Clover stood and calmly brushed down her skirts. “No, Ballard would not just sit by. However, Mrs. Clemmons, if I discover that you have advised me poorly in this, I shall find some way to make you regret it.”
“I ain’t got no doubt about that. You be a sprightly one.” She gave Clover a light push toward the dancers. “Go and set that hussy straight, girl. Old Mabel will be watching.”
“I am sure you will.”
As Clover wended her way through the dancers, she thought she saw looks of approval on the women’s faces, but she could not be certain. When she failed to find Ballard and Elizabeth among the dancers, she grew unsure. A woman nudged her and pointed toward open doors leading to the stairs. Clover could think of only one reason that Ballard and Elizabeth would escape the crowd. The last thing she wanted was to catch the pair in a heated rendezvous, but she took a deep breath and started after them. It was best to know the truth, she decided, no matter how painful it might be.
Once outside, she walked around to the rear of the church. She wanted to trust Ballard, but she had to wonder why he would take a moonlight stroll with a woman he claimed he did not want. As she roundedthe corner she came upon Elizabeth in Ballard’s arms, and winced at the painful sight.
“Curse it, woman,” Ballard snapped as he yanked Elizabeth’s arms from around his neck and held her at a distance. “I didnae come out here for that.”
“Well, that is a relief,” Clover drawled.
Ballard cursed, pushed Elizabeth away, and stepped closer to Clover. He had allowed Elizabeth to drag him outside because he thought it would be kinder to rebuff her in private. Before he could say a word, however, she had clung to his neck and covered his face with kisses while rubbing her fulsome body against his in blatant invitation. He did not have to see the cold anger in Clover’s expression to know how the scene had looked to her. He heartily cursed his attempt to be considerate of Elizabeth’s feelings. The woman did not deserve such courtesy.
“Lass, I didnae come out here for an adulterous tussle. I swear it,” he told his wife.
“Everyone believes you did. After that tasteless display on the dance floor, most people think you slipped outside to continue your rutting in private. Now you tell me this moonlight stroll was not inspired by a sudden desire for decorum?”
For a moment, Ballard just stared at Clover, somewhat impressed at how she could say such biting, angry words in such a cool, polite voice. Most women he knew would be screaming at him and trying to do him and Elizabeth bodily harm. Since the look in Clover’s eyes told him she longed to do just that he had to admire her restraint.
Elizabeth stepped closer to Ballard and took holdof his arm. “It should be clear, even to you, that Ballard has finally come to his senses,” she told Clover.
“Aye, I have.” He yanked free of her hold. “I have been trying too hard to play the gentlemon and spare your feelings. ‘Tis clear ye misunderstood my kindness. I didnae want to marry ye before I left for Pennsylvania and I sure as hell dinnae want to leave my wife for ye now. Just let me be, woman, before ye make an even greater fool of yourself.”
Elizabeth glared at Clover. “He wasn’t being so coy before you arrived.”
“Was he not? I would have thought you would have more pride than to keep hurling yourself at a man who says he does not want you.”
“He wanted me once—badly.”
“Thatonceis now past.” Clover stepped closer to Elizabeth and said softly, “This had better be the last I see of you, Elizabeth Brown.”
“I live here too!”
“I know, but whether you do so comfortably or not will be up to you.”
Clover was a little surprised when Elizabeth glared at her and strode away. It was clear that the woman blamed her for Ballard’s rebuff. There had been a flash of fear in her eyes, which Clover had rather enjoyed. She hoped that Elizabeth believed her threats and stayed away.
She turned her attention to her husband, who was regarding her as if she were aiming a loaded musket at his head. It amused her that such a strong man could look so afraid of her. That hint of amusement told her that her anger was already fading. She prayed common sense was prompting her trust in him, and not blind loyalty.
“I swear to ye, lass, I wasnae out here to have meself a wee bit on the side.”
“What a crude expression.” She sighed. “I really want to believe you.”
“Good.” He quickly closed the distance between them and tugged her into his arms.
She looked up at him. If he was just not so heartbreakingly handsome, it might be easier to cast aside her doubts and fears. But she still found it a little hard to believe that such a man could be fully satisfied with her as his wife.
“I am not sure you have solved the problem of Elizabeth yet,” she murmured.
“She has to ken that her pursuit of me is already a joke around here.”
“That might make her all the more determined to win you.”
“Then she is an even bigger fool than I thought.” He touched a finger to Clover’s lips when she started to reply. “Someone is coming.”
“It sounds like Mama and someone else.” She gave a little cry of surprise when Ballard dragged her behind a thick tangle of lilacs. “Why are we hiding?”
