Highland Heiress by Margaret Moore Read Free Book Online

worn, silk-covered sofas, his right arm thrown over his face, his left crossed over his chest and an empty bottle of port on the floor beside him.

Chapter Four
    G ordon sighed heavily and leaned back against one of the shelves. Whatever Robbie thought, Lady Moira was right to be wary of marrying a man who drank so much. In his practice he’d seen too many marriages fall into bitter ruin and too many families destroyed because of drink.
    Robbie’s blue eyes flickered open. “Gordo! You’re back!” he muttered as he lurched to a sitting position. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
    â€œI’m only just returned,” he replied. He came farther into the room and sat in a wing chair opposite Robbie. He nodded at the bottle on the floor. “Isn’t it a little early for that?”
    Robbie sighed and rubbed his temples as he hunched over. “My head ached, so I had a little drink for medicinal purposes.”
    â€œA little drink?”
    â€œAye, just enough to put me to sleep.”
    â€œPerhaps your head ached from imbibing too much last night,” Gordon suggested, trying to keep his tone nonjudgmental.
    Robbie frowned. “You’re not my nursemaid.”
    â€œNo, I’m not. I’m your friend, and I’m worried about you.”
    Robbie slid down until he was lying on his back, his head resting on the arm of the sofa. “If I’m drinking a little more than usual, it’s because that’s the only way I can sleep most nights.”
    Gordon wondered what his “usual” amount of drinks per day would be, then decided that really didn’t matter. What mattered was Robbie’s current condition, which was obviously far from healthy. He was still too thin and pale, with dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. “Maybe we should send for the doctor.”
    Robbie shook his head as he closed his eyes. “No doctor. It’s this business with Moira that has me out of sorts, that’s all. I’ll be fine when it’s over.”
    â€œPerhaps if we went riding, or walked up the hills, that would help you sleep.”
    Robbie turned his head to look out the long mullioned windows. “Not today,” he said with a weary sigh. “It’s going to rain.”
    He was, unfortunately, right. The sky was a dull slate gray that foretold a downpour before the afternoon was over.
    Robbie suddenly seemed to remember where Gordon had been. “So what happened?” he demanded as he squirmed to a sitting position, his feet on the floor.“What did my former fiancée say when you told her I was suing her for breach of promise?”
    Not wanting to inflame the situation even more, Gordon tried to choose his words wisely. “Naturally she was upset.”
    That was true, although not in the way Robbie seemed to interpret his response, judging by the gleam of triumph that came to his red-rimmed eyes. “As well she should be! Was she willing to settle out of court?”
    Gordon had done his best to talk Robbie out of naming such a huge sum in damages; the best he’d been able to do was suggest that he be willing to compromise and eventually settle for a lesser amount in order to save time and expenses. After much persuading, Robbie had finally agreed. Regrettably, Lady Moira had rendered his victory moot. “No, she did not.”
    Robbie’s expression dulled, but only for a moment. “Well then, she’ll have to pay the whole amount when we win— plus expenses!”
    Robbie had always been a confident fellow and clearly nothing that had happened to him had altered that. “She believes she will not lose.”
    â€œHa!” Robbie snorted as he got to his feet, kicking over the bottle and paying it no heed as it rolled across the Aubusson carpet and came to a halt at the edge of the marble hearth. “Of course she will! Everybody in Dunbrachie knew we were engaged. Everybody knows she broke it