A Taste of Sin (41 page)

Niall was shy at first, but it wasn’t long before the familiarity of his mother’s voice broke through his reticence and he was clinging to her as if he never intended to let her go.

“I’ve enjoyed taking care of him, Christy,” Emma said. “Effie has been a big help, and so has Gavin. Niall’s not nursing much now, so the wetnurse moved back into her own home. She only comes in the evenings for his bedtime feeding. Oh, look, the little lamb has fallen asleep on your shoulder.”

Christy’s tears flowed freely as she patted Niall’s back and crooned to him. “I can’t bear to put him down.” She eased into a rocking chair and cradled him in her arms. Emma pulled up a stool and sat at her feet “What happened at Glenmoor?” Emma asked eagerly. “Where is Sinjun? Why didn’t he return with you?”

Christy knew she owed Emma an explanation but feared Sinjun’s sister would condemn her as Sinjun had. She dragged in a steadying breath. “Sinjun suffered a grave wound. I remained with him until I was assured of his recovery.”

Emma shot to her feet “Wounded! By whom?”

“Calum Cameron. The Cameron chieftain kidnapped me from my bed and kept me locked in his house. He intended to make me his mistress and claim leadership of the clan. He assumed Sinjun wouldn’t want me after he … after he defiled me.”

Emma’s mouth flew open. “How terrible for you!”

“Highlanders play by their own rules,” Christy explained. “Most husbands refuse to take their wives back after they’ve been ravished by their captors.”

“But that’s so unfair,” Emma argued.

“Aye, but ‘tis how the system works despite the fact that most stolen wives are unwilling victims.”

“Sinjun isn’t like that,” Emma insisted.

“Calum Cameron bragged to Sinjun that I was his mistress.”

“Were you?”

“No. Had Calum taken me by force, I would have found a way to end his miserable life. Whether or not it was true didn’t matter; Sinjun believed him.” A sob caught in her throat. “Sinjun doesn’t want me, Emma.”

“Oh, pooh, that doesn’t sound like Sinjun at all. He knows why you lied to him about Niall. I explained everything. I’m sorry I had to break a confidence, but the situation called for it. Why do you think Sinjun arrived at Glenmoor when he did? He was worried about you.”

Christy’s heart soared. Could it be true? “Sinjun couldn’t have arrived at a better time, though he paid dearly for it. His life hung in the balance for more days than I care to count. But he’s well on the road to recovery now, thank God.”

“Why aren’t you with him?”

“I told you. Sinjun doesn’t want me. I had every reason to believe he intended to cut me out of his and Niall’s life once he returned to London, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.”

“Did you discuss this with Sinjun?”

“He was very clear when he told me didn’t want me. What is mere to discuss?”

“Obviously you misunderstood,” Emma contended. “Sinjun loves you. Why do you mink he left Niall and rushed off to Glenmoor? You didn’t see him before he left, Christy. He was so worried and so anxious to get to you he refused to wait for Julian’s help. I know my brother. Even if Calum had forced you it wouldn’t have made a difference to Sinjun. His life is far from exemplary.”

“That’s not the same and you know it. Society has different standards for men and women.”

“Aye, I know it too well,” Emma huffed. “One day someone is going to set London on its ear. All that aside, you can’t leave, Christy. You owe it to Niall to try to save your marriage. Do you intend to run the rest of your life? That’s what will happen, you know, for Sinjun won’t rest until he finds you.”

Christy remained thoughtful, mulling over Emma’s words. Sinjun
had
come to Glenmoor, and he
had
rescued her from a dangerous situation. His courage had healed the rift between clans, and he had suffered a grievous wound on their account.

Could it be true? Had she misunderstood Sinjun? He’d been very ill. Perhaps she had wrongly interpreted his words because of her own guilt. How could their marriage work when she deserved so little of Sinjun’s trust?

Miracles did happen, however. If Sinjun truly loved her as Emma said, then a chance for happiness existed, for
she
loved Sinjun beyond all reason.

“I’m not going to let you leave, Christy,” Emma said with firm conviction.

“I cannot bear to lose Niall.”

