The Highlander's Accidental Marriage (Marriage Mart Mayhem) (6 page)

The two headed to the table where Sarah sat, fiddling with her teacup. A slight flush on her cheeks told him she must have heard Campbell’s remark.

“Lady Sarah, this is Macon Campbell, kin to me in some way. We never did figure out how.”

Campbell bowed. “My lady. ’Tis a pleasure to meet ye.”

“And you as well, Mr. Campbell.”

“Ah, ’tis a beauty this one, McKinnon. And a twin to The MacBride’s wife?”

Sarah attempted a smile, the flush on her face growing deeper. “Yes, Mr. Campbell. Lady MacBride is my twin sister.”

S
arah felt her face heat and tried desperately to calm herself. What must Mr. Campbell think of her traveling alone with Braeden? No proper lady would do such a thing. Of course, their circumstances were such at this point, with all their mishaps and Alice’s illness, that there was no choice. Yet, she’d never been so embarrassed in her life. Nevertheless, Braeden didn’t seem at all disturbed by them being caught alone together having breakfast. But then, men rarely had to concern themselves with such things.

“Have ye eaten breakfast?” Braeden waved Mr. Campbell to an extra chair at the table.

“Aye, I have. Right now I’m waiting for my horse to be brought around so I can continue on my way.”

“My maid is sick,” Sarah blurted out to no one in particular.

“Aye? Sorry to hear that, my lady.”

“Yes. That is why she is upstairs right now. Not that she would be eating with us, anyway, but she is traveling with us. Just not here. Not right now…” Goodness, she was babbling like a schoolgirl caught drawing pictures by her governess instead of doing her times tables.

Braeden leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Aye, we’re waiting for the healer to arrive.”

“Mr. Campbell, yer horse is ready.” A young boy, his two front teeth missing and his cap pulled low on his forehead, grinned at the large man.

“Thank ye, lad.” Mr. Campbell turned to Sarah. “I wish yer maid a quick recovery and a safe journey for all of ye, my lady.”

Slapping Braeden on his back, Campbell strolled with Braeden to the door, leaving Sarah alone with her thoughts. Up until now she really hadn’t given much thought to the impropriety of her traveling with Braeden. Alice, of course, had been with her to lend some respectability to the trip, but she was definitely treading in dangerous waters here if word got back to England.

She would be ruined!

She dismissed the thought, realizing whomever they would meet along the way would most likely not know her or any of her family members. She was getting herself all worked up for no cause.

“Sarah, the healer is upstairs now with Alice.” Braeden stuck his head in the door.

“Thank you.” Shoving aside the dilemma in which she found herself, she followed him up the stairs to her bedchamber and eased the door open.

A stout woman with fiery red hair tucked somewhat under a white cap leaned over Alice’s bed, examining her face. She ran stubby fingers over the rash that had appeared during the night. “Typhus.”

“Excuse me?” Sarah said, approaching the bed.

“The lass has typhus. I’ve seen it many times before.”

Afraid of having Alice hear the healer’s comments, Sarah took the woman by the elbow and brought her to the door where Braeden waited. “Is this something very contagious?”

“Nay. I dinna think so. I’ve seen many a mum take care of little ones with the disease and not catch it herself. There’s thinking that it comes from a bug bite of some sort.”

Sarah shuddered, wondering how in heaven’s name Alice would have picked up this disease. “What type of treatment do you recommend?”

The woman rolled her sleeves to her elbows and fisted her hands on her hips. “If ye had a physician here, he’d be telling ye to have her blood let, but not Maggie. No, lass, Maggie does not bleed her patients.” She nodded vigorously.

Since Sarah assumed
Maggie
was the healer standing in front of her, she was grateful about the bloodletting as she had never understood how that could be beneficial to a patient. “Then what do you suggest?”

“I will make a tisane for the lass. She must drink it five times a day. Keep the windows closed and the room warm, so she can sweat out the fever.”

“When will she be able to travel?”

The healer glanced back over at Alice and shook her head. “
Ach
, lass. She won’t be able to travel for two or three weeks.”

