Page 104 of Wicked Highland Heroes

Erroll’s hand jerked and tea spilled onto the saucer. He stilled. “We have guests, perhaps—”

“Oscar will accompany the ladies home.”

Erroll didn’t reply, but filled the cup and placed it on the clean saucer.

“You will not disappoint your mother,” his father said.

Erroll set the cup in front of him. “Of course not.”

“Have you spoken with your future bride?” the marquess asked.

“As you saw, I was just speaking with her.”

“Do you think you can thwart me, lad?”

Erroll poured tea for himself. “You have a choice, sir. Accept my decision, or I will be off with Miss Eve Crenshaw as quickly as it takes to saddle a horse.”

“I wager she will not go.”

“If my charm is not sufficient enough to persuade her, I’ll throw her across my lap.”

“Isn’t that what Halifax did to her?” the marquess asked.

“I never said I was any better than him.”

“If what you say about the lady is true, then she deserves better.”

Erroll spooned sugar into his tea. “She deserves better than me, but what is done is done.”

“I will speak with her,” the marquess said.

“You will not.” Erroll set the spoon down with a clank. “I warn you, sir, interfere in any way and I will take Miss Crenshaw and elope. You wanted me to marry, I have made my choice.”

His father regarded him. “What has your mother to say on the subject?”

“I suggest you ask her. Now, is there anything else you needed?”

A hint of rare amusement appeared in his father’s eyes. “There is.”

Erroll canted his head. “I am at your service.”

“What do you think of Ash managing your affairs here in Scotland?”

“I think you will have a devil of a time getting him to agree. He is quite attached to his own land.”

“It won’t be as difficult as you might think.”

Erroll paused in lifting his teacup to his lips. “I take it you aren’t asking my permission, but are informing me that you have already put him in charge.”

“Since you are here, I thought it best you should know.”

Erroll shouldn’t have been surprised—or hurt. He had, after all, steadfastly ignored Scotland in all its facets. He took a sip of tea, then grimaced. Cold. “What of Angus?” He set the cup down.

“Angus will deal with Ravenhall only. The estate requires full time maintenance. He was spread too thin.”

The gaping hole Val left when he died was even bigger than Erroll had imagined. But, then, he hadn’t allowed himself to imagine anything beyond what he’d tried not to feel.

“Ash will deal with the day-to-day workings,” his father went on. “When the time comes, you will see to the ledgers.”