The Lass Who Kissed a Frog by Lee, Caroline (big ebook reader .TXT) 📗

every move…judging. She could feel his regard and didn’t care for the sensation.

Mainly, because she was worried he might not like what he saw.

“Now, it is a fallacy to believe the Romans never journeyed into Scotland, or as it was called then, Caledonia.” Phineas saluted Bonnie with his cup. “Although there are no major installations—”

“What about Hadrian’s Wall?” demanded Bonnie, clearly enjoying whatever in the world they were discussing.

Mother was clearly at a loss. “Dinnae interrupt the gentleman, Bonnie.”

But Phineas just shook his head and smiled, obviously delighted to have someone willing to listen to him. “The wall is a fine example of engineering, of course, but Roman ruins have been found as far north as Forth.” He chuckled slightly. “The River Forth I mean of course.”

“Of course,” murmured Roland, still staring at Vanessa.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “More tea, milord?” she asked, trying to distract him.

“Nay. Mine is delicious.”

He hadn’t touched the cup she’d been forced to set in front of him.

Willing her hands to stop shaking, Vanessa carefully leaned forward and placed her own cup and saucer on the small table across from his. Then she smoothed her palms over her skirts and told herself there was no reason for a man’s scrutiny to make her feel so—so—bare. She was beautiful, was she not? It was no wonder he would stare at her so.

But the truth was, she was afraid he was studying her for another reason entirely. The same reason his hazel eyes were no longer warm and full of laughter when they met hers.

When he and Mr. DeVille had taken tea at the inn, Vanessa was rather afraid of what they might’ve overheard.

It had been only a week after the ball, and Bonnie had been teasing her about Mother’s plans. Mother had always dreamed of Vanessa becoming Lady Oliphant—not a Lady Oliphant, as Mother herself was, but The Lady Oliphant, married to the next laird—and Vanessa was horrified by the prospect.

Not just because it would mean not being able to marry Roland and live Happily Ever After, as the heroines did in Bonnie’s books, but because of who the heir was. It wasn’t just his scars which made Lyon Prince unapproachable, but the fact he treated everyone so coldly since the death of his wife.

Vanessa would rather be married to—to Phineas than the Beast of the Oliphants.

Unfortunately, when Bonnie had teased her about such a possibility, Vanessa had snapped back rather cruelly. She hadn’t just insulted the man’s appearance—which he couldn’t control, not really—but his cold heartlessness. She hadn’t been overly loud, but she’d insulted the heir quite thoroughly until Bonnie understood the depths of her dislike.

And then, when they’d stepped farther down the hall, they’d realized the door to the parlor where Roland sat had been propped open.

She wasn’t certain he’d heard any of her words, but the guilt had been eating at her since that day. When they’d received the invitation to tea at Newfincy Castle, she’d spent the day rejoicing, believing that meant Roland was still very much interested in her. But now, seeing his neutral regard, she wasn’t sure what to think.

Bonnie and Phineas were still contentedly debating the history of southern Scotland, and Mother was stewing because, as Phineas was the host, she couldn’t very well suggest a change of subject which would appeal to her more. Vanessa was content to listen to their discussion, as it gave her a chance to look somewhere besides Roland.

And despite Mother’s teachings, she was pleased to not be the center of attention for once.

“—the cleverest feat of engineering really,” Phineas was saying, gesturing with his hands. “They were capped by these small spheres, no bigger than a hands’ width, constructed of all sorts of different materials.”

“Oh!” Bonnie’s eyes widened. “I just saw a sketch of one of those…in the book I was reading in the carriage, Mother.”

“Oh delightful,” murmured their mother, sipping her tea archly.

How did one manage to archly sip tea? Well, however Mother had done it, she’d done it smashingly.

Bonnie turned back to Phineas. “The sketch was labeled ‘Sphaera’ and portrayed one made from steel.”

“Indeed. Can ye imagine the blacksmith asked to create a sphaera like that? I’ll wager the machinists at Oliphant Engineering could whip one up without trouble on their lathes, but during the Roman period? The spheres were made from precious material as well.”

“Gold?” Mother asked, finally interested in the conversation.

Well of course. Mother, proprietress of The Oliphant Inn, despite her lofty title and ambitions, was always interested in money.

“Gold, aye, and silver too.” Roland’s brother was beaming. “I have a silver one in my collection actually. I would be delighted to show ye later—”

“No, Phin,” growled Roland.

His younger brother seemed disconcerted for a moment, then blinked and shrugged. “Aye, no’ now. My apologies. But my goal is to acquire one of gold. I have been searching through the catalogs and among the antiquity dealers, but to no avail. A shame.” He sighed and sat back against his chair. “I would pay a pretty penny for such an artifact.”

Mother’s laugh was brittle. “A golden ball would be worth a pretty penny anywhere, Mr. Prince!”

“Aye, but I would pay ten times its intrinsic value due to its antique state.”

“Really, Mr. Prince—”

Bonnie interrupted their mother. “The artifact’s value as an artifact would greatly overshadow its value in gold, Mother.”

The way the older woman sniffed and sipped at her tea made it clear she wasn’t at all interested in hearing more about Phineas’s artifact collection.

“Vanessa!” Mother’s sharp call startled Vanessa so much, she actually jumped, but did her best to arrange her features into a vaguely curious smile as she met her mother’s eyes. “Do ye have anything to add to this fascinating discussion?”

Before Vanessa could answer—not that she was doing much more than murmuring, “That sounds fascinating”—her mother had turned back to Phineas and was saying with utmost confidence, “My eldest daughter is as intelligent as her sister, but kens nae man likes to have his nose rubbed in it,