Cora was glad that he had not ordered her to ride in front of him. That would have been too intimate, and intimacy with the baron...the very thought made her shudder.
When they arrived at Dunwell Castle, the moon had risen sufficiently for Cora to see the magnificent outlines of the baronial seat. It would be truly majestic in daylight, she thought, but now all she wanted to do was rest.
Rest did not mean sleep, however, and after a long time of tossing and turning, she sent for a cup of strong valerian tea, then dropped off into a heavy, dreamless slumber.
In the morning, it took a few moments for Cora to realize where she was, and when she did, the events of the previous evening came flooding back, making her heart shatter anew. How was she going to live without Clyde? She would see him every few weeks in social gatherings once her situation became more settled, and if Loraine was his wife, and worse still, if she bore him children, it would be unbearable.
As Cora saw it, her only option was to go to Glasgow, where she had some distant relatives, and throw herself on their mercy, however humiliating that might be. Perhaps she would get a few offers of marriage once it became known that her betrothal with Clyde had been broken. But that did not help her right now. The thought of Clyde kissing and perhaps even lying with Loraine was torturing her, and she knew that she had to put it out of her mind before she drove herself insane.
A maid came in to help her bathe, then she produced a dark blue, woolen dress that was simple in design but very elegant.
“I am sorry, milady,” the woman said sadly, “but your dress was very dirty an’ a’ torn at the hem. This one was Milady Loraine’s, but it is clean.”
Cora nodded. If she had to wear one of Loraine’s dresses, then so be it. It was that or go naked, so she submitted to being clothed, even while she felt dirty at the very thought of the garment touching her skin.
“The master is waitin’ for ye in the dinin’ room, milady,” the maid informed her as she bobbed a curtsy and left.
Cora was shown into the dining room by a manservant, and she found the baron sitting at the long polished table awaiting her arrival.
His face lit up in a beaming smile when he saw her, and he stood up to pull a chair out for her. “Cora!” he exclaimed. “You look lovely. Come and sit with me. Eat. I am sure you are starving!”
Cora looked down at the plate of eggs, haggis, and sausages in front of her and felt nauseous, but common sense told her that she had to eat, so she obligingly began to pick at the eggs. “Thank you for rescuing me last night,” she said gratefully. “I do not know if I would have survived ’til dawn.”
The baron smiled at her and put his hand over hers on the table, then squeezed it slightly. “It was my pleasure, my dear.” His voice was kind, as it had been since he met her. “Are you going back to Rosnablane Castle today? I am sure young Munro must be anxious about you.”
Cora lifted her gaze to his. “As I am sure you know, Baron,” she said angrily, “Clyde has Loraine to keep him company now. I am no longer needed.”
“Neither am I,” the baron sighed. “But where will you go now?”
“I have relatives in Glasgow,” she replied, spooning a minute amount of egg into her mouth. “And perhaps when word of my broken betrothal leaks out, I will have a few offers of marriage.”
The baron sighed and frowned. “There are many flaws in that plan, Milady Cora,” he pointed out.
“I know, Baron,” she agreed. “I hate to ask, and I would not do so if I had any other choice, but if you could lend me some money to get to Glasgow, I could pay you back in a few months’ time.”
The baron shook his head. “Milady Cora,” he said gently, “I have a better idea.”
16
“Youwould be in terrible danger as a lady riding on her own all the way to Glasgow,” he pointed out. “It is a hundred miles or more, and it would take you five days or even a week to get there, and that is supposing that the weather is kind. You are welcome to stay here for a few days to see how many young men beat a path to my door, but there are precious few who will come here.” He paused, then took both her hands in his. “However, there is one man who is already here who can be your protector and your champion.”
“Who?” Cora asked, puzzled.
The baron gave a soft laugh. “Me,” he replied. “Marry me, Cora.”
Cora snatched back her hands in shock and stood up so fast that she knocked her chair over. Her eyes were full of horror. “You? But—” She shook her head frantically. “I cannot marry you!”
The baron poured her a glass of whiskey and placed it by her plate on the table. A manservant righted her chair, and Cora collapsed into it.
“Listen to me.” Andrew’s voice was infinitely gentle. “I know I am not as tall and strapping and handsome as Clyde Munro, but I have much to offer you, Cora. I will not lie to you when I say I need an heir, but I have a big garrison here, and I can protect you. As well as that, I can get your castle back, and your lands. You will not get that kind of help from your family in Glasgow, I’ll wager. Marry me, Cora. In the fullness of time, I will have the heir I need, and you will have your champion.”
Cora was devastated, but she knew that she had no choice. This was the best thing she could do under the circumstances, since Clyde no longer cared for her. As well as that, a tiny part of her took some unholy satisfaction at the thought of beating him.
“Are you sure there is no other motive in this proposal, sir?” she asked.
“Call me Andrew,” he replied, smiling. “Such as?”
“Revenge on Clyde?” Cora asked.
