The Highlander's Kilted Bride, page 2
“I was not,” Richard said as he rubbed his arm. “And you didn’t have to shove me so hard. That hurt.”
“Baby,” Andrew sneered.
“I’ll go riding with you, Richard,” Charlie said, pointedly ignoring Andrew. “I’ll meet you in the stables in a half hour. I want to finish talking to Kade first.”
Andrew snorted. “What’s there to talk about with him, besides books or that stupid piano he’s always playing? That’s so boring.”
Charlie’s narrow shoulders lifted in a casual shrug. “He’s not what’s boring me at the moment.”
Kade bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.
Andrew glared at her for a moment and then shifted his gaze to Kade. A nasty smirk spread over his features.
“Or we could go listen to Kade’s grandfather while he bangs on about some stupid battle. It would be boring, but he’s such a fusty old quiz that a fellow can’t help but laugh. Everyone does, you know. Laugh at him, I mean. Really, how do you all put up with him?”
Anger flared in Kade’s chest. Andrew was trying to bait him, but he refused to fall into that trap.
“My brothers and I love and respect our grandfather,” he calmly replied. “After my mother died, he helped raise us, especially me. Besides, he knows a lot about Scottish and clan history, and that’s important.”
Andrew snorted. “Clan history is only good for old coots stuck in the past. Nobody cares about that anymore.”
“I wouldn’t let the duke hear you say something so stupid,” Charlie put in. “After all, he is the chief of Clan Campbell, and you’re a Campbell.”
“She’s right, Andy,” Richard said. “Papa said we have to show the proper respect to the duke, remember?”
Andrew gave his brother another shove. “Who asked you, anyway?”
Richard glared at him but was clearly unwilling to stand up to his bully of a brother. Not for the first time, Kade sent up a prayer of thanks for his brothers. Some of them might be rambunctious, but they all had the kindest of hearts.
Andrew switched his attention back to Charlie. “Well, are you coming riding, or not? If you don’t come right now it’ll be too late. We have to be back in time to change for dinner.”
“I don’t,” Charlie replied. “I’m still too young to have dinner with the adults, remember?”
“I wish I was,” Kade wryly said. “They’re awfully long affairs. I’d much rather have dinner with you and the other children.”
“That’s because you’re an idiot,” Andrew contemptuously said.
Charlie jabbed a finger at him. “That’s an incredibly mean thing to say.”
“Who cares?” Andrew replied. “It’s just stupid Kade. All he does is sit around and read books.” Then he grabbed Charlie’s arm and hauled her to her feet. “Now come along before it gets too late.”
“Let go,” Charlie snapped as she tried to yank her arm from his grip.
“No,” Andrew replied as he began to try to drag her away.
But Charlie dug in her heels. She was a slip of a thing, but she was stronger than she looked. Still, seeing that bully trying to force her made Kade’s insides twist with fury.
If there was one thing a Kendrick hated more than anything, it was a bully.
He put aside his book and jumped to his feet. “Let her go, Andrew. Charlie will come if she wants to, not when you demand it.”
“And I suppose you’re going to make me, are you?” Andrew sneered.
Kade took Charlie’s free hand, and she threaded her fingers through his, holding tight.
“If I have to, yes, I will,” Kade replied.
The big bully snorted—much like a pig—but then let Charlie go.
Kade nodded. “Thank you—”
Instantly, Andrew came at him and shoved him hard in the chest. Kade went flying onto the wrought iron bench, banging his hip on the edge. Though pain shot through his body, he refused to cry out.
Even worse than the pain was the stunned look on Charlie’s face.
“I say, Andy,” exclaimed Richard. “No need to hurt the poor fellow. He’s not very well, you know.”
“I’m fine,” Kade gritted out as he struggled to right himself.
“Here, let me help you,” Charlie said, offering him a supporting arm.
Kade felt a humiliating heat flare into his face. Being shoved was bad enough, but did she think he was so weak that he needed her help to get to his feet?
