The Duke's Scottish Lass (Brethren of Stone 0.50)

Delia was unfazed by her brother’s gruffness. But Roderick’s betrayal was another matter entirely. “How dare he share—”

“Share? So it is true? Delia, I consider you to be a woman of reasonable intelligence.”

“Thank you, ever so kindly.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

Stone ignored it. “But bloody bullocks, if anyone is to blame, it is me. I should have protected ye. If I hadn’t let ye fall, he never would have gone over. And I should have ordered him from the edge. He never did have any sense where ye were concerned. I told him twice he was too close.” Stone’s face had twisted into a painful knot. His breath caught and Delia felt her own throat tighten and swell to where she could barely breathe. Tears were stinging her eyes again.

“I should have been watching, Stone. I was foolish and irresponsible. If I had only paid attention to what I was doing.”

“You were a child.” He looked at her as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“You don’t think I am at fault?” she breathed.

“No, and neither does anyone else. The burden of guilt is mine to bear.”

She shook her head. Stone bore much in this family. “Your burden is already too heavy, you should allow me to lighten it.”

His eyebrows rose then. “I have been trying to get you to lighten my burden by marrying Lord Manchester. He just bested me in sword play. His business is growing. He, more than any other, could help me support this family.”

Delia stared at her brother. For a man who spoke infrequently, he had boxed her into a corner with this conversation. She took a deep breath. “He said the marriage was Reginald’s idea.”

“And so it was. Reginald saw beyond what Manchester was to what he could be. What he is now. He is a good man.”

“But Stone, I am afraid.” She worried her lip with her teeth.

“Of what?” Her brother patted her back awkwardly. It was not a usual part of their relationship.

“How can I go on making a life when Reginald has none?”

She heard Stone take a deep breath. “We owe it to him to lead the fullest lives possible. That is what would make him happy.”

“Roderick said the same.” The noose was closing in. Roderick had been right about something else. Stone and Roderick were nearly impossible to fight.

“He’s a smart man and he’ll make an excellent husband. Say that you’ll marry him so that I can dispatch the Earl of Sunderland post haste.”

She gave her brother a glare. She was losing and she knew it, but she wasn’t ready to admit defeat, yet. “I shall think on it.”

“You are a stubborn chit, you know that?”

“I have had the very best teachers. Now, if you will excuse me, I’d like to lie down. It’s been a taxing morning.”

“That is probably best.” He gave her back one final pat.

“Stone, you really ought to talk more. You’re quite articulate when you put your mind to it.” She gave him a devilish grin. She was teasing him, but the truth was, their conversation had made her heart feel lighter.

“I shall not speak for a month after this,” he replied solemnly.

Delia shook her head. “That is absolutely absurd.”

“Now go rest and decide when the wedding will be. I can have the bans posted tomorrow if necessary.”

A scathing retort rose to her lips but the sound of the gatekeeper interrupted her words. Crossing the room to look out the tower’s other window, she saw a large band of travelers and wagons proceeding through the gates.

“The Earl of Sunderland,” Stone gritted out.

Chapter Six

Even from her perch in the window, Delia decided she did not like Lord Sunderland. Riding at the front of the group, he wore a deep red cape over his cravat that spoke of a desire to be seen. His posture was incredibly stiff with none of the easy grace Roderick or her brothers had. She squinted her eyes. The look on his face was that of someone who had just smelled something awful. Did he look like that all the time?