for the lad's benefit. "You can uncle my brothers to death if you like, but a simple Tony will do here, thank you."
Jeremy smiled widely, not at all intimidated. "It's great, Tony, it really is. The room, the house, you. I can't thank you en—"
"Then don't, please," Anthony cut in quickly. "And before you go on with this bloody hero worship, be apprised I'm going to thoroughly debauch you, dear boy. Serve your father right for entrusting you in my care."
"You promise?"
Anthony had to constrain the short bark of laughter. The lad had taken him seriously. "No, I do not.
Good God, d'you think I want Jason down my throat? He's going to go through the roof as it is when he learns James turned you over to me instead of him. No, I'll introduce you to the type of female your father has forgotten exists."
"Like Regan?"
Anthony's scowl was quite real this time. "We'll get on, you and I, as long as I never hear that name.
Blister it, you're as bad as your father—"
"Now, I can't let you speak poorly of my father, Uncle Tony," Jeremy interrupted quite seriously.
Anthony stepped forward and tossed the lad's coal-black hair, so like his own. "Understand me, puppy.
I love your father. Always have. But I'll run him through the coals anytime I feel the urge to. He was my brother before he was your father, after all, and he doesn't need defending by the likes of you. So keep your hackles down. I never meant anything by it."
Jeremy chuckled, mollified. "Rega—Reggie said you weren't happy unless you were arguing with your
brothers."
"Did she? Well, that puss always has been a know-it-all," Anthony replied fondly. "And speaking of the lady, she sent round a note today. Seems she's in town without her viscount for a change and in need of an escort for some ball tonight. How would you like the chore?"
"Me? D'you mean it?" Jeremy asked excitedly.
"I don't see why not. She knows I can't abide such affairs and wouldn't have asked me if someone else were available. But Edward's taken his brood up to Haverston for the week to visit Jason, and Derek's up there too, so that unfortunately leaves you and me the only Malorys in town she can prevail upon—unless, of course, we foist the chore on your father. That's if we could find him in time. He might be laying his pallet here for the week, but he mentioned something about looking up an old friend—"
"Sarah," Jeremy supplied, blue eyes twinkling. "She works in a tavern down—"