Marblestone Mansion, Book 1 (Scandalous Duchess Series, #1) Read online

  “I could teach you to dance, Sassy, it would not take but a few tries,” said Alistair.

  “Do you wish to go, Sassy?” McKenna asked. “I could loan you a gown.” Still she did not answer and all anyone could do was watch Sassy get up and walk out of the kitchen.

  “She is frightened,” Cathleen muttered. “She pretends nothing frightens her, but she is always quiet when it does.”

  “‘Tis not yet time for her to be out in the world,” McKenna decided, “but it will be, and perhaps sooner than we thought.”

  “She could marry me,” said Dugan. “I would protect her from the world.”

  “Or me,” Brookton said.

  McKenna grinned, “You too?”

  Said Brookton, “Miss McKenna, we hardly see any others our age.”

  “That is true,” McKenna admitted. “Perhaps we should send the two of you to town more often. Then, if you see a lass you prefer, we could...”

  “Have another hayride?” Cathleen asked.

  “Indeed we could, and this time we would tell everyone in advance.”

  An hour later, Sassy was back to her old self, dismissing any discussion of Mr. Wells or his stupid ball. She was quite content with the world just the way it was, and had no plans to change it. Dugan, Keith and Brookton were all relieved, especially Keith.

  After everyone had gone back to work, Cathleen giggled and whispered to Egan, “James would be surprised to hear this. He called Leesil a put-her all the time, and swore she would never catch a husband.” She covered her mouth and giggled again. “James fancied her sometimes and other times me.”

  “How old is James,” Egan asked.

  “He be thirteen now and him with a fine job in the mills of Scotland, makin’ his own pay and everything. But he’d never guess where we are. He’d never guess it in his wildest dreams.”

  *

  The next afternoon, Amos Wells drove his wagon up the lane and stopped in front of Marblestone Mansion. He wound the reins around the wagon post, climbed down and was heading for the door, when the footmen came out to help unload the new furniture. Eager to have a look inside, Amos grabbed an end table and followed the footmen inside. He was impressed with the place, but he was looking for something more – Sassy.

  “Mr. Wells,” said Alistair. “Mr. MacGreagor wishes to see you in the study.”

  “Very well.” He followed the butler into the study and shook hands with Hannish. “This is quite some place, Mr. MacGreagor.”

  “I thank you. You would not happen to have a mounted grizzly head you are willing to sell? My sister teases me about putting one on the wall in here.”

  “A bear head, no, I do not believe I do. I am not much of a hunter, you see, although there are bears in these woods.”

  “So I found out last year when we began to build.” He reached into his drawer and pulled out a check. “I believe this is what we agreed upon.”

  “Is Leesil around?”

  Hannish’s smile faded. “Somewhere, I suppose. Is the check made out properly?”

  Amos quickly glanced over it. “Oh, yes it is. Might I speak to Leesil for a moment?”

  Hannish was about to ask what about, when he realized it was really none of his business. “Wait in the foyer and I shall try to find her.”

  Amos went to the foyer where he waited and waited, turning his straw hat round and round in his hands the whole time. He watched his furniture being taken to other rooms in the house and waited some more.

  At last, Hannish came back. Leesil is in her room resting.”

  “Is she ill?” Amos Wells asked.

  “Not that I have heard. Perhaps you might speak to her another time.”

  Amos was not pleased, but he put his hat on, nodded and went out the door. Not a second later, Sassy walked into the parlor with a feather duster in her hand. She lifted the lamp off an end table next to one of the chairs, ran her duster across the tabletop and set the lamp back down.

  Hannish smiled and went back to his study.

  A small package had come in the mail the day before and it still sat open on his table. Inside was the carefully wrapped figurine of a woman in a blue ball gown, the one he found marked in his catalogue. When questioned, McKenna claimed she had not asked for it, and the only other person with the courage to go into his study uninvited was Sassy. He wrapped it back up and put it back in the box.

