Love Came Just In Time Part 22

"d.a.m.ned shoes!"

Heavens, how could she resist such a man?

Chapter Seven.

The next morning Gideon sat in an enormously comfortable overstuffed chair in the library and watched Megan do marvelous things with the pitiful decorations Mrs. Pruitt had left behind. And as he sat there, he came to two conclusions: Stephen didn't read because he liked books, he read because he was basically a hedonistic blighter who liked overstuffed chairs; and, Megan MacLeod McKinnon was a magical creature who had completely stolen his heart.

After his abrupt reunion with the floor after breakfast the day before, she had tied his toes into little knots so they wouldn't tangle anymore. She had drawn from him his innermost secrets and dreams during a rousing game of Truth or Dare, then she had taken those words in her hands and crossed her heart as she vowed not to repeat them to anyone-especially Stephen, who might poke fun at him. She'd beaten him at chess, exacting a kiss for every man she took-and he hadn't even had to fill out an application or cite references.

They had explored most of the inn the previous afternoon. Gideon had watched in amazement as Megan had identified obscure works of art, styles of furniture and patterns of lace and china. Her employments might have been short-lived, but they hadn't been failures.

And when he'd walked her to her door very late in the evening, he had been completely surprised by how wrong it seemed to have her go inside alone and shut the door, leaving him outside. He'd stood there with his arms around her, gazing down into her lovely, befreckled face and wondered what she would do if he proposed on the spot.

Likely have dashed off for the thermometer.

So he'd kissed her sweetly, then retreated to the library to read for most of the night.

No wonder Stephen buried himself in books.

"Well, I've taken this about as far as I can. We'll have to go to town if I want to do more."

Gideon blinked at Megan. Those were almost his exact thoughts. Though whilst she no doubt spoke of Christmas decorations, his thoughts were more along the lines of procuring a marriage license.

"Hey, look at this."

Gideon wanted to get out of the chair, but it seemed reluctant to let him go. "I fear I'm trapped."

Megan walked over to him, her eyes glued to a doc.u.ment she'd picked up from off the desk in the corner. She held out her hand and hauled Gideon to his feet.

And then she started to shake. She looked up at him. "I can't believe this."

Gideon looked at her blanched face and immediately threw his arms around her. It seemed like the proper precaution to take when your beloved looked as if she might fall down in a dead faint.

"Read it!" Megan exclaimed, shoving it in his face.

Gideon read. And then he reread. And then he shook his head in wonder.

"I'll be d.a.m.ned."

"This can't be legal!"

"It certainly looks as if it is. All you need do is sign. I can witness it for you."

"Gideon, Mrs. P. left me the entire inn! What am I going to do with a haunted inn? I don't know the first thing about cooking, or cleaning, or advertising-"

Gideon pulled her close and rubbed his hand soothingly over her back as she continued to list in great detail all the things she could not do. He smiled into her hair as he scanned the rest of the deed. It was all quite legal and quite binding. And he knew without a doubt that Megan would do a positively smas.h.i.+ng job at all of it.

"I'll be stuck out here all by myself for the rest of my life with the rain and the ghosts-"

Gideon paused, then stroked her back more thoughtfully. That was a problem. After they married, she wouldn't be able to be here full time. In fact, he didn't know how she could spend more than a week or two here during the year. His business was in London. AE, Inc. would collapse without him overseeing it every day. Good heavens, his vice presidents couldn't tie their shoelaces without Gideon giving them a memo on it!

Well, there had to be a solution to the dilemma. Gideon was known for his creative solutions to impossible tangles. He'd fixed other things, he could fix this too.

"-probably doesn't even have a was.h.i.+ng machine. I'll be was.h.i.+ng things on a rock in the river. All right, so my nails aren't in great shape anyway. Can you imagine what they'd look like after a few months of that?" She pulled back and looked at him. "Well? Can you imagine?"

Gideon took her by the hand and led her over to the desk. He put the deed down, found a pen and handed it to her, "Sign," he commanded.

"Oh, I just don't know-"

"Sign, Megan. It will all work out for the best."

She leaned over the doc.u.ment, then looked at him from under her eyebrows. "Will you," she paused, then cleared her throat and looked away, "will you come visit me now and then? When you take another vacation?"

"Oh, Megan," he said, surrendering his heart to her all over again. "Of course I will."

She started to cry. She dragged her sleeve across her eyes and looked at the deed. "You know, I'll probably end up just as batty as Mrs. Pruitt. At least she was a Mrs. She hadn't been stuck here alone her entire life."

"Megan, sign the deed," Gideon said, forcing himself not to blurt out his intentions. He wanted his proposal to have the proper romantic setting; popping the question while his bride-to-be sniffled liberally into her sleeve was not it.

Megan signed, then buried her face in her hands and wept. Gideon witnessed her signature, then pulled her into his arms and held her.

"Megan, you just acquired a lovely little getaway. These should be tears of joy."

"Oh, I'm just thrilled!"

"The place could stand a little sprucing up, of course."

"I'm broke!"

"You're forgetting whom you're drenching. I'm the extremely powerful CEO, remember?"

