Elena climbed into her bed, covered her head and burst into tears.
Perfect.Calla blew out an annoyed breath. "What happened, exactly, when you went to LairdRebbinglen'sroom?"
"Naught," Elena whimpered, uncovering her head a bit. "He wouldn't even kiss me," she wailed.
"I see."Good."And here you've caused everyone to think you've been thoroughly bedded."
Elena gasped, and turned to look wide-eyed at Calla. "I cannot believe you said that."
Calla shrugged. "'Tisthe truth. With your waywardness, you've endangered your own reputation and my job. I need this position." She still owed Claybourne a great deal of money and, in fact, had to send him another payment in a matter of days.
"Is that all you care about? What about my upcoming marriage? If Rebbie doesn't return…." She burst into tears again. "My life will be ruined," she wailed.
"Aye, well, you can thank yourself for that," Calla muttered too low for the sobbing girl to hear. On the one hand, Calla could lose her job over this fiasco, on the other, she was glad Rebbie had left and extracted himself from this marriage trap. If the two wed, they would be miserable.'Twaseasy for anyone to see Elena grated on his nerves.
They didn't suit at all, and Calla was perversely glad. Not because she wanted him for herself. Nay. Not at all.
Ha, something inside her taunted.You know good and well you had shocking dreams about him last night.
That might have been true, but she'd had no hand in this debacle.
***
Two days later at gloaming, Rebbie arrived back atDraughonVillage after his visit to Perth. Since 'twas so late, he would stay at theBreakstaneInn tonight. In the morn, he would make a quick trip toDraughonCastle, meet with Barclay and his father, breaking the betrothal, and then he would leave again. Where to, he didn't know. He didn't want to go home to Castle Rebbinglen.'Twasa big castle with no one about but the servants and the guards. And he hardly knew them, he'd been home so infrequently. He was not a clan chief like his friends and had no major responsibilities at the moment, aside from his four estates, which he'd hired stewards to look after in his absence. His father, themarquess, was chief over several clan chieftains, but he rarely had to deal with them, unless a dispute came up.
Where wasRebbie'strue home?
He knew not, and was too tired to think of it at the moment.
At the livery stable, he removed Devil's saddle, then curried the horse. Devil swung his head around and perked his ears, giving him a questioning look as if to askwhat the hell are you doing?
"I ken, lad," Rebbie muttered. "I'm acting a wee bit strange, aye?" But sometimes he liked currying a horse.'Twassoothing to himself as well as the animal.
After paying the stable-master, he asked him to saddle Devil and deliver him to the inn by ten in the morn. Rebbie proceeded across the street to the inn, took a seat in the common room and ordered a pint of ale and supper.
Damnation, how he hated being alone.Humph.Mayhap he was going mad, for all he could think about was how happy Lachlan and Angelique were together. And Dirk and Isobel. They'd found the next thing to paradise here on earth, while Rebbie sat alone at a drab inn swilling ale and staring at a muddy street out the window. The darkened sky looked as if 'twas going to dump a deluge of rain upon them again.
But this was better than sitting by Lady Elena at supper while she blathered on about London, making him want to pull his own hair out.
He was not a coward. Nay, indeed. Tomorrow he was returning toDraughonand telling her father to rip up the betrothal contract. He'd have to pay the man a large amount in recompense. But 'twouldbe worth it. In truth,Rebbie'sfather should be the one paying it since he was the one who'd signed the hell-hated contract, but Rebbie wanted to prove himself an honorable and responsible man. And he truly didn't want to make an enemy of Barclay… unless that was the only option.
As for the young Lady Elena, she would forget him, and afore long, she would beam that annoying, coquettish smile up at some other laird.
At dark, Rebbie climbed the stairs to his rented room, went inside and fell onto the hard, narrow bed. When his eyes closed, only one woman filled his head.Calla.'Twasin an inn much like this… well, mayhap a wee bit nicer… where he'd met her for the first time years ago.
Though he'd had too much to drink that night inStirling, he clearly remembered what he'd thought when he'd first seen her slender form, that black cowl covering her head and those honey-blond curls peeking out. And, most delectable of all, those full pink lips and her fair skin. He'd murmured some inane greeting to her as he'd started up the steps. When she'd placed her hand upon his on the newel post, he'd been stunned immobile for a moment.
Once he'd recovered, he'd taken her hand in his and kissed the back. "M'lady, I'm certain you must be lost in such a place as this."
He hadn't known she was a lady. He'd only been guessing, given the expensive fabric of her new black cloak. Clearly, she was no tavern wench.
Her eyes had remained in shadow but he could easily see her rosy lips and her smile. At first he'd thought it a forced, nervous smile. She'd bitten her lower lip with straight white teeth and he'd had the urge to nibble it a wee bit himself.
"Are you waiting for someone?" he'd asked.
"Aye. You," she'd whispered.
He'd been shocked speechless for a moment. "Have we met?"
