"Did he? How kind of him."
He ignored the sarcastic tone in her voice. "Come, my dear, my driver will fetch the luggage and then we shall be off. I have much to show you." Suspicion was in her expression, but he ignored that too. He had not liked Olivia from the moment he first met his brother's wife, nor did she like him. That, at least, promised to lessen the small talk in the carriage, although he asked just enough questions to be polite. At last, they were moving and both of them were relieved.
It was not until Olivia realized they had passed through Glasgow, and were heading the wrong way that she began to seethe. "Where might you be taking me?"
"I wish to show you something."
"Now, when I am completely exhausted?"
"I fear there will be no better time."
The carriage turned up a country road and then stopped in front of a modest estate. In front of the door, a butler and a cook stood waiting and as soon as Cameron helped Olivia out of the coach, the butler bowed and the cook curtsied. "Your Grace," said the butler.
Olivia's eyes widened and she turned to see Cameron's expression. "Your Grace?"
"Did Hannish not tell you? He abdicated, this is your new home."
"He what?"
"Dinna upset yourself, my dear; you shall be quite comfortable here. I had all your things delivered and should anything more arrive, I shall send them over directly. Hannish asked me to handle all your expenses. Of course, you'll not need the kind of allowance you once had, now that…oh well, we need not discuss it just now."
"Hannish abdicated?"
"I am afraid so. The title, the land and all the MacGreagor holdings in Scotland are now mine. It was that little matter of Mr. Graham and his failure to secure his own compartment on the voyage to New York."
"But…"
Cameron checked to make sure his driver had unloaded her luggage and then said, "Good day to you, Olivia. Oh, and by the way, my wife is the duchess now." He climbed back inside the carriage, closed the door and when it pulled away, Olivia was still standing in front of the cottage with her mouth open.
"You've not heard the last of me, Hannish MacGreagor, of that I promise." Olivia turned to survey the outside of the ugliest cottage she had ever seen. Abruptly, she glared at the butler. "Well, get my luggage!"
"When I am ready, Mrs. MacGreagor."
Olivia clenched her fists. "What? Did you not hear me? Bring them in at once!"
"The duke warned us you would be unkind," said the butler. "He said to say if you hurt either of us, we are to call the constable directly and he will side with us. Who will the constable believe, you or the duke?"