Page 75 of Sighs of the Highland Wind
“I wanted to, Ava, but when I reached the church, the ceremony was over. The minister had told me the wrong time an’ I got there too late.” He ran his fingers through his blond locks and sighed angrily. “The minister told me that James Henderson had threatened him if he did no’ move the time o’ the service. I went there afterwards but the cleanin’ lady there told me the service had finished. It was three hours earlier than I had been told. I am sorry, love, but it was no’ my fault. Blame Henderson. He is a wicked man.”
“I would no’ say wicked,” Ava replied. “But this would no’ have happened a few weeks ago, Cam. you would have asked meabout the funeral, an’ there would have been no harm done. There was goodwill between us then. We were close.”
“We can still be close.” Cameron picked up Ava’s hand and kissed it, and for a few moments she allowed him to hold onto it before snatching it away.
“We used to tell each other everything, Cam,” she said sadly, “but no’ any more.”
“We can be like that again, Ava,” he said softly. “But someone is trying to ruin our friendship, an’ we cannot let him succeed. Look what he did to me this morning, Ava. it was my dearest wish to come an’ say goodbye to your da, but he ruined it, an’ he did it on purpose. He is a bad man, Ava. He told me he asked ye tae marry him, an’ that ye said yes. Tell me he is lyin’, Ava. Tell me ye have no’ said yes.”
Once again, Ava buried her face in her hands. “I told him to give me some time,” she answered, sighing wearily. “But Cam, I am likely goin’ tae say yes.”
She watched his face flush as he took in the news, then his brows drew down in a thunderous frown. “But why?” he asked, baffled. “Why would ye do such a thing, Ava?”
“Because I need to feed my sisters and myself,” she replied. “Another harvest like the last one will ruin us.”
“But I will help you,” Cameron pointed out desperately. “You do not have to do this, Ava. Say no. Tell him you have thought it over and you are refusing. You don’t even have to give him reasons.”
Ava shook her head. She looked at the man she loved more than life itself and her heart ached. Once they were married totwo different people they would be separated forever. Cameron’s work would keep him busy, and he would likely fall in love with Davina Henderson. She was, as Ava had seen, a very beautiful woman who wore silk, satin and velvet day dresses, and smelled of exotic perfumes.
“But you still have to marry Davina,” she pointed out. “Otherwise you will not inherit the estate.”
Cameron leapt to his feet. “Damn the estate, Ava! I don’t want it! I never did!” His voice was trembling with rage. “An’ I don’t want Davina either! She tried to drive a wedge between us, but she did no’ succeed, an’ she will never succeed, because I love you. You are the love o’ my life, Ava Struthers! There will never be anybody else in my heart, an’ I would marry ye in a second if only there was some way we could stop Henderson from using both of us to get what he wants, but I cannot let you an’ your sisters die a slow death because o’ me.” He turned away and pushed his fingers back through his corn-colored hair in a gesture of extreme agitation, something Ava had always found extremely appealing. Now it merely made her feel worse.
When he stopped his tirade he tried to pull Ava into his arms again but she pushed him away, even though it was the hardest thing she had ever done. He could have held onto her, since he was strong enough, but he let her go.
“Forgive me, Ava, for a’ the wrongs I have done ye,” he said sadly, his shoulders slumping. “If I could only think o’ some way out o’ this. I would take it.”
Ava nodded and gave a deep sigh. “If I marry you, you will have to give up the estate. If that happens we will both be the worse for it. You would no’ be able to provide for all o’ us. At least this way we each get somethin’, if no’ everythin’. I love ye, Cameron,an’ that is why I am goin’ tae marry James, even though I don’t want to, because I love you an’ my sisters. Now, please go.”
Cameron could almost hear his heart shatter as he looked at Ava, standing in front of him. With her river of chestnut hair hanging down her back, her deep golden eyes and luscious lips, she was the loveliest woman he had ever met, and neither Davina nor any other woman could hold a candle to her.
Cameron gave her one last pleading glance, but she turned away. All of a sudden, he had to get out. He could not breathe the same air as Ava any more, for it was just too painful.
Ava watched him as he jumped onto Jimmy and urged him into a gallop, then they disappeared around a bend in the road. She flopped down into a chair again and began to weep silently, and it was like this that her sisters found her a short while later. Nothing could comfort her.
Cameron had had the half-empty bottle of whisky for a long time, but had never felt the need to drink it. Now, he took it from the shelf where it had been resting for years and looked at it carefully, wiping away the dust that had settled on it with his fingertips. The last person who had drunk out of the bottle was his mother, who had found it full, outside a local tavern. She had drunk it very sparingly, which was why there was still so much of it left.
He flopped down onto his bed and looked into the darkness for a moment then tipped the bottle to his lips. The first sip was so fiery that it made him cough and splutter furiously for a moment, as it burned its way down his throat. He lay for amoment, breathing heavily, and tried to make his mind go blank, but recurring images of Ava kissing James Henderson passed before his eyes. It was torture.
At least, kissing was how it started, then it moved onto him fondling her breasts and running his hands over her body. All the while Ava was moaning and shuddering with passion, and seemed to be enjoying every minute of James’s sensual assault, until finally they were making love. Cameron roared with anger and frustration, and resumed his assault on the whisky.
After the second sip, it had lost the worst of its bite and it slipped quite easily down his throat. The pain in his mind and heart had eased a little, and as the contents of the bottle dwindled, Cameron found himself drifting downwards into a soft, pleasant haze before sleep claimed him.
14
When the carriage that had come to fetch Ava drew up before the cottage, all three sisters gazed at it in amazement. They had all seen carriages before, of course, but only from a distance, and none of them had ever contemplated the possibility of sitting in one. The vehicle was shiny and black, with massive wooden spoked wheels and windows of actual glass. The steward must be earning a very good salary indeed!
Inside, they could see that there were silk curtains over the windows to give the passengers privacy. When the driver opened the door an exotic, spicy aroma wafted out to meet them.
“I have never seen anythin’ like it!” Rona breathed. She climbed inside, followed by Janet, and they both sat down, each pulling one of the purple silk cushions scattered on the seats onto their laps.
“So this is how the other half live!” Janet said bitterly. They all felt the same way. Why should some people have all the riches when others had to beg for food? Janet was the only one who said what she thought, however; Ava would never express sucha radical opinion when there was someone outside the family listening.
The driver smiled at their excitement. Had they but known it, he felt the same way himself. “Mister Henderson is waiting, ladies,” he reminded them. “An’ he is no’ a very patient man!”
Rona and Janet climbed out of the carriage, and Ava kissed them both then got into the vehicle with a small bag that carried her few clothes.
“When will we see ye again?” Rona asked anxiously. None of them had ever spent a night away from each other in their lives, and they were all a little afraid of the separation.