She froze, and then looked up at him. "But, I don't want your money."

"I'm not going to give you any money." You'll just take it out of our joint account, he added silently.

"I'll just help you get a business loan," he lied.

She worried a loose thread on his tunic. "And you'll show up now and then?"

"Probably more than you'll want," he said, fis.h.i.+ng heavily for a compliment.

"I could use help with the cooking," she said, looking no further up than his chin. "And maybe the decorating. You know, British input and all that."

He laughed softly and tipped her face up to kiss her. "Of course, Madame Proprietress. My proper British tastes are at your disposal." He smiled down at her. "Well, shall we go ransack Mrs. Pruitt's room and see what other surprises she left for you? Then perhaps we should head down to the village and stock up for the Christmas feast."

"It will be a quick trip," Megan said as he pulled her toward the library door. "My savings account isn't exactly padded."

"I'll buy-"

"No, you won't" she said, digging in her heels.

Gideon frowned down at her. "Megan-"

"No, Gideon. I don't want your money."

"Ah, but seeing my hands prune up from too much dish was.h.i.+ng appeals to you."

She smiled up at him so brightly, he almost flinched.

"Exactly," she said.

"Are you going to be this stubborn for the rest of our lives?"

She blinked. "The rest of our-"

The front door slammed, making them both jump. Gideon pulled her behind him. "Let me go first."

"Oh, brother. It's not a burglar."

"Humor me."

"Maybe it's another guest," Megan said suddenly. "Hurry, Gideon. Maybe he'll pay in cash up front."

Gideon stumbled out into the entryway, thanks to Megan's hearty push. It was a good thing his toes were tamed, or he would have embarra.s.sed himself.

A young man stood there, soaked to the skin. His jaw dropped.

"We're in costume," Gideon said, gritting his teeth. No sense in pummeling any of Megan's potential customers.

"I was sent for Lord Blythwood. Is he-?"

"I am he," Gideon said, swallowing a feeling of dread. "What is it?"

"An urgent message from a Mr. MacClure. The phone's out up here so I was sent to give it to you. Lord Blythwood," he added in a tone that said volumes about his opinion of Gideon's manner of dress.

"What was it?" Gideon demanded. Heaven only knew what kind of disaster Adam had landed them in. Gideon cursed himself thoroughly. He never should have given up so easily on staying connected with the company.

"He said it was something of an emergency, and a long, expensive one at that. They need you in London as soon as you can get there."

"I knew it, d.a.m.n it," Gideon said, dragging his hand through his hair. This was what he deserved for thinking to take a holiday. And when the company collapsed, Gideon would personally hold Stephen responsible.

"All right," Gideon said, striding to the door, "let's go. Are there any cars for hire in the village? I suppose the train might be just as fast. Or maybe a flight from Edinburgh. Well, come on, lad. Don't just stand there."

Gideon strode out the front door into the pouring rain and swore.The boy had come up on a motorbike. Well, perhaps it was fitting to end is ill-fated holiday soaked to the skin, since it was how he'd begun it once his car had caught fire. The car likely would have exploded if Megan hadn't been so quick with the fire extinguisher.

Megan.

Gideon froze in mid step, then turned around. Megan was standing in the doorway.

Gideon strode back to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'll ring you soon."

"Sure."

"I will," he promised, "And I'll arrange for some help to come up. I'm sure there is someone in the village who'll hire out for the holidays." "It's okay," she said, pulling away.

"I'll send a decorator too. Maybe a chef to get things rolling. We have an advertising division at AE. I'll have someone ring you after Christmas with some ideas-" "Gideon?" He closed his mouth on the rest of his plans. "Yes?" "I'll be okay on my own. Really." "But I can help," he said. She shook her head. "I don't want your money." "But-" She backed away. "Just go do your business thing." "Megan-" "It was fun." She smiled, but her eyes were too bright. "I'll see you round."

And with that, she shut the door in his face.

Gideon stood there on the porch and felt worse than he'd ever felt in his entire life. Not even blowing the entire U.K. telecommunications market had left such a sinking feeling in his gut.

"My lord?"

Gideon turned. It was all he could do to put one foot in front of the other.

He climbed onto the back of the motorbike. It was an unpleasant ride to the village, but it was probably

just what he needed to bring himself back to his senses.

He would straighten things out in London and ring Megan the first chance he got. He would fly her down and they could resume their relations.h.i.+p in town. He could come home earlier at night, in time for a late

supper, perhaps. Maybe he would give thought to taking a few hours off on Sundays to devote to her.

Things could work out remarkably well.

He had Adam on the line within moments of arriving in civilization.

"What?" he barked. "Were we robbed? Scooped in the Far East? Did the infrastructure of the company

collapse?" "No," Adam said, sounding confused, "but the stock was off ten points today in New York." "And?" "What do you mean 'and'?" Adam exclaimed. "It was off ten points, Gideon!" "Stocks dip."

"What?" Adam gasped. "The last time it dipped two you dragged us all out of bed for an emergency board meeting!"

"It will bounce back."