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Brea clucked her tongue. “So many questions. Liam. How else would I have gotten ye tae come and meet me if I didnae pretend? It appears this Elizabeth Darling has ye all tied up in knots, and ye cannae find yer way out again. Well, I am here tae give ye a way out.”
She stood expectantly, waiting for him to question her again, but he simply stared back at her with confusion. “Why should I wish for a way out? I mean tae ask the lass tae marry me.”
A dark look flashed over Brea’s eyes, and he knew that jealous look well. But it was gone quickly, replaced by her former satisfied grin. “Well, I dinnae suppose ye would wish tae marry a lass who was taken?”
“Taken? What do ye mean?” He was growing impatient, wishing to return to the party to get a chance to speak with Elizabeth.
“By another man. This woman of yorn was seen in the woods only two days ago, in the amorous embrace of one John Campbell.”
Anger welled up inside of Liam’s heart. “Ye lie!” he called out for lack of any other words to say.
She chuckled again, that light sound that used to tantalize him with lust but now only fueled his fury. “I am nae lying. Why should I lie? It was seen by one of my women. John kissed the lass, and she did not push him away. She kissed him back. I think I was right tae tell ye that this lady of yorn would be better off marrying a laird.”
Liam took his eyes away from Brea; he couldn’t bear to look at her. Why was it that just as soon as he had acquired more happiness than he could have ever hoped for, Brea was always there to try and take it away from him? She had done the same on the hilltop after Elizabeth had kissed him. When he turned back again, Brea was closer to him, her eyes dark with desire.
“Liam,” she said softly. “I dinnae wish tae give ye pain, and I dinnae wish tae gain anything from telling ye. I ken well that ye nae longer care for me. But when I heard the news about yer own truest love, I thought ye should ken what I had heard.”
Liam felt broken. His former mistress was watching him with a strange look, something akin to kindness, and it confused him. “Come, let us part as friends. I wished only tae tell ye, and then ye will never need tae see my face again.” To his surprise, Liam allowed the gesture, so deflated was he by the shock of the news.
Could it be true? Did Elizabeth want John instead and had only used him for the lust of the moment? It was true that he had kissed her before she could say anything to him in the library. She had asked him about any other woman, but he hadn’t even thought to ask her about any other man. What a fool he was!
He noticed that Brea looked to the side of the trees but quickly looked back again. He did not care if she heard anything or did anything. He wanted to leave, but she gently placed a finger on the side of his cheek. “Will a friend part with me with one last kiss? I will miss yer kisses greatly, Liam, and I will carry it with me in memory if only I could experience the feel of once last one.”
He said nothing. Instead, Brea stood on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his lips. He did not move, wanting to simply melt away into nothingness. Then, he heard a gasp, and he pulled away quickly.
To his horror, he saw the edge of a pale pink cloak in the trees.Elizabeth.
