“Where are you, lass?” he whispered, his mind travelling, searching through the house. The small sitting-room seemed the most likely choice. It was her favorite spot. Her quiet retreat.
He made his way to the door and paused again, ear cocked, hearing nothing from the other side. Sucking in a breath, he tugged at his cravat and reached for the door handle, his hand hovering over it for a moment. What would he say? Whatcouldhe say? A declaration of his innocence, though essentially true, would be expected and, most likely, disbelieved. Perhaps a passive approach would be better. Let Louisa speak first. He placed his hand on the door handle and gripped it hard, steeling himself for whatever was to come. Then, releasing his breath, he opened the door and stepped inside.
At first glance, the room appeared to be empty. But then he saw her, standing by the window gazing out, arms folded, a beautiful silhouette against the morning light. He assumed she’d heard him enter, though she showed no sign of it.
He moved to her side and studied her for a moment, trying to determine her mood from her stance and the profile of her face. If anything, she appeared calm, brow smooth, cheeks free from tears, arms loosely folded. Yet, somehow, he found the apparent lack of emotion to be more worrisome. He had the impression she was oblivious to what lay beyond the window, that her sight was turned inward. Was she even aware of his presence? The answer came a moment later.
“Has she gone?” she asked, without looking at him.
“Aye, she has.”
The fingers of Louisa’s left hand, where they rested on her right arm, tightened slightly, sunlight glinting off her engagement ring. “How embarrassing for you, Maxwell, having your mistress show up at your marital home,” she said, her voice now laden with contempt. “Exposing all your nasty little secrets to your wife. I should imagine you are more horrified than I am.”
Maxwell suppressed a sigh. “I have no secrets, Louisa. Flora McNally ceased being my mistress the moment I placed that sapphire on your finger. I swear on my life, I have been faithful to you.”
“On your life?” Louisa gave a bitter laugh and turned to him, anguish now evident in her eyes and expression. “It seems there is much about yourlife, sir, that I do not know. Yet your Scottish whore appears to know a great deal about mine. My name, for one thing, and even where Ilive. Explain that, if you will. What other snippets about your wife have you shared with her?” Her lip trembled. “How she compares in bed, perhaps?”
He groaned. “Damn it, lass, of course not. I haven’t seen or spoken to her since April, when I told her I was getting married.At that time, she asked what your name was, but I only gave her your Christian name. As for where we would be living, I said it would be in Yorkshire, but gave no specifics. I don’t know how she found out about the manor. I can only surmise she got the address by asking around at the Glasgow office, and believe me, when I found out who told her, they’ll be looking for another bloody job.”
Louisa turned her gaze back to the window. “She said you visited her when you were there in September.”
“She’s lying.”
“I don’t believe you.”
He winced slightly. “Well, it’s the truth, whether you believe it or not.”
Louisa huffed. “If it’s all as innocuous as you imply, why didn’t you mention any of it to me before?”
“Because I saw no reason to do so,” he replied. “The relationship I had with Flora is in the past. She is no longer relevant in my life.”
Louisa gasped and turned to him once more. “How the hell can you say that when she’s living in a house you gave her, and surviving on a monthly allowance that you provide? Tell me, Maxwell, is she the only whore you’re supporting, or do you have others hidden away in Sheffield and South Shields as well?”
A burst of anger flared within, burning through the last few threads of Maxwell’s composure. Fists clenched, he opened his mouth, ready to berate and defend. But, at that same moment, a fleeting expression crossed Louisa’s face, there and gone, like the shadow of a bird swooping past a window. And it gave him the unmistakable impression of a cornered soul, snapping and snarling in order to hide its fear and pain.
She was merely lashing out, he realized, desperately trying to make sense of a harrowing situation that should never have occurred, none of which was her fault. Even so, her currentmood did not lend itself to reason. To continue bickering in this manner served no purpose.
Maxwell ran a hand through his hair. “The ugliness of this conversation is not getting us anywhere. I swear my conscience is clear, but given what has occurred, I don’t blame you for doubting me, hating me, and probably wanting to kill me right now. That being so, I’m going to retreat till, hopefully, things settle down a little. For the next while, I’ll be in my office, where I intend to avail myself of a generous measure of whisky. Beyond that, I have no real plans. If, at some point in the near future, you decide you’d like to give me a reasonable chance to explain about Flora, and why things are the way they are, I’ll be more than happy to oblige. That is, of course, if you’ll at leastconsiderbelieving what I have to say.” A sigh escaped him. “I love you, Louisa.Onlyyou. I would give up everything I own to keep you at my side. Everything.”
With that, he headed for the door.
“Yet you told her you didn’t.”
He paused and half-turned toward her. “What?”
Louisa gave him a disdainful look. “You told Flora you didn’t love me.”
Maxwell gave a soft, bitter laugh and scratched his jaw. “Christ, she really went for the throat, didn’t she?”
“Are you denying you said it?”
“No, I am not. I said it because it was true at the time. I made it clear to her just now, however, that things have changed.” He gave her a grim smile. “Don’t let the irrelevance of the past poison our future, love. We have too much to lose, you and me. I hope you’ll come to see that.” Again, he moved toward the door.
“Are you aware that she’s been here before?”
Once again, he halted and regarded her, an odd little prickle lifting the hair on his neck. “Did she tell you that?”
“Reuben did. I was with him in the greenhouse when we first spotted her wandering in the garden. Said he’d seen her in the lane this summer. Apparently, he’d bid her a good morning, and she’d responded.”
