Chapter 17
Catie paced the length of the sitting room, jumping at every noise that might wake her aunt, who sat dozing in a ray of sunlight like a plump cat.
The needlework on her lap looked as if it might slide to the floor at the slightest twitch, but Catie didn’t dare go take it from her, afraid that might wake her as well.
She scooted closer to the door, praying Quinn and Miss Burnet wouldn’t decide to peek in at them.
Neither one knew Edwin was due any moment, or they never would have left her alone.
She glanced again at her aunt. If either her brother or her chaperone wandered past and saw Edwin, she’d just sneeze loudly enough to wake her, making it all perfectly proper.
She shoved aside the little squeeze of guilt she felt for orchestrating this visit. Catie made a point to go over all the things that fed her anger, an emotion that was much easier to deal with, especially since they’d become constant companions.
Hmmph, thinking of constant companions, her mind turned to Quinn and Miss Burnet.
They’d practically been in each other’s laps since the overnight stay at the Hollingsborn estate.
The hypocrites thought they were so subtle and clever, but she saw every stolen look and brush of the hand, and the sickening secretive smiles.
It turned her stomach. She’d taken to waking up early so she could eat her breakfast without having to look at them.
Their dalliance might have been something she could overlook.
After all, Quinn was notorious for his dalliances, but then Quinn went and told her he had real feelings for Miss Burnet.
Ugh, he called her Lizzie now! He wanted to ask Lizzie to accompany him back to Scotland after she was settled, which she at first thought she could use to her advantage in getting him to give Edwin his blessing, but Quinn infuriatingly still refused.
Which brought her to the final draft of her plan, which she meant to set in motion if Edwin ever got here.
If she really meant to marry him, she would speak to him about the importance of punctuality.
She rolled her eyes as she peered down the hall toward the front entrance.
If she meant to marry him, that was a laugh.
Finally, she heard the door open and the butler greet Edwin.
She stood in the doorway and intercepted them before he loudly announced him, shooing the butler away.
When she told him they would not be needing refreshments and he gave a suspicious look, she knew she’d gone too far, and her time was severely limited.
That damn butler would be back with biscuits and tea despite her refusal, just to see what she was up to.
Her paranoia had never been higher, and she jumped again when Edwin made to take her hand in greeting.
“You look more lovely than ever,” he said, glancing at Lady Amberly, then smiling at Catie when he saw she was asleep.
“Thank ye, Edwin,” she said in response to his compliment.
She didn’t feel as if she looked lovely.
She felt as if her hair stood on end. With forced calm, she led him to a seat far from her aunt.
When he didn’t respond to her meaningful looks and prattled on about the weather, she finally placed her hand on his knee.
That got his attention well enough and she swallowed hard. It was now or never.
“My brother told me he willna give his consent,” she said, forcing her eyes open wide until tears glistened. “What shall we do?”
Edwin furrowed his brow. “Perhaps I can speak to him again,” he said. “I don’t want to lose you, but can’t see causing a rift in your family.” She narrowed her eyes at him and he hurried onward. “I wouldn’t want you to resent me for it one day.”
“I could never resent ye,” she said, leaning toward him. “And as for family, when ye made your intentions known, I began to think of ye as my family.”
She didn’t want to bring up her money unless she absolutely had to. She’d do anything to achieve her goal, even something so unsavory as to dangle her fortune in front of this fortune hunter.
“Yes,” he said firmly. “Of course. As do I. Think of you as family. As my wife.” He lowered his voice and looked around the room, his face going crimson. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand.
“But how can ye think of me as such, without my brother’s consent?” she asked, closing her eyes and praying he’d remember what she’d said at his house. He took her hand and she opened her eyes.
“Did you not say I had yours?” he asked.
The smile that split her face was quite sincere and she nodded, a real tear sliding down her cheek at the rush of relief she felt. “I did,” she breathed. “But what of it?” She held his gaze, unblinking, willing him to say the words.
“Catie, do you love me?” he asked, squeezing her hand almost painfully.
“Aye,” she responded instantly, her eagerness to forward her agenda passing close enough for passion.
“Then we must elope.”
She’d never felt so victorious, not in any foot race against any of the farmhands, not in haggling for the best prices at market. She tipped her chin down and looked up at him, fluttering her lashes, while inside she was whirling in circles and hollering.
“Ye canna be serious, Edwin,” she whispered, taking his hand and pressing it to her pounding heart. “Ye mustn’t tease me, not when things have turned so dire.”
“My darling, I would never jest about—” he paused, his face turning confused. “What is distressing you? And only tell me how I can make it right,” he hurried to add.
“My brother is going to take me back to Scotland,” she said. “If we are to act, we have to do it soon.”
Edwin nodded. “With all haste, my love,” he assured her. “Only tell me the day, and I shall be ready to lead you into our shared life.”
She held back the snort that threatened, and told him exactly when she wanted to meet him. If she didn’t exactly feel happy, she felt satisfied, and everything was settled by the time the butler returned with refreshments.