Hannah Howell (8 page)

It was easy to see from the look on Grendall’s face that he could not meet such a price. Although the money was tempting, Ballard had no intention of accepting, partly out of perversity and partly because his instincts told him it would be an ill-advised move. The stallion kept shifting away from Thomas’s touch, and Ballard knew he should not ignore the animal’s instincts any more than he should ignore his own.

“I cannae accept, Dillingsworth,” Ballard said, carefully noting the fury that hardened Thomas’s features. “Me and Mr. Grendall have as good as shaken on the deal.”

“He cannot match my offer.”

“True. And I willnae ask him to. I posted my intention to sell these beasts when I came to town three days ago. Ye should have approached me sooner.”

“I see.” Thomas stepped away from the stallion, which immediately ceased its restless movements. “This is not to my liking. I must advise you that it is not good business to refuse my generous offer.”

“‘Tisnae good business to back out of a deal just because another mon waves a wee bit more coin in my face.”

“You may soon change your mind.”

Thomas turned and disappeared into the stables. Before Ballard could remark on the brief but tense confrontation, Thomas emerged driving his carriage. Ballard and Grendall had to scramble out of the way or be run down as Thomas slapped his team into a gallop and sped toward them.

“Are ye all right, sir?” Ballard asked Grendall as the older man brushed off the dust kicked up by Thomas’s carriage. “The mon is mad,” he grumbled as he soothed the agitated stallion.

“There is a chance that he is,” murmured Grendall.

Ballard frowned. “I thought he was one of the leading citizens of the town.”

Mr. Grendall smiled faintly. “He is. His father helped build this town and Thomas inherited a goodly part of the waterfront. Such power makes most people overlook his, er, quirks. When Thomas says he is displeased, one should take note. It has been that way since he was a small boy.”

“Yet ye do nothing?”

“As I said, he still has power, although his wealth is somewhat in doubt now. Bad investments, you see. ‘Tis why he is ready to wed Sarah Marsten, despite the fact that everyone save her doting if neglectful parents knows she is little better than a whore. The
man has a vicious streak in him, Mr. MacGregor. Perhaps you should rethink his offer.”

“Nay. I was ready to accept yours and I willnae change my mind. I dinnae intend to linger in this town long. I doubt Dillingsworth can do me much harm.”

The look on Grendall’s face told Ballard he was being naive, but the older man said no more. Ballard accepted Grendall’s offer for the stallion and the two mares. They arranged for Ballard to bring the horses to Grendall’s home on the west side of town in the morning, when he would collect his money. As Ballard returned his animals to the stables, he wondered just how much he should worry about Thomas’s veiled threats.

Clover started toward the kitchen, intending to tell Molly that she should serve the meal now and not wait any longer for the men. She was only a few steps from the kitchen door when the front door slammed open. Shelton and Lambert stumbled in and, as she neared them, she caught the strong scent of ale. Right behind them came Ballard, who appeared to be sober but was covered in dust and mud, his fine courting clothes badly disarranged.

“Sorry we are a wee bit late, lass,” Ballard said as he tossed his hat on a hall table, “but I had to go and collect these two fools. Ye can serve up the food now.”

He started to usher his unsteady companions toward the dining room, but Clover quickly blocked him. “Oh no, you cannot.” She almost smiled at the startled looks on their faces. “You will go and clean up first. Your things arrived from the inn a short while ago.”

“Weel, I reckon we can wash our hands.”

“You need to wash a great deal more than your hands, Mr. MacGregor, if you intend to sit at my table.”

“But the food will be cold,” protested Shelton as he ineptly tried to straighten his disordered clothes.

“If Molly has managed to keep it edible this long, she can do so for a little while longer.” Clover saw her brothers peeking out between the parlor doors. “Boys, you can show the gentlemen their rooms and where they can wash.” She shook her head as the boys led the men away, then she hurried to the kitchen to speak to Molly.

“Why didnae ye stand your ground, Ballard?” grumbled Shelton as he made his unsteady way up the stairs.

“Why? Ye stink like a dockside tavern and I smell like horses. I wouldnae want to sit to table with us either. A little water willnae kill us. This is one of them lessons in manners we need to learn.”

“I think I prefer ignorance and a full belly.”