“Two or three weeks!” Braeden and Sarah said at the same time.

Chapter Six

“W
e cannot possibly wait another two or three weeks,” Sarah said. “My sister is expecting me, and by now she must be very concerned. That is not good for her and the babe.”

“Aye. We could send a message to relieve her mind.”

Sarah continued to pace and wring her hands. “Yes, I will do that, which will ease her mind, but this is a disaster. I don’t want to wait two or three weeks. What are we to do?”

Braeden sat with his long legs stretched out, his feet crossed at the ankles. He studied his boots and attempted to work up enough nerve to state his case to the lass. He also could not languish in this place. His letter and the expedition awaited him.

“Sarah, sit down. Ye are wearing out the boards.”

She sat at the very edge of the chair, her hands in her lap, the only indication of her disquiet the tiny slipper peeking out from her dress that tapped a cadence on the floor. “I am sitting. Now we must rationally discuss this dilemma.”

Braeden stood and took her spot as he paced, running his fingers through his hair. “We have to be practical, lass.”

“Yes.”

“As much as it pains me to say this, we must leave yer maid here under the care of the healer.”

Sarah continued to stare at him, chewing her lip. “I agree.”

Braeden let out a sigh of relief.

“But…”

He sucked the air back in.

“I cannot travel alone with you.” Her shoulders slumped. “It is not proper.”

If the lass only knew how very improper his thoughts had been almost since the time they’d met, she would surely run screaming from the room. The problem of them being alone together on the road for a few more days had troubled him when he’d made his suggestion. But he would have to be strong and fight this attraction he felt for the lass.

“The only other solution is for me to ride on ahead and stop at Bedlay Castle and tell yer sister where ye are. Then Liam can send back a carriage for ye.”

Sarah’s eyes grew wide. “Being alone at a public inn with no male protection is even worse than us traveling together.”

“Aye. ‘Tis true, that.”

After a few minutes, Sarah brightened. “I can wear breeches and a shirt and we can travel on horses as brothers. I can have my trunks sent on with Alice when she recovers. It will be even faster that way.”

Braeden gasped and began coughing, his previous improper thoughts turning downright indecent at the lass’s suggestion. Subjecting himself to days of watching her charming backside and legs outlined in breeches had him aching in the wrong spot. No matter how much the lass would try to disguise herself, her being taken for a boy gave “farfetched” a new definition.

It appeared every solution they came up with was worse than the one before. “Nay, lass. I dinna think ye would be taken for a lad.”

She straightened her shoulders. “I dress in breeches all the time when I’m riding in the country.”

More indecent pictures flitted through his mind. Braeden held up his hand, desperately wanting to eliminate that vision. “But I doubt yer trying to pass yerself off as a lad at yer own home. Nay. It won’t work.”

“Then what shall we do?” She continued to chew that temptingly full lip, only reinforcing the desire that tightened his muscles. He had to get his lustful wanderings to behave themselves.

“We can try to hire ye a maid from the town.”

She shook her head. “No. By the time we interviewed candidates and found someone acceptable, Alice will be recovered.”

The lass was smart, no doubt about that. He’d been so busy ogling her and thinking about them being alone for days with no chaperone that his normally sharp mind was withering fast. They had to get this resolved, on the road, and her in the safe hands of her sister. “What are the chances that someone who knows ye will also be traveling to the Highlands of Scotland?”

“I doubt any of the
ton
would be caught dead here.”

Braeden scowled at the insult to his beloved land. “’Twas not a nice thing to say, lass.”

“I’m sorry, truly. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.” She twisted her fingers, her disquiet evident in her movements. “I’m not thinking clearly. But I do sincerely believe there is no chance I would meet anyone of my acquaintance.”

“Then we have nothing with which to concern ourselves. From here ’tis a three day trip, and then ye will be within the safety of yer family.”

And far away from him and his lusty thoughts.

She tapped her finger on her chin, a slight smile gracing her lovely face. “I suppose you are correct.” After a few more minutes of consideration, she nodded. “Yes. I think that is the best solution. I will make arrangements for someone to see to Alice while she is recovering, and assure her that once I arrive at Bedlay Castle I will send a carriage back for her.”

