Page 106 of The Tartan Trap

“Pardon?” Margaret blinked.

“Truly, your seeking skills are abysmal.” He shook his head in mock censure. “Your inability to find me in the ballroom was what made me come out to the gardens in the first place—I thought you might have better luck without so many people around.”

“You were hiding from me?” she said, her eyes wide.

He gave an impudent grin. “It seemed only fair that you chase me this time.”

Margaret laughed. “Where on earth were you?”

“Behind the pillars, mostly. Though it was difficult to hide with several of those misses about.”

She shook her head. “We both almost lost that particular game.”

“Yes, which is why that’s my one regret from this evening. That, and the kiss.”

“Oh.” Margaret pressed her lips together and she felt a dimple form between her eyebrows.

Truthfully, she’d found the kiss wonderful. Margaret had never imagined one could be in two places at the same time, but that’s certainly what it had felt like. She’d been here in the garden with all those people, yet at the same time, she and Callum had been somewhere else, all alone.

“Of all that happened,” he explained, his eyes gentle, “the kiss was the only thing I faked. For if we had been alone, I would have done this…”

Callum took Margaret’s face carefully in his hands and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, the tip of her nose, then her chin. Finally, he sighed her name and pressed his lips to hers.

Margaret had thought that the chaste press of his lips she’d experienced earlier had been the heights of rapture. Now Callum proved her wrong. She felt a thrill of danger paired with the absolute security of being held in his arms.

His lips moved gently, then more urgently against her own. It was like a dance Margaret had never practiced but somehow knew all the steps to. When they finally broke apart, her eyes were bright and she was surprised to realize her fingers were curled into his shirt.

Callum smiled. “I love you, Margaret.”

“And I love you.”

CHAPTER 38- CALLUM

It had been difficult for Callum to leave Margaret’s side after their betrothal. He kept glancing down at her, wondering what piece of jewelry she’d like as a token of his love.

He’d noticed that she wore many different necklaces, so he discounted that item. He wouldn’t want to keep her from decorating her person as she liked. Yet in all the time they’d known each other, she’d only worn one ring. Callum thought that was the best choice, so after the ball, he’d sent a note to the residence of one Mr. Rotherton, a jeweler, requesting that the man meet him at his shop as early as possible the following day.

When Callum arrived at the shop at the wholly uncouth hour of seven, the man was already behind the counter, a dozen prime pieces of jewelry displayed upon the velvet. If the jeweler thought the request of an early morning meeting strange, he certainly didn’t show it. Perhaps he was accustomed to the whims of a gentleman in love.

Callum decided upon her ring the instant he spotted it. It was a large, emerald-cut aquamarine ringed in round diamonds on a gold band. Callum thought it suited Margaret perfectly, but he purchased a plain gold band as well, just in case.

He made himself wait to visit, stopping at the florist and then back home to pick up the stroopwafels Mrs. Bakker promised to have ready. Finally, he ascended the familiar stone steps of the Preston house, unable to keep the wide smile from his face.

Margaret was waiting. She grinned at him and kissed Callum on the cheek. Then she thanked him for the flowers and stroopwafels—and fairly tossed them at a maid—then hustled him out into the hall toward her brother’s study.

“William’s very busy for some reason,” she said by way of explanation when Callum arched a questioning brow. “There’s lots of mysterious traffic in and out of the house today. I don’t want you to miss your opportunity.”

Margaret deposited Callum outside the study door and tugged at his arm until he stooped to her level. She pressed a brief kiss to his lips and scampered off, but not before Callum spied the happy blush on her cheeks.

Which was why Callum was grinning like an idiot when Cavendish’s study door opened. Thankfully, Callum didn’t recognize the gentleman who was exiting. Oddly enough, the gentleman was grinning, too. There was a brief moment of awkwardness as the two cleared their throats and exchanged places with a nod, but Callum took comfort in knowing that he’d probably never see the fellow again.

“Didn’t you already get what you came for?” Cavendish said, frowning up from his ledgers. He leaned back as if in surprise. “Apologies, Ettrick, I thought you were someone else.”

Callum wasn’t nervous, per se, but he was exceedingly aware that his meeting with Margaret’s brother had the potential to impinge upon her happiness. As he went to shut the door, yet another gentleman entered the hallway. This one he recognized from that ridiculous murder dinner he’d attended—Lord Shaw. He nodded at the man before shutting the study door firmly.

“To what do I owe the honor?” Cavendish said, gesturing toward the seats facing his desk. “Are you looking for more apprenticeships for those orphans of yours?”

Cavendish looked almost relieved by the notion, and Callum wondered what sort of meeting he’d just had. Though Callum didn’t expect his request to be denied, he much rather would have presented it to a brother in a good mood rather than one who’d just received bad news.