Courting Carolina (29 page)

The wolves stepped into the clearing from six different directions, their heads lowered and their tails tucked against their hind legs. No, only
five
wolves appeared, causing Alec to stiffen and scan the woods for the sixth one. He didn’t think it had gone to the fiord, as they always fed in pairs. So where in hell was it?

Nicholas crouched to his heels as Kit stopped in front of him about ten paces away. “Titus recognizes your valor, my friend,” he said, extending a hand, “and admires your loyalty to Carolina. Come, orca. It would appear you’ve earned your badge of courage.” He ruffled Kit’s fur when the wolf finally closed the distance between them. “What’s this?” he asked, fingering the braid of Jane’s hair. He gave a quick glance at Alec before looking back at Kit, and chuckled. “I suppose every warrior needs a token to remind him why he’s in the fight. But know there’ll be hell to pay if Leviathan sees that. As for you others,” he said, standing up and looking around, “you would do well to emulate Kitalanta.” That said, Nicholas shrugged off his jacket as he walked back to the fire and sat down, the wolves preferring to bed down where they were.

Okay; apparently the big bastard was settling in for a visit. Alec looked at the thin envelope in his hand, blew out a sigh, and stuffed it in his hind pocket as he went to the rear wall of the lean-to. He grabbed two tin mugs, snatched up the bottle of Scotch as he headed down the steps—again scanning the woods for the sixth wolf—and sat down an arm’s reach away from Jane Smith’s heavily armed good friend. Christ, he hoped the missing wolf didn’t start something, because he really didn’t see it ending well.

“Besides being an errand boy,” Nicholas said as Alec poured Scotch into each mug, “I’ve come to ask your advice about a decision I’m trying to make.” He took the mug Alec handed him, took a long swig, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Son of a bitch, that’s smooth.” He looked over and grinned again. “I can see why Lina likes you,
MacKeage, as I’m starting to like you myself. Hell,” he said with a chuckle, “if she considers me a man of few words, she must find you truly refreshing.”

Alec took a drink—damn, his ancestors knew something about Scotch—and refilled his and Nicholas’s mugs. “What is it you’re trying to decide?”

Nicholas stared into the crackling fire. “It appears I’ll be out of a job in nine days, and I’m trying to decide what to do with the rest of my life.” He looked over at Alec, his ocean-blue eyes direct despite his negligent shrug. “Once Lina chooses on the night of the ball, she’ll no longer be my…worry.”

“And if she doesn’t choose?”

He shook his head. “She has no choice but to choose, which I believe Titus explained to you just last night,” he said softly, grinning at Alec’s surprise. “Which is another one of my errands,” he continued just as quietly. “Titus asked me to come out here and explain that you no longer have to sneak around to see Carolina—or
Jane
, he said you kept calling her—because you’re welcome to come to Nova Mare and openly court her with the others.”

Titus had told Nicholas about their late-night conversation? “You can go back and tell him thanks but no thanks,” Alec said, which he followed with a swig of Scotch to wash away the foul taste Jane’s suitors left in his mouth.

Nicholas nodded. “I didn’t think so. I told him your rather unique courtship was more effective, anyway.” His eyes suddenly hardened. “Which is why despite the little chat you two had, I’ve given my men permission to use any means necessary to stop you from wandering in and out of Nova Mare seemingly at will.” And just that suddenly he grinned again. “It took the guard you tied up last night until nearly noon to get free. And though that normally would have meant immediate dismissal, I somehow allowed Dante to talk me into letting him stay. So don’t be surprised if he and the others are a little harder to sneak past.”

“You’re assuming I intend to.”

“Another of my errands,” he continued as if Alec hadn’t
spoken, his voice back to normal, “is to warn you about what happened this morning. Rana’s afraid you might get…upset when you notice the handprint on Carolina’s face.”

Alec stilled with his drink halfway to his mouth. “Who in hell hit her? Titus?”

Nicholas’s eyes flared in surprise. “No,” he snarled. “The Bedouin.”

“And where is the bastard now?”

Nicholas dropped his gaze to his mug and shook his head. “Let’s just say he’s no longer here and won’t be leaving handprints on any more women.” He took another drink of Scotch, then looked at Alec again. “So, any suggestions as to what I should do with the rest of my life?” He waved the mug at the fiord. “I find myself liking this century with all its modern conveniences. And weapons,” he said, grinning again as he nudged his arm against the gun in his shoulder holster. “And since Titus promised me a satchel of money and the choice of which century I wish to live in, I’m trying to decide if I want to stay in this one.” He shook his head. “But I need to find something stimulating to get me out of bed every morning.”

