Part 16 (2/2)
Campbell shrugged. ”Your husband has no love for me, nor I for him.”
”Why is that?”
”A little disagreement over a woman.”
”Oh?”
Campbell's gaze flickered past Fiona to the other side of the room.
Fiona followed his gaze. Surrounded by a crowd of men was a tall, blond, striking woman. ”That woman?”
”Yes. Lady Lucinda Featherington.”
Fiona gripped her reticule tighter. ”You had an argument with Jack over that woman?”
”Yes. We both wished to be her...friend.”
”And?”
”She did not choose me.”
Fiona's heart sank. It could not be. Surely Jack would have said something. But how? She'd abducted him and married him so quickly. What if his heart had been already engaged?
The thought struck her with the force of a blow. ”Is he...Is Jack still-” She could not finish the sentence.
Campbell must have sensed her distress, for he immediately said, ”Ibelieve he ended it...” He paused for a significant amount of time.
Fiona's imagination raced. Oh, G.o.d, what had she done? She could not look away from the woman's blond perfection. She was beautiful, cultured, fas.h.i.+onable-everything Fiona was not.
Campbell's hand came to rest over hers. ”Lady Kincaid-Fiona. Don't allow Lucinda to worry you. It's obvious Jack cares more for you than he ever did for her.”
Hope sputtered to life. ”Do you think so?”
”Absolutely. He married you, not her.”
Fiona's heart sank to the bottom of her jeweled slippers. Suddenly, she wanted to move, stop thinking, stop imagining Jack with that woman. ”They are beginning the new set. Did you wish to dance?”
”Absolutely!” Campbell took her hand. ”Come, let's-”
”No.” A deep voice came from behind Fiona. ”I believe this dance is mine.”
A heated s.h.i.+ver raced down her body and pooled in her stomach.
”Kincaid.” Campbell gave him a thin smile. ”What a surprise.”
”I'm sure it is,” Jack said, slipping a hand around Fiona's waist and neatly pulling her to him. ”If you don 't mind, Campbell, I plan on dancing with my wife.”
”Well, well, well,” Gregor said, arriving next. ”If it isn't Alan Campbell, the scourge of Scotland.”
Dougal took in the situation at a glance. ”Making up to our sister, were you? I suppose you didn't realize we were in town.”
Campbell's face turned a mottled red. ”No,” he said stiffly. ”I did not.”
”Pity,” Dougal said. ”You might have saved yourself some trouble.”
”And some bruises,” Gregor added cheerfully. He leaned forward and said in a confidential tone, ”I have to keep an eye on my sister, you know. Scare off the scalawags.”
Campbell sent him a dark glare. ”I was just leaving.” He bowed to Fiona. ”I hope we may speak again sometime.” He turned on his heel and left.
Jack caught a look of sympathy on Fiona's face. ”d.a.m.n it, Dougal,” he growled. ”I didn't need your help to take care of Campbell.” ”Oh, it's no problem.” Gregor waved a hand. ”Besides, we're glad to see our sister.” He kissed Fiona soundly on the cheek. ”h.e.l.lo, la.s.s. I hope you're doing well.”
”I'm fine, thank you,” she said in a decidedly frosty tone. ”I am surprised you have not yet visited me.” ”We were going to do that tomorrow,” Dougal said a bit uneasily. Fiona met his gaze. ”At ten?” Dougal and Gregor exchanged surprised glances, then nodded