Braeden rubbed his hands together. “Excellent. We can put many miles on the road today.”

He pushed to the back of his mind the idea that kept nudging at him. Hours spent in the lass’s company with no chaperone. While the tenets of the
ton
meant nothing to him, he knew enough about Polite Society to understand Sarah would be in grave danger of ruination if word of this trip trickled back to London. Or her brother. He broke into a sweat at the thought of a duke coming after him for ruining his sister.

They would be forced to marry. Aside from the problem that would arise from his work, the idea was not a totally unpleasant one. In fact, not an unpleasant one at all.

Best to get that one out of yer foolish head, McKinnon.

S
arah gave Alice one more hug and assured her in about a week’s time the carriage would return for her and wait until she was ready to travel.

“I am so sorry for the trouble I’ve caused you, my lady.” The maid wiped the tears running down her cheeks.

“Don’t worry about it. All will be fine.”

“But you’re traveling alone with the professor. Your brother would have my head if he knew I’d allowed you to continue on this journey without me.”

“You need not worry about that.” Despite her own concerns about the trip alone with Braeden, Sarah smoothed back the hair from Alice’s forehead. “Drake will never know, and in a few days I will be with Sybil. Why, by now she might even have already had her babe.”

Sarah rose and left the room, closing the door softly. Taking a deep breath, she joined Braeden downstairs. One thing Alice was correct about. Should Drake discover she traveled, by herself, with a man whom she’d only met on the road a few days ago, he would surely lock her in her room for the remainder of her days. Or send her off to a convent.

“Are ye ready, lass?” Braeden stood at the door, tall, imposing, and sinfully handsome. His tight breeches outlined every muscle in his well-developed thighs above shining Hessian boots. His snug dark blue jacket exhibited broad shoulders for which no tailor had to add padding. A wicked smile beneath mirthful blue eyes had her heart pumping as he held out his arm for her to take. She licked her dry lips and moved forward as if going to her doom.

I am in so much trouble.

The cool spring morning air refreshed her, body and soul, after hours in a sick room. Sarah inhaled the pleasant smell of leaves and foliage dampened by two days of rain. Bright sunlight reflected off the carriage, raising her spirits even further. In just a few days she would see her beloved twin again. And possibly her new niece or nephew. She was foolish to worry. Everything would be just fine.

“W
hat do you mean we won’t make as many miles today as we planned?” Sarah stood outside the carriage door, her hands on her hips. They’d just finished their tea at a lovely inn, and she was ready to ride another five or six hours to get closer to Sybil.

“The stable only had two fresh horses, so we won’t be able to travel very fast, or we will wear them out altogether and be left on the side of the road.”

She walked in a tight circle staring at the ground at this latest delay. Only two horses pulling the carriage would make for a much slower pace. But it was still better than waiting here for more horses to show up and be made ready.

“I will continue to ride Niels to lighten the load, but we still won’t go as far as we could have with four horses.”

Grumbling under her breath, Sarah climbed into the carriage with Braeden’s assistance. “Dinna talk under yer breath lass, ’tis not proper.”

She gritted her teeth. Braeden had been teasing her all morning about what was, and was not, proper. He might think this was all a joke, but if word traveled back to London about this trip, her reputation would be in shreds.

Then I wouldn’t have to worry about being pressured into marriage.

Except, it could ruin her sister Mary’s chances of a decent match. Although, when she’d left home, an American, Mr. Marcus Pensworth, had been paying Mary a bit of attention.

The morning passed rather quickly. Once they returned to the carriage after luncheon, Sarah slid her manuscript out from her satchel and leaned back, prepared to read. The rocking of the carriage, the meal she’d consumed, and the lack of sleep the previous night took its toll, however, and soon she was being shaken awake. “Lass, we’re at our stop.”

She blinked and stared directly into a pair of now familiar sharp blue eyes. Her heart began to thump and she licked her lips. How long had he been watching her sleep? Had her mouth hung open? Was she drooling? Oh Lord, why did he keep staring at her with that teasing smile on his lips?

