“I lost my betrothed,” he said, sighing. “She left me for another.”
“I am so sorry,” Cora murmured. She wanted to tell him that Minetta had already shared the confidence with her, but she had given her word, and she would never break it. “Misery after misery, but it will go away. How could we rise from bed in the morning if we did not believe that tomorrow would be better than yesterday?”
“You are quite remarkable, Cora.” Clyde was smiling, and in the light of the torches, Cora could see fascinating little crinkles at the corner of his bright green eyes. “You see the best in everything, I think.”
She shrugged. “We are here for such a short time. Why waste it wallowing in misery and self-pity?”
Again, there was a silence, but it was not an awkward one. They stood, contentedly gazing down at the little houses in the valley below the castle, each thinking their own thoughts. At last, Clyde spoke.
“I like you, Cora.” He smiled, showing even, white teeth, and a deep dimple on each cheek.
“I like you too,” she replied, returning his grin. “We could be friends like Minetta and I are,” she suggested.
“A trio of friends,” he laughed. “I would like nothing better, Cora. May I tell you something?”
“If you like.” She cocked her head to one side, waiting.
“You are very beautiful.” His voice was a caress, and it made Cora tremble all over.
Her heart began to beat nineteen to the dozen, and she drew a deep breath, her eyes wide with surprise. Then she laughed. “I think you are too.”
“Beautiful?” he laughed. “Me? That is a strange word for a man.”
“Oh, yes,” Cora replied, eyes twinkling. She looked up and down at his dirty shirt, hose, and boots rather doubtfully. “You should get yourself a pretty dress, though.”
Clyde threw his head back and howled with laughter. “I will trust you, milady, to order some silk and velvet for me, since I obviously have no taste.”
Cora yawned and put her hand over her mouth. “I am sorry, M’Laird, but it has been a very tiring day. I was given a tour of your castle, and it is huge!”
He laughed softly. “My ancestors kept building bits onto it, but the line ends with me.” He suddenly looked sad.
“You are thinking about Loraine.” Cora put her hand on his without thinking.
He nodded. “I will be thinking about her ’till I have her back in my arms, milady.”
“Please, call me Cora?” she asked, smiling.
“Then please call me Clyde,” he replied. “M’Laird always sounds so...old!”
Cora giggled. “Of course.” She had been about to say something else, but stopped as the heartaches of the last few days came crashing back. It had seemed that for a short time, while she was talking to Clyde and Minetta, that all her worries had gone away, but now they had come rushing back. She no longer had a home or a father, and for a while, at least, she would have to rely on the kindness of friends to see her through this terrible time.
Seeing the expression on her face change from one of mischief to one of misery, Clyde suddenly remembered all of his own problems. He turned around and pulled her into his arms, holding her loosely with one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders. God, but it felt good to have a woman in his arms again.
“I am not going to cry again,” Cora whispered.
“I do not care if you wash my shirt with your tears,” Clyde said softly. “You are fortunate to be a woman. Men are never allowed to weep.”
Cora pulled out of his arms. “Where in the Ten Commandments is that written?” she asked dryly with a faint smile as she wiped her tears away.
Clyde chuckled. “Would you like some wine?” He still had his arm around her shoulder, and when she nodded, he took her hand to lead her down the dark stairway.
His hand was big and warm, and Cora was surprised to feel that it was calloused and rough.He has hands like a laborer,she thought. What was a laird doing with hands like that?
When they entered the parlor, Cora was surprised to find that Minetta was not there. Usually, she was to be found reading or sewing at this time of the evening, but not tonight. Cora wondered where she was. Perhaps she, too, had been feeling under the weather. Nothing seemed to be going right for anyone at the moment.
Clyde ordered some mulled wine, and they sat down before the fire in comfortable silence again, but he was beginning to find Cora’s presence disturbing. Holding her close had been a revelation; he had not felt so aroused since the last time he had lain with Loraine, all of ten days ago. It seemed like a lifetime. Cora smelled of lavender and the essential scent of woman, a perfume so primitive that it brought out the beast in every man. She was extremely desirable too, but she was a good, wholesome woman. He could hear it in the forthright way she spoke, her wicked sense of humor, and the openness of her countenance. As well as that, he suspected that she had a will of iron.
Suddenly she spoke. “I need a husband.”
