Free The Scottish Lord’s Secret Bride by Raven McAllan Page A

composure in place once more. ‘What about breakfast?’
    ‘I’ll take Lady Morven to the Tea Pot. It’s a quaint little drovers’ inn,’ he added to the room at large. Unnecessary in Morven’s case as he’d taken her there all those years ago.
    However, if this was window dressing, Morven guessed she could rely on Fraser to be thorough. She waited to hear what he said next.
    ‘I need to speak to the landlady anyway. She is insistent she wants me to check the windows.’
    ‘Really, Fraser, it’s not up to you,’ Lady Senga said crossly. ‘You do too much as it is. Send the factor.’
    ‘My land, my people,’ Fraser said gently but with a warning note in his tone. ‘I have been away far too long, and they need to be reassured I’m home for good.’
    Lady Napier coloured. ‘As you say.’
    ‘Oh I do.’
    The undercurrents were obvious even if it was not clear what they meant. Morven hastened into speech. ‘It sounds interesting, my lord. Eight it is.’ She took hold of Murren and smiled at her mama and Lady Napier. ‘I think the sooner Murren gets some rest the better it will be for her.’ Neither girl spoke again until they were outside the dining room. Murren opened her mouth and Morven shook her head in warning.
    After all they had no idea what the acoustics were like, or where servants might be. In silence they made their way to Murren’s room, and Morven closed the door behind them. Murren sank onto the daybed next to the window and sighed.
    ‘Phew. Thank you for backing me.’ She took the pins out of her hair—blonde and straight as pump water, a complete contrast to Morven’s—and finger combed the tresses that reached to her waist. ‘Why can they not see there is not a spark of interest between the laird and me?’
    Morven leaned against the door. ‘They have one end in mind and can not see why it should not be achieved.’
    ‘Well it can’t, so again I thank you; your help was much appreciated.’ She glanced at Morven from under her lashes. A speculative look that Morven couldn’t decipher. ‘They do seem to have a bee in their bonnets about something.’
    Morven had to agree with those statements. She chose not to add that she wondered what her sister was up to as well. ‘My pleasure, but why did you want me to back you? And do not say propriety because that will not wash. There would be a groom or whatever with you. Even Mama isn’t so far gone as to totally ignore such things.’
    ‘I wager that you won’t have one.’
    Morven was inclined to agree with her sister. ‘It seems in their eyes I’m past worrying about,’ she said even though she didn’t think that would be the reason. ‘Don’t forget I was here before and people probably think I’m like another sister to Fraser.’
    Murren looked at her quizzically. ‘Hmm, why don’t I believe you? However, that’s as may be.’ She was silent for a moment and then sighed. ‘Look, may I ask you a personal question?’ She stared at Morven intently.
    ‘I suppose so,’ Morven replied slowly. ‘As long as you accept that you might not get an answer.’ Butterflies took up residence and danced in her stomach as she wondered what Murren was about to ask. Surely not something about her previous visit, or what might happen with regards to Fraser?
    ‘I’ll take a chance.’
    Morven had no illusions over that. Murren might not be as outgoing as her sister or as confident in herself, but she had tenacity and an ability to see things others did not. The butterflies danced even more. ‘Then go ahead,’ she said resignedly.
    Murren took up a decanter and poured out two glasses of the watered wine that had been left on the tiny console table next to her seat. She handed one to Morven and held hers up in a silent toast.
    ‘What is there between you and Fraser Napier?’

Chapter Five
    ‘So what did you say?’ Fraser asked Morven as she recounted the conversations of the previous evening. He tooled his curricle along the