  At length, he took the figurine out of the box, unwrapped it, went to the library and set it on an empty shelf where Sassy was bound to discover it. Satisfied, he decided to check on the men who took care of the horses and went out one of the back doors.

  Seth and Waylan were good with the horses and the grounds, each was newly married and they rarely came to the mansion except to collect their pay. Normally, it was Hannish who went to see if they needed anything, and this time he realized a telephone for them would be a nice benefit. The two couples were pleased and afterward, he climbed the corral fence and sat on the top slat just to watch the horses for a while.

  Had he looked, he would have seen Sassy watching him through an upstairs window.

  CHAPTER 10

  The first spring ball was held at the Antlers Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs and according to Abigail, everyone who was anyone was expected to be there. It took a full hour for Sassy to pin ringlets in McKenna’s dark hair. McKenna chose a simple silk gown the color of a ripe peach, a matching hat and a white, lace shawl to wear over her shoulders.

  She was a sight to behold when she came down the stairs into the parlor and everyone was there to approve. Smartly dressed in black with a tall round hat, Hannish offered his arm, Prescot opened the front door and Keith stood ready to open the carriage door.

  Egan looked particularly handsome in his driver’s uniform, held the horses steady and waited for his cargo to climb aboard. As soon as Keith closed the door, he gently slapped the reins against the horse’s backs and took the MacGreagors to the ball.

  *

  When Egan let his passengers off at the front door of the hotel, it appeared every carriage in town was lined up along both sides of the wide main street, which left no room to park except at the end. He did not like being so far away, but he had little choice.

  In the ballroom, Abigail and Claymore were the first to welcome them and McKenna remembered to comment on the remarkable decorations in the expansive ballroom. It pleased Abigail very much and she was happy to give up her position in the receiving line to introduce McKenna to everyone. Pearl and Loretta were there, and so was Loretta’s brother, John. He seemed a pleasant man and to please Loretta, McKenna promised the second dance to him. To please McKenna, Hannish asked Loretta for the second dance, claiming to dance the first with his sister. No two were happier than Loretta and John.

  On a table along the back wall, sat a bowl of punch with Manitou Springs sparkling water added, and trays of various delights to eat. Something a bit stronger for the gentlemen was kept in an adjoining room, providing the men could slip away long enough to take a swig or two. Hannish decided he would probably need to fortify himself often, once he got a good look at a woman across the room in a purple gown with gold trim. He leaned close to McKenna and whispered, “Charlotte is here.”

  “Oh dear,” McKenna moaned. She smiled as Abigail introduced her to a newly married couple, and promptly forgot their names. She tried not to be too obvious as she looked around the room and when she finally spotted Charlotte, McKenna quickly looked away before she was seen. She needn’t have bothered; Charlotte had her eyes glued on Hannish.

  As soon as the orchestra began to play, McKenna grinned at her brother and took his arm. “Do you remember how to waltz?”

  “Of course I do, we’ve been doing it since you were nine.” He put his hand out face down, put his other gloved hand behind his back, waited until she placed her hand on top of his and walked her to the center of the room. He deeply bowed, she curtsied just as deeply, and then they joined the other waltzing couples.

&nbs
p; “They certainly are handsome people,” Abigail said to her husband. Then she too noticed the look of envy on Charlotte’s face. “I believe we might see trouble here tonight.”

  “What?” he followed her gaze and nodded. “I believe you might be right.”

  McKenna never seemed to be without a dancing partner, all of whom mentioned they were not married, and she often noticed the smile of approval and anticipation on Abigail’s face. Hannish managed to avoid Charlotte, dancing with nearly every other woman in the room, slipping off to have a swallow or two of rum, and once more talking with Claymore and several other men. Yet he occasionally glanced at the growing bitterness in her expression.

  The men were having an intense discussion about another impending hard rock miner’s strike, when Charlotte approached. “Charlotte,” Hannish said as though he was surprised to see her. “You are looking well.”

  “Better than when you threw me out,” she said, louder than was appropriate.

