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Anger continued to pulse through Hamish’s veins. His mind throbbed with rage. It had been restrained of him to merely punch that fool of a man when really Hamish had wanted to tear him limb from limb. It was bad enough that he was in the running to become Orla’s husband, but for him to speak of her like that, and of the Highlands themselves… Hamish could not stand by and abide by those words. He knew that he would be seen as having been in the wrong, but he would not have taken back his actions.

Edward led him into a small study and sighed heavily. “Well, you’ve certainly set the cat amongst the pigeons,” he said.

“I dinnae mean tae cause any difficulties, but ye heard what he said. Ye cannae expect me tae stand by and let those words pass without comment,” Hamish said.

Edward held up his hand. “First of all, I want to say that I’m thankful that you came to Orla’s defense. I know that you’re a proud man, and the Highlands mean a lot to you, but that was also a very… Scottish way to deal with things. And I don’t mean that in a bad way,” he added quickly. “It’s just that here we might have let the comments pass and excused them by wine, and perhaps this situation could have been avoided.”

“And then he would hae just said them again and again and again. Is that really the man ye want Orla tae end up with? Someone who is nae gaeing tae respect where she comes from?”

“That’s for Orla to decide. What happened tonight might blow over, as I’m sure the Duke won’t want word slipping out that his son is a drunken fool. However, it may be the case that the Duke decides that you need to be punished. He is a man of great influence and all the relationships you have built over the past week might be for nothing. I’m sure he’ll find a way to sway them if he can.”

Hamish looked despondent. “Dinnae they hae any idea of integrity?” he asked softly.

“Unfortunately, such things are sometimes in short supply around these parts. It may well be that they end up honoring the agreements you made. I just don’t know. I’d suggest you make a public apology to Collin, but I know that’s not going to happen,” Edward said. Hamish gave him a withering look. The thought of apologizing to that man sickened him, especially because he had a feeling that Collin would not apologize back.

Hamish pursed his lips. He thought about the kiss he had shared with Orla earlier, and how he had told her that he would stay if she wanted him to. She said that she wasn’t going to make him do anything. It was clear that she had an affinity for this place that he would never share, and perhaps it was clear that nothing more was meant to happen between them. He had felt unsettled ever since he had arrived in England, and he had been longing to be home. He knew it was the opposite for her, and even if her husband did not turn out to be Collin, she still had her heart set on marrying an Englishman. There was surely one who would turn out to be suitable for her.

“I think in that case, I shall continue with my plan tae return tae the Highlands early. I hae learned a great deal, and even if the agreements are nae honored, I at least know I stood by my principles. I’m sorry that I let my emotions get the better of me. I dinnae intend for things tae end up this way,” he said.

Edward nodded solemnly and agreed that if that was what Hamish wanted, then he wouldn’t try to stop him.

Hamish stepped outside in the cool night air to gather himself. He walked along the cobbled street and ended up in the tavern that he had frequented during his stay. He ordered a drink at the bar, but as the mug was placed before him, he noticed a familiar perfume in the air.

“I was beginning to wonder when you would show up,” Ethel said in her hazy, dreamy voice.

“How did ye know I was gaeing tae be here?” he asked, grimacing a little.

“Oh, I have my ways. Little birds always find a way to sing to me. I was hoping to have a word. There’s something I’d like to ask you. You strike me as different from other men, Hamish, and what I need more than anything is a man like no other.”

Hamish had no intention of playing these games with her, but he allowed her to lead him to a dark corner, deciding that he might as well stay with her for one drink. However, what she told him made his face pale and he knew that, as a man of integrity, he could not deny her what she asked.

* * *

“What are ye gaeing tae dae?” Nova asked. That was the question that had been rattling around Orla’s mind as well. She rose from her seated position and paced around the room. When she did not answer immediately, Nova continued speaking.

“I’m sure it was just the wine talking. Sometimes people get funny ideas when they are drunk. Perhaps in time, ye can prove him wrong. The more time he spends with ye, the greater the Highlands will seem tae him. Even Edward and I hae our wee disagreements,” she said with a light chuckle, hoping that it would alleviate some of the tension in the air. However, this was not a minor disagreement.

“I dinnae see how I can marry him after this,” Orla said, somewhat relieved that she had a ready excuse now.

“But it hae always been ye dream tae marry someone like Collin,” Nova insisted.

“A man like him in some ways, aye, but nae in every way,” she said regrettably, her head falling. She brushed a lock of hair away from her face. Nova reached over and clasped her hand, squeezing tightly.

“Some men are nae what ye think when ye first meet them, but that dinnae mean that they cannae be the one ye fall in love with.”

“Ye said yeself that ye knew from the very first moment that ye were meant tae be with Edward.”

Nova wore a shy smile. She drew back her hand. “Perhaps that was me thinking the best of the situation. Dinnae forget that there were times when I thought I would never see him again. It is nae easy tae fall in love.”

“I know that tae be true, but this is different. I appreciate ye trying tae make the best of the situation, but look at what Collin hae done. How can I marry a man who hae nae respect for the place I came from? The way he spoke about the Highlands, the way he spoke about me… I hae always imagined that I would find a man who treated me like an equal, just as Charles does with Halle, and just as Edward does with ye, but I would never be an equal in Collin’s eyes. I would just be someone for him tae laud his civilized ways over, tae always make me feel small.”

“Some men need tae be taught a lesson. I would nae give up on him yet,” Nova said.

Orla offered her a faint smile and then asked to be alone. Nova hugged her and whispered in her ear that everything would be well eventually. Orla wished that she could believe her. The night was long and the hour was late. Moonlight crept in through a crack in the curtain, leaving a sliver of pale light stretched across the bed like a single finger ready to scratch an itch. Orla lay with open eyes, staring into the darkness of the ceiling, and her thoughts immediately turned to Hamish. Nova had said that the path of love did not always run smoothly. She was talking about Collin, but what if this was true of Hamish as well? They had clashed when they first met, and they had argued and bickered and glared at each other with resentment since then, as well. However, amid all of that hostility, there was something else simmering below the surface, waiting to rise up and seize them in its ardor. There had been two moments when this had been the case. The kisses they shared were still alive in Orla’s soul, and there was no shaking them from her mind. Even the memory was enough to make her stomach flutter, for tension to lance in a straight line down the middle of her body. The very core of her shuddered.

And then, when it mattered most, Hamish had not stood aside. He had defended her, even against a Duke’s son. He was proud of the Highlands. He loved everything about the Highlands.