“You
do
love Sinjun.”

“With my whole heart and soul.”

Emma sighed dreamily. “I wish to experience a love like that just once in my life. Julian is already talking about finding me a husband.”

“He won’t force you to wed someone you don’t approve of, will he?”

“He says not, but he doesn’t want me to end up a spinster.” Her chin notched upward. “I won’t marry any man I’m not in love with. But enough of me. Leaving now would be the biggest mistake of your life.”

Christy would give anything to believe Emma. It wasn’t too farfetched to believe that Sinjun loved her, was it? Dreams sometimes came true, didn’t they?

“Aye, I’ll stay, Emma, though I may live to regret it.”

Sinjun arrived in London without mishap. It had been a long, difficult journey, given his recent injury and diminished stamina. He had refused both Murdoch’s and Rory’s offer of company and undertaken the journey alone.

Sinjun couldn’t bear the thought of going to his own empty house, so he reined his tired mount toward Julian’s townhouse. He wanted to speak to Emma anyway, in the unlikely event she knew where Christy had taken Niall.

Sinjun didn’t believe for a minute that Christy had come to London simply because she had missed Niall. His gut told him that he’d find Derby Hall deserted except for servants. He had no idea why Christy had left him again. He thought he’d made it clear that he didn’t care what Cameron had done to her, but his memory was still fuzzy about what he’d actually said to her. It hadn’t been the best time to engage in serious conversation. Obviously he’d said something to send her fleeing.

Sinjun dismounted, looped his reins around the iron fence post, and climbed the front steps to Mansfield Place, Julian’s elegant townhouse. His first knock brought an immediate answer. Julian’s dignified butler held the door open as Sinjun strode inside.

“Good day, milord. Lord Mansfield is not at home, but Lady Emma is in the drawing room with her aunt.”

“Thank you, Farthingale. I’ll see myself to the parlor.”

“As you wish, milord.”

Sinjun paused in the doorway, not surprised to see Emma pacing the room in great agitation and expounding animatedly to Aunt Amanda, who nodded her head from time to time in placid agreement.

“What can be keeping him. Aunt?” Emma exclaimed. “Oh, how I wish Julian wasn’t off on one of his mysterious trips. He’d know what to do. What if Sinjun’s wounds were more serious than we were led to believe?”

“Worried about me, Emma?” Sinjun said, strolling into the room. “As you can see, I’m fine.”

“Sinjun!” Emma cried, throwing herself into his arms. “I thought you’d never get here.” She held him at arm’s length and studied him with a critical eye. “You don’t look fine. You’re pale and far too thin. Christy told us you had been wounded.”

“What else did Christy tell you?” Sinjun asked harshly.

Emma gave him a quizzical look. “Have you been home yet?”

“No. I couldn’t bear the thought of an empty house waiting for me. Strange, it never bothered me before.”

“Have you dismissed the servants?”

“You know darn well what I mean.” He searched her face. “Do you know where Christy took Niall? How could you let her take him away?”

“Sinjun, you’re overwrought. Sit down, I’ll ring for a bottle of Julian’s best brandy.”

Sinjun plopped down into the nearest chair, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes.

“Are you sure you’re well, dear?” Aunt Amanda asked solicitously. “Shall I send for a physician?”

“I am fine, just tired,” Sinjun assured her as he accepted the snifter of brandy Farthingale had brought him. “I’d hoped to find Julian home. I may need his help finding Christy and my son.”

Emma and Amanda exchanged knowing glances over Sinjun’s bowed head.

“Julian hasn’t returned yet,” Emma said. “I’m really worried about him. He’s been gone longer than usual and no one has heard from him. I’m concerned about the mysterious business that calk him away so often.”

“He’ll turn up soon,” Sinjun predicted.

“Go home, Sinjun,” Emma advised. “You look exhausted.”

“I don’t want to go home to an empty nursery and no wife. But you’re right, Emma, I am tired. My problems are none of your concern.” He tossed down the brandy and heaved himself out of the chair. “Good night, ladies.”

“You should have told him,” Amanda scolded after Sinjun had left.