He shook his head and stood. Nobody pushed a Kendrick around and got away with it. Kade knew that one should never back down from a bully, no matter the consequences.
He stepped into Andrew’s path and narrowed his gaze on his stupid, smirking face. He tried to put ice into his expression, like he’d seen Nick do a thousand times to bounders and fools. Nick was famous for intimidating people with his cold, calm stare, and Kade hoped he’d inherited that talent.
Amazingly, Andrew blinked, as if genuinely taken aback. He peered at Kade, seeming unsure what to do. For a delirious moment, Kade thought he might actually apologize.
Then the big bully let out an ugly laugh. “Bugger you, Kendrick. And get out of my way before I knock your stupid block off.”
“No, bugger you,” Charlie retorted.
Quick as a flash, she threw a sharp punch that caught Andrew right on the nose. The boy let out a muffled shriek and staggered back as he clapped a hand over his face.
“You hit me,” he exclaimed.
Charlie grimaced a bit and shook out her hand. “And I’ll do it again if you don’t leave us alone.”
Then she turned to Richard, who was gaping at her.
“Richard, please take your brother back to the house. His nose is bleeding.”
Blood leaked out from between Andrew’s fingers as he cradled his nose. The rest of his face was almost as red, mottled with fury, as he glared at Charlie.
“How d . . . dare you hit me!” he blustered.
She shrugged. “You deserved it.”
The boy took a step forward, but Richard finally intervened.
“Stop it,” he snapped, grabbing Andrew’s arm. “You’ve caused enough trouble for one day. Let’s just get back to the house before you bleed all over yourself.”
As Richard dragged him away, Andrew threw an angry glance over his shoulder.
“I’ll get you for this,” he yelled at Charlie.
“I doubt it,” she called back. Then she turned to Kade, a concerned expression on her elfin features. “Are you all right?”
He stared at her for a moment. “I’m fine. Are you?”
“My hand’s a little sore. I’ll ice it when we get to the house.”
Kade let out a disbelieving laugh. “Really?”
Charlie rolled her eyes. “He’s not the first boy I’ve hit, and he probably won’t be the last.” Then she looked vaguely alarmed. “You don’t mind, do you? Did you want to hit him first?”
“I did, rather, but I suspect you’re better at it than I am.”
“I’ve probably had more practice.”
Then she plunked back down on the bench and picked up the book. “Now, where were we? You were going to tell me about your book.” She glanced at the page. “Gluck. He wrote some famous operas, didn’t he? I’ve never heard an opera. I’d quite like to, one day.”
Kade sank down next to her, letting her sweet, girlish voice flow over him. He should be embarrassed that he hadn’t acted quickly enough to defend himself, forcing her to step in. But he wasn’t. Charlie obviously didn’t see him as either weak or an invalid, unable to stand up to a bully. She simply saw him as . . . a friend.
And that was splendid.
CHAPTER 1
Castle Kinglas, Scotland
July 1828
Kade sighed as he met the Earl of Arnprior’s flinty gaze. A verbal trouncing from big brother was in the offing, and he had only himself to blame, since he was the idiot who’d got himself stabbed in the first place.
Nick stood behind his imposing desk in the equally imposing library of Kinglas. He continued to glower at Kade, seated opposite him in one of the leather club chairs.
“Was it really necessary for you to sleep with a Russian spy in order to complete your mission?” his brother demanded. “Good God, lad. What were you thinking to put yourself in harm’s way like that?”
Lad.
Though Kade was twenty-seven and had been touring the Continent by himself for years, to Nick and the rest of the Kendricks he would always be the baby of the family who needed more protection than the rest.
He pretended to ponder the question. “Hmm, let me see. Oh, right. I was thinking that I needed to get close to Marina to complete the mission mandated by the British Crown.”
Royal, lounging in the chair next to him, smirked. “Very close, apparently.”
Kade flashed his other brother a dirty look. Royal had been holding in laughter as Kade patiently explained to Nick the reasons for his sudden return home this morning. He had been hoping for at least one day of rest, but Nick had immediately marched him off to the library for the requisite interrogation and resulting lecture.
