“Who knew ye had a long-lost cousin. ’Twould have been so much easier without him and his interference.”
“I will go to the courts.”
He scoffed. “And say what?”
“I will tell them what ye’ve done.”
“Dearest Willamina. Ye really are a naive twit. ’Tis no’ criminal for me to have an accident in the water and wash up on a faraway shore. It took time for me to make my way home. Especially when I couldna recall my name.”
“Ye lie.”
“Ye have no proof to the contrary.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The past year and a half flooded her mind. Her year of mourning. Her parents’ sympathy over the loss of her husband. Their deaths. The medium scandal that forced her to leave. Yet, through it all, she knew he was right. No one would believe her. Her mind wandered to Finlay. He should be awake by now. Her stomach churned at the pain and deceit he was more than likely feeling.
Strong, handsome Finlay. He stood up for her. Actuallylovedher.
And Gerard had ruined it all.
“Gerard?” A sleepy voice called from the hall.
“Come in, love.” His eyes slammed into Willamina’s when he called the woman ‘love’. A cruel sneer ticked up the corners of his mouth.
The door opened and the woman that had ruined her life as she’d known it entered. Gone were the ridiculous clothes, and over the top head dress, and gaudy jewelry. There were no billowing robes flowing behind her.
The woman went over to Gerard and kissed him full on the lips, letting her hand flutter over his crotch. He pulled her close and sucked on her earlobe, never taking his eyes off Willamina.
“Willamina, I believe ye’ve already met Esme.”
Willamina jutted her chin out, refusing to let Gerard see how upset she was. “Aye,” she snapped back. “Though I believe she went by Esmerelda back then.”
Esme, as she was now called, had the gall to laugh. Just threw her head back and laughed at the top of her lungs as she snaked her arms around Gerard’s neck.
“I assume ye being a medium was all a ruse as well?”
The woman rolled her eyes. “That seance nonsense is such a scheme. Talking to the dead. I mean, really. ’Twas too easy to draw ye in.”
Willamina backed toward the door, shaking her head. She was a fool. A stupid, stupid fool.
*
The early morninglight streaming through the drapes and directly into Finlay’s face woke him up from one of the best nights of sleep he had had for as long as he could remember.
Memories of the events of the previous night and early morning hours flooded his mind and his body roared to life. He smiled and stretched his arm to draw Willamina close, the need to bury himself deep strong, but his hand found naught but the mattress.
He sat up, looking at the empty bed.
“Mina,” he called, gazing around the room. He didn’t see her. She wasn’t here. He shoved the covers off him and jumped out of bed, checking the floor to make sure she hadn’t fallen or something. His breath caught in his throat when his eyes landed on his overnight bag. Only his bag was there. Hers was gone.
“Nay,” he said aloud to the empty room as he grabbed his trousers and hurriedly pulled them on. His boots followed, and then his shirt. Where the hell had she gone?
He thought of what happened between them the night before. What they had shared. Had he scared her away? His mind searched for some kind of hint that her plan was to leave all along.
He found none.
Confused and devastated, he left the room, not caring that he certainly looked a mess. He convinced himself that mayhap she was breaking her fast early in the dining room. Though he knew it was a lie. She wouldn’t take her bag to eat her eggs.
He practically ran down the stairs as worry edged into his brain. What if something horrible happened to her?
