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“What does she say?”
“She says that there is nae a proper attachment. But I thought there was! She had given me the signs that there was! Why would she have accepted if there was nae attachment?” John’s voice was getting louder, and he began to merely yell into the air as if raging against the world itself.
Suddenly, John pushed him forward, and Liam pulled back. John sneered, “Ye have bewitched her with yer charming ways. Ye were nae satisfied with practically every woman on yer Isle, and across the mainland ye had tae go and take her heart as well?”
Liam wanted to smile or laugh. If John thought that Elizabeth’s heart was in Liam’s possession, then that boded well. “It is nae for sport, lad,” Liam said, allowing his voice to grow louder as well. I love the lass. I want tae marry her meself.”
Shocked, John stepped back, his eyes opened wide. “What? Ye want tae marry her?”
“You do?” The soft, kind voice of Elizabeth rang through Liam’s mind like a cheerful bell. The both of them turned and watched her approach them on the shoreline, her boat running over the shore at the far end of the Fort. She glanced at John, but then, she stared at Liam, and suddenly Liam felt like the breath was stuck in his chest, and he couldn’t get any words out.
John was surprised into silence as well. Fergus, chuckling, took matters into his own hands. “Aye, my Lady. It appears that Liam does want tae do so, although he appears tae be struggling with words at the moment.”
Liam shot his friend another dark look and cleared his throat. “Aye, so it is. I had meant tae ask ye that night, but ye agreed tae marry John. I had had nae idea he had asked ye until Charlotte and Julia told me.”
John was still clenching his fists, one of them containing the crumpled letter, but Liam could tell that he was deflated. Elizabeth said, “John, will you allow me to speak with you privately?” He nodded, and the two of them left walking along the shore, with a confused Fergus and Liam behind them.
Liam elbowed Fergus. “Och, lad, ye do yer best tae make me look like an idiot.”
“Nae, I think ye handle that yerself well enough,” he laughed. “Well, I suppose I ought tae be going. Wouldnae want tae stick around tae see the two of ye going at it like a pair of randy rabbits. Surely, she means tae come for ye.”
The thought had occurred to him, but he felt it so fragile a hope that he dared not let himself plunge into complete and utter happiness just yet. He felt like he was on a precipice, about to jump off, hoping that he could fly. He watched Fergus’ back as the man trudged away, and he waited alone on the shore.
* * *
“John,” Elizabeth said softly, touching his arm. “I am so sorry. I came to see you in person to speak to you of my refusal to marry you.”
John watched her calmly with his lovely blue eyes.He really is quite handsome, and he will make a woman very happy one day.
“Why would ye accept, lass, if ye didnae feel what I felt?”
Elizabeth looked down at her moving feet. “I was a fool. I should not have done so. I thought that I could have learned to care for you as you did for me. I thought it the smartest decision, and that with you, I would not experience real heartbreak.” She thought it best to not elaborate on the situation with her father’s false will and promise to not insult John too much.
“I see.” He sighed, and he kept his eyes from her, for the first time since they had met. His voice was harsh as he replied, almost bitter, “Well, there is naught that I can do, is there? I have to let ye go.”
She nodded. “You will understand, John. You would not wish for a wife who did not feel the same. It would make for a very unhappy marriage.” He nodded again. She added, “I am sorry, John, that I hurt you. It was truly not my intention.” Elizabeth wanted so badly to blame her father for forcing her into a false promise, but she knew that she could have decided to keep John out of it. She could have avoided his pain.
John eyed her sharply and closed his eyes for a second. Then he replied, “I wish ye well, lass. But now ye much excuse me.”
“No, of course not. And I wish you well.” She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, and forcing a smile, he left her for his boat, not even looking back at Duart or Liam standing there on the shore.
Liam. It is time.
She took a deep breath, and pushing her shoulders back, walked straight up to him. Liam was watching her with a scrutinizing eye, his arms over his broad bare chest. She tried to ignore the tiny drops of water that were slowly making their way down his shoulders as they dripped from his curls.
“Your beard has grown,” she said.
“Och, so it has.” There was silence. “I suppose that is a long way ye have come, from England, tae tell me yer observations on me beard growth.”
Elizabeth fumbled, suddenly feeling nervous. “Well, you do not make it easy, looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you might wish tae eat me alive.”
“I might wish tae. Ye certainly put us through Hell here, disappearing as ye did, accepting John afore ye went.”
Elizabeth gasped. “As if you had not put me through any Hell! You did not pull away from Brea’s kiss, even if it was she that kissed you!”
