Veils of Silk (67 page)

One of the modern additions to Falkirk Castle was a patio in the back, protected from the winds and looking across the grounds to the sea. As Laura lazed in the sun, she said to her companions, "When Ian listed his assets and liabilities as a potential husband, he told me all about Falkirk's inconvenience and draftiness. Yet he never mentioned how beautiful it is here."

Juliet's brows rose. "Did Ian really propose so coldbloodedly? I would have thought he'd have more savoir faire."

Lady Sara Connery, who was Ross's cousin, smiled. "But it worked, since Laura thought his pluses outweighed his minuses."

Eyes twinkling, Laura said, "Actually, a rational analysis of his proposal told me that I should turn him down."

The other two women turned interested gazes on their hostess. "But… ?" Juliet prompted.

"I threw reason out the window and decided to grab Ian with both hands," Laura said. "I rather fancied him, you know."

All three women laughed. As Laura refilled her guests' teacups, she gave a smile of satisfaction. The house party was successful beyond her wildest dreams. Not that she could take much credit. What mattered was the quality of the guests, who were so full of love and happiness that there was plenty of both to spare, even for an Oriental-eyed Russian.

Knowing that the others were connected by blood or long friendship, Laura had assumed that she would feel like something of an outsider, but that hadn't happened. Though gentle Lady Sara might be the daughter of a duke, she hadn't a trace of snobbery in her nature. And her husband Mikahl was utterly charming, rather in the manner of Kamala's black panther.

In another one of the coincidences that had persuaded Laura that there were no accidents, Mikahl turned out to be the "mountain prince" who had brought the helpful Afridi, Kuram, to England. Kuram was in the Company army again; recommendations from Ian and David had persuaded the authorities to overlook the "youthful transgression" that had caused him to leave the army in the first place.

The infant sleeping in the cradle by Juliet woke and began making discontented noises. Lady Sara said, "It sounds like the Earl of Ambridge wants to be cuddled."

As Juliet scooped up her flaxen-haired son, she said, "I hope this will appease him." She dropped a doting kiss on his tiny nose, then cradled him against her. "I have the alarming feeling that even though he has Ross's looks, he's inherited my temperament."

"A grave deficiency," Sara said, her eyes dancing. She fed a cake to her own small daughter, eighteen-month-old Maria, who had inherited her father's dark hair and striking green eyes, and her mother's sweet smile. "Speaking of earls, my father has been angling to get Mikahl an earldom. Papa doesn't approve of the fact that his only granddaughter is a commoner. The only way to fix that is to get the queen to make Mikahl an earl." She gave a smile of private amusement. "On the grounds that he's foreign royalty, which means he's worthy of a British title."

"What does Mikahl think about it?" Laura asked.

"He just laughs. I think he finds the idea vastly amusing."

Juliet leaned back, her son now smiling blissfully in her arms. "Ian is already in the House of Lords, and Ross will be when his father dies. Can you imagine what holy hell they'll raise if Mikahl joins them there?"

Sara gave a peal of laughter. "What a wonderful thought! I'll tell Papa to go ahead with his string pulling. Since the queen admires Mikahl, she should be amenable."

Maria gave a squeak of pleasure and tore down the patio steps. The three women looked after the child and saw that she was running to her father. The men had gone for a walk along the cliffs and now they were crossing the lawn to the patio, talking and laughing as their wives were doing.

When Maria reached her father, Mikahl swooped her up in the air, kissed her rosy cheek, then tucked her under his arm.

"What a splendid sight," Juliet said dreamily.

Wondering what her sister-in-law meant, Laura studied the approaching men. Ian made some comment and the other two laughed, Ross briefly putting his hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder. Laura exhaled with delight. "I see what you mean—it would be hard to find three more striking men anywhere."

"And so well matched," Sara murmured. "All the same height, but one dark, one blond, and one auburn, to make them more interesting."

"In purely abstract terms, I think Ross is probably most handsome," Laura said, attempting to be objective. It wasn't easy when her own husband was in view and he was surely the most attractive man in the world.

Sara's gaze went to Ian. "Perhaps, but there's something about a soldier that make female hearts flutter."

"What I would like to know," Juliet said thoughtfully, "is how a man like Mikahl, who looks exactly like Byron's dashing, dangerous Corsair, can at the same time look so completely natural with a giggling infant tucked under his arm."

They all laughed again. A minute later, the men reached the patio, each of them gravitating to his wife.

Laura reached up and caught Ian's hand. Softly she said, "Did I ever mention that the Brahmin priest said we were born to be together?"

Ian gave her a warm, intimate smile. "I could have told you that."