  Hannish’s smile faded. “Do not make a spectacle of yourself, my dear. Perhaps we could discuss it another time.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “I see how you avoid me. You are ashamed to face me with what you have done.”

  He took a deep breath. “Another time, Charlotte.”

  “No...now! Admit it, you should not have sent me away.”

  “Are you not a teacher now? Is that not what you wanted?”

  Charlotte gritted her teeth. “It is what I wanted, but at a time of my own choosing, not yours.”

  Claymore hardly knew what to do. Others were starting to notice and McKenna looked horrified. Worse still, the music stopped and soon everyone in the room turned to see what the ruckus was about.

  “Let me take you to a place where we can talk,” Hannish tried.

  “We can talk here!” Charlotte nearly shouted. “Oh, I see; you are embarrassed to be seen with me. I was good enough to...”

  McKenna abruptly took hold of Hannish’s arm. “Brother, I am not feeling well. Will you take me home?”

  “Of course.” He tried to walk McKenna toward the door, but Charlotte got in the way.

  “Running away?” Charlotte snarled. “It’s that stowaway your sister found on the ship, isn’t it? You are in love with her. Do not deny it; I have seen how you look at her.”

  “Charlotte, stop.” McKenna said, as Hannish guided her around the angry woman.

  Charlotte was not yet finished. “I saw Hannish carry her up the stairs...I know what happened!”

  As soon as they were out the door, Hannish raised his hand to signal Egan, but Charlotte was still yelling behind them so he did not wait. Instead, he hurried his sister down the street. “I hate you!” he heard Charlotte scream.

  By the time they got to the carriage, he could no longer hear Charlotte. He helped McKenna in, climbed in beside her and closed the door. Then he tapped on the window to let Egan know they were ready. When he looked back, Claymore was holding a weeping Charlotte back, and several of the ball guests were standing outside watching.

  They were halfway home before McKenna asked, “Is it true? Have you fallen in love with Sassy?”

  “I already have a wife.”

  “That is not what I asked.”

  “McKenna, what sort of man lets himself love a woman who is not his wife? I cannae, indeed must not love again...ever. I am fond of Sassy, she is very easy to be fond of, but I still love the woman I thought I married.”

  “That woman does not exist.”

  He sighed. “How well I know.”

  “I would not blame you if you did fall in love with Sassy someday, yet I caution you – if you are convinced divorcing Olivia is the wrong thing to do, do not let Sassy love a man she can never have. It is too cruel and it would drive her away from us, perhaps into the arms of the wrong man.”

  “I shall not let that happen.”

  He stared out the window into the darkness for a long time before he spoke again, “Do I know him?”

  “Who?”

  “The married man you fell in love with?”

  McKenna closed her eyes. “He was not married at the time.”

  “But he is now?”

  “Aye, he chose Mariam’s money instead, and he knew he would all along. He said all the words I longed to hear, but when love cannae be, those same words torture the very soul.”

  “So you boarded a ship and fled to America.”

  “What else could I do? I could not bear to be in the same world as he, let alone the same country.”

  “I am glad you did. He is not the sort of man I would wish you to marry. Someday, you shall find one who is worthy.”

  “I fear there are no good men left in the world.”

  *

  It was late, but not that late when the carriage pulled up to the front of the mansion. No butler waited to open the front door, and as they approached, they could hear music inside. Hannish and McKenna quietly entered, stayed in the shadows of the foyer and watched. The servants had moved all the new furniture in the parlor aside, and Alistair and Dugan were teaching the younger sisters how to waltz. Donnel and Blanka sat watching, Brookton looked as though he was trying to get up the nerve to ask Sassy to dance and surprisingly, Shepard was playing a violin.

  “One, two, three, turn,” Alistair said, holding Cathleen just a bit closer than arm’s length. He was so tall she could not put her hand on his shoulder, and had to settle for his upper arm instead. Furthermore, she could not get the rhythm of the waltz quite right. The turn seemed to be a problem and each time she got it wrong, she glared at Alistair. “‘Tis your fault,” she insisted.