Emma sent her a mischievous smile. “I’d like to see Sinjun’s face when he walks into the house and discovers Christy and Niall.” She clasped her hands together and sighed. “Isn’t it romantic? Do you suppose a handsome prince charming will come along and sweep me off my feet?”

“Wishful thinking, my dear,” Aunt Amanda chided. “Women have to be practical. You’ll marry someone notably suitable. Someone with good bloodlines who knows how to handle both your fortune and his.”

Emma sent her an enigmatic smile.
Not if I can help it,
she silently vowed.
If I marry at all, the man can be a peasant as long as I love him. He will sweep me off my feet and pledge his undying love. I won’t settle for a stodgy duke or earl in need of a brood mare.

Since the hour was late and he was tired, Sinjun went directly home. Unfortunately he couldn’t find his key. He knew Pemburton was sleeping, so he rapped sharply on the front door to awaken him. It seemed like forever before Pemburton opened the door, wearing a nightshirt and loosely belted robe that flopped around his bony ankles and skinny feet. A tasseled nightcap, tilted at a comical angle, sat atop his head of sparse gray hair. Sinjun wanted to laugh but knew his dignified butler would be offended.

“Welcome home, milord,” Pemburton intoned dryly.

Chapter 21

“T
hank you, Pemburton,” Sinjun said as he started up the stairs. “I’m exhausted. A hot bath and something light to eat wouldn’t be amiss.”

“Very good, milord,” Pemburton said, as if the demand for a hot bath and food at so late an hour was perfectly normal.

Weary beyond words, Sinjun wasn’t in the best of moods. Had he been more himself he wouldn’t have come straight home. He would have gone to one of his clubs or to White’s and sought out a willing female, but frankly, even if he were up to it he wasn’t interested in another woman.

Something totally unexpected had happened to Lord Sin since Christy Macdonald had brazenly thrust herself into his life. He had fallen in love with his wife and gained a son he adored. Would he ever see them again? What in bloody hell had made Christy flee Glenmoor in such a damn hurry?

Sinjun paused before the nursery door, tempted to open it, if only to gaze at the small bed where his son had once slept. But the disappointment of walking into an empty room dissuaded him, and he continued on to his own chamber.

Inside his chamber he went immediately to the brandy decanter sitting on his dresser and poured two fingers into a crystal goblet. Drink in hand, he walked to the window and stared into the dark street below, his thoughts bleak. A sleepy-eyed servant arrived to lay a fire in the hearth, distracting Sinjun from his morose thoughts. Shortly afterward the tub arrived, followed by pot boys carrying buckets of hot and cold water. Sinjun undressed and sank down into the water, sighing blissfully. Pemburton arrived with a light repast of meat, cheese, bread, and fruit. He pulled a small table close to the tub and set the tray down.

“Is there anything else you require, milord?”

“Go back to bed, Pemburton, I can see to myself. Just set the brandy decanter on the table before you leave.”

Sinjun picked at the food, deciding he wasn’t hungry after all. He refilled his goblet with brandy and sipped quietly. But even the heady taste of brandy palled after a while, and he set the glass down, tilted his head back against the rim of the tub and closed his eyes.

Christy awakened abruptly from a deep sleep, roused by the sound of activity coming from Sinjun’s chamber. He had finally arrived! She had waited so long for him to return, and now that he had finally arrived she couldn’t stop trembling.

Oh, why had she listened to Emma? What if Sinjun turned her away? What if he sent her back to Glenmoor without Niall?

Plagued by demons of her own making, Christy decided there was only one way to discover the answers to all her questions. Sinjun’s chamber was separated from hers by a door. She had but to walk through the door to learn her fate.

She’d make him understand how much she loved him, she vowed as she climbed from bed and padded barefoot to the door. Gathering the tattered remnants of her courage, she cracked open the door and peered into Sinjun’s chamber. The room was dimly lit by a cheery fire that popped and snapped in the grate. A tub had been set up before the hearth. All she could see of Sinjun was his head resting against the rim and his arms stretched out along the sides. He appeared to be sleeping.