Marshal and the Heiress (41 page)

She knocked lightly.

There was silence. Then, “Who is it?”

“Lisbeth.”

Another silence ensued, and then the door opened slowly.

Barbara's eyes were red, and there were telltale streaks down usually immaculate creamy cheeks. She looked totally miserable.

Barbara stood aside and allowed her to enter.

“Hugh's leaving,” she said before Lisbeth could ask the cause.

“Why is he leaving and where?” Lisbeth asked as soon as she entered.

Barbara bit her lip. “He has no more claim on Calholm, nothing to do here. He said he won't stay any longer as … my guest. He plans to go to America.”

So Hugh hadn't told her yet of Ben's offer. Probably because Ben had told Hugh that Lisbeth must first agree. She wanted to tell Barbara, but it was up to Hugh to do that.

“I offered to go with him,” Barbara said, “but he—”

“Was too noble?”

Barbara nodded, swiping at her cheeks. “Sounds silly, doesn't it? Hugh being noble. But he has a stubborn streak.”

Lisbeth knew only too well about stubborn streaks. “Perhaps it will work out,” she said.

Barbara sniffed.

Lisbeth had never seen her sniff before. “And if you really love him, you'll find a way.”

Barbara looked at her suspiciously. “Why are you being kind to me?”

Lisbeth shrugged, but she couldn't help smiling. “I think we both have the same problem.”

“Ben?”

She nodded. “He's planning to leave, too.”

“To go back to America? What about Calholm?”

“I'm not sure,” Lisbeth replied, hating the lie but unable to break Ben's confidence.

Barbara stared at her. “Do you love him?”

Lisbeth nodded.

“What are you going to do?”

Lisbeth hesitated a moment, then drew a deep breath. “Callum Trapp said Jamie and you …”

Barbara looked stunned, then her face grew hard. “What did he say?”

“He said that Jamie was going to sell the horses, that you had convinced him, and that he … had bedded you.”

Barbara snorted. “That little rat. I always—”

“Is it true?” Lisbeth said, a knot caught in her throat.

“Part of it,” Barbara admitted. “Jamie did talk to me about the horses. He knew they had to be sold, but he also knew how much you wanted them.”

“But
he
did, too. They were his father's—”

“He didn't love them the way you and his father did,” Barbara said gently. “He was a realist, and he knew they were strangling the place. He wanted me to help convince you.” She frowned in thought. “Callum must have heard that conversation. Jamie was killed just a few days later.” She paused. “Jamie loved you, Lisbeth. That's why the decision was so hard for him. He never quite knew how to … express himself. His father, as you know, discouraged displays of affection as weakness. Hamish was the same. I didn't understand that until he'd died, and Jamie had the same problem. Everyone thought the Marquess was so wonderful, but his pride destroyed each of his sons,” she said bitterly. “No, Lisbeth, Jamie never bedded me. Never tried to, though I … tried once to seduce him. I hated you because you had Jamie after Hamish died … and all you cared about were those bloody horses.”

“I thought that was what he wanted, too,” Lisbeth whispered.

“We've all been thinking at cross-purposes, haven't we?” Barbara said. “I imagine Callum Trapp played no little part in it.”

Lisbeth turned away, tears blinding her. She had been so blind, so foolish.

“Lisbeth.”

She caught her breath at Barbara's voice.

“I blamed myself for Hamish's death, too,” her sister-in-law said. “He got into a stupid duel because I flirted with someone. Because of that, I despised myself, and I showed it by making myself a …”

Lisbeth whirled to face her, and saw all the misery she herself had been feeling. They suffered from the same problem; they'd just reacted differently. Barbara had rushed toward people; Lisbeth had avoided them and turned toward the horses. An empty dream.

“Don't let him go,” Barbara said softly.

“And you shouldn't let Hugh go, either,” Lisbeth said. “He does love you.”

“I know,” Barbara said.

Lisbeth stood there for a moment, bittersweet feelings rushing through her. She had tried so hard to make Jamie happy that she'd never looked below the surface. Perhaps because she'd been afraid to, afraid that he'd just wanted her dowry. They'd never talked about what was really important to each other, had merely made assumptions.

She vowed it would never happen again.

“Thank you,” she said to Barbara.