The Kendrick brothers were used to lectures from Nick, all having required course corrections over the years. All but Kade. He’d never been called onto the proverbial carpet in front of Nick’s desk or had to escape out a window to avoid a thundering scold. He’d always been the perfect Kendrick, the one who never raised a ruckus.
“I thought you were on my side,” Kade said to Royal.
“I’m always on your side, even when you do something stupid, which is admittedly very rare in your case.” Royal placed a hand on his chest and looked soulful. “Oh, how times have changed. Now our wee lad is seducing opera singers and Russian spies.”
“The opera singer was also the Russian spy,” Kade retorted. “Besides, this was for king and country, and it was a necessary part of my job.”
“And look how well it turned out,” Nick sardonically said. “As for this spy business, which none of us even knew about until a few days ago, we will discuss that in a minute. What I want to know is how you could decide to take on such a dangerous mission without help from us? What if you’d been seriously injured, or even—”
Killed.
Nick clamped his lips shut, clearly distressed. That had Kade squirming with guilt. Life had been good for the Kendrick men for many years. Grand marriages to lovely lasses, lots of bairns, and thriving businesses to keep them all busy. True, there was the occasional kidnapping or smuggling ring to deal with, but for the most part they’d all been blessed.
But further back in the past, their lives had often been tragic and hard, leaving emotional wounds on all of them, but especially on Nick. Yet Kade hadn’t been thinking of any of that when he’d agreed two years ago to take on the occasional intelligence mission for the Crown. He’d seen it only as an exciting diversion from the intensity of his life as a musician and concert pianist.
A wave of weariness suddenly swamped him. The last few weeks had been taxing. His mission had ended with a narrow escape from Paris, a grim dash to the coast, a rough crossing to Edinburgh, and then a long carriage ride to Kinglas.
He grimaced in apology to Nick. “I’m sorry I worried you. It’s nothing more than a scratch, I promise.”
Kade wasn’t about to admit that it was only by the greatest of luck that he’d been able to roll out of the way quickly enough to avoid a knife penetrating in between the ribs. As it was, the blade had skittered down his back, saving him from a devastating injury.
While seducing Marina had not been the soundest of plans, he’d been convinced that her notebook was hidden in the bedroom of her lavish hotel suite. That notebook contained the names of some very important men she was blackmailing on Russia’s behalf, including two high-ranking British officials. Acquiring it had been a high priority.
Meeting Marina hadn’t been a problem, since both she and Kade were performing at the Paris Opera. The enchanting soprano had seemed eager to spend time with him, but somewhere along the way she’d deduced his plan. So while he was busy convincing himself that his seduction was progressing well—not to mention pleasurably—Marina had been planning his demise.
“It was more than a scratch, according to Aden,” Nick replied. “And his letter clearly stated that you were lucky to escape without additional injury.”
Aden St. George was Chief of Intelligence at the Home Office. He was also half brother to Nick’s wife, which made him family and thus less likely to withhold details when writing to Nick.
Kade shifted in his chair to ease the pressure on his still-healing wound. “It really wasn’t that bad. Fortunately, Marina was unable to pursue me, because she was . . .”
“Naked?” Royal sardonically finished for him.
Kade sighed. “I had only taken off my shirt, so good for me. I easily made my escape.”
He had no intention of revealing that Marina had also pulled a pistol from her nightstand and got off a shot as he pelted out of the room, boots and shirt in hand. He could only hope Aden had left that detail out of his letter.
Nick finally sank down into his chair. “Good God, what a bloody mess.”
“Yes, the blood quite ruined my best shirt,” Kade joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Nick scowled at him, while Royal simply shook his head with disapproval.
“Look,” Kade protested, “the mission was vital. Besides, Marina is a talented and well-regarded soprano. I thought she was simply passing along useful information to her government. How was I to know she would leap on me like a deranged assassin?”
“Aye, and let that be a lesson to ye,” Angus suddenly piped in. “No good can come of larkin’ about with Frenchies, and an opera singer to boot. What were ye thinkin’, lad, to be tricked by such a one as that?”
