Chapter Seven #2
Beth didn’t think she could take any more of Lady Chisholm. Manners or not, she was about ready to yank the hair from the woman’s head.
And shove it into her always-open mouth.
*
Daniel carried Beth up the steps to the bedchamber floor. “I asked one of the maids to have tea sent up. I have a jug of whisky arriving as well. I think after all that time with Lady Chisholm, I need more than tea.”
He pushed the door open and carried her into the room.
“I doona think ’tis proper for ye to send for refreshments to be brought to my room. ’Twill no’ look good.”
He nodded. “I agree. Why doona I send a message to yer mam to join us? She would certainly be enough of a chaperone for even Lady Chisholm.” He placed her in the chair by the fireplace.
Beth shifted around, looking uncomfortable. “I doona think ye have to worry about Lady Chisholm finding us together. The last thing she wants is for her daughter to be eliminated due to ye compromising me doing something inappropriate.”
He smirked. “I wouldn’t mind her finding us together doing something inappropriate.”
Then he shook his head and raised his hand. “Nay, I doona want ye to be forced into something ye seem to be against.” He smiled at her. “Unless ye’ve changed yer mind?”
Before she could answer his question, a knock on the door drew their attention as the maid arrived with a tray of tea and sweet pasties. Right behind her was a lad with the jug of whisky.
Daniel took the jug from the lad’s hands. “Giles, can ye please go to Lady Munro’s bedchamber and ask her to come to her daughter’s bedchamber?”
Before Beth had set up her tea the way she liked it, Lady Munro burst through the door. “Are ye well, Beth? Did ye hurt yer ankle again? I kenned ye shouldn’t be wandering all over the keep.”
“Mam, I’m fine. The laird and I are having refreshments, and we needed a chaperone.”
Beth’s mam put her hand to her chest. “Oh, goodness.” She took the chair next to Beth. “I could use a cup of tea myself.”
They talked about the chess game and Lady Munro laughed when Daniel complained about Beth pretending she didn’t know how to play and then checking him in four moves.
“Aye, my daughter has stunned us for years with her ability to play the game. Also, no man can do numbers better than my daughter. Give her any sort of mathematical problem and she’ll do it in her head.”
Like a proud mam, she continued “She loves to read, and has read all the books we have. No’ to brag, but Lady Beth is skilled in many areas, but I’m afraid few of them are the typical ladylike endeavors.
She plays chess—as ye found out. She rides horses well—unless she doesn’t try too many jumps.
” She smiled at her daughter, then she took a sip of her tea.
“Add to her list that she has helped deliver several lambs, but much to her da’s dismay she canno’ sew, run a kitchen, or dance in a graceful way.”
By the time Lady Munro finished, Daniel was laughing. The more he saw and the more he heard, he was determined to have this woman for his wife. He imagined their uncommon life.
He had to start wooing the lass. He’d been letting her keep a distance between them, but he kenned it was time to put an end to that.
His only concern was Lady Alice. Her mam made sure they both popped up everywhere, so he and Beth have had very little, if any, time alone. That was what he needed.
He, Lady Munro and Beth chatted for a while and Daniel realized that Lady Munro herself was a very nice woman, intelligent and charming, especially as she told stories of her numerous grandchildren. According to her, those bairns were perfect.
He looked at Beth when her mam went on and on about them. She rolled her eyes a few times which made him wonder if her opinion varied from her mam’s.
Eventually, Lady Munro began to fidget in her seat and looked at him. “I think ’tis time I retired. That bit of whisky ye gave me did its work to make me drowsy.” She stood and said, “Ye will need to leave us now, Laird. I must prepare my daughter for bed.”
He climbed to his feet and nodded. “Aye, my lady.” He turned to Beth. “Good sleep to ye.”
He left with the full intention of returning once Lady Munro left the room. There was something he needed to say to her and the time was now.
He heard the door to Beth’s room close and waited until he heard Lady Munro’s as well, then walked down the corridor and knocked lightly before easing it open.
She was in bed, her coverlet to her waist, which she immediately drew to her chin, her eyes wide. “What are ye doing here?”
“May I come in for a minute?”
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He walked into the room, closing the door behind him. Beth wrapped her arms around her middle and stared at him. “I doona understand. ’Tis no’ proper for ye to be here. If anyone finds out, there will be trouble.”
“I doona want to cause ye problems, and I willna take much of yer time.”
He drew up a chair and sat alongside her, resting his foot on his opposite knee.
He ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat.
“I have hinted at this, but the time has come for me to state it clearly. I want ye for my wife, Beth. I think we suit and could have a good life together. I have plenty of money, and a strong castle to defend ye. I will ne’er hurt ye and will give ye plenty of bairns to fuss o’er. ”
She narrowed her eyes. “Ye just said the wrong thing. I ne’er wanted lots of bairns.”
So his suspicions about her reaction to her mother’s obvious fondness for her grandchildren hadn’t been wrong. He grinned. “I plan to spend plenty of time making them, so we will be sure ye have help to care for them.”
“I dinna say aye.” She drew up her knees and rested her chin on them. “Ye ken I dinna want to come here for the purpose of presenting myself as a broodmare.” When he began to speak, she raised her hand. “I wish I could say I’ve changed my mind, but I’m torn.”
She sucked in her breath when he climbed on the bed and sat next to her. He wrapped his arms around her warm soft body. “At least ye dinna say nay.” When she began to shake her head, he placed his finger on her lips.
Then he cupped her face in his hands and covered her lips with his. A slight, innocent kiss turned into something more, something needy, powerful, and passionate.
Before he did more than he should—certainly not more than he wanted—he leaned back and kissed her on her forehead. “I will see ye in the morn. Please think about what I said.”