Minetta laughed. “Perhaps if I tell him, it will make him feel better!” she suggested. “Perhaps he can marry you, Cora.”
“No!” Cora laughed. “Promise me you will not say a word.”
“I promise,” Minetta giggled. “You see how much better you feel now? Talk to me any time, Cora.”
“I will, Sister,” Cora said, smiling.
4
Two days later, Clyde found himself riding over the drawbridge of Killochan Castle, home of Loraine McKenzie, the woman he loved and had hoped to marry. His heart was beating thunderously with a mixture of rage, jealousy, and anxiety as he gave his horse to a groom and turned to enter the arched entrance. Then he saw her standing before him, looking as beautiful as he had remembered her. Her straight blonde hair was tied up in a simple knot, and her cornflower-blue eyes were staring at him in astonishment. She stood still, as if unable to move, wringing her hands nervously.
“Good morning, Loraine,” he greeted her with a mocking bow. “I trust you are well?”
“I-I am indeed,” she replied awkwardly. “And you?”
“As you see me.” He smiled as he answered. “What is this tale that is being bandied about that you are engaged to be married to someone else? I hope it is merely idle gossip.”
“I thought you were dead,” she said faintly.
“Well, it seems that I am still alive,” Clyde replied, spreading his arms out to show her. “As you see, I am quite hale and hearty.”
Suddenly she gave a beaming smile. “I am so glad.”
“Excellent!” He moved towards her, but to his annoyance, she took a step back and raised her hands in front of her as if to protect herself from him.
Clyde frowned. “What is it, Loraine? Are you afraid of me?”
“No.” Her gaze dropped from his. “I am betrothed to someone else, Clyde.” She looked up. “I am sorry. I thought you were dead. I am betrothed to Baron Sutherland now, and I love him. Please forgive me, Clyde. Had I only known—”
“I know about the baron, but I have only been away for a few days,” Clyde said through gritted teeth. “That must have been love at first sight!”
He strode towards Loraine, who backed away frantically. “Please leave!” she begged, looking up fearfully at the glowering face above her. “You are frightening me. I have nothing more to say to you, Clyde. Please go.”
Clyde had never struck a woman in his life, and had no intention of ever doing so, but at that moment, he looked as though he would be capable of anything. His hands were clenched into fists, and his lips were curled into a snarl. When one of Loraine’s guards rushed up and gripped his arm, Clyde flung it backward to shrug him off, then spun around to hit him full in the face with a bunched fist. The guard went down like a fallingtree, and Clyde stamped out of the castle to mount his horse and ride away. He had never been so angry.
When he got back to the castle, he had calmed down to a degree, and when he saw Cora strolling on the first tier of the turrets, he remembered how uncivil he had been to her when she arrived. He felt ashamed; the girl had just lost her father, and he had treated her with such disrespect.
He climbed the stairs to greet her, but Cora, lost in thought, did not hear him, and jumped in fright when his deep voice disturbed her reverie.
“I am sorry to startle you, milady,” he said, concerned. “Are you well?”
“I am, thank you,” Cora replied quietly, without looking at him.
Clyde gazed at her profile, and realized for the first time what a lovely woman she was. She had a tiny, tip-tilted nose, prominent slanting cheekbones, and lush, full lips. Her eyes were the deepest of blues, and her raven-black hair flowed down her back in shining waves. Compared to him, she was very short indeed, but that was not a defect in a woman. His mother had taught him that the reason God made women much shorter than men was to make them feel protective, and it had always made Clyde feel that way.
“Milady, may I apologize?” he asked softly. “When I spoke to you, I had just come in from burying some of my best men, and I was angry. I should not have taken it out on you. I am sorry.”
Cora turned to smile at him with eyes that were glistening with tears. “I forgive you. I suppose we are all feeling sad at the moment,” she murmured. “Some black cloud has come over us all, and we will have to wait ’til it passes.”
“You believe that?” he asked doubtfully. “You believe that sorrow will all disappear?”
“I do,” Cora replied, “but waiting for the darkness to disperse is very hard.”
“You are an optimist. Indeed,” he murmured, sighing. “I have had some trials of my own lately.”
“Can you talk about them?” Cora’s voice was sympathetic. “I will keep your counsel to myself. Your sister taught me the value of sharing a problem.”
For a moment, he paused. He had only just met this woman. How did he know he could trust her? After all, he had trusted Loraine, and that had gone very badly, but as he looked into Cora’s eyes in the light of the lanterns, he knew that he could. He had no idea how he knew it, but he did.
