Claudia crossed over to her, though her dress was still unfastened. “Who is it from?” she asked faintly.
Christina handed her the sealed paper. “He didn’t say. Open it, open it!” she urged.
Helen, with part of her hair hanging down, ran over to join them. Not a one of them breathed as Claudia opened the note and read it.
“It’s from Cameron,” she announced breathlessly.
“I knew it!” Christina said. “What does he say?”
Claudia clasped the letter to her chest. “He wants to meet me on the terrace at eight o’clock.”
Helen put her arm around her. “That’s an hour after the ball has begun. What do you suppose he wants?”
“He wants to ask her to marry him, of course!” Christina answered.
Claudia wanted to believe it, but she was too afraid to. “Let’s not get excited. I don’t want to be let down if it is about something else.”
Helen patted her back. “Then we’ll not speak of it again. Let’s finish dressing and pray the time goes quickly.”
Claudia hugged both girls and went back to do so. And though she tried she could not help but hope Christina’s words were true.
❧
Cameron could not believe it when George informed him that morning that Aurora was waiting for him in the salon. A dread fell over his heart, and he knew whatever she wanted could not be good.
For the last two weeks, ever since their meeting in front of his home, he had searched endlessly for a man who would make an offer for Aurora’s hand. He’d even secretly added a substantial dowry to the proposal if only they could see the deed done.
Yet one by one those he could persuade to go through with the plan came back and told him Aurora had denied them.
Finally he went to her cousin’s home, where she was living for the season, and met with her. He then asked her why she found none of these suitable, and her answers were all vague, petty reasons. What confounded him was she didn’t even seem upset that her time was running out. She just reminded him several times about his promise to marry her.
He had truly begun to fear the outcome of his dealings with Aurora. He lamented to himself over and over about how foolish he’d been to promise something so important.
Especially when the only woman he wanted to be with was Claudia.
As he stood at the door of the salon, he groaned inwardly with regret as he thought of how he’d had to prolong his friendship with Claudia without ever letting her know his true feelings. It was ridiculous really, and yet she seemed to bear it better than any other woman would. Most women, seeking a match, would probably have given up on him and moved on to someone more ready to admit his intentions.
But he sensed a special connection existed between Claudia and him. One that was strong enough, apparently, that she was unwilling to give up on him.
So he’d spent his days with her, trying to act only as a friend, but knowing his actions meant something else.
And then there was George. Cameron glanced about to see if he was still around and was relieved he had gone. George had grown so close to Claudia, and because of Cameron’s hesitation the older man was beginning to question his intentions toward his granddaughter.
He could only imagine what his butler was thinking about Aurora’s visit this afternoon.
North and every one of his acquaintances had questioned him about Claudia, and even his mother had demanded he not string this out any longer since the ton was starting to speculate on the matter.
It was just that honor and keeping one’s word had always been important to him. He’d hoped and prayed for a way out of the promise without having to break his word.
Yet apparently it wasn’t to be.
So now there was only one thing to be done.
Taking a deep breath he opened the door and was startled to see Aurora standing there in front of him with tears streaming down her face. Before he could react she ran and threw herself into his arms, crying hysterically.
“Aurora! Will you please get hold of yourself?” he said loudly, pulling her away from him. “Why are you here?”
“Father is here in town,” she sobbed, dabbing at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. “He’s here to tell Lord Carmichael I will marry him.”
Cameron shut the door so her crying would not bring the whole staff down upon them then walked into the room. “I told you you should not have been so particular with the gentlemen who offered for you. You knew time was running out,” he chided her, his voice harsh.
She stopped him from sitting down, taking hold of his hand and turning him to look at her. “We still have time,” she assured him, her eyes suddenly clear. “All we have to do is go and tell him.”
“Tell him what?” he asked faintly, letting go of her hand and taking a few steps away from her.
“That we’re betrothed.”
She stated those words as if it were the most perfect solution in the world.
“Aurora, I have placated you through this whole situation, but enough is—”
“Let me remind you, my lord, of your promise,” she interrupted.
“I know I made that promise, Aurora, but it was only to calm you down. I had every confidence you’d find a husband. And in fact there were several good candidates.”
“But none of them would do!” she wailed, stepping closer to him.
Cameron backed up but found his legs had hit against a small table. “Why would you dismiss them but agree to marry me—a man who feels only affection for you, like a sister? I don’t love you, Aurora,” he told her forcibly and bluntly. “I don’t want to marry you—you know this.”
Her eyes lowered, but not before he saw the hurt his words had caused. He hated to be so ill-mannered, but he was desperate for her to see the truth.
“We have friendship, Cameron,” she said softly, caressing the top of his hand. “In time it will grow into more.”
Cameron stared down at her in dismay. “Or we would grow apart, Aurora. Why would you want to marry a man who does not want to marry you?”
