Andrew Sutherland greeted Minetta and Cora with a low bow and a kiss on the hand, while Loraine bowed to all of them, keeping her eyes away from Clyde’s.
The baron looked at Cora sadly. “Milady, I am so sorry for your misfortune,” he said, softly, his voice oozing sympathy. “That should never have happened to anyone, but an honorable man like your father...it is shameful. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.”
Cora smiled and curtsied. “I will, my lord, but I am currently sheltering with M’Laird Munro, who has been kind enough to accommodate me.”
“And while Milady Henderson has only been with me a short time,” Clyde said proudly, “I have completely fallen in love with her, and she with me. We are now officially betrothed!”
There was a heartbeat of silence, then the baron’s face broke into a wide smile. “That is wonderful news!” he cried.
Loraine, who had been silent the whole time, now stepped forward to offer her best wishes. She had paled at Clyde’s announcement, but now she lifted her face and smiled at both of them, hiding the spear of jealousy that had just pierced her heart. “I am so glad for both of you, and I wish you every happiness for the future.”
To anyone else, her greeting would have sounded sincere, but to Clyde, who knew every nuance and tone of her voice, and every expression of her face, the falseness of it rang loud and clear. She was jealous—extremely so—and though he loved her completely, he could not help but feel a righteous sense of satisfaction.
Loraine was raging inside to think that Clyde had thought so little of her that he had become engaged to another woman before she had shaken the dust of Rosnablane Castle off her feet! How dare he? She was powerless to do anything about it, however. She had set him free, and if he wanted to attach himself to any available young female with a sad tale to tell, then so be it. She sighed. Why should she be sad? All she had to do was present Andrew with an heir, and she would be able to relax in comfort for the rest of her life. And yet...
“What do you think?” Clyde asked Cora as they walked away to fill their wine glasses. “Do you think she was really happy for us?”
Cora shrugged. “She looked happy to me.”
“I know every expression on her face,” Clyde pointed out. “And every tone of her voice. She was livid with rage, believe me. God, if I didn’t love her so much, I would hate her.” He clenched his fist and slammed it into his other palm.
Cora put an arm around his waist. “Calm down,” she said gently. “We are supposed to be madly in love, are we not?”
Clyde laughed and hugged her briefly, looking down at her with a mischievous glance. “Indeed we are, my love,” he agreed, bestowing a gentle kiss on the corner of her mouth.
The words sent a thrill through her that was followed immediately by a wave of sadness. If only their betrothal were real! It was at that moment that Cora realized that she loved him, and that their pretense was going to lead to heartache once he had Loraine safely back in his arms. No husband she might meet in the future could compare to him. No man could.
“So, love of my life, shall we dance?” Clyde asked, his eyes twinkling.
“I thought you would never ask!” Cora replied, pretending to be annoyed.
“I can always change my mind,” he threatened.
Cora shook her head. “Only ladies are allowed to do that,” she said firmly, then looked him up and down. “And I am afraid that you are a long way from being a lady!”
He suddenly assumed a downcast expression. “Milady, you wound me deeply,” he said sorrowfully, covering his eyes with his hand so that no one could see his pretend tears.
Cora began to giggle, then Clyde laughed heartily, and they fell into each other's arms, shaking with mirth and attracting the attention of everyone around them, who began to join in the merriment. After a while, he swept her onto the dancing hall, where they joined in the dances with enthusiasm.
Cora had drunk a few glasses of wine and was beginning to feel giggly and hot. “I need to go outside for a breath of air,” she whispered in Clyde’s ear.
“I will come with you,” he replied, “if only to keep you upright! That French wine has had rather a strange effect on you!”
“If you want to keep me from falling down, why do you not carry me?” Cora suggested. “And you can show all the ladies how strong you are!”
He looked down into her mischievous blue eyes, and another thrill of desire pierced him, but he grinned and swept her off her feet, then strode outside to the courtyard, followed by much laughter and applause. They sat on a bench and leaned their backs against the wall; Cora leaned her head on his shoulder. He held her hand, and they once again enjoyed a comfortable silence before he spoke.
“My mother would have loved to see you wearing her dress,” he said sadly. “If you had said you admired it, she would have given it to you without a second thought. I think I was the most fortunate son in the world. I loved her with every fiber of my being, and when she died, I felt as if the bottom had fallen out of my world.” He sighed as he looked back into the past. “I was angry with her for leaving me at first, but I was only a little boy and knew no better. Yet because of that, I have always been afraid that those dear to me would leave me.”
“Just as Loraine did,” Cora murmured. He nodded. “But have you thought about what you would do if she does not come back to you?”
“She will,” he said stubbornly. “She must, for I cannot bear the thought of her marrying that swine Sutherland. I detest him.”
“Why?” Cora was intrigued. “What has he done to inspire such hatred? Obviously, he took Loraine away from you, but I sense something else.”
Clyde sighed in frustration. “It is his greed,” he replied. “He has so much already, but he still wants everything he sees.” He paused for a moment, then abruptly changed the subject. “Tell me about your father.”
Cora smiled. “He was a very gentle man. He had blue eyes like mine, but they were much lighter, and they crinkled at the corners when he laughed. I remember his laugh. It was like a peal of bells ringing, and I loved to make him laugh just so that I could hear it. He called me his little treasure, and gave me a tiny string of pearls on my fifth birthday to show me what a treasure I was. I wear it as a bracelet now, or I did. I kept it in a special hiding place, so perhaps the bandits have not found it.”
