A Highland Duchess Read Free Page A

she would not easily forget.
    “Who are you? What are you doing here?”
    She pressed her fingers against the mourning cameo at her neck. A solitary adornment in her widowhood, it reminded her of her mother, of her family, and at this moment, her own mortality.
    Her heart was beating so quickly that she could hardly breathe. Nor did she think it possible to blink; her eyes were wide open and staring at the intruder.
    The rogue had the temerity to smile at her. As if she were impressed by an attractive smile. As if she could ever forgive him this unpardonable intrusion.
    “I’ve come for the Tulloch Sgàthán,” he said.
    She frowned at him. “The what?’
    “The Tulloch mirror.”
    She took a step backward, closer to the bellpull. “I don’t care what you’ve come for, leave my house.”
    He frowned. “You are the Duchess of Herridge, are you not?”
    She nodded.
    “Emma Herridge?”
    She nodded again.
    “Where is it?” he asked, looking around the room.
    Dear God, he was a thief.
    She had little experience with histrionics. At this moment, however, she was giving some thought to screaming, loud and long, a sound to summon her uncle, if not a footman or two.
    The intruder looked as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, because he strode across the room, grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer to him.
    “Duchess,” he said softly, “if someone enters this room right now, I might be compelled to do bodily injury to them. Or to you.”
    Was this how God answered her prayer?

Chapter 2
    S he wasn’t quite ready to die.
    “I don’t know anything about a mirror,” Emma said, forcing a calm into her voice that she didn’t feel.
    “It doesn’t belong to you, Duchess.”
    Was he not listening to her?
    “My jewelry is in my vanity,” she said. “You’re welcome to it. Take anything you want. Take all of it.”
    She pulled her wrist free, twisted off her wedding ring, and held it out to him. “Take it, I’m certain it’s the equal of any mirror here. Now go away.”
    He grabbed her wrist again, walked her over to the window, pushed her into a chair, and sat opposite her.
    “I don’t want any of your jewelry. Just the mirror.”
    “I don’t care what you want. Leave me,” she said. “Immediately.” She accentuated the command by pointing at the window.
    He raised one eyebrow and regarded her almost in amusement, if she read his expression correctly.
    “No one told me how beautiful you are,” he said.
    She stared at him. Was it entirely proper to accept a compliment from a thief?
    “What is this Tulloch mirror?” she asked.
    He sat back in the chair, folded his arms and regarded her. It was rather disconcerting to be the object of that direct stare. Now she knew how a pigeon felt when faced with a hawk.
    His mouth was full, and easily curved into a smile. His eyebrows were black slashes above eyes so brown they appeared almost black as well. His skin was tan, as if he labored outside when he wasn’t engaged in thievery.
    “It rightfully belongs to the Tullochs of Perth.”
    “Scotland.”
    He nodded.
    “My husband’s daughter emigrated to Scotland.”
    He smiled at her but she ignored the expression. She was not that easily charmed.
    “I hardly think the word emigrated applies to Lady Sarah,” he said.
    “You know her, then?” She’d never met Lady Sarah, either at her wedding or Anthony’s funeral.
    “I do,” he said.
    “Did she send you here?” she asked.
    “Duchess, where is the mirror?” he asked softly.
    She turned her head and looked out the window. Now she wondered if he had caused the lamps to be extinguished, the better to climb up onto the roof and not be seen.
    “I don’t know anything about the Tulloch mirror,” she said, glancing over at him. “I must insist you leave. If you do so now, I’ll not call the authorities.”
    “You’re very brave, Duchess. Aren’t you worried that I could harm you?” He sat impassive, arms still folded, watching her.
    She