She lifted her head back up, and he saw that the tears were back. “But you want to marry Lady Claudia, do you not? Everyone says so.” She sniffed and dabbed at her eyes again.
“Actually it is none of your business who I want to marry, Aurora,” he said wearily, rubbing his finger across his brow. He hated to bring this whole issue about the promise to such an abrupt end since he knew she would be hurt, but he had let this interfere with his life long enough. “Let me be honest with you, Aurora. I cannot marry you. I hate to put it so bluntly, but there it is.”
“But what about Lord Carmichael?” she cried, staring at him with a shocked expression.
“I know your father is a hard man, Aurora, but if you protest enough I seriously doubt he shall hold you to such a promise,” he told her, fully believing this was true. He’d thought many nights about Lord Wyndham, and though he was quite a humorless man and strict with his only daughter on some things, she was still allowed to do and go anywhere she pleased.
“No, no, he means it, Cameron!” she wailed, grabbing hold of his arm. “Surely you are not so dishonorable that you would go back on your word. You must marry me.”
Cameron hated to see women cry, but he did not have the time to console her. Gently he took her hand and pulled it away from his arm. “I’m sorry, Aurora. But you had every chance to save yourself from the fate of Lord Carmichael. I did all a friend could.” New tears welled up in her eyes, and she opened her mouth to say something, but he beat her to it. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment this evening. George will show you out.” He bowed his head then turned to let himself out of the door.
“But, Cameron,” she whimpered after him. “I thought we were friends.”
Cameron kept w
alking. The farther he distanced himself from Aurora, the freer he felt. In fact he felt as though he was finally in control of his life again.
He’d strung out his courtship with Claudia because he felt honor bound to resolve this situation with Aurora.
But no more. Tonight he would go to the ball and declare his feelings for her.
His only regret was that he had not done it sooner.
❧
At a few minutes before eight o’clock Cameron stepped onto the Northingshires’ terrace. He wanted to avoid the rest of the guests, so he had chosen not to come into the ballroom, instead walking through the garden.
As the cool night breeze blew softly through his hair and brought with it the delicate scent of roses, he leaned against the terrace railing and thought about the object in his vest pocket.
His grandmother’s betrothal ring.
Cameron reached up and took the sapphire and diamond ring from his pocket, while imagining Claudia’s expression when he would present it to her. Would she be surprised, or would she guess why he wanted to see her tonight?
He heard the sound of muted laughter coming from inside and tucked the ring back into his vest. Carefully he stepped beside the glass-paned, terrace doors and peeked through them. The ball was in full swing with the ladies and gentlemen of the ton dressed in their finest and milling about the room.
He couldn’t spot Claudia, though, without bringing attention to himself.
With a sigh he backed up from the window but started when he felt a hand on his back, stopping his progress. He whirled around, ready to confront whoever had sneaked up behind, but stopped short when he saw who it was.
Aurora.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded harshly. He scanned the area to see if anyone was with her or had followed her but found no one.
“I came alone, Cameron,” she said. “I followed you here.”
He brought his gaze back to her and shook his head. “Why would you do that, Aurora? You know we shouldn’t be here alone.”
Reaching for his hands, she hugged them to her and stepped closer. He tried to tug free gently, but she held fast. “I came to plead with you to reconsider our agreement. You know you must honor it. ‘A man’s word is everything,’ you once told me,” she begged, her eyes wild with desperation.
Cameron felt helpless in knowing how to handle Aurora. Nor could he help but feel responsible for her distracted state. “Aurora, I am deeply sorry you thought I would marry you, but I tried to tell you my feelings all along.”
“But I cannot marry Lord Carmichael. Please don’t send me to that fate. You cannot be that cruel!” she cried louder.
Panicked, Cameron looked back at the doors and was relieved to find no one seemed to have heard her. Acting more forcibly, he shook his hands away from her and stepped over to the railing. “Aurora, there is nothing you can do or say that will change this. I will not marry you,” he stated firmly. “I’m sorry for hurting you, but, promise or no, I will not sacrifice the happiness of both of us on an ill-spoken word.”
He expected her to start crying again, but Aurora only stared at him. He wondered if she were trying to decide what tactic to use next. Regardless, he took the momentary pause to glance through the panes of the terrace doors to see if Claudia was near but did not see her.
He looked back at Aurora and saw anger blazing in her eyes. “You are waiting for someone!” she shrieked.
“Aurora, please keep your voice down!” he tried to shush her. But since her head was now directed toward the doors he knew she wasn’t listening.
She then turned to glare at him through narrow eyes. “It’s Claudia, isn’t it? She is the reason you refuse to keep your word. She is—”
“Aurora, please—,” he tried again, but to no avail.
“—the woman you want to marry. And please do not say it isn’t any of my business, because it is. It is my business,” she cried, pointing her finger to her chest as she walked closer to him.