“Why don’t you ask Mac?”

“Because Mac isn’t exactly approachable at the moment. And if Lina chooses Niall MacKeage the night of the ball…” He looked back down at his mug. “Well, let’s just say the little earthquake Spellbound Falls experienced two and a half years ago will seem like a minor tremor.”

“What does Mac have against Niall?”

Nicholas downed the Scotch in his mug. “It’s not just Niall he’s opposed to, but any MacKeage, apparently. Only none of us can figure out why he’s so adamant that Lina not marry anyone from your clan, especially considering he’s such good friends with Duncan.” He shrugged. “Personally, I think—”

“Nicholas? Are you through taking Alec’s measure yet, because I’m beginning to get a bit chilled.”

Alec stiffened even as Nicholas shot him a grin. “Another
of my
errands
,” the big bastard drawled, standing up. “Sorry, I guess I forgot you were here.”

“You did not,” Rana Oceanus said, striding into the clearing with wolf number six walking beside her, its tail wagging like a love-struck puppy.

Alec scrambled to his feet with a silent curse.

“Hello again, Alec,” she said, sliding her purse onto her shoulder and extending her hand to him. “I’m so glad we were able to catch up with you this afternoon.”

He took her offered hand and gave a slight bow. “Mrs. Oceanus.”

She used their handshake to lead him back to the fire. “My, the sun sets early this time of year this far north, doesn’t it?” she said cheerily, finally letting him go to hold both of her hands over the fire. “And the temperature drops so quickly.” She walked to the jacket Nicholas had tossed on the ground and, giving the man an apologetic smile, sat down on it and settled her purse on her lap. She patted the ground next to her. “Sit here beside me, Alec. And please, I insist you call me Rana,” she said, darting Nicholas a speaking look before smiling at Alec again. “Being Mrs. Oceanus is really quite tiring, and sometimes I just want to be…an ordinary woman.”

Jane’s mother was about as ordinary as her daughter, Alec thought with a stifled snort as he sat down beside her. “How about
your majesty
or
highness
?” he asked.

She reared away, horrified. “No, that’s worse!” She leaned toward him and patted his arm—then left her hand there, he couldn’t help but notice. “To you I’m
Rana
,” she growled—though she was smiling. “I insist.”

Christ, he really didn’t see this ending well. “May I ask what brings you way out here on this chilly afternoon…Rana?”
Other than to make me crazy missing your daughter,
he silently added. Damn, Jane and her mother could be twins but for their ages. Not that they looked all that much alike, as Jane seemed to have inherited her father’s height and eyes and dark hair. But their mannerisms, like their
slightly lopsided smiles, no-nonsense strides, and demonstrative have-to-touch-you nature, were identical. Hell, they even smelled alike.

Still keeping her hand on his arm, Rana looked past Alec just as errand boy started to sit down. “Nicholas, could you go get one of the cups we packed so I can try some of that lovely highland gold Niall thoughtfully brought Titus?” She leaned toward Alec again when Nicholas straightened with a loud sigh and headed to his horse. “If the subject should ever come up around my husband, you never saw that Scotch,” she whispered, giving him an intrinsically Jane smile.

Nope; definitely not going to end well.

“Now, Alec,” she said, opening her purse and reaching inside. “I don’t know if you’re aware of it or not, but Olivia and Maximilian are putting on a private ball the evening of the day-long celebration of the hotel opening.” Her hand reemerged holding a bunch of thick vellum envelopes. “And with your being way out here in the wilderness, I decided to deliver your invitation personally to make sure you received it. I know it’s here someplace,” she muttered, fingering through what had to be a dozen envelopes.

Was she serious?

She’d definitely caught Nicholas by surprise, if dropping the silver cup just as he was bending to pick up the Scotch was any indication. “What are you doing?” he asked, crouching to glare across the fire at her—or, more specifically, at her lap.

Rana arched a very Janelike, perfectly shaped eyebrow. “I’m delivering Alec’s invitation to the ball.” She waved the envelopes in the air. “And tomorrow you can help me go into town and deliver the rest of these.”

“All the invitations were sent out weeks ago.”

