The Highlander Is All That (Untamed Highlanders #4)(14)

“It seems wrong,” Elizabeth felt compelled to mention, “to put them on display like creatures in a zoo.”

“Nonsense. They are your protectors. And do you know what that implies?”

“What?”

“That you are something worth protecting. Something quite valuable and rare.”

“I rather like that,” Mary said, bouncing on her seat until her ringlets danced. Since her seat was Elizabeth’s lap, this was annoying.

“Do stop.”

“Now, gels, pay attention. Be sure you greet Lady Jersey immediately upon your arrival. And be certain to compliment her on her hair.”

“Does she have special hair?” Mary asked.

Esmeralda frowned at her. “Not that I am aware of. But a compliment is necessary.”

“It will seem strange if we all compliment her on her hair,” Victoria said. “Perhaps we should discuss who will compliment what on Lady Jersey’s person.”

Mary bounced again. “I would prefer to compliment her dress.”

Victoria nodded. “Anne can compliment her jewelry and Elizabeth, her hair.”

“What if I don’t want to compliment her hair?” It was probably wrong to be so difficult, but this conversation was far too absurd.

“Fine then,” Victoria said on a sigh. “I shall take the hair. You can compliment . . .”

“What?”

“Her smile?”

“She rarely does,” Esmeralda muttered.

“Oh dear. That is a conundrum,” Elizabeth said through her grin. “I suppose I shall just have to play it by ear.”

“Perhaps you can compliment her ears,” Victoria said with a grin.

Esmeralda ignored this aside, nodding to Elizabeth. “You do that, dear.” She glanced out the window. “We’re almost there. Now remember. When you walk in, chins up, eyes forward, and glide. Your future husband could be in that room at this very moment.”

Anne caught Elizabeth’s eye and grimaced.

It took a minute or two for them all to untangle and exit the coach with some element of elegance, by which time, their Scotsmen were already waiting for them.

Elizabeth dared another glance at Hamish—to be precise, at his knees—and then quickly looked away and sucked in a breath as her head had suddenly gone woozy. Thankfully, she had hold of Anne’s arm, and her sister steadied her. Anne never did anything as frivolous as going woozy, thank heaven.

As they approached the unpretentious fa?ade of the assembly rooms, Elizabeth focused on her demeanor, taking Aunt Esmeralda’s words to heart. This was her first official appearance on the social scene, and she did want to make a good impression.

She hadn’t expected to be nervous, but as they approached those hallowed doors, her heart kicked into a furious rhythm.

Anne squeezed her arm. “You’ll do fine,” she whispered, and Elizabeth sent her a grateful glance.

As they stepped into the grand foyer, they were greeted by an elegant lady with black curls. She was, undoubtedly, the aforementioned Lady Jersey. She caught sight of Esmeralda and her wintery expression thawed. “Darling,” she called, pulling their aunt into a quick hug.

“Sarah, darling. How are you? You look so lovely tonight.”

“Thank you, Essie. And you.”

“What have you done with your hair? It’s adorable.”

To which Victoria frowned and whispered, “I was supposed to get the hair.”

Esmeralda plowed on as though she hadn’t heard. “May I present my lovely nieces, cousins to the esteemed Duke of Caithness. This is Anne, Elizabeth, Victoria, and Mary. The famous St. Claire four.”

“It is a great pleasure to meet you all,” Lady Jersey said as they curtseyed. Her gaze then flicked to their escorts, and her nostrils flared. She looked them up and down, slowly, and then sniffed. “And where is the duke?”

Esmeralda shook her head and tsked. “His Grace could not come, sadly. A family emergency or some such. He sent these fine men in his stead to oversee the gels’ season.”

“I see.”

“Naturally, I was hoping to procure strangers’ tickets for them.”

Lady Jersey’s gaze once again flicked toward the bare knees. “Of course, you understand they will not be allowed to dance.”

“They don’t dance,” Victoria assured her, which earned her a glower from their aunt.

“They are, indeed, merely protectors of the gels. So necessary these days, don’t you know?”

Lady Jersey and Aunt Esmeralda shared a glance, a speaking one, evidently, because they both smiled in tandem as though Lady Jersey understood exactly what Esmeralda was about and approved thoroughly. “Their presence will create quite a stir,” she said.

“I am counting on it.”

“Very well. They may stand at the entrance, but may not attend the supper rooms or the ballroom.”

Apparently, this was just what Esmeralda had been angling for. “Excellent,” she gusted. And then, with no further ado, she herded the company up the stairs and into London’s “Seventh Heaven,” the esteemed Almack’s ballroom, leaving their stalwart protectors flanking the doors.





Chapter Six


“Does it seem wrong to you that they are not allowed in?” Elizabeth asked Anne as they made their way to the ballroom.