The woman she'd thought was her enemy smiled back at her.

Annabelle was missing!

One of the maids apparently had let her out when Ben and Sarah Ann went to the stables to see Peppermint. Sarah Ann became anxious when she wasn't found immediately, and that anxiety turned to wails when Annabelle still hadn't appeared by bedtime.

Annabelle never missed her nightly bowl of milk. Never.

The entire household started hunting for the cat.

Barbara and Hugh, who had appeared together at dinner with mysterious smiles, mussy hair, and even messier clothes, joined the search.

Lisbeth thought Henry might be able to sniff out the cat, but when she went to find him, she couldn't. It seemed he was missing, too.

The two animals had appeared to have a truce in effect—even a friendship of sorts—but …

With growing concern, everyone redoubled their efforts. Sarah Ann's tears turned into wooden stoicism. She sat on the bed, tearless, staring blankly at the wall, clutching her doll and her mother's scarf.

Ben stayed with her while others looked, but even he couldn't comfort her. Finally, Drew relieved him, and Ben rejoined the hunt. As he went to find Lisbeth, thinking they could search the house together, he thought that Drew would make one hell of an uncle, and he hoped the Scot would finally agree to tell Lisbeth of their relationship.

But first things first. That bloody damned cat!

Ben found Lisbeth on her way to search the stables, and together they made their way, stall by stall, toward the back where several stalls were empty. As they approached the last stall, they heard a frantic bark. Ben rushed toward the noise, but Lisbeth was faster. The bark had almost stopped his heart; if anything had happened to Annabelle …

Then he heard soft laughter and saw Lisbeth, her lantern held high, spreading light into the corner of the stall.

A growl warned him not to come any closer, and he looked to see Henry crouched protectively at the front of the stall. In back was Annabelle contentedly licking several tiny kittens. As Ben tried to move forward, Henry bared his teeth.

“You would almost believe he was the father,” Lisbeth said, her laughter flowing like a warm current of air. Still chuckling, she leaned against him.

“I think he does believe it,” Ben said. He took the lantern from her and hung it over the stall. Then he pulled her into his arms.

She melted into him, sinuously curving her body against his. As if she belonged there. And she did. Perhaps he'd always known it but had been afraid to commit himself again, afraid of the loss. But as he cradled Lisbeth in his arms and watched the cantankerous Annabelle, now so content with the life she'd produced, and he saw Henry sitting there, protecting her, Ben knew a quiet joy that was worth any price.

“I love you,” he said, trying out the unfamiliar words. Then a little louder, his confidence deeper, he repeated, “I love you.”

She tilted her head to look at him, her mouth forming a glorious smile. Her lips trembled slightly and he saw her swallow hard.

“I love you, too,” she whispered. “So very much.”

He held her tight. “I have to start from the beginning with my practice, and even then I'll be selective about the cases I take,” he warned.

“Good,” she replied, then she searched his face. “Are you sure you don't want to be a … what is it?… marshal?”

“No. But, Lisbeth, there won't be much money. I have enough to get us back and buy a small house. There won't be any servants.”

“I always wanted to learn to cook,” she said contentedly. “And I have some money of my own and—”

“That, like Sarah Ann's, will be yours,” he interrupted. “If anything happens to me, I want you protected—”

“Aye,” she said, but he thought the answer came much too easily.

“Lisbeth—”

She stretched upward on tiptoes and stopped his words with a kiss that went through him like a bolt of lightning.

His lips caressed hers slowly, and then his mouth moved to plant tender kisses all over her face. He felt her tremors, and her breath blending with his, the beat of her heart matching his own.

“Lisbeth.” He said her name over and over again, as if the word would make her his forever.

Slowly Ben ended the kiss and held Lisbeth away from him a little, watching her carefully. There were, after all, still a few formalities to observe.

“Will you marry me?” he asked.

“Oh, yes,” she whispered.

“And come to America with me?”

Her eyes sparkled like a clear night sky. “Yes.”

“I think I might need a whole ship all my own,” he murmured, not minding at all that a foolish grin was probably spreading over his face.

“A whole ship?”

“Well,” he said, “there's you and me and Sarah Ann. Annabelle, the kittens, Peppermint, Henry, Shadow, maybe even Bailey.”