“Yes. Well,” Rana murmured, lowering the envelopes to her lap, “Olivia and I decided to invite a few more people. I could probably start feeling my toes again if I could get some of that Scotch down to them, preferably by way of my stomach,” she continued, dropping her gaze to the bottle in his
hand. “So, Alec,” she said, turning her attention back to him when Nicholas picked up the silver cup and wiped it on his shirt before filling it to the rim. “I was also hoping you could give me some insights into some of the people Olivia suggested that I—that
we
might wish to invite.” She started flipping through the envelopes, reading off the handwritten names. “Frank Duffy, Charles Vail, Nicholas Patterson, Richard Nason, Michael Byram—”

“Rana,” Nicholas interrupted, handing her the cup full of Scotch, “does Titus know you’re doing this?”

Up went that perfect brow again. “And just when did my husband start caring about the details of any ball I’ve put on—or, in this case, helped put on?”

“Since this particular ball was
his
idea. You’ve invited a bunch of local—and I’m assuming unmarried—men.”

She lifted her cup in a semi-toast, her sudden musical laugh hitting Alec square in the chest. “Well, of course they’re unmarried; that’s the whole point of this stupid ball.” And next came that lopsided smile. “I’m just making sure Carolina has several men to…dance with.”

And as sure as a bolt of lightning might strike him dead, Alec realized where Jane had learned the art of acting clueless. He grabbed the Scotch and refilled his tin mug, then refilled Nicholas’s mug and held it out to the apparently speechless man.

The three of them drank—long and heavily.

“I am nine days away from a hard-earned retirement,” Nicholas growled into the silence broken only by Rana’s soft gasps for breath. “And you’re going to get me banished to some prehistoric hellhole.”

“No, Nicholas,” she rushed to assure him, not a drop of cluelessness in sight. “I’m not asking you to keep what I’m doing a secret from Titus, or Maximilian, or even Carolina.” She smiled—somewhat smugly, Alec thought. “In fact, I plan to tell Titus tonight, after which I intend to point out that the men
he’s
invited seem to be dropping like flies. Or haven’t you noticed that we’re down to only three?”

“Two and a half,” Nicholas said, a corner of his mouth
twitching as he slid his gaze to Alec. “Lina counts Niall MacKeage as only a half, because your ancestor appears to be more enamored with this century than with her.”

“Yes. Well,” Rana murmured, looking at the envelopes. “So Alec, what can you tell me about Frank Duffy?” she said, holding up an envelope. “Olivia said you probably know more about him than she does, as he’s part of Duncan’s construction crew and lives in Pine Creek.”

Seriously? She wanted him to help her vet husbands for Jane? Alec looked down at his mug to hide his glower. “Well, Frank’s a fine enough fellow, if ye don’t mind that he’s been married three times and has six child—”

The envelope was tossed in the fire before he’d even finished. “And how do you feel about this gentleman, Charles Vail?”

“Charlie lives here in Spellbound, and I’ve spent more than a few hours in a boat fishing with him.” He shrugged. “Good fellow from a good family, and strong as an ox.”

That envelope got slipped in her purse. “Nicholas Patterson?”

Alec started to shake his head, but then nodded. “I would definitely invite Nick, especially if you’re wanting to liven up the party.”

She hesitated, then slipped Nick’s envelope in her purse. “Richard Nason?”

“Aye,” Alec said with another nod. “And Michael Byram, as well. Mike has a brother you might consider inviting, if ye don’t mind that Raymond is in his early forties.”

Rana reached in her purse, pulled out a pen and small notebook, and wrote down
Raymond Byram
. “I’ll make Raymond his own invitation this evening, as I feel each gentleman deserves special attention even if they are from the same household.” She looked over at Alec. “What do the Byram brothers do for work?”

“Mike’s a logger. So was Ray, but a tree he was cutting landed on him a couple of years ago and left him partially disabled. He used the insurance money to buy a pontoon boat and now gives guided tours of Bottomless to tourists.”

The poor woman looked down at her notepad, her shoulders slumping with her sigh. “Yes. Well. I suppose the important thing is that Carolina has a wide variety of men to…dance with.”

Nicholas suddenly stood up just as the wolves rose to their feet. “Sounds to me like you won’t have to wait to tell Titus all about your exciting plan,” he said rather cheerily just as Alec heard pounding hoofs heading toward them.