Part 12 (2/2)
”Ah. Knox. He has caught the ear of the people.”
”He watches and waits, Brice.”
”For what, madame?”
”For me to slip so that he can publicly humiliate me.”
There was silence in the room and Meredith watched as Brice and the young woman strolled to a window overlooking a vast expanse of forest.
The dogs did not follow their master. Instead, they continued sniffing at the armoire.
The heat in the tiny s.p.a.ce was becoming unbearable. Soon, Meredith thought, she would suffocate.
”Be very careful not to offend him, Mary. He could cause you great harm.”
”I am only now learning that.” The young woman gave a deep sigh.
”I.
long for the dancing, the singing, of France. I long to give elegant parties, to laugh, to--flirt. Oh, Brice. I am eighteen years old and no longer have a husband, nor any sort of life. It is terrible.
Terrible.”
Meredith detected a note of unspoken laughter in Brice's tone.
”You are too beautiful, Mary, too full of life and laughter, to be condemned to a life alone. What man in his right mind would not lose his heart to you?”
”Did you?” It was the voice of a coquette, warm, inviting.
”You know I did. We all did while we were with you in France.”
”Oh, you. I know better. Brice Campbell, you were the only Scotsman who never let himself be swept away by the charm of France.”
”Only because I yearned for the Highlands. I feared it would be too easy to be seduced by the life you offered us.”
”Is that why you left so abruptly?”
”Aye. I had to return to my home. Or be lost.”
”Poor Brice. Has it all been worth it?”
There was silence. For long minutes the only sound Meredith could hear was the hiss of the fire. She staggered and leaned heavily against the door to the armoire. If she did not slip out of this heavy cloak soon she would faint from the heat. While she listened to the growing silence she wriggled out of the cloak. When she had managed to free one arm she sighed and began the struggle to free the other.
She was so engrossed in her struggle to free herself from the cloak she did not hear the sound of footsteps.
”So.”
The door to the armoire was yanked open, causing Meredith to fall forward into Brice's arms. She would have slumped to the floor if he had not held her firmly.
<script>