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KILGANNON
I noticed him the moment he stepped into view
in the doorway of Louisa's ballroom. He was waiting
to be announced but I knew immediately who he
was. Surely this was the man Becca had talked
about. He certainly fit the description she'd
given and was as memorable as she'd hinted.
He wore traditional
Scottish Highland clothing while everyone else
was dressed in the latest London style. Taller
than most of the men in the room, he was simply
groomed with no wig, his blond hair pulled into
a queue at the nape of his neck. He wore a very
white shirt under a muted green jacket which topped
a plaided kilt. Over his shoulder was the rest
of the plaid fastened with a simple gold brooch.
He was lean and graceful, his shoulders wide,
his legs long, the muscles visible under dark
socks below the kilt. The other men in the room
suddenly seemed overdressed.
My interest heightened
as the Earl of Kilgannon was announced and walked
down the stairs. My aunt approached him with a
welcoming smile and I admired her easy grace.
Louisa, the Countess Randolph, married to the
Earl Randolph, was accustomed to greeting nobility,
for she moved in titled circles. The Duchess,
at her side as usual, also greeted the newcomer
warmly. Behind me I could hear the murmuring of
two men who were not pleased that a "damned
Scot" was among us. I recognized the voices
and turned to find my suspicions confirmed: they
were Whigs I'd been ignored by at the Duchess's
party. I turned back to watch the Scotsman.
"Not only a Scot, but a Highlander,"
growled one of the Whigs.
"He'll likely
stab someone before the night is out. They have
the manners of pigs. Barbarians. What is the matter
with the Countess Randolph that she has him here?
Damned inconsiderate."
His friend snickered.
"I believe he's some sort of relative. She
was married to a Scot, remember. She says he makes
her laugh."
"So does my dog but I don't invite him to
dinner."
They continued, but
I was only half listening now, my attention focused
on the blond man as he bowed over my aunt's hand
and said something that had her laughing and playfully
smacking his arm with her fan. Why had Louisa
not mentioned him before? He was certainly more
interesting than any man I'd seen in London. Well,
at least more handsome.
I lost sight of them
as people moved between us hen saw the Scot standing
alone, scanning the room as though looking for
someone. Our eyes met and he smiled. Without thinking,
I smiled in return. He began to walk towards me
but Lady Wilmington stopped him, tilting her head
and laying one fleshy hand on his arm. He looked
at her hand, then at me, and then smiled at her.
Will said something to me then and I gave him
my attention, but when he and Betty left me a
few moments later to dance, I turned to look again
for the stranger.
And found him standing
in front of me. My eye level was at his collarbone
and I looked at his silver buttons and lace collar
before I met his gaze, aware of the curious stares
directed our way. I tried in vain to control the
flush that stole into my cheeks and wondered if
I was now the same color as my gown. His hair
was a golden blond, thick and shining. Prominent
cheekbones and jawline and a straight nose complimented
a well-defined mouth. His eyes, surrounded by
dark lashes, were a midsummer's sky blue, his
expression pleasant as he spoke.
"Miss Lowell?
I am Alexander MacGannon of Kilgannon. Yer aunt
suggested I make yer acquaintance." His accent
was noticeable, his tone light. He did not sound
like a madman.
I offered my hand
and he bowed over it. As he straightened, a lock
of his hair slipped out of the band that held
it and framed his face and I had the ridiculous
urge to brush it away from his cheek. I pulled
back from him more strongly than I had intended.
He brushed his hair back while he looked at me
intently, but something had flickered in his eyes
and I knew he had seen my flinch.
"It is customary,
Kilgannon, to have a third person introduce you,"
laughed the Duchess, suddenly at his side. The
small plump woman looked up at him affectionately.
"It is also less
direct than I wish to be, Your Grace," he
answered, bowing to her. "But I bow to yer
wishes in all things."
"In all things, sir, or just those you wish
to?"
I was astonished. The Duchess flirting with a
Scotsman? I studied him as they bantered, pretending
as I waited for them to finish that I was not
noticing every detail about him. At last the Duchess
turned to me.
"My dear Mary, may I present Alexander MacGannon,
the tenth Earl of Kilgannon. Kilgannon, Miss Mary
Lowell. Two years ago in France, Mary, the Duke
made the Earl's acquaintance. My husband reports
that the Earl was charming and deadly." She
placed a small jeweled hand on his arm and smiled
up into his face. "Such an interesting combination."
The Earl laughed.
"Aye, madam, we Scots are always charming
and deadly. When we're not acting like savages."
"Oh, Kilgannon,"
she twittered, "take Miss Lowell for a walk."
