Chapter 16
Striding to his place at the high table, Dev faced the gathered company, all of whom were likely wondering if he meant to delay their meal any longer.
Waiting for silence, he said the grace without sparing a thought for the priest at his table and sat down. In the shuffle, as everyone else took their seats, he said to Wat, “Was it necessary to create a scene merely to kiss your cousin, my lord?”
“Cool your wrath, Davy-lad,” Wat said evenly. “The lady asked me to kiss her. She said she wanted to learn if men kiss differently or all the same.”
Grimacing, Dev said, “Aye, she told me as much, too. Her maidservant put the notion into her head. I told Robby to behave herself.”
“I am glad to know she told me the truth,” Wat murmured. “She also said you assured her that you are never jealous. She did not mention her maidservant or the part about behaving herself.”
“She wouldn’t,” Dev said with a reluctant half-smile. “As for jealousy, I have neither the right nor any cause for such.”
“True,” Wat murmured. Then, cheerfully, he looked past Dev to say, “Here, lad, I’ll take some of that beef if Sir David chooses to ignore its presence.”
Recalled to his duty, Dev turned to serve Lady Meg from the platter. When his gaze met hers, she smiled.
“I think you and Robina suit each other well, sir,” she said quietly.
No sooner had Dev said the grace than, as everyone sat down, Bella muttered across Janet, “Why were you kissing Wat, Cousin Robby?”
“We’re cousins, Bella,” she said, leaning close to Janet so neither Rosalie nor Lady Meg would hear her. “I have little knowledge of kissing, so I asked Wat to show me how it is when men kiss women they like more than cousins. He was kind enough to show me.”
“I wonder what Molly will think about that,” Bella said.
“That, Bella, it is not a subject for you to discuss with her,” Janet said firmly.
“Wat said he was sure Molly would understand,” Robina said.
“Aye, but will Dev?” Janet muttered in her ear.
“I’ll find out after we eat,” Robina said. “He wants to talk to me.”
“That sounds ominous, but you do not seem concerned,” Janet said. “When Wat says he wants to talk to me, I quiver until I learn that I need not.”
“Are you two talking secrets?” Bella demanded. “Jannie, you said that talking secrets in front of other people is rude.”
“It is rude,” Janet said lightly. “Will you forgive us?”
“Do I get to go to the wedding?” Bella asked.
“Bella!” Janet exclaimed, her cheeks reddening.
“If there is a wedding,” Robina said to Bella with a smile, “you must certainly attend it. At present, though, naught is settled.”
“Well, Aunt Rosalie says there will be a wedding. She also said she might let me help finish your dress, Cousin Robby.”
By the end of the meal, Robina’s confidence had waned and she understood what Janet meant in saying she quivered before such talks with Wat.
Nevertheless, she was glad when Lady Meg rose from the table, said she meant to retire to the solar, and as much as ordered Rosalie, Janet, and Bella to go with her.
Potter, Benjy, Sym, and the priest excused themselves, too, leaving Robina alone at the ladies’ end of the table, two seats away from Dev.
Wat murmured something to Dev, who gave a curt nod. When Wat turned away, Dev said tersely, “We will talk in yon chamber, Robina.”
His expression was unreadable, but she could still sense his anger. Even so, he was not in a fury, just irked… or something other than irked.
As Robby walked gracefully into the inner chamber, Dev reminded himself that she was still in his charge. As Wat left, he’d warned him again to curb his temper, but Robby seemed oblivious to it, which, Dev decided, was just as well.
He had often seen her ignore or even take fire from Rab’s anger, but he would not allow such opportunities with him.
Nor would he allow such flirting as he had witnessed with Wat.
To be sure, Wat was amused, but Lady Meg had witnessed the encounter, and so had everyone else in the hall. Dev bolted the door.
“Look at me, Robby,” he said then. “I have something to say to you.”
“You did not like seeing me kiss Wat, I know,” she said, turning. “But surely, even you lack the right to command me not to kiss my own cousin, Dev. So, if you mean to scold, I think you should not.”
He nearly told her that the kiss had not looked cousinly to him, but he did not want to fratch with her about that. Nor did he want to lose his temper.
Meantime, she watched him as if she dared him to behave like the guardian they both knew he was.
“I learned something about myself today,” he said at last.
Again he waited, hoping she would encourage him to continue.
She was silent, and he knew he either had to say what he was thinking and what he had learned or, perhaps, lose his sole opportunity. But what if…?