“How on earth are we—?”

“We'll manage. Besides,” he added wryly, “I don't think I have a choice. Sarah Ann won't leave Peppermint or Annabelle, Annabelle won't leave her kittens, Henry won't leave Annabelle and her kittens. You should keep Shadow and—”

“We'll need an ark at this rate.” She laughed. “But what about Sarah Ann? Will she—”

“Approve?” he finished for her. “Oh, yes, she wants a family. I'm not sure she was ready for such a large one, but …”

“And sisters and brothers?”

“I think that would make her very, very happy.”

“And you?”

“Yes,” he said, knowing it was true. “A dozen at least.”

She raised up to kiss him again. “I do love you.”

“Will you marry me before we go?” he asked. “We would save on a cabin. Especially since—”

“We'll be taking half of Scotland with us.”

“Aye,” Ben replied, completing the bargain with a long kiss.

Sarah Ann listlessly turned to look when the door to her room opened. Lisbeth entered with Ben right behind her, carrying a big box. Henry plodded behind, a paladin of the first order.

When Sarah Ann saw the kittens, her eyes grew large and a smile spread over her face. “Ann'belle's a mama!” she exclaimed.

“So she is,” said Drew, who was sitting next to her.

“And Henry thinks he's the papa,” Lisbeth added wryly.

“They're a fam'bly,” Sarah Ann said.

Lisbeth felt Ben's arm circle her waist and she let him draw her against his side. “How would you like a family of your own?” he asked Sarah Ann. “A whole complete one with a mama as well as a papa. And a dog. Cat. Pony. Horse. Fleas. God knows what else.” He looked at Drew. “Maybe even an uncle.”

The latter was said almost under his breath, but Lisbeth heard. Her brows knitted together and Drew glared at him. Now, what was
that
all about? she wondered.

At the moment, she didn't much care. Her heart was doing flip-flops as she waited for Sarah Ann's answer. She loved the little girl, and Sarah Ann had said she loved her. But maybe she would be jealous of her papa taking a wife, maybe she wouldn't want her for a mama …

Lisbeth's last-minute fears evaporated when she saw the excited look Sarah Ann gave Ben.

“Fam'bly?” Sarah Ann said.

“I asked Lady Lisbeth to marry me,” Ben told his daughter. “We want your approval.”

Sarah Ann beamed. “I love Lady Lisbeth.”

“And we'll go back to America.”

Sarah Ann's smile broadened. “We're going home.”

“I love you, Sugarplum.”

Sarah Ann gave him a smile of complete contentment. Then she asked, “Can Drew go with us?”

“Hell, why not?” Ben said. “If he wants to. He'll be a bloody sight easier to tote than Shadow and that elephant of a dog.” Then, as if it were an afterthought, he added, “I think.”

Drew was staring at him. Lisbeth stared at Drew. What were these two men up to? No matter. The idea of Drew coming with them to America delighted her.

Lisbeth felt Ben's arms around her tighten.

“You're sure you want all this?” he asked softly, his lips near her ear.

She turned enough so that her mouth was only a fraction away from his. “That's what fam'blies are for,” she said. “I can't wait.”

Annabelle meowed. Henry barked. Drew disappeared out the door.

And the kiss that followed promised a very large fam'bly, indeed.

Epilogue

Denver

The biscuits were burning again, and never had Ben smelled anything sweeter.

After numerous attempts, Lisbeth had finally learned to use the wood stove. Except when her mind wasn't occupied with other matters.

He loved those other matters.

Drew Cameron had taken Sarah Ann and Henry to town, and Ben and Lisbeth used the opportunity to engage in building their family—and taking great pleasure in doing so. After a delightfully sensual romp in bed—in the middle of the day—she lay naked, snuggled in his arms, nibbling on the back of his hand. But then she started sniffing the air, too, and suddenly she sprang from their double bed.

“God's toothache,” she uttered in dismay as he looked on contentedly.

He would give up biscuits any day in return for a rare lazy afternoon with her. Their small ranch lay outside the growing city, a perfect spot for raising Sarah Ann's swelling company of animals, and breeding a few horses. Lisbeth's Shadow was in demand, and while they couldn't command Grand National winner fees, stud fees were welcome to help build their small stable.