She smiled at me. "He's unmarried, dear."
I felt my cheeks flame again as she waddled away
but before either of us could speak one of the
Whigs was at my elbow, staring aggressively at
Lord Kilgannon. He spoke abruptly.
"Kirkgannon, is it? What do you think of
the Union?"
"Kilgannon, sir." Kilgannon bowed stiffly
and spoke coldly. "I think it's the law now.
Has been for several years, I believe."
"So you Scots will obey the law this time?"
"As always, sir. If you will excuse us now,
Miss Lowell has expressed her wishes for a bit
of fresh air."
I made no protest
as Kilgannon took my hand and pulled it through
his arm. He led me silently to the opposite side
of the ballroom and out onto the porch, ignoring
all the eyes watching us. Outside he released
my hand with a sigh and leaned against the stone
railing. The night was gentle, the moon a crescent
in the black sky. A slight breeze ruffled our
hair and brought the scent of roses as I watched
him by the light of the lamps beside the door.
He glanced over his shoulder at the darkness before
turning to look at me.
"I'm sorry, lass.
I dinna mean to drag ye off. I was afraid I'd
say something unforgivable and yer aunt would
ban me from her house. And . . . "
he turned and looked out over the gardens, his
cheeks coloring slightly. "I'm sorry if I
was too direct. I just thought it was the simplest
way to meet ye."
I looked at his profile and tried to think of
an answer. When I did not respond, he shot me
a sharp glance.
"Are ye angry? Shall I leave?"
I looked at him for a long moment before answering,
then smiled. Anger was not what I was feeling.
"Am I angry that you wanted to meet me, sir?"
I asked. "Or am I angry that you refused
to be drawn into an argument with a boor? Or am
I angry that you flirted outrageously with my
aunt and the Duchess? Or am I angry that a Scotsman
would attend a party like this when we all know
you're likely to burn London down at any moment?"
He turned to me, surprised at first and then,
reading my expression, started chuckling. "Ye're
a one. All right, which is it?" His smile
played around the corners of his mouth.
"I'm deciding. Hmmm. I'm not angry you wanted
to meet me."
"And?"
"And I'm not angry that you wouldn't argue
politics. And I'm not angry that you would attend
this party, assuming, of course, that you were
invited."
"I was. And?"
"And I am outraged that you flirted with
my aunt Louisa and the Duchess."
He laughed out loud and turned back to the garden.
"Yer aunt said ye were bright as well as
beautiful."
"My aunt always says I'm bright and beautiful,
sir," I said. "In truth, I am neither."
"I disagree, Miss Lowell. She dinna say the
half of it." He stole a look at me again,
his expression softening. "Thank ye for being
kind to a stranger."
"My lord, it was easy to be kind to you."
"Not my lord, lass. Just Alex."
"Not the Earl of . . . ? " I couldn't
remember.
"Kilgannon. No. Alex. Alex MacGannon. Will
ye remember it?"
"Alex," I said, meeting his eyes.
"Here you are! We wondered where you'd wandered
to."
We turned to see the
Duchess standing in the doorway with Will and
Betty. She introduced everyone and turned to smile
at me. "The Earl saw you at my party last
week, Mary," she said, "and asked to
meet you, but he left before I could arrange it,
so I am delighted that he has joined us tonight."
I watched Kilgannon watch me and Will assess him.
"I see," I said. "The Earl was
most direct."
The Duchess laughed. "And successful it would
appear."
Will raised his eyebrows and I said something
about the weather, forestalling his protective
reaction. We talked for a few moments, Will and
Kilgannon polite, Betty pouting in the background.
The Duchess interrupted when the topic shifted
to politics. "No, no, not tonight, gentlemen,"
she said with a wave of her hand. "Come inside,
the dancing is about to begin again."
She led the way and we followed. In the ballroom
Betty was at Kilgannon's side at once.
"Do you dance, sir?" she asked in her
affected high little voice.
He nodded. "Aye, mistress, but not the minuet."
"Oh," she
said and a moment later was swept off onto the
dance floor by Will.
I stood with Kilgannon and watched the dancers,
very aware of him at my side, trying to think
of something to say that wouldn't sound idiotic.
Jonathan Wumple stopped before us, bowing, and
I groaned silently. Jonathan, who I had known
forever, always asked me to dance. Tonight, however,
he asked Kilgannon if I could dance. The Scot
glanced at me.
"It's the lady's decision, sir. Just dinna
flirt with her. She despises flirting," he
said with an impassive expression and then laughed
at the face I made at him behind Jonathan's back.
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