There was a sort of hysterical anger in her expression, and though Cameron tried to back away from her he found himself pinned in the corner of the wall and terrace railing. He had no idea how to handle Aurora—what to say to make her leave. “Aurora, calm down. You are only going to make yourself ill by getting so upset.” He tried to soothe her with the only words he could think of.
Apparently those weren’t the right ones to say. “Calm down? I had thought you would marry me, and now that you will not, my life is in shambles. How can I calm down?”
Her pitch was getting higher and louder as she now stood within a few inches of him. He had no choice but to reach out and take her by the arms so he could move her back, but she had another plan altogether.
Before he had a good hold of her, she launched herself forward, clasped both arms around his neck, and kissed him on the mouth in a hard, lip-numbing kiss.
The sudden momentum of her embrace knocked him backward over the railing, and he had to wrap both arms around her to pull them both upright again.
At that moment the door of the terrace opened, and he heard a gasp and his name called out in alarm. “Lord Kinclary!”
He finally succeeded in turning his head away from her, but her arms were another matter. Anxiously he glanced over to see both Claudia and Helen standing there staring at him with shock and disbelief.
He grabbed her arms and tried to pry them off his neck. “Aurora!” he exclaimed, glancing at Claudia again, only to find they were no longer alone. “We are being watched.”
Several men and women of the ton were stepping out to see what the commotion was and gasping and gaping when they saw them.
As rapidly as she’d wrapped her arms around him, she let go and jumped away to face the growing crowd. “Oh, dear,” she murmured, covering her mouth in surprise.
“This is not what it looks like.” He stared straight at Claudia, only to realize how lame his words sounded to everyone around. Snickers rose from the crowd, but he was gazing only at Claudia.
Watching her beautiful eyes fill with hurt and confusion.
Helen was the first to jump into action as she whirled to face her guests. “Ladies and gentlemen, shall we all go back into the ballroom?” she requested firmly and managed to corral them back inside.
Claudia hadn’t moved.
“Claudia, please let me explain what happened,” he said as he hurried to her. He tried to take her hand, but she jerked it out of his reach.
“No!” she exclaimed in a tortured voice, her eyes swimming with tears. “I saw you kissing her,” she whispered, blinking the tears back.
Cameron’s own eyes were stinging as the full impact of what had happened began to register with him. “Claudia, Aurora kissed me and—”
Helen interrupted him as she stepped back onto the terrace. “Claudia, I think it best you come inside,” she said gently to her friend while she glared at Cameron.
Claudia blinked again and looked at Helen. “I. . .yes,” she stammered and let Helen guide her to the door.
“But if I could—,” Cameron began again.
“You have to realize the consequences of what just happened here, my lord. Nothing you can say or do will change this,” Helen said quietly and then escorted Claudia inside.
Fourteen
As soon as they were gone Cameron turned to Aurora, who had stood for the last few minutes uncharacteristically quiet. “What have you done to us?” he asked, as the realization of their situation raced through his mind.
Aurora blinked a few times and looked at him. “Cameron, how was I to know Lady Claudia would be coming out here? You cannot blame me for what has happened.” She took a visible breath. “But now that it has, we must consider that it is our destiny, mustn’t we? After all, you did make a promise—”
“Enough about tha
t promise!” He waved his hands angrily in the air.
Aurora folded her arms and thrust her chin forward stubbornly. “Yes, I suppose it is a moot point now. As it stands, our reputations have been compromised, though we are both blameless. Our engagement must be announced.”
As much as Cameron wanted to deny her words, he could not. Aurora was right. They had been compromised.
The incident would be in the gossip column in tomorrow’s news. His parents and her father would expect nothing less.
He thought of Claudia’s stricken, hurt expression, and he knew he had to explain it all to her. It would bring little comfort to her, though, he imagined. Whether she suspected him of being unfaithful or knew the truth of Aurora’s emotional display that had ruined them both, the end result was the same.
He must marry Aurora.
How could one moment change their futures, their hopes and dreams?
And separate him from Claudia forever?
“We must go in there and announce it tonight,” Aurora said beside him, her voice urgent as she pointed toward the glass doors that led back into the ballroom. “You know we must.”
Cameron looked up and saw several people standing by the door, watching them, and suddenly felt a deep sadness rise within his heart. All his life Cameron had lived honorably and above reproach. He’d always been careful about the friends he chose and the places he went because he knew that any sort of gossip or scandal would reflect on his family’s name.
Now he was bound to marry a woman he did not love and was being gawked at like a circus animal by his peers.
He could only be thankful that neither his parents nor Aurora’s father was in attendance, for they surely would be mortified by the whole affair.
“We have to make it seem as though we’d planned to announce the engagement all along and not as a result of what happened here earlier,” Cameron finally spoke, thinking aloud.
“I agree,” Aurora answered.
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