When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare Page A

likely be gone before Logan even noticed he was here.
    With any luck, she might never need to change her name to Mrs. MacKenzie at all.
    Lord Varleigh cleared his throat. “Might I see the illustrations?”
    â€œOh. Yes. Yes, of course.”
    Heavens. Would she never lose this awkwardness? She’d had enough conversations with Lord Varleigh over the past year to know he was an intelligent and thoughtful gentleman, but he was also rather an imposing one. Something about his dark, inquisitive eyes and groomed fingernails always made her a bit nervous.
    Focus on the work, Maddie. He’s here for the illustrations, not for you.
    She gathered the folio and carried it to a wide, flat table to lay it open. “As we originally discussed, there are ink drawings for each species in different perspectives.”
    She stood to the side as he paged through her work. Methodically and slowly, as any good naturalist would do.
    â€œWhat’s this?” he asked, arriving at a watercolor near the end of the stack.
    â€œOh, that. I took the liberty of combining some of the species and doing a few plates in color. I know they can’t be printed in the journal, but I thought you might like to have them. If not, I’ll keep them. They were mostly for my own amusement.”
    â€œI see.” He tilted his head as he looked at them.
    At last, Maddie could bear the suspense no longer. “Do the sketches not meet with your approval? If you don’t like them or they’re not right, there’s still time. I can make changes.”
    He let the folio cover drop shut and turned to her. “Miss Gracechurch, the sketches are remarkable. Perfect.”
    â€œOh. Good.” Maddie exhaled with relief and just a touch of pride.
    For the most part, she illustrated for the love of it, and for the pleasure of contributing to knowledge—­not for applause. Not that there were a great many ­people queuing up to applaud scientific illustrators, anyhow.
    But Lord Varleigh’s praise meant something to her. It meant a great deal. He made her feel she’d done something right, despite spending yesterday dealing with a Highlander determined to punish her for her every youthful folly.
    â€œI’m hosting a gathering at my home next week to unveil the specimens,” Lord Varleigh said, packing up her illustrations and the glass-­boxed samples she’d worked from. “I’ve invited all the members of the naturalist society, Orkney included.”
    â€œIt’s to be a salon, then?”
    â€œMore of a ball.”
    â€œOh.” A cold sense of dread washed over her. “A ball.”
    â€œYes. There will be supper and a bit of dancing. We must provide some amusement for the ladies, you see, or they will boycott the evening altogether.”
    Maddie smiled. “I’m not much of a lady, then. I’m uninterested in dancing, but I would be fascinated by your display.”
    â€œThen I hope you’ll attend.”
    â€œMe?”
    â€œI have a good friend who’ll be visiting. Mr. Dorning. He’s a scholar in Edinburgh, and he’s compiling an encyclopedia.”
    â€œAn encyclopedia?”
    Lord Varleigh nodded. “ Insects of the British Isles, in four volumes.”
    â€œBe still my heart. I do love a book with multiple volumes.”
    â€œDoes that mean you’re interested?”
    â€œNaturally. I should love to see the work when it’s finished.”
    He smiled. “Miss Gracechurch, we seem to be misunderstanding one another. I’m asking if you’d be interested in meeting my friend so that he might consider engaging your ser­vices for the project. As an illustrator.”
    Maddie was stunned. An encyclopedia. A project of that size would mean steady, interesting work for months. If not years. “You’d truly do that for me?”
    â€œI’d consider it a favor to him, frankly. The quality of your work is