Their grandfather had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entire discussion—so much so that Kade had forgotten he was in the room.
Angus was settled near the fireplace in his favorite wingback chair, looking predictably disreputable in his scuffed boots and tatty old kilt. With his wrinkled features and puffball white hair, he was beginning to resemble a Highland version of Methuselah, benignly smoking his pipe.
But Grandda’s blue gaze still held a sharpness that belied his age. He’d insisted on coming along for the interrogation. Ever since Kade was a wee lad, Grandda had watched over him like a she-wolf with a lone pup, and he obviously had no intention of relinquishing the post now.
“Marina is Russian, not French,” Kade said. “And she tricked me because she is a very good spy.”
“Fah.” Angus stood and started to drag his chair over to the desk, scattering ashes from his pipe in his wake.
Kade jumped up, wincing at the pull to his healing wound. “Grandda, let me get that for you.”
“I dinna need ye treatin’ me like I’m an invalid. That would be ye, and I’ll nae have ye hurtin’ yerself more than ye already are.” Angus thumped his chair down beside him. “Anyway, Russian, French, they’re all the same, and not for ye to be larkin’ aboot with.”
“I was not larking.”
“Still, one does not expect an acclaimed pianist to engage in nefarious doings. And that’s especially true when that pianist is a Kendrick,” Nick said.
“I’m hardly the first spy in this family,” Kade pointed out. “And may I remind you that I’m the victim. Marina stabbed me, not the other way around.”
Angus puffed vigorously on his pipe, sending smoke billowing over Kade. “Like I said, that’s what ye get for larkin’ aboot with French opera singers.”
Argh.
Kade waved a hand in front of his face. “I’m supposed to be recuperating, not getting asphyxiated.”
Angus ignored his protest. “I canna think that Vicky will be best pleased to hear of this. Yer her favorite, ye ken, and still her wee innocent laddie.”
Victoria, Countess of Arnprior, was Kade’s former governess, and had arrived in his life when both his physical and emotional states had been precarious. She’d quickly become more than a teacher, loving and protecting him with a fierce loyalty. The day she’d gone from governess to Nick’s wife had been joyful for all of them, but she and Kade had always held a special bond.
Now Kade did not relish the prospect of facing his sister-in-law. Vicky had been down in the village this morning and so had missed his arrival.
“I’m actually her favorite, ye ken,” Nick dryly said. “But your point is well taken, Grandda. Victoria does not need to know the specific details of this unfortunate affair.”
Royal waggled his eyebrows. “Emphasis on ‘affair.’”
“You’re a tremendous help,” Kade sarcastically replied.
“And she will hear nothing salacious,” Nick sternly ordered. “Victoria is distressed enough by the fact that you received a near-fatal wound under somewhat murky circumstances.”
Kade waved a dismissive hand. “The wound was only mildly infected. Braden took care of it as soon as I returned to Edinburgh.”
Unfortunately, his minor infection had grown worse during his travels to Scotland. His brother—a ruthlessly efficient physician—had cleaned the wound and poured noxious potions down Kade’s throat, all while delivering stern lectures on the idiocy of musicians pretending to be spies. Kade was closer to Braden than anyone in the world, but he’d been more than a little relieved when he’d finally been released from his brother’s care.
“Braden wrote that you suffered several days of fever,” Nick said.
Kade shrugged. “I’m perfectly fine now, so no harm done.”
Nick shook his head. “You cannot blame us for feeling anxious, Kade. You and fevers have never had a good history.”
“Aye, that,” Royal quietly added. “We’d never recover if we lost you, lad.”
And there it was, the Kendrick specialty. Anxiety and love combined to tremendous effect, producing the maximum guilt in the intended recipient.
“I haven’t been sick in years,” Kade replied. “And, again, can we please keep explanations as brief as possible for Vicky?”
Nick gave a brisk nod of approval. “Victoria doesn’t need to know the sordid details, especially in her delicate condition.”
