To Tempt a Scotsman (Somerhart 1)

"This is terrible! I should just go back to Somerhart." "No, I absolutely forbid it."

She fell back upon the bed, covering her face with her hands. She had come here for comfort, for company and distraction, anything to avoid the regret that had fallen over her after Blackburn's visit.

"Alex, what is it? Has he been cruel to you? I may have to stand on a chair to do it, but I'm not afraid to box his ears."

A surprised laugh bubbled up from her throat at the image. "Really?"

"Please tell me what's going on."

"Oh, it's nothing that terrible. I'm just overwrought. I only met him three days ago. He wished to speak with me about his brother's death."

"Why?"

She could almost hear her friend frowning. Sighing, Alex sat up, wondering if she looked like a melodramatic marionette as she flopped about on the bed. "He's look­ing for St. Claire. Naturally, he wanted to speak with me. I gave him what I could and he left. The end."

"Did he know you were coming here?"

"No, and I certainly did not know he would be here."

"We never mentioned . . . That is . . . I could ask him to go."

"No! No, of course not. He's done nothing wrong. I be­lieve that distinction belongs to me."

"Oh, Alex, don't say that, please. Men are solely respon­sible for those stupid games of honor that they play. That duel was between those two men and likely had little enough to do with you."

That struck a little close to home. "You may be more right than you think."

"Alex—"

A soft knock on the door saved her from explanation. A young footman entered, toting her trunk as if it weighed nothing. Alexandra stood, put a smile on her face.

"Don't worry, Lucy. I was only surprised to see him. I'll be fine. And next time I'll inquire before coming to visit."

"But—"

"No, no. Don't think of it again." She put her arm around Lucy's shoulders—an awkward task as the woman was several inches taller—and managed to steer her toward the door. "I'll see you at dinner."

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the obviousness of the action, but she left, followed closely by the footman. As soon as the door closed, Alex stomped her foot hard into the carpet.

She wanted to fly down the stairs and back to her car­riage, have the driver whip the horses on till she saw the gates of home. But Blackburn would know she ran from him. Would it still be obvious if she waited until morning to flee?

A growl rose in her throat. She'd come here for refuge from her own thoughts and now she was confronted with the very cause of her turmoil. A cousin by marriage, indeed.

Shock had rippled through her body at the sight of him, standing there where she least expected. Worse yet was the realization that she had not been entirely dismayed. In that first instant of recognition her body had responded with pleasure, then her brain had scrambled to catch up, and the thrill flooding her veins had changed to instant anxiety.

Damn him, why did he have to be so appealing? His visit to her home had stirred up more than just the old night­mares of John and his freshly dug grave. Since then, she'd been haunted by dreams about a large Scotsman and un­yielding arms that demanded she soothe his hurt. More than once she'd awakened with that hot ache upon her body. The pain of her want seemed worse than her sorrow now.

Clenching her jaw, she blew air through her teeth and sat down to await her maid. Danielle could get her out of this wrinkled dress and brush out the braid that now seemed woven just to give her a headache. Then she would prepare for dinner. Prepare to dine with the first man she'd found attractive in a long while. A man who looked at her and saw the death of his brother.

Collin watched Lady Alexandra step from her room, brow furrowed with thought or worry as she turned to head for the stairs. When her eyes touched him they flew wide in surprise.

"What do you want?"

He pushed away from the wall. "I thought we should speak privately before dinner."

"Why ever would you think that?"

A maid stepped out of a room a few doors down and spared them a quick glance before rushing away. Lady Alexandra stared after her, tight-jawed, as if she wished it were herself escaping. "What do you want, Blackburn?"