Page 76 of Hard-Hearted Highlander
“Heaven help us, then, Ina,” Bernadette said, and picked up the apron Mrs. MacInerny had discarded and put it on. “You’ll have to teach me what you know, because I know even less than a wee bit.”
If there was one saving grace, it was that Mrs. MacInerny had mentioned to Ina that the lamb and potatoes were very nearly done roasting before she’d had her argument with Renard about the meal and had thrown her apron to the ground and fled. But the bread had not yet finished baking and the soup was something of a mystery. Bernadette and Ina couldn’t even determine what sort of soup it was supposed to be. They added ingredients, but the taste changed little. Ina was in the midst of finishing a pie, and called out suggestions to Bernadette as she worked.
Bernadette was frantic. She couldn’t say how much time had passed, but it seemed as if hours were ticking by. Her anxiety was made worse by the fact that Renard seemed to appear every few minutes, demanding to know when the meal could be served. No wonder Mrs. MacInerny had quit.
On his fourth or fifth appearance, Bernadette said irritably, “I’ll come and find you when it’s done, Renard, but your constant presence isn’t helping in the least!”
“They are restless. They’ve all gone out into the gardens, and Lord Kent is drunk.”
“He’salwaysdrunk,” she curtly reminded him. “I’m doing the best I can,” she pleaded. “I think we are close. Let me come to you, please.”
Renard blew out his cheeks, then nodded. “You will find me on the terrace,” he said. “Make haste, Miss Holly!”
“What does he think, that I’m at my leisure?” she asked when his back had disappeared through the door. She added salt to the soup, then tasted it. “Dear God, it’s awful,” she said, as Ina removed the bread from the oven. “But I think it’s at least edible. Come, come,” she said, gesturing for the girl to come forward.
Ina tasted the soup. She frowned a little. “Aye, ’tis edible,” she agreed half-heartedly.
“Thank God,” Bernadette said, and removed the apron. “I’ll fetch Renard. Keep it warm, Ina!” She went out the kitchen door, knowing that the path around the edge of the house to the terrace was quicker than going through the house.
She rounded the corner, practically at a run, but was brought up short to almost stumbling by the sight of the backside of Avaline’s dress at the next corner of the house. Avaline was standing in the hedgerow, and Bernadette could hear her pleading with someone, although Bernadette couldn’t make out what she was saying. Was she speaking to Rabbie? Her heart clenched, and she slowly moved forward, expecting to find Avaline berating him about kissing Bernadette. She slowed, uncertain what she ought to do. But as she neared them, she saw it was Aulay. His arms were crossed implacably across his chest. Whatever Avaline had said had clearly displeased him.
Bernadette stepped forward, meaning to announce herself, but Avaline suddenly threw her arms around Aulay’s neck and kissed him, full on the mouth. Aulay made a sound of alarm at the same time Bernadette gasped. His hands found Avaline’s waist and he roughly set her back. “What in bloody hell is the matter with you?” he shouted.
Avaline never had a chance to answer, as Lord Kent came stumbling onto that scene, roaring at his daughter, his face red with rage. He must have seen them from the other walk.
His drunken shouting brought everyone else. Aulay moved away from Avaline, his expression quite angry, and Avaline began to sob. Lord Kent began to berate Aulay, who shouted at him in return, then he turned his shouting to Gaelic when his brothers appeared, all the while gesturing at Avaline. They looked at him, then at Avaline. Rabbie stared at his fiancée, his expression stoic.
Then Lord Kent grabbed Avaline by the arm and yanked her away from Aulay. Avaline screamed as he tried to drag her in the direction of the terrace. Bernadette didn’t think—she ran forward to help Avaline, but Rabbie reached Avaline first. He grabbed Lord Kent’s arm and jerked it away from Avaline, then pushed him back against the wall with one hand. “You’ll keep your hands from her,” he said calmly. Lord Kent was so drunk he stumbled and fell sideways, righting himself just before he might have sprawled on the ground.
Lord Ramsey, as drunk as his brother, tried to engage Rabbie with a swing of his arm, but Cailean Mackenzie swatted him back like a fly.
“Miss Kent,” Lord Chatwick said, pushing in between the older men. He reached for Avaline, presumably to help her, to soothe her, but she pushed away his outstretched hand and ran to her mother’s arms, burying her face in her mother’s shoulder. Lady Kent quickly ushered her down the walk, disappearing around the corner from Bernadette’s view. Aulay followed, still ranting in Gaelic. Cailean followed, as did Lord Mackenzie. Rabbie put his hand firmly on his mother’s elbow and spoke to Catriona, and they, too, disappeared around the corner and down the path Bernadette could not see. As Lord Kent realized he was being deserted at the corner of the house, his head came up, and he was suddenly bellowing, chasing after them.
Bernadette was so stunned by what had just happened that she stood momentarily rooted to her place on the path. But then she heard voices rise again and ran after the others, rounding the corner and darting to the French doors of the salon, where she slipped inside, unnoticed.
It was pandemonium in that room, everyone shouting at one another in English and in Gaelic. Charles and Renard looked as if they’d been backed into a corner and stared with shock at them all.
“You will be hanged for defaming my daughter!” Lord Kent shouted at Aulay. “I challenge you, sir!”
Aulay rolled his eyes. “I didna defame her,” he said hotly. “She’s a barmy lass! You saw with your own two eyes that she kissedme,aye?”
Lady Kent gasped. “She didnot!” she cried and looked at Avaline.
Avaline did not deny it. Incredibly, she tried to defend it. “I did because we esteem each other—”
“Och, uist,Miss Kent!” Aulay spat. “No’ another foolish word from you.Youmay believe you esteem me, but I donna esteem you, do you ken?” he said, ignoring Avaline’s weeping. “I’ve given you no cause to believe it. I am more than twice your age! I’m the captain of a ship and I’m at sea more than I am on land. You’ve created a fairy tale in your foolish head,” he said, gesturing to his own head. “Mi Diah,you arebetrothed to my brother.”
“I don’twantto be betrothed to him! I want to be betrothed to you!”
“Oh, dear God,” Bernadette whispered. Suddenly, all her feelings of foreboding made sense. Aulay was right—Avaline had created a fairy tale, and now, a debacle. She had done the worst possible thing she could have. It was astounding, really, that Avaline could be so bloody obtuse. Bernadette looked at Rabbie. His gaze met hers, and from across the room, she saw the barest bit of relief glance his features. She felt that same relief—she wouldnotsee them married, not now. She would not be forced to live in agony tending his wife. She would not have to resign or flee or any number of things she thought she were possible.
“You must have given her reason to believe her feelings were returned!” Lord Kent accused Aulay. “No one is so daft as to create esteem where none exists.”
“I’ve no’ said a word of encouragement,” Aulay said. “Ask her.”
Lord Kent looked at his daughter. She was still weeping. Bernadette’s heart went out to her—she looked utterly heartbroken.
When she did not offer any explanation, Lord Kent sneered at her. “You stupid,stupidclown,” he said. “You’ve ruinedeverything.”
