Love Me Forever by Johanna Lindsey Read Free Book Online

appearance. This was fortunate, because Devlin couldn’t be sure of his own reaction if he came face to face with that scoundrel again. He was still in the house somewhere due only to common courtesy, allowing him to get a fresh start in the morning for his journey back to the Highlands, or wherever he now chose to go.
    That Devlin had had to restate his decision was due to Megan now suggesting they let the Highlander stay on. She had yet to say why she had changed her mind, but he was sure she would get to her reasons in her own sweet time, since she never let him wonder for long about her motives—at least, not overly long.
    As for his statement, she merely said, “You’re not really angry over some silly thing that happened more than a year ago, are you?”
    Devlin raised a brow at her. “Silly thing? The man got down on his knees and proposed marriage to you upon meeting you, and when yourefused him out-of-hand as any sane woman would have, he abducted you.”
    “Yes, but you got me back and soundly thrashed him for it,” she reminded him. “Or had you forgotten that you’ve already had your revenge?”
    Anyone who didn’t know Devlin very well wouldn’t have recognized that slight turning of his lips as a sign of smug satisfaction. The pleasant memory that prompted it didn’t last long, however.
    “That hardly pertains to what he does for a living,” he said. “Good God, he’s a bloody thief. Why do you ladies keep overlooking that simple fact? And because of that, he could be my aunt’s stepson, rather than just her nephew, and he would still not be welcome in my house.”
    Heads were turning their way, and Megan whispered to him, “Not so loud, if you please. And might I point out that you haven’t even noticed Lady Kimberly, she’s so—unnoticeable—which means we’re going to have a devil of a time finding her a husband, and here you are kicking out one of the possibilities. Have you forgotten already that we were going to try and match those two?”
    Now he realized why she’d changed her mind, but it made no difference at all in his opinion. “‘Were’ is the operative word, Megan. His past activities do not make him a suitable match for an earl’s daughter.”
    “Oh, give over, Dev,” she cut him off impatiently. “He’s a Scottish lord, and head of his clan to boot. That makes him highly suitable for an earl’s daughter, and well you know it. And his objectionable past activities can be overlooked,due to the circumstances that prompted them. You heard what your aunt said. The poor man was desperate. Yet he’s put that behind him. And he’s here to find a rich wife so it will stay behind him. With the dowry that comes with Lady Kimberly, he’d hardly have reason to continue his reaving ways, now would he?”
    He snorted. “Unless he enjoyed them, which would be a very good reason for him to continue haunting the border for victims, wife or not. And you can’t deny he did seem to enjoy robbing us, Megan.”
    “Seemed to, maybe, but we don’t know that for certain. And the very fact that he’s here looking for a rich wife is proof, as I see it, that he doesn’t want to continue in that vein. I don’t see why we can’t give him the chance to show that he’s sincere. Even your grandmother is willing to do that.”
    “If he’s sincere, I’ll eat my—”
    “Don’t make promises you might regret,” she cut in with a grin. “And admit it, you just don’t like the chap. That is your main objection.”
    “That is only a small part of it,” he insisted. “And enough has been said about that blackguard. He is not staying, and that’s final!”

7
    S o the Scotsman really was a thief. MacGregor had said it himself, called himself a reaver, but Kimberly hadn’t taken that seriously, since the conversation she’d been forced to overhear between him and the duchess in the entryway had seemed more like simple banter than fact. But now the duke had confirmed it.
    MacGregor