Page 60 of Scandal with a Sinful Scot

“Megan rode for help after you were shot,” Oliver interjected.

Garrett kissed Megan’s hand. “My brave…girl.”

A few tears trailed down Abbie’s cheeks. Megan was finally warming to her father and it touched her heart.

“Please get well. Please. Goodbye.” With a warm smile, Megan patted Garrett’s hand before releasing it.

Abbie quickly made her way to her room before Megan and Oliver saw her hovering outside the door. Once inside, she covered her face with her hands. This was all too much. Unfortunately, she had the distinct feeling that Garrett would scurry behind the wall of the family curse and stay there, adamant in the belief he was doing “the right thing” in order to protect her and Megan. Blast his stubborn and beautiful hide! Yet the sadness in his eyes when she laid her ultimatum before him relayed that there may be a glimmer of hope. That, and his promise to visit after he recovered.

Oh, come and claim me as you should have years past. Come to me and tell me you love me. That you can’t live without me.

If he didn’t, Abbie understood her life going forward would be a bitter and bleak place. And it filled her with an aching pain that cut her in two.

* * * *

To hell with a long recovery. Garrett had no patience for lingering about in his sickbed, brooding over what nonsense he’d spouted while caught in a fever nightmare. By the next afternoon he was sitting upright in a chair taking a light meal. Dr. Faraday had placed his wounded arm in a proper sling, so he had to adjust to using only his right arm for most tasks. It proved to be difficult, considering he was left-handed.

By early that evening, he was perambulating about his room with assistance from Gordon, the tallest and strongest of the young footmen. The young man would act as valet until Garrett decided he was no longer needed. He asked Gordon not to shave him. He came out of his fevered state sporting heavy whiskers. He found he liked the look and decided to grow out the beard, but keep it neat and closely cropped.

Meanwhile, Garrett was determined to make it downstairs for breakfast the following day. His family had brought him up to speed on current events and on the plan to request an audience with Prince Albert, and Garrett was going to make damned sure that he stood with the rest of the family when they did.

His father had already sent a messenger to Buckingham Palace, where the royal couple was currently in residence. The note stated that there was a matter of personal importance concerning a member of the peerage, and that they also wished to discuss education reforms, a particular and favorite cause of the prince’s. They didn’t mention Sutherhorne by name in case word of their meeting were to make its way to the man. Riordan would make the presentation on education.

Gordon brought out black trousers, a white shirt, and a gray waistcoat. With his assistance, Garrett dressed, and, leaning on the young man, made it to the main dining room for breakfast. Weak as a bloody kitten, he pushed forward, even though cold perspiration covered his forehead. Once seated, Gordon placed coddled eggs, slices of bacon, and toast before him.

The rest of the family took their seats, except Sabrina—she was taking a tray in her room. He still couldn’t wrap his head around the news that Riordan would soon be a father. Good God, out of his head for five days and the world had turned upside-down. Garrett frowned. But nothing was more upsetting than Abbie and Megan departing. It left a gaping wound more painful than his blasted shoulder.

He ate as much as he could, even managed to cut his bacon with one hand and actually feed himself. The conversation stayed away from the personal and he was grateful, and he made an effort to join in. “Riordan, the board doesn’t mind you having another absence so soon after the last one?”

“A family emergency, they could hardly say no. Besides, I left my schoolroom in competent hands. Factor in that I may be making a presentation before the prince about the successes in Carrbury and how the board endorsed it will more than excuse my frequent absences.” Riordan took a sip of tea, then smiled. “Sabrina and I will return to Carrbury directly after seeing the prince, and I doubt we will leave again until the end of the school term. Then we will return here and settle in for the birth.”

“Again, my congratulations,” Garrett murmured. He had all sincere hopes everything would go well.

“I know what you’re thinking, Uncle. Nothing will happen. The curse will not interfere in my life. I refuse to allow it,” Riordan said firmly. “And it has made me remember something of some import recently. Regardless of what you may think, the curse did give me pause once I developed feelings for Sabrina. Then I recalled that at age fourteen Aidan and I explored various dusty nooks in the attic. We found a locked trunk. Thinking that it might hold treasure, we broke into it. We found nothing but ledgers and other correspondence. Disappointed, Aidan left, but I stayed to read what was in those ancient papers.”

Everyone was riveted by the story. Riordan continued, “The Earl of Carnstone, circa early 1700s, sought out a Scottish sorceress. He begged her to remove the curse, as he had recently lost his second wife to illness. The supposed enchantress claimed that only a love bond by all the males of the family alive during a lunar year would break the curse.”

Garrett could not believe this. “And you only thought to mention it now?”

“What did a love curse mean to a lad of fourteen? I had completely forgotten about the papers in the attic, until a few months ago,” Riordan replied. “It isn’t real, more of a plot from a fantasy novel.”

“What if it is real? Da, you thought you’d found true love with my mother, but she died regardless.” Garrett pointed to Julian. “By the time Julian met and married Fiona, I was born. Too young to form a love bond within a lunar year. Hence the curse was not broken. I sound mad, but perhaps this has merit.”

His family stared at him as if he were a patient at Bedlam. Frankly, he was tired of being thought of as the crackbrained member of the clan.

“Uncle, the time has come for us to dismiss the curse once and for all. Even if you believe it has some merit—and I agree there is proof it does—you cannot allow it to rule your life. If we all believed in it as fervently as you, none of us would have ever married. Grandfather married three times. Father married. I am married. Love means taking a chance.”

Garrett frowned at his nephew, his cheeks flushing with growing annoyance, but Riordan continued on. “For argument’s sake, let’s say this is true. If all of us accept love here at the table, it will come down to Aidan to break the curse before November. Highly unlikely, considering his state.” A look of sadness haunted Riordan’s features.

“I agree with Riordan,” Julian said. “Everything he said.”

“Riordan, could you find these papers again?” Oliver asked.

“I’ll go to the attic right now.”

“I’ll come with you, Son,” Julian stated.

“Good. In the meantime, Garrett, come with me to the nearby sitting room. I wish to have a private conversation.”