Chapter Eight

For the longest moment, Clarissa stood stock still on the dance floor, watching Alexander's retreating figure as he abandoned her.

She didn't ken what happened. They had seemed to be having a fun time. Even flirting if she dared to say.

Alexander's soft words so close to her ear had sent shivers down her spine. She felt an awakening in her core and found it so easy to lean into him.

But in a flash, something changed.

She was thankful he had waited until the orchestra had finished the song before he quickly excused himself and hurried away from her like she had the plague or some other vile disease.

People around her stared at his abrupt departure. She could see them whispering behind their hands. Surely, the move would be in the gossip papers in the morn.

No longer on the dance floor, she looked around the room. Saw the pointed glances. But even among them, she could not find Gwen. She saw Alexander talking to Nicholas. They looked deep in conversation.

No doubt her brother was once again warning him to stay away from her.

No reason for that. Alexander had made it clear to not only her, but everyone in the ballroom that he was most definitely not interested in her.

She walked the perimeter of the room. A waiter offered her a flute of champagne and she accepted it with a thank you. She sipped as she walked, looking for Gwen, but soon the stares were too much, and the walls of the room felt as if they were closing in all around her.

Fresh air. That was what she needed. After failing to find Gwen one last time, she gave up and made her way outside.

The cool air pimpled her skin and she fought off a shiver. She looked around and was grateful that she was blissfully alone. She rubbed her arms up and down to give them some warmth, careful not to spill her glass of champagne. Even the chilliness in the air wasn't enough to make her turn around and go back inside.

Nay, the fresh air would help clear her head. She descended the stairs and started a leisurely stroll through the rows of trimmed hedges. She could imagine the garden would be the epitome of beauty in the middle of summer with all the flowers in full bloom. The shapes were something she hadn't seen before.

It didn't compare to the beauty of Huntly's gardens, but she was sure her brother would love it nonetheless if he wandered out here. His love of flowers, especially rare blooms, was strong. He'd painstakingly tended the gardens at Huntly. As a matter of fact, that was how he'd met Gwen. She smiled at the memory of when Nicholas had finally caught Gwen as she snipped his orchids to sell on the streets.

Instead of being angry with her, he was intrigued. So much so that he would wait by the window, watching the garden to get a glimpse of her. She was the first woman that didn't look at the scars that marred the right side of Nicholas's face with disgust. She saw him for the handsome person he was, both inside and out.

Even if he was being obtuse when it came to Alexander.

Worried she had wandered too far away from the house, she turned to head back inside when she thought she'd heard her name.

She ducked behind a tall cone shaped hedge and waited. It was Alexander's voice.

"What does Clarissa have to do with any of this?"

He was talking about her. To whom?

"She's quite," the other voice, sounding like it belonged to the American she had danced with earlier, paused. "How do you Scots call it, bonny."

Clarissa's breath hitched and her heart beat so loud she was certain they could hear it. Why were they talking about her?

"Ye leave Clarissa alone," Alexander's voice came across as a low growl.

"Here's the deal. You want your stupid sheep back."

She shouldn't be eavesdropping. She kenned it was wrong to do so. But she couldn't move her feet. It's like they planted themselves in the ground, trying to be a part of the garden themselves.

The American continued. "I want Clarissa. For one night."

"Aye, right," Alexander answered.

She sucked in a breath. What?

"You arrange for Clarissa to spend one night with me and you can have your flock back. No money needed. Come now. You'd be a fool to not accept such an offer."

She couldn't see them. Could only hear their voices, but Alexander had agreed. He didn't refuse the offer.

Was she being used as some kind of pawn in their business dealings? Tears slipped from her eyes, and she ran back in the direction she'd come from.

Fool repeatedly playing in her mind. She was a fool.

A fool to think that Alexander was interested in her.

A fool to think they had a future together.

A fool to think that she was anything more than a piece of property to be bartered over.

She burst into the house and crossed the dance floor, winding her way around the couples dancing until she got to the other side.

As if in a craze, she whipped her head around, searching for Gwen and Nicholas. She wanted to leave.

Now.

She didn't care if they left Alexander here and made him find his own ride home.

She swiped at the tears running down her cheeks.

"Hey," Gwen grasped her shoulders and forced Clarissa to look at her, concern knitting her brows. "What is wrong? What has upset ye so?"

Clarissa shook her head. "I dinna want to talk about it. I just want to go home. I dinna want to be here anymore."

"All right." Gwen placed her arm around Clarissa's shoulders and led her towards the front entrance.

Nicholas looked at them questioningly, and Gwen just shrugged her shoulders.

Clarissa didn't want to tell them what she'd just overheard. It hurt too much. Nicholas had warned her, and she'd ignored him.

