The Duke’s Perfect Wife (MacKenzies & McBrides #4)(86)
Author: Jennifer Ashley

“Mmm.” Hart ran his hands down her arms to move his thumbs over the insides of her wrists. “I have a few new things to play with. I got them just for you.”

Her heart beat faster. “Oh?”

“No more makeshift tethers. I have real ones now.”

“Do you? How splendid. I look forward to seeing you in them.”

Hart started, eyes widening. “What?”

Eleanor wanted to laugh. “Yes, indeed. My bonny, braw Scotsman, perhaps in only his kilt, with his wrists bound together, waiting for me?”

Hart stared at her for a long moment, then his sinful smile spread across his face. “Bold minx. You’ve been learning your lessons well.”

“I believe that would make a good photograph, do you not?”

Hart opened his mouth to answer. Then he closed it. Then he growled.

Her bonny, braw Scotsman jerked her up to him, and his kiss took her breath away. “My Eleanor,” he said. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Hart Mackenzie.”

His grin returned. “You should know better than to challenge me. I’ll answer with a challenge of my own.”

“Well, I should hope so,” Eleanor said.

Hart growled again, then he lifted her in his arms, kicked open the door, and ran with her out of the room.

Epilogue

JUNE 1885

Hart had no interest in more official portraits of him, but Eleanor insisted. “Not just you,” she’d said. “The entire family.”

And so, on a fine day when Hart would have preferred to be fishing with Ian, he traipsed out onto the terrace with his brothers and their families to have their portraits taken. A photographer who’d come from Edinburgh busied himself readying the camera, his tripod, and his collection of glass plates.

First to be photographed was the Cameron Mackenzie family, only because Cameron marshaled his troops the fastest. Cameron sat on a chair, and Ainsley stood on his right, her hand on his shoulder. Daniel was on his left, and Gavina, nearly two years old now, sat on Cameron’s lap. Something dribbled out of Gavina’s mouth, and Cameron swiftly caught the drool on his handkerchief, wiping her clean before the camera’s shutter closed.

Next came Ian and Beth. Ian sat in the chair, his kilt draped over his knees. Beth stood regally beside him in her dress of Mackenzie plaid. She held Belle in her arms, while three-year-old Jamie perched on Ian’s lap. The camera caught Ian looking, not at the lens, but up at his wife, his face soft with happiness. Beth was looking back down at him, his fingers on her hand. A beautiful portrait.

Ian and Beth took the children down to the lawn to play while Mac at last got his brood chivied into place. Mac took his place in the chair, with six-year-old Aimee on his left, and Isabella standing at his right shoulder. Eileen, three now, stood leaning back against her mother, Isabella holding her hand. Two-year-old Robert, in a kilt, sat on his father’s lap.

The camera caught them laughing. Sun shone on Isabella’s red hair and her smile, but Mac was out and out laughing. “Papa,” Aimee said. “You’ll spoil it.”

They took another, more dignified photograph this time, but smiles underlay all expressions.

Eleanor bounced baby Hart Alec Graham Mackenzie in her arms, and Hart said, “Enough. Let us finish this.”

Mac herded his three children away, Eileen running screaming after her cousin Jamie. Aimee hurried behind, having appointed herself guardian to impetuous Eileen.

Hart sat in the chair and reached for baby Alec. Alec still wore long gowns, but Eleanor had fastened a piece of Mackenzie plaid around his sturdy waist. Eleanor stood at Hart’s right, and Lord Ramsay, who now called himself Grandfather Alec, took a place on Hart’s left.

Hart lifted his head and stared at the camera. He imagined how the finished photo would look: himself in the middle, straight and arrogant; Lord Ramsay looking almost comically regal; Eleanor, beautiful, her face softened with good humor; and baby Alec sitting up on Hart’s lap, Hart’s hands around him.

Alec. The miracle of a child that Eleanor had presented to Hart on a cold December evening, one of the longest nights of Hart’s life. Ian had plied him with drink, but Hart had paced and sweated, terrified that he’d relive the night that Sarah had died, and then the day that Graham had.

But Eleanor, resilient, had pulled through, and small Alec had greeted Hart with robust wails. Hart had lifted his son, small enough to hold in his cradled hands, his heart overflowing with so much joy and relief that he’d wept.

Hart thought of that night now as he looked down at Alec. Alec stared back up at his father, his gaze perfectly steady. Going on six months old, Alec had already perfected the Mackenzie glare.

“Mind your manners, now,” Hart said to him.

Alec loved Hart’s rumbling voice. Even now, his eyes softened. He gave his father a grin and reached up to touch his face. The camera caught it, father and son sharing a glance, the little hand on Hart’s jaw, Hart laughing down at Alec.

Hart made the photographer do another exposure, this one stiffly dignified, as portraits were supposed to be. But ever after, Eleanor would treasure the first one. She had it framed and hung it in a place of honor in the family’s private drawing room.

The afternoon of photographs wasn’t finished yet. Eleanor insisted they end with one of the entire family: Hart, Cameron, Mac, and Ian and their collective families, and—God help them—all the dogs.

They stood in a row, the four Mackenzies, with Ainsley and Daniel, Eleanor and Lord Ramsay, Beth and Isabella, the seven children, and the five dogs grouped around them. The portrait was difficult to pose, because no sooner were the younger children seated in front than two-year-old Robert decided that he’d much rather run after the butterfly that had landed on a flower on the edge of the terrace. Ruby and McNab decided to go after him.

Ben, smart animal, lay his great head between his paws and fell asleep in the sunshine, his snores sounding even over the children’s cries. Aimee chased Robert, Jamie went to see what the fuss was about, and Gavina demanded to be set down so she could crawl about, or at least play with the dogs.

Daniel loped off and lifted both Jamie and Robert into his big arms, carrying them, protesting, back to the terrace. The dogs followed.

Much arguing and cajoling followed. In the midst of it, Hart gave Eleanor a squeeze and leaned down to her. “I bought you a present.”

Eleanor’s eyes lit. “I adore presents. What is it?”

“A surprise, minx. You’ll have to wait. Your punishment for putting me through the torture of having our portrait taken.”