School For Heiresses 3- Beware A Scot's Revenge Read Online Free PDF Page A

be no truce between him and Duncannon’s family. Thankfully, the set ended without his making a fool of himself. As they left the floor, he searched for her chaperone. Ah, the lady was standing with Colonel Seton. He should give the man more chance to work. Lachlanslowed his steps. “Are ye fromEdinburgh ?” he asked.
    “London. But I used to live in theHighlands .”
    “Why did you leave?” How much of the truth had her father told her?
    “My mother died, and Papa couldn’t bear to stay inScotland without her.”
    So Duncannon hadn’t told her a damned thing. Not that he was surprised; the man was too wily to let his daughter know he’d abandoned his responsibilities. “Then yer father didn’t come toScotland with you,” he said, though he knew the answer.
    “No. He vowed never to return and won’t break that vow even for this. I had a hard time even persuading him to let me come. That’s why I must return directly toEngland once it’s over.” With a sigh, she swept her hand to indicate the ballroom. “This is as close as I get to the realScotland on this trip.”
    “The real Scotland ?” He couldn’t suppress a snort.
    “This is no more the realScotland than I am the real Charlie. Walter Scott trumped up this daft nonsense for the royal visit, with Lowlanders wearing tartan and half the Highlanders banned from town for being too rowdy.”
    He stared out at the dance floor, his gut tightening. The very sight of the lairds dancing away in their kilts sickened him. Their people fled toAmerica in droves to keep from starving, and the chiefs would only dance.
    Bitterness laced his words. “Mustn’t frighten the English king with a show of arms. Or alarm the London Scots who want only a taste of the old country.”
    She bristled. “Now see here, sir, you know nothing about ‘London Scots.’ If I had my way, I’d be living in theHighlands right now.” Her tone turned acid. “But while you men can do whatever you want, young women can’t go where they please. Not until they marry.”
    “Of course not, lass.” Holy Christ, he was no good at cozying up to fine ladies. “Forgive me for speaking out o’ turn. Sometimes my love of home tramples my good sense.”
    She accepted his apology, thank God. Then she ruined it by turning the conversation to him. “So you’re from theHighlands , too?”
    Damn. But since she’d already guessed it…“Aye. Highland-born and bred.” He changed the subject before she could ask what part. “Looks like yer chaperone is arguing with Colonel Seton.”
    She followed his gaze. “I should rescue her. She claims not to like him.”
    “Claims?”
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    “I think the problem is that she likes him too much.”
    Good. That made everything easier. “Then we should give them time to work out which it is.”
    Dancing another set was out of the question; he’d barely endured the one. “If you like, I could show you the decorations for the Peers’ Ball Thursday night.” He gestured to a nearby curtain draped from floor to ceiling. “There’s a door hidden back there that leads to the other ballroom, which isn’t being used this evening. Care to have a look?”
    A well-bred lass like her would know she shouldn’t go with him, but he could tell from her hesitation that she wanted to. If she did, it boded well for tomorrow.
    Mayhap a bit of coaxing was in order. “I’ll understand if those proprieties of yours are rearing their ugly heads. A fine lady like yerself—”
    “Not at all,” she said with a breathless little hitch that sent his blood coursing to the wrong places. She took his arm. “Lead on, kind sir.”
    Moments later they were in the next ballroom, watching servants drape tartan over chandeliers and position gold damask sofas on the narrow one-step-high stage built to surround the room, so the portly king would have a place to rest between dances.
    “What a magnificent