Page 69 of Hard-Hearted Highlander
And yet, he couldn’t stop thinking of Bernadette. He couldn’t risk losing her.
He had to speak to Avaline. What he meant to do had no defendable justification and would threaten the welfare of his clan. Rabbie knew what he risked, but he couldn’t help himself—he couldn’t lose Bernadette, either, not after she’d brought him back from the brink. He walked across the room to his fiancée. “Miss Kent,” he said, said, interrupting the tale with which she had cornered Aulay.
She started. “Yes?”
He held out his hand to her. “A word, please.”
She looked at his hand, then at Aulay.
“Please,” he said.
“Yes, of course,” she said. But she made no effort to move.
“No’ here,” Rabbie said. “I would like a word in private.”
“Oh.” She glanced to her left. Rabbie followed her gaze. She was looking at her mother, who was watching them closely. “Diah,do you seek permission for everything that you do?” he muttered.
“What?” A blush rose in her cheeks. “I only... Where are we going?”
“Out of this room,” he said, and held out his palm again.
She very reluctantly slipped her hand into it and allowed him to lead her out of the room. He announced they needed a word in private and would return momentarily.
“By allmeans,” Lord Kent said, and laughed nastily.
If the man was not to be his future father-in-law, Rabbie might have put a fist in his gullet. He could scarcely contain his disgust.
He escorted Avaline to his father’s study. She stepped inside and turned around to face him, her hands clasped tightly before her. She was anxious. She was always anxious in his company. How she must despise him—was he really so unsettling?
“I’ve something you ought to know,” he said.I made love to your maid. I didn’t seek the attraction, but it has happened. I can’t put her out of my mind for even a moment, even here and now.“You ought to know that we Mackenzies are free traders.”
She titled her head to one side. “Pardon?”
“Smugglers.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh. Isee.” She looked to the window, unblinking, and her hand went to her throat, fluttering there.
He rather doubted she saw anything at all. “You are aware, are you no’, that smuggling is unlawful and immoral?”
“You mean to say thatyousmuggle,” she said, and turned her gaze back to him. “But notallof Mackenzies engage in this...practice,” she said carefully.
Was she referring to the entire clan? “No’ my mother or sisters, no. But the rest of us, aye.”
She nodded slowly, absorbing this information, then asked, “But Aulay doesn’t smuggle...does he?”
Was she truly as ignorant as this? Rabbie peered at her, trying to understand how she could misinterpret anything he’d said. “He is the captain of the ship we use to bring the cargo here.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t actually... I mean... He doesn’t...”
Why was she so concerned with Aulay? “Do you take my meaning, then, Avaline? You’re to marry a smuggler.”
She made a sound of alarm. And then she stared at him for a long moment, her lashes fluttering, her lips pursed as if she wanted to speak. “All right,” she said at last.
All right?That’s all she would say? “Diah,no, Avaline, it’s no’ all right, is it, then? Do you no’ want a good reason to end this engagement? I am giving it to you.”On a bloody platter, he wanted to add.
“No!” she said, and pressed a hand to her chest. “No, Idon’twant to end this engagement, not like this!” She spoke as if the idea was abhorrent to her.
Rabbie was astonished. She so clearly despised him—why would she not take what he was offering?