  “How have you come to that conclusion?” he asked.

  “It just is, is all.”

  “I see,” Alistair said, sticking his indignant nose in the air.

  Meanwhile, Dugan was holding Sassy too close for her comfort. She moved the arm he had around her twice, before she intentionally smashed his toe and walked away. Everyone roared with laughter.

  It fell to Millie to teach Ronan and he seemed to be catching on quickly. The cooks were also seated, preferring to watch rather than participate.

  “I dinna even know Shepard had a violin,” Hannish whispered.

  “He is very good,” McKenna agreed. “I have been meaning to ask him to sing for us again.”

  As soon as Hannish walked into the parlor, the music stopped and everyone turned to look. He boldly walked to Sarah, bowed and said, “Shall we show them how ‘tis done?”

  Sarah smiled and curtsied. “I am honored, Sir.”

  Hannish offered his arm, walked her to the center of the room and nodded for Shepard to play. Their dancing was impeccable, as though they had been practicing for weeks, and Alistair watched every move. Two turns around the room, he had had enough of that, tapped Hannish on the shoulder and took a grinning Sarah away from him.

  Hannish pretended to be quite insulted and went to stand next to Sassy. “I believe he likes her.”

  “Just now you noticed?” she asked.

  “How long has this been going on?”

  “Since the day we came.”

  “I see.” He returned her smile and then watched Prescot approach McKenna in the foyer.

  “May I?” Prescot asked.

  McKenna nodded and took his hand. “I assure you, ’Tis the best offer I have had all night.”

  “Truly?” he asked, walking her into the parlor. “You did not fall madly in love with one of Colorado’s finest?”

  “Prescot, you cannae guess what a disaster this night was. Charlotte was there.”

  Prescot shook his head. “I feared we had not seen the last of that one.”

  “You feared right.”

  Hannish looked sideways at Sassy, “Why are you not dancing?”

  “No handsome stranger has asked me.”

  “Must he be a stranger?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Of course, I’d not like embarrassing myself in front of you and Miss McKenna. Alistair will teach me l
ater, he promised.”

  “I see.” He watched the two dancing couples for a moment more and then went to ask Cathleen to dance.

  McKenna felt so comfortable with Prescot, she hardly noticed they were dancing. He was a good man and she began to wonder just what sort of woman would complete him. Millie, perhaps or... She stopped dancing and looked at her brother. “Hannish, why did April not come?”

  “I do not know. Shall I try to find her?”

  “Yes please. I do hope she is not still in Olivia’s employ.”

  “So do I.”

  *

  Upset, McKenna didn’t bother to knock, walked into the study and sat down in a chair facing her brother’s desk. “Abigail has called twice this morning and I cannae claim a headache much longer. I will have to take her call soon.”

  “I know.”

  She rubbed her forehead for a moment. “Charlotte’s accusations are bound to be talked of and we cannae let what she said go uncontested. Sassy will hear of it sooner or later and then what?”

  Hannish puffed his cheeks. “I have thought of nothing else half the night and all this morning. I’ve not the slightest idea what to do. We have become a scandal.”

  “We cannae just hide from the world. I have already sent the invitations to our garden party, which, I remind you, is only three days away.” She stood up and paced across the room twice before she stopped. “Suppose someone questions Sassy at the party? We must warn her, but what can we say...that she has been accused of...oh, I cannae even say the words.”

  “Sassy has not been accused, I am the one accused.”

  “I doubt this society will know the difference and it shall fall on Sassy to deny it.”

  Hannish puffed his cheeks. “Perhaps it is time they knew the truth about what happened that night.”

  “Not without her permission, surely.”

  “Shall I talk to her?”

  “Nay, I will do it. If she does not understand how her reputation will be ruined, she will not ask you the right questions. Order the carriage for me. I will talk to Sassy and then go see Abigail.” With that, McKenna left the room as abruptly as she came.