must call me Brenna.”“I thought your mother called you Margaret?” Poor Miss Rosemoor looked entirely confused.
“Oh, she does call me Margaret . Despite my pleas to the contrary, I’m afraid. I’ve answered to ‘Brenna’ for so many years now that I’m simply not comfortable with ‘Margaret.’ When my mother—or the woman I thought was my mother—passed away, I became the Lady Maclachlan. I don’t mean to confuse ye. If we’re to be friends, then I hope you’ll simply call me Brenna.”
“Of course, then,” Miss Rosemoor answered . “And so you must call me Jane.”
“Well,” Mr. Rosemoor said, smiling broadly, “now that that’s settled, I’m afraid I must take my leave.”
“Whatever do you mean, Colin?” Jane reached for her brother’s sleeve. “You’re not leaving us. First we shall have some refreshments, and then you will escort us out into the gardens.”
“I’m afraid I have a pressing business concern, Jane.”
“You haven’t any pressing business. You said you had no engagements today.”
“That’s when I thought Lucy was joining you,” he said quietly through clenched teeth .
“Lucy?” Brenna asked . He had seemed rather disappointed when he’d seen her accompanying Jane. Who was this woman, Lucy, to him? Perhaps the woman he’d hoped to marry?
“Lucy, Lady Mandeville,” Jane explained . “My dearest friend. I hope you will soon make her acquaintance.”
Mr. Rosemoor cleared his throat . “But you must see that it is rather imprudent of me to remain in your company now .”
“No, I don’t see, not at all, Colin . I only see that you are being rude to my new friend.” Jane turned toward Brenna, her gaze entreating. “Isn’t he, Lady Margar—Brenna?”
Brenna said nothing . If he were so desirous to be rid of her company, then she had no wish to convince him otherwise. He must be very fond of this Lady Mandeville and far less fond of her than she had supposed. Why did that bother her so? She wasn’t sure, but it vexed her nonetheless. Quite so. She only shrugged, reminding herself to be more wary where the English were concerned. If their servants were any indication, then they were indeed a closed and difficult-to-read bunch.
Blast it , Colin thought. Was his sister so stubborn as that? Didn’t she realize that his company put Brenna’s reputation in peril? Brenna might not know the reasons behind his reluctance to remain, but Jane bloody well did.
Both women continued to regard him with irritated stares as he reached up to readjust his cravat . No doubt he had insulted Brenna, and he was sorry for it.
“Oh, all right,” he relented . “But let’s be quick about it, shall we?”
“I must apologize for my brother,” Jane said, casting him a scathing glare as she took a seat at the table . “He’s not normally such a bear.”
Colin held out a chair for Brenna . “Aren’t I? Well, I must try harder, then.”
Brenna met his gaze briefly before settling herself into her seat . He could have sworn he saw a flicker of amusement in her eyes.
“Dinna fret about it, Miss Rosemoor . I had ample time to sketch your brother’s character when we last met, and I didna find his manners in any way lacking. In fact, I thought him quite the proper gentleman,” she said, her tone light and playful. “But then, I am beginning to question my instincts.”
“Hmmm, yes, well.” No way to answer that one . She was probably right to question her instincts, at least where he was concerned.
“You must tell me more, Lady Brenna,” Jane pressed . “I find it most diverting to hear how my brother conducts himself in society when I am not there to witness it.”
“Truly, there isna much to tell . Mr. Rosemoor was solicitous and kind, despite the awkward nature of our meeting. We bumped into each other in Lady Brandon’s garden, ye know. Quite literally. I fear I made a rather inelegant first impression.”
“Fascinating . I
“Oh, she does call me Margaret . Despite my pleas to the contrary, I’m afraid. I’ve answered to ‘Brenna’ for so many years now that I’m simply not comfortable with ‘Margaret.’ When my mother—or the woman I thought was my mother—passed away, I became the Lady Maclachlan. I don’t mean to confuse ye. If we’re to be friends, then I hope you’ll simply call me Brenna.”
“Of course, then,” Miss Rosemoor answered . “And so you must call me Jane.”
“Well,” Mr. Rosemoor said, smiling broadly, “now that that’s settled, I’m afraid I must take my leave.”
“Whatever do you mean, Colin?” Jane reached for her brother’s sleeve. “You’re not leaving us. First we shall have some refreshments, and then you will escort us out into the gardens.”
“I’m afraid I have a pressing business concern, Jane.”
“You haven’t any pressing business. You said you had no engagements today.”
“That’s when I thought Lucy was joining you,” he said quietly through clenched teeth .
“Lucy?” Brenna asked . He had seemed rather disappointed when he’d seen her accompanying Jane. Who was this woman, Lucy, to him? Perhaps the woman he’d hoped to marry?
“Lucy, Lady Mandeville,” Jane explained . “My dearest friend. I hope you will soon make her acquaintance.”
Mr. Rosemoor cleared his throat . “But you must see that it is rather imprudent of me to remain in your company now .”
“No, I don’t see, not at all, Colin . I only see that you are being rude to my new friend.” Jane turned toward Brenna, her gaze entreating. “Isn’t he, Lady Margar—Brenna?”
Brenna said nothing . If he were so desirous to be rid of her company, then she had no wish to convince him otherwise. He must be very fond of this Lady Mandeville and far less fond of her than she had supposed. Why did that bother her so? She wasn’t sure, but it vexed her nonetheless. Quite so. She only shrugged, reminding herself to be more wary where the English were concerned. If their servants were any indication, then they were indeed a closed and difficult-to-read bunch.
Blast it , Colin thought. Was his sister so stubborn as that? Didn’t she realize that his company put Brenna’s reputation in peril? Brenna might not know the reasons behind his reluctance to remain, but Jane bloody well did.
Both women continued to regard him with irritated stares as he reached up to readjust his cravat . No doubt he had insulted Brenna, and he was sorry for it.
“Oh, all right,” he relented . “But let’s be quick about it, shall we?”
“I must apologize for my brother,” Jane said, casting him a scathing glare as she took a seat at the table . “He’s not normally such a bear.”
Colin held out a chair for Brenna . “Aren’t I? Well, I must try harder, then.”
Brenna met his gaze briefly before settling herself into her seat . He could have sworn he saw a flicker of amusement in her eyes.
“Dinna fret about it, Miss Rosemoor . I had ample time to sketch your brother’s character when we last met, and I didna find his manners in any way lacking. In fact, I thought him quite the proper gentleman,” she said, her tone light and playful. “But then, I am beginning to question my instincts.”
“Hmmm, yes, well.” No way to answer that one . She was probably right to question her instincts, at least where he was concerned.
“You must tell me more, Lady Brenna,” Jane pressed . “I find it most diverting to hear how my brother conducts himself in society when I am not there to witness it.”
“Truly, there isna much to tell . Mr. Rosemoor was solicitous and kind, despite the awkward nature of our meeting. We bumped into each other in Lady Brandon’s garden, ye know. Quite literally. I fear I made a rather inelegant first impression.”
“Fascinating . I