She knew of Alexander's past. Commitment wasn't in his vocabulary. Conquest was though, when it came to women.

Was that what she was? Another conquest for him?

God, she was such a fool. Now the tears that slipped from her eyes were angry tears.

She was mad at herself.

"Let me go find Alexander," Nicholas stated.

"No!" Clarissa cried. "Please, I just want to go home."

*

It took allof Alexander's famous control not to beat Kitt's face to a pulp. He was tempted. Oh, so tempted. The unbelievable nerve the louse had for stating such a proposition. No matter how badly he wanted to regain his sheep, he would never compromise Clarissa in such a way.

She's not property. And Alexander sure as shite would not use her as a pawn in whatever dastardly game Kitt was playing.

"I would suggest ye leave at once," Alexander growled, his blood boiling. "Because I canna promise that ye will be able to walk out on your own volition if ye dinna leave my sight right now."

Kitt must have sensed the promise of violence because he paled, leaving his skin ashen as if he'd seen a ghost.

If he hung around much longer, Alexander would send him to the afterlife.

Kitt spun around and hurriedly made his way inside.

Clarissa. Alexander needed to see her. But as soon as he stepped in the door his friends stopped him.

"Gads, brother. What did ye do to Clarissa?" Gunn asked, his beefy arms crossed in front of his chest as he glared at him.

"What?"

"Aye, she was crying as she left a few minutes ago," Finlay added.

"She left? She was crying?" Hell's hounds. Had he embarrassed her so much by abandoning her on the dance floor that she'd left crying? He pushed his hands through his hair, exasperated.

"I dinna mean to embarrass her. I kenned I shouldna left her so abruptly."

His friends stared at him, frowns on their faces.

"Well, I dinna ken what ye did, but it looks like ye've got some apologizing to do." Malcolm spoke this time. Always the level-headed one.

Alexander shook his head. This night really had turned to shite. "I'll call for my carriage."

His friends exchanged looks. "Aye," Gunn said. "They left in your carriage."

He threw up his hands. Of course, they did. How else would they get home?

"Are the three of ye going to stay at Millwool? Ye ken ye are welcome."

"We have rooms at one of the inns, but we can cancel. We didna plan on staying long. Just thought we'd take a couple of days to catch up." Finlay looked around. "By the looks of things, we have a lot of that to do."

The ride to Millwool took too long. Thoughts of Clarissa upset repeated in his head and his heart hurt kenning he was the cause of her pain.

All because he was scared of what the future held. Clarissa was changing his beliefs that he'd long held onto. When it came to her, the thought of commitment, though it scared him, wasn't abhorrent and he was finding it harder and harder to imagine his life without her.

He only had to convince her that he was serious. That he would never embarrass her again. And he had to figure out the situation with his sheep. He needed to get his estate in order. It was as if the universe had looked at him and decided things were too easy and with a snap of its fingers, turned his life upside down.

Once the carriage stopped at Millwool, Alexander pushed the door open and jumped outside, rushing up the stairs.

Nicholas met him in the foyer, his arms crossed, mouth set in a firm line.

Shite.

"Where is she?" he demanded, knowing he was out of bounds for doing so.

"She and Gwen are in her room. Getting ready to retire for the night."

Alexander went to push past Nicholas, but he stopped him with a hand to his chest. "Dinna."

"I must apologize. I didna realize what I'd done would cause her such embarrassment. I must fix it."

Nicholas's eyes narrowed. "Ye are the reason she is upset?" he bellowed, his face turning red.

Alexander rubbed at his temples, his head starting to thrum.

"What the hell did ye do?"

"Christ, Nicholas. Ye act as if I sullied her reputation. I will admit, I may have left the dance floor with too much urgency, but the song had ended. I meant no harm or embarrassment."

Nicholas looked confused and sighed. "I dinna ken what is going on. She wouldna speak a word about it on the way home. She just demanded to go home and stayed silent the whole way. Then went straight to her room. Whatever it is, it can wait until the morn."

"But—"

"Nay," Nicholas cut him off. "Leave her be this night. She is verra upset. Gwen is with her. Mayhap she will clue her in as to what has happened."

The thought of Clarissa being upset all night didn't sit well with Alexander. He should be the one comforting her. Consoling her. It was his fault she was upset in the first place.

Finlay, Malcolm and Gunn joined them, and they stood around awkwardly for a few long moments, wondering what to do next.

"I dinna ken about the lot of ye, but I need a drink. Or two. Or a bottle," Alexander quipped, climbing the stairs and heading down the hall to his study. Ye all are welcome to join me."

"I canna say nay to a good whisky," Gunn stated from behind him.