Ballard laughed. “Hurry up, lads. From what I can smell, there is a fine meal awaiting us.”

Clover was just helping Molly set the last dishes on the table when Ballard, Shelton, and Lambert entered the dining room. She hid a smile as she noted their clean homespun shirts and breeches, and their still damp hair. For a brief moment after she had ordered them to wash and change, she had worried that she had overstepped herself, but it had been a fleeting concern. Ballard said he wanted to learn good manners and the way of the gentry. There was
no need to wait until they were married to start those lessons.

As they ate Clover took careful note of their table manners. They were not as unschooled as she had feared, but there was certainly a lot of room for improvement. Ballard, Shelton, and Lambert clearly had only one concern at mealtime, and that was to get as much food as possible into their mouths as fast as they could. When Ballard glanced up at her, she just smiled, however. Their first meal together was not the time to start their lessons in genteel dining.

A little hesitantly Ballard returned Clover’s smile. It took only one glance around at Clover and her family to make him uncomfortably aware that his table manners were all wrong. He watched Clover more carefully, imitating her actions, but knew he looked awkward. It pinched at his vanity and he fought his wounded pride. All he needed was a little education, which Clover would provide.

After the meal was over, as they gathered in the parlor for an after-dinner drink, Ballard felt his wavering confidence return. Their sobriety restored, it was not long before Shelton and Lambert slipped away to tour the waterfront for drinks and excitement. Soon afterward, Agnes ushered the twins off to bed, her intention of giving him some time alone with Clover so clear that Ballard had to smile. He finished off his brandy and moved to sit next to Clover on the settee, grinning at the nervous glance she gave him as he draped his arm around her shoulders.

“Weel, lass, ye still have time to change your mind.” He nuzzled her thick, sweet-smelling hair and felt a light tremor pass through her slim frame.

“I do not want to change my mind.” She turned to look at him. “I
cannot
.”

He lightly traced the shape of her face with his fingertips. “I willnae argue with ye, lass, for I am getting what I want. Now, your mother left us alone to learn to ken each other a wee bit better.”

“I do not believe she intended you to try and
ken
me this well, sir.” Clover made what even she recognized as a weak attempt to wriggle out of his hold.

“A kiss between betrothed folk isnae such a bad thing.”

“It is not very proper either.”

“Ah, wee Clover, there are times when ye are
too
proper. I shall have to break ye of that.”

Before Clover could respond, Ballard kissed her. Clover gave only one fleeting thought to pushing him away before she wrapped her arms around his neck. She savored the taste of him as he stroked the inside of her mouth with his tongue. For awhile she immersed herself in the pleasure his kiss inspired. Then she felt his hands slide up the sides of her breasts. The way he moved his thumbs against the swells made her shiver with desire, but it also shocked her back to sensibility. She abruptly moved out of his hold and stumbled to her feet.

“I believe we have been alone long enough, Mr. MacGregor,” she said, inwardly cursing her breathlessness.

Ballard reached for her, laughing when she jumped back. “I was thinking we had just begun.”

“You can think again. Now, although it has been a very pleasant evening,” she said as she backed toward the door, “I believe I must retire for the night. ‘Twill
be a very busy day tomorrow. Good night, Mr. MacGregor.”

“Sleep weel, lassie,” he called after her as she hurried out the door. “Ye willnae be able to run away on the morrow.”

She shut the door on his soft chuckles and muttered what few curses she knew as she went up the stairs. The man had a disturbing ability to turn her mind to mush. Clover sighed as she entered her room. Marriage to Mr. Ballard MacGregor might prove to be an even mix of delight and aggravation.

“Are ye sure ye are doing the right thing, Ballard?” Shelton asked as he, Lambert, and Ballard stepped out of a carriage in front of the Sherwood home.

Ballard cursed, then muttered an apology to the Reverend Denning as he helped the elderly preacher out of the carriage. He had been so busy all morning delivering his horses to Mr. Grendall that he had barely had time to prepare for his own wedding. It had been advantageous in that he had had little time to ponder the big step he was about to take. Now he wished he had set aside a few moments to have a serious talk with his young relatives.

“Shelton, ye have been asking me that almost continuously since I announced my marriage plans,” he answered.

