Marblestone Mansion 01 - Scandalous Duchess

the world.”
    “ He seems to be, but…”
    “ But what?”
    “ On the ride, he looked back at you again and again.”
    “ Did he? If he did, ‘tis because he…he is sorry for what his wife did. She hurt me a little.”
    “ Did she hurt you as bad and Old Mrs…?”
    “ How could anyone hurt a lovely lady such as yourself?” said a man suddenly standing behind them.
    Cathleen caught her breath and took a step back, but his sudden appearance made Sassy mad. “Dare you sneak up on people?”
    “ I do apologize, I thought you saw me. I am Amos Wells, at your service.” He tipped his straw boater hat and revealed his curly blond hair. He had a nice smile and wore loose fitting tan trousers with a dark blue, double button jacket.
    “ What sort of service?” Cathleen asked.
    Perplexed, Amos answered, “I…well, any service you desire, I suppose. Who might you be?”
    “ I am Leesil and this is my sister, Cathleen.”
    “ Leesil what?”
    Still annoyed, Sassy sternly answered, “We have no last name, Mr. Wells.”
    Finished greeting Loretta and Pearl, Hannish glanced at Sassy and there was no mistaking the chagrin on her face. Just as he was about to go to her, he spotted McKenna approaching them.
    “ McKenna MacGreagor,” she announced, extending her hand to the stranger. “And you are Mr…?”
    “ Wells, Amos Wells. I heard you were in town, Miss MacGreagor. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
    “ And I you. We happened to pass a very large house on our way through town,” she said, turning to look back. Just as she hoped, he turned too and when he did, she motioned behind her for the sisters to slip away. “To whom does it belong?”
    “ No one just now,” Amos answered. “Unfortunately, the man building it ran out of funds and has since disappeared.”
    “ Truly? Has no one bought the place?” she asked. McKenna saw Abigail coming her way and glanced back to make certain the sisters were gone. “Do forgive me, I must greet my dear friend.”
    He nodded, watched her walk away and turned around only to discover he was alone. He looked down the edge of the lake, and saw the sisters holding hands, stepping from rock to rock along the shore, with the dog right behind them. He was about to follow when Hannish showed up. “Mr. MacGreagor, you are just the man I hoped to see. Amos Wells.”
    Hannish shook the man’s hand. “Why so?”
    “ I am a carpenter and I hear you need furniture. Perhaps I might interest you in some of mine.”
    “ You have heard correctly. What sort of furniture do you make?”
    “ I have a shop just west of town and you are welcome to come see for yourself.” Amos looked once more at the sisters. “Mr. MacGreagor, why is it that Leesil and Cathleen have no last name?”
    Hannish had not given Sassy’s lack of a surname much thought until that moment. “They were raised in an English orphanage, Mr. Wells.”
    “ I see.”
    Hannish glanced at the picnic area, noticed that Donnel had sat down on one of the blankets and was struggling to get back up. “You will excuse me.” He quickly went to Donnel and easily lifted her up.
    “‘ Tis my bad knee,” Donnel explained.
    “ We should have brought a chair.” He waited for her to get her balance, and then wrapped her hand around his arm. “I have neglected you and Blanka. Will you walk with me?”
    Her smile was filled with years of love when she nodded. “You have too much on your mind to bother with us.”
    “ That is no excuse. Are the two of you happy here?” He leisurely walked her part way around the edge of the lake.
    “ Why wouldn’t we be? You feed us well, our duties are light and we can nap whenever we want. I’d say we are the happiest we have ever been.”
    “ I am glad to hear it.” Hannish noticed her slight limp and found a large rock for her to sit on. “Will this do for a chair?”
    “ Nicely.” She gladly let him help her sit down. “My Michael died last year, but then, I wrote you about that.”
    He put a foot up on a nearby rock. “You cannae know how much your letters meant to me. Some took a good measure of time finding me, but they were as welcome as the sunrise. Was the voyage very miserable for the two of you?”
    “ Blanka had the sea sickness, but Cameron and your sister got us a stateroom and we were very comfortable. She is a good woman, your sister.”
    “ The best there is; our father would be very proud of her. How I would love to show him my accomplishments, and