The Highlander Is All That (Untamed Highlanders #4)(17)

“I’m certain she would want to know.” His aggravation was growing, along with his concern. He wanted—needed—to know where Elizabeth was.

“Let’s just look around first.” She took his arm again—not in a polite manner so much as a proprietary one. “I have a thought.”

His unease rose as she led him past the supper rooms and down a much less populated hall. Another turn, and they were all alone.

“Here,” she cooed, opening a door of gleaming wood and ushering him into an elegantly appointed room. There was a fainting couch, a basin of water, and a screened-off area. His hackles rose.

“Is this the ladies’ retiring room?” Egads.

“Don’t be silly.” Her gaze was wicked. “This is a private retiring room.”

He paled and glanced around the room. “Lady Elizabeth is no’ here,” he said, though this fact was patently true.

“Oh. What a shame.” She kicked the door closed with her heel and stepped toward him. He backed away. And again. And again. Until he bumped into the screen and had nowhere else to go.

“Lady Jersey—”

“Call me Sarah.”

“I really shouldna.”

“Is it true what they say?” she asked. To his horror, her hand skimmed up under his kilt.

Holy God!

He lurched away just before she discovered the family jewels and skittered to the door, but she cornered him there, pressing him against the wall with her slight body. “I’ve always found savages entrancing.”

“Um, have you?” He set his hands on her shoulders and attempted to gently detangle.

“Oh, yes.” She went on her toes and pressed her lips to his chin, but only because he jerked his head up just in time.

“Lady Jersey, please. I need to find Lady Elizabeth.”

“Of course you do, but first—”

A knock on the door cut her off.

Hamish nearly fainted in relief. He was saved. Thank God.

“Hallo?” A familiar warble.

“It’s Lady Esmeralda,” he whispered, at once swamped with horror and delight.

“Hush. She will go away.”

The knocking came again, underscoring the fact that she, indeed, would not go away. For the first time, Hamish was ever so grateful for her stubbornness.

“She may need me,” he said, firmly pressing the patroness away.

“I do need you,” Lady Jersey said on a pout.

“My apologies,” Hamish said, taking a moment to straighten his kilt before opening the door.

To his mortification, Lady Esmeralda was not alone. Lady Anne stood at her side with a sour look on her face. She glanced from Lady Jersey to Hamish and frowned. “I thought you were to stay at the doors,” she said acidly.

“We were looking for Lady Elizabeth,” Lady Jersey said. She sent a sympathetic smile to Esmeralda. “She’s gone missing.”

“She’s in the ladies’ retiring room,” Anne said. “She has a megrim.”

“Those do seem to be going around,” Lady Esmeralda said with a sniff. “I suppose we should leave. With your permission, of course, Lady Jersey.”

Lady Jersey crossed her arms over her bosom and huffed a sigh. “Well, all right. But I do expect to see you again soon, young man.”

Hamish swallowed and proffered a small bow. “I’m sure you will, Lady Jersey.”

“Very well. Shall we go?” Esmeralda said, practically pushing him down the hall and away from her friend. “What was all that about?” she hissed once they were out of earshot.

Anne sniffed. “What do you think it was about?”

Hamish frowned at her, and then at Lady Esmeralda. “Apparently Lady Jersey has a secret fondness for Scotsmen.”

“Well, of course. Why do you think I insisted you come tonight? To Almack’s, for pity’s sake?”

Hamish stopped “I doona appreciate being dangled like a bauble.”

Esmeralda patted him on the chest. “But what a lovely bauble you are.”

“That woman wanted to eat me alive.”

“Most men would be appreciative.”

“I am no’ most men. In fact, I would appreciate it if you could make certain I am never in that position again.”

“Oh, do stop pouting.”

“Pouting? The woman nearly ravaged me.”

She eyed him for a moment. “Maybe Lord Bower would be more cooperative.”

“I highly doubt it,” Hamish said, even as Anne sniffed again. He pinned his attention to her. “No’ all Scotsmen are profligates.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

Well, hell. His annoyance sparked into something akin to fury. He’d had quite enough of this. “Ladies, I will leave you to rounding up the girls. Ranald and I will meet you at the coaches.” He stormed around the corner, caught his friend by the arm, and hurried him down the stairs and out into the cool night air. He sucked in a deep breath and let out a groan.

“What was that all about?” Ranald asked with a grin.

Hamish frowned. “I’ll tell you later, once I have some whisky in me.”

Ranald laughed. “That bad, eh?”

“You have no idea.”