“Come along, lass. I am ready for my dinner. ’Tis been a long day.” He held out his hand and helped her from the carriage.

The Beresford Inn was a lively place with raucous laughter coming from within, which grew even louder as the door swung open to allow two men to leave. Once they made their way through the throng they stopped at the bar where the man behind it shoved one tankard of beer after another to the men lining the area.

“Can I help ye, lad?” The bartender wiped his hands on a large apron surrounding his corpulent middle.

“Yes. The lady and I would like dinner. Do ye have a private dining room?”

“Nay. We had so many patrons tonight we had to open it for everyone. ’Tis cockfight night, always a crowd. I can get ye a seat, though. Will ye be needin’ a room?”

“Two rooms.” Braeden held up two fingers. “And I need fresh horses for the morning. Do ye have a stable?”

“Aye. I can fix ye up. Let me get my wife to help the lady.”

“Thank you.” Braeden took Sarah by the elbow and maneuvered her around the crowd to a quieter area near a fireplace. “’Tis sorry I am about the place. But I don’t think our horses will make it to the next inn.”

“A cockfight?”

“Aye, a few inns along the way hold them for the townspeople’s entertainment.”

“That’s terrible.”

“For the cocks, I imagine. The men seem to enjoy it.”

She would never understand men. To stand around and watch two roosters fight each other to the death was ridiculous. Men had the most peculiar interests. A question jumped into her head. “Do you like cockfights?”

“Nay. I think it a barbarous sport. If I’m to see an animal killed ’twill be for my dinner. But I wouldn’t say too much about it here, lass.” He gestured toward a group of heavily drinking men shouting at each other. “The men seem quite ready for the game.
In case yer interested, the sport is a couple hundred years old. The book
The Commendation of Cocks and Cock Fighting
was published in 1607. However, during Magellan’s voyage of discovery of the Philippines in 1521 he witnessed cockfighting.
’
Twas documented by Antonio Pigafetta.”

She gaped at him. “You have all this information stored somewhere up there in your brain?”

He shrugged and cast her a boyish smile. Another point for Braeden McKinnon. Not that she was keeping score, of course. It just interested her how civilized, intelligent, and respectable the man was.

Anxious to get her mind off her traveling companion, she said, “I find I am still tired, so I will be happy to have dinner and retire to my room. Perhaps we can start out earlier tomorrow to make up for the shortened day today?”

“I will tell the innkeeper to have the horses ready at dawn.”

“Good evening, my lady. Mr. McClune tells me ye want two rooms?” The innkeeper’s wife regarded them with raised eyebrows, and Sarah immediately felt the disapproval in the woman’s eyes. Here she was being judged by a tradeswoman for traveling alone with a man who obviously wasn’t her husband, or they would be sharing a room.

Sarah nodded. “Yes, please. We had to leave my maid behind at the last inn. She was suffering an illness and couldn’t travel.” Now why in heaven’s name did she feel the need to explain herself to a serving woman?

She looked helplessly at Braeden who didn’t seem the least bit concerned. She had an inane desire to kick him in the shins.

“Well, if you will follow me, my lady, I can get ye settled upstairs in yer room.” The innkeeper’s wife started up the stairs, then spoke over her shoulder to Braeden. “We have a room on this floor where ye can sleep.”

Sarah almost laughed out loud at the woman’s statement. Apparently Mrs. McClune was not going to countenance any shenanigans under her nose.

The inn had quieted by the time they had refreshed themselves and were settled at a lovely table near the fireplace. Raucous shouts from behind the inn could be heard, but Sarah blocked them out. Mrs. McClune brought them a basket of warm, fragrant bread, a crock of butter, and two bowls of the most wonderful lamb stew Sarah had ever tasted.

Delicious food and the two glasses of wine she’d consumed had her more than ready to seek her bed. The little bit of a nap she’d received that afternoon had helped, but still she felt tired to her bones.

“I’ll see ye to yer room, lass.” Braeden stood and held his hand out. “Ye look like yer about to fall asleep in yer tea.”