“Ye found me,” she replied, slipping her arm into the crook of her betrothed’s. “I’ve a favor to ask.”
“Aila,” Liam said, suddenly sure it had something to do with him and equally sure he did not want her dragging Aldridge into his personal matters.
Aila pointedly ignored him. “Liam would like to become better acquainted with Miss Cartwright—”
“For God’s sake, Aila!” Liam growled.
She scowled at him, and Aldridge narrowed his eyes in Liam’s direction, which actually pleased him. He was glad, indeed, that the man had a natural instinct to protect Aila, though she certainly needed no protection from Liam.
“Shh,” Aila hissed. “Ye stubborn oaf! Richard, Miss Cartwright’s mother believes Liam to be poor; therefore, she will not be open to Liam courting her daughter.”
Aldridge gave Liam an amused look. “Do you wish to court Miss Cartwright?”
Did he? He thought he might, but he didn’t intend to stand here discussing it. “Perhaps,” was all he was willing to say.
“Why do you not tell Lady Thornberry and Miss Cartwright the truth?” Aldridge asked.
“The same reason ye led me to believe ye were a poor commoner, Richard,” Aila said in a chiding voice.
Liam scowled. “Ye lied to my sister?”
“I did not lie,” Aldridge rebutted, looking offended. “I merely did not correct her assumption about my person. ’Tis different.”
Liam was about to argue that it wasn’t, but in doing so, he would be diminishing the strength of his own reasoning, so he nodded his agreement.
Aila snorted. “And they say women are the schemers…”
Liam and Aldridge exchanged an amused, guilty look.
“I had grown tired of being chased because I was going to be a duke someday,” Aldridge said.
“And I, a laird,” Liam added.
Aldridge nodded. “In Scotland, I saw the perfect opportunity to reinvent myself, so to speak, when I met your sister.”
Liam immediately thought of Cecelia. “I understand.”
“What do you need me to do, MacLeod?” Aldridge asked.
“He needs ye to come up with a way to get Miss Cartwright out of her home with her mother’s approval, so that he may have a chance to spend time with her. Perhaps ice-skating on the Serpentine,” Aila suggested triumphantly.
“You clever, clever lady,” Aldridge said with pride. “I can go in two days. I have business to attend to for the next day that will keep me rather tied up.”
Two days seemed like an eternity, but with no other option, Liam nodded his agreement.