Finding it hard to swallow, he gave himself a mental shake and said bluntly, “Sithee, lass, Wat promised me that if we don’t marry, he will find you a suitable husband, one who will keep you out of trouble and give you lots of bairns.”
“That is what you learned about yourself?”
“No, no, that is what led to my discovery.”
“How?”
“Because I realized I’d exert my authority to disapprove of your marriage to any man he chose, no matter how eligible he was or what your feelings about him might be.”
A flush reddened her cheeks. The rosiness became her, but he wondered warily if he had shocked her or made her angry. His remaining confidence evaporated. He felt as he had in boyhood, facing unknown but well-deserved censure.
“Why would you disapprove of them?” she asked then, her voice soft, gentle.
“Because I’m a selfish man, Robby,” he said, “and apparently a jealous and dull-witted one, too. What did you think of Wat’s kiss?”
“He is very handsome.”
“Answer the question I asked you.”
“He put his arms around me, he is strong, and his clothing has a spicy scent.”
“Robina.”
She stepped closer, eyeing him as if her gaze might pierce to his soul. “I am trying to think how his kiss compared to yours, Dev. But…” She spread her hands.
“Come here.”
“Why?”
“You are begging for another skelping.”
She cocked her head. “Am I? Why would you want to do that?”
“Why? Robby, I’m trying to tell you that I want you, that the thought of you with any other man made me feel…” He shook his head. “I can’t describe it.”
“Try.”
“Damnation, I can’t. Decide! Will you or will you not marry me?”
Robina felt as if the floor had disappeared from under her feet.
Whatever she had expected—at best his admission that he had disliked seeing her kiss Wat—she had not expected his demand for an immediate reply to such a proposal.
His demeanor had confused her from the moment she’d seen him watching her kiss Wat.
She had sensed his anger then and on the dais.
Then, after Wat left them, Dev seemed different, less devilish, perhaps uncertain, and otherwise unreadable.
She understood her behavior, because she’d behaved much the same when Rab was angry but refused to tell her what she had done to irk him. She would tease him then until he lost his temper and shouted his thoughts and feelings to her, and to the winds.
She had known that, with Dev, it was a dangerous game. He did not shout when he was angry; he erupted. Then, as she knew, anything might happen.
Expecting next to hear Rab say that she’d just wanted to know she could make Dev jealous, she realized he did not need to say it. She knew it was true. She also knew that she’d wanted Dev to admit that he cared about her decision, and he had.
“Robby, will you answer me?”
“I think perhaps I will,” she said, meeting his gaze.
“Will answer or will marry me?”
“I think perhaps I’ll do both. Kiss me, Dev.”
When he pulled her into his arms, she melted against him and lifted her face up to his. His mouth captured hers, and his strong, warm hands moved over her back and sides as if he would memorize every inch of her by touch.
Allowing a few minutes to prove again that his kisses were far superior to Wat Scott’s, Robina put her hands against Dev’s arms and said quietly, “I don’t want to stop, because this feels wonderful, but we’re doubtless stirring more talk.
Moreover, Cousin Wat may feel obliged to interrupt us if only to see if you’ve left me in one piece. ”
“Then you should rejoin the ladies,” he said, releasing her with a wry smile. “Will you tell them we’ve decided to marry, or should I announce it to everyone at supper?”
“Nearly everyone already assumes we’re betrothed,” she reminded him. “I’ll tell my cousins that we’ve decided to go forward with the wedding on Saturday, as Cousin Rosalie suggested, unless you think we should wait longer.”
“No, for everyone is here except my father, and he’ll arrive Friday. In troth, I’d liefer have it done and send all of our guests and Wat’s priest to perdition. That is, if Mistress Geddes can finish your dress by then.”
She smiled. “I think Rosalie would liefer go sleepless than see it unfinished Saturday. Do you still believe that this will please your lord father?”
“I’m certain it will,” he said.
“Then, I should go upstairs now,” she said. “Someone may come.”
“Before you go,” Dev said, giving her a stern look and gripping her shoulders again, “I don’t ever want to see you kissing Wat or any other man like that again. If you do…” He paused—meaningfully, he hoped.
She grinned. “I ken fine what you’d do, but I’d best not catch you kissing anyone you should not, either, David Ormiston. I may not be able to put you over my knee, sir, but I’d do something to make you sorry.”
“You terrify me,” he said with a smile but only half-teasing.
Tossing him a saucy look, she ran up the stairs, and he watched until she vanished around the next turn.
He loved watching her move. She was nearly always brisk, confident, and capable, but nonetheless graceful.