Olivia had a well-deserved raging headache when Hannish carried her breakfast in on a tray, yet she wasn't about to let that stop her. "Are you not the most handsome maid I have yet to see? She sat up, stretched and let her sleeping gown expose the upper half of her bosom. "I need a maid to dress me, or shall you do it?" Before he could answer, Olivia slipped out of bed, untied the strings to her gown, lifted it over her head and tossed it away.
He tried not to look upon her nakedness as he set the tray on the table. "You are leaving this morning."
"Am I never to be forgiven?" she pouted.
He ignored her, picked up her sleeping gown and handed it to her. "It may take a week or two, but I will forgive you in time."
Her eyes instantly lit up. "Truly?"
"Truly. I wish you to go back to Scotland and prepare for my return. I shall come in time for the rest of the season. You do still have my formal clothing, do you not?"
"Of course I do. They will need cleaning and you are right. I shall need time for the alterations on my new gowns." She dropped the sleeping gown and tried to go into his arms. Again, he stopped her. "There is no time for that now. I reserved a seat for you on the afternoon train."
"I hoped we might start our family."
"We will, when we are both in Scotland. I do not wish to miss a moment of it."
"Very well then, I shall need money for my expenses."
"Alistair is going with you and he will pay your expenses."
"Alistair? I would rather pay my own expenses."
"Have you no money left? I have given you a very generous allowance."
"Well, yes, but everything was very expensive in New York."
He was having trouble holding back his anger and decided he best leave, before he said what he desperately wanted to. "Get dressed, Olivia. If you are not dressed in an hour, I shall be forced to dress you myself in the first garment I find." He walked out and closed the door, leaving a naked Olivia alone to stare after him.
When Hannish went back to the kitchen, it was clear by their smiles that the Scots had spread the word to the Americans - the duchess was going and Hannish was staying. He was surprised to find Sassy at the table eating everything in sight and it made him feel a little better, but not much. It didn't appear as though her eye was going to blacken after all, but she had her hair loosely piled on top of her head as though it still hurt where Olivia had ahold of it. "Where might my sister be?"