“Needs to be asked,” muttered Lambert.

“Marriage is a serious step,” Reverend Denning intoned as he brushed off his black frock coat.

“It is forever,” grumbled Shelton.

“For a lifetime,” added Lambert.

“I reckon I ken that weel enough,” Ballard snapped
as he lifted the heavy brass knocker on the Sher-woods’ front door.

Agnes opened the door, greeted Reverend Denning, and led them all into the parlor. Molly served a light refreshment as Agnes left to fetch the rest of the Sherwoods. Ballard grimaced when his family cornered him by the window overlooking the side garden. He wished they would just quietly accept the arrangement as they had said they would, for he had a qualm or two of his own. A sigh of resignation and exasperation escaped him when he saw that Shelton and Lambert intended to prod at those qualms yet again.

“Leave off it, laddies,” he said.

Shelton shook his head, then hastily finger-combed his thick dark hair. “I ken that we are being pests about this, but ye dinnae leave us much choice.”

“Quite right,” agreed Lambert. “In but a few minutes the deed will be done and there will be no turning back.”

“Dinnae ye like the lass, Lambert?” Ballard studied his young cousin closely as he sipped his tea.

“Oh, that is not the problem. I do not know her, do I? Fact is, she does not trouble me like that Sarah Marsten did.”

As he nodded his agreement, Shelton continued, “This lass does seem to be a nicer sort. ‘Tis just that this is all happening so cursed quick.
Too
quick.”

“I explained about the lass’s troubles—” Ballard began.

“Aye, aye.” Shelton sighed. “Ye could still wait a mite longer, couldnae ye? She and her kin are nae being tossed out on the street today.”

“There is no point in waiting.”

“How can ye be so sure of that?”

Ballard did not have a good answer for Shelton. He was not sure why he felt so confident of what he was about to do. After his first surprise over Clover’s proposal, he had never considered refusing. Each word he had since exchanged with her, each look, had made him even more certain. He had considered everything that could go wrong and was not at all deterred. It was just as easy to think about everything that could go right. And there was the lingering memory of her sweet kisses.

“I am sure,” Ballard finally said, “but I ken there isnae much I can say to make ye feel the same. Ye will just have to set back and see that I have made the right choice. Ye willnae be letting the lass see your doubts either.”

“She sees them already,” Shelton said.

“Aye, she is a clever lass, but as soon as the wedding vows are said, the two of ye are to act like those doubts have disappeared. I will need help to make this work. Clover will be my wife and ye are to treat her as such, with all due respect, kindness, and assistance. If ye let her ken that ye still have doubts, or get stroppy with her, then ye could make a fine mess of something that could turn out to be verra good.”

“Ye dinnae need to fret about us,” Shelton assured him. “We will gladly do all of that. Once ye and the lass are wed, there isnae any turning back and we want it to work out well as much as ye do.”

“True,” agreed Lambert. “We are just trying to stop or delay it.”

“Weel, ye cannae,” said Ballard. “So let that be an end to it.”

“Aye, let that be an end to it, for here she comes,” Shelton murmured. Even though his eyes reflected admiration as he looked at Clover, he sighed. “Ye sure as Hades cannae turn around and walk out on the lass now.”

“Nay, I cannae and I willnae,” Ballard said in a hushed voice as he set his teacup down on a small table and went to meet Clover.

As he neared her, Ballard was glad he had stopped by the inn to bathe and had had a boy fetch his cleaned and pressed courting clothes so that he could change out of his homespuns.

Clover grew lovelier each time he looked at her. She was tiny, but her slim figure was perfection in his eyes. He stopped directly in front of her and met her wide-eyed gaze. It was obvious that she was nervous and a little bit afraid. Ballard was determined to eradicate both of those emotions.

Clover had forgotten how big Ballard MacGregor was. Even though his kisses had shown her how easily passion could flare between them, she was suddenly a little afraid of what she would face tonight, on her wedding night. It was hard to believe that a woman of her diminutive stature would be able to accommodate a man of Ballard’s impressive size. She recalled her mother’s words about lovemaking and was only slightly calmed, for she also recalled that her father had not been a very large man. Clover jumped nervously when Ballard suddenly took her small, trembling hand between his two big, callused ones.