Read Love in the Highlands for Free Online

paper on which he had been writing and said,
    "There, I think that will do."
    He rang a bell and after a moment a young man with an austere manner entered the room.
    "Hunsbury, I want you to send a telegram immediately," said the Marquis. "The engagement is announced between Lady Lavina Ringwood, daughter of Lord Ringwood, and Ivan, Marquis of Elswick.
    "The bride and her father are currently paying a visit to Lord Elswick's estate in Oxfordshire."
    Hunsbury was too well trained to allow his astonishment to appear by more than the very slightest hesitation in his manner. He took the slip of paper the Marquis held out to him, glanced at the words and hurried out of the room.
    "Now he'll tell everyone, and it will be in The Times tomorrow morning," the Marquis said. "The Queen will read it over her breakfast, and that may save you a deal of trouble."
    "It would be a great relief," said the Earl.
    "Let's just hope it doesn't occur to Her Majesty to contact you by telegram."
    "She hates the things," observed the Earl.
    "Good. Go home now, get what you need, bring whatever servants you consider necessary, and arrive back here as quickly as you can."
    "Then I shall bring my maid and my dresser," Lavina told him defiantly. She was resolved that this man, who disliked having women in his house, should never be able to say that she had not been honest with him.
    "Whatever you please," he replied, sounding uninterested.
    "I mention it," she said firmly, "because you are reputed to have no women in the house, even servants."
    His head jerked round to look at her suddenly, and his eyes bore a look of cold malevolence that almost made her flinch. Then it was gone.
    "You are mistaken, madam," he said distantly. "I have very few women here because it is a bachelor residence, and the house is run by a butler, rather than a housekeeper. But there are several female maids doing the cleaning."
    "The menial tasks, in fact?" she said.
    She knew she was unwise to be going out of her way to provoke him, but, despite the fact that he was to be her saviour, he annoyed her more than any man she had ever met.
    He regarded her, baffled.
    "Do not maids dust and clean in your own establishments?" he asked.
    "Well, yes, but – "
    "Then I am at a loss to understand what point you are making."
    "It isn't important," she said, chagrined.
    "I am not quite the ogre that legend appears to paint me, and you are welcome to bring any female servants that you wish. Just tell them to stay out of my way.
    "Hurry now, so that you can return to your home and leave it quickly. And make sure you tell everyone in your household before you leave, that's the best way to spread news."
    There was a touch of bitterness in his voice as he added,
    "Servants love nothing better than to gossip about their masters."
    "We'll go at once," agreed the Earl.
    Lavina took a step forward. Her anger had faded. Now all she could think of was that he was saving her from a terrible fate, and she spoke earnestly.
    "Thank you! You have helped my father and saved me. We are both very, very grateful to you."
    The Marquis did not look at her as she was speaking.
    But as she finished he rang the bell which was at the side of the fireplace. The butler appeared so quickly that he must have been just outside the door, and it was clear, from his face, that he had already heard the news.
    "My guests are leaving," said the Marquis, apparently unaware that his butler's eyes were popping. "Show them to their carriage".
    "Very good, M'Lord," the butler said, holding open the door.
    Lavina held out her hand to the Marquis, but he did not take it. In fact, he put both hands at his sides and bowed from the waist.
    Lavina was astonished to realise that he would not touch her.
    Then, as if she understood, she dropped her hand and said,
    "Thank you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!"
    She turned away to her father, and they walked from the room together. She did not look back, and so she did not see Lord