The Highlander Is All That (Untamed Highlanders #4)(67)

Miss Claire opened the envelope and read in silence for a moment. Elizabeth found herself wishing she would read it aloud, even though it was probably personal. News from London seemed surprisingly alluring.

“How is she?” she asked when she could contain herself no longer.

“Oh well. Very well. She’s increasing again.”

“That is lovely.”

“Yes. James is hoping for a little girl.”

“Naturally.”

“There’s more news. About the season, if you’re interested.”

Could she be? Could she really be that interested? “Oh please.”

“She mentions a Lady Callinda Frey.” Claire’s brow wrinkled. “Do you know her?”

“Oh, yes. I do.”

“I thought as much. I believe some of these messages are for you.”

Elizabeth brightened perceptibly. “For me?”

“They appear to be written in code.” Claire laughed. “How like Helena. She knows she cannot write directly to you.”

“Of course not. No one knows where I am. What does she say about Lady Callinda?”

“Oh.” Claire frowned. “It’s not good news.”

“Excellent.”

To which Claire chuckled. “Very good then. She’s been cut by Lady Jersey.”

“Oh dear!” Social disaster!

“Apparently they had words about a certain Scotsman.”

“Oh, brilliant!”

“And someone named Mary has returned to London.”

Elizabeth stilled. “Mary? How is she?”

Her tone must have captured Claire’s attention, because she glanced up. “She’s . . . married.”

“Oh no.”

“To a young man named Jamison.” Elizabeth’s heart plunged. Though she was happy for Mary—she’d been head over heels for the handsome footman—she had likely destroyed her future. “Hmm. Says here Jamison is the esteemed employee of the Baron of Bower.”

Elizabeth blinked. “What?”

“When the season is over, Mary and her husband will be moving to Halkirk—that’s Scotland, is it not?—and Jamison will work at Bower’s distillery.” Claire set the letter down. “That seems like very specific information.”

“It is. But good news.” Maybe Mary would not be reduced to begging after all.

“Your sister Anne took ill in Scotland and will return when she is feeling better.”

“What’s wrong with her?” Elizabeth asked.

Claire shrugged. “It doesn’t say, really.”

“Oh, I hope she’s all right.”

“I’m sure she is. Oh. There’s more. A Lord Twiggenberry—” She paused in her reading to titter. “Twiggenberry? Is that really his name?”

“It is.”

“Oh dear.” Claire’s chuckles were so contagious, Elizabeth found herself chuckling as well.

“What’s so funny?” she asked, because it would help to know what one was laughing about.

“When I was a girl, I once heard a man’s parts described as his twig and berries.”

“No.” Oh. Oh. That was funny.

They giggled for quite a while—through many failed attempts to sober up—before Claire was finally able to resume her reading. “Anyway, Lord, ahem, Twiggenberry has apparently left town. Helena has no idea where he’s gone.”

As long as it wasn’t Clovelly, Elizabeth didn’t care.

“Anything else?” Surely she wasn’t hoping for news about Hamish.

“She’s hosting a soiree.”

“Lovely.” It wasn’t. At least it wasn’t what Elizabeth was hoping for.

“A Scottish theme. In honor of the Duchess of Moncrieff.”

“Of course. Kaitlin is Scottish.”

“She’s even engaged a Highlander to attend.”

“That would be Lord Ranald, Baron of Bower.” Who would have returned home with Mary.

Claire shook her head. “Huh. That’s not what this says.”

Elizabeth’s head jerked up. Her heart pattered. “What does it say?”

“It says his name is Hamish.”





Chapter Twenty-Three


Hamish was aggravated when they finally returned to London. For one thing, the day they arrived, Henley informed them that Lady Esmeralda had gone out on calls. Jamison was understandably relieved—he’d been increasingly skittish about facing the matron—but Hamish was frustrated. He wanted to get started on his search for Elizabeth at once. He was fully determined to find her. He desperately needed to know she was safe.

And now he had to wait.

He saw Jamison and Mary to their quarters, and when the boy expressed discomfort living in the family wing, Hamish told him, in no uncertain terms, to get used to it.

He’d really come to like the young man during their journey, and he felt that he and Mary were a good match. He agreed completely with Bower’s decision to hire the lad. Their business was growing and they could use another good man back in Halkirk, but the boy’s station in life had changed and he had to learn to accept it. His servant’s mentality did not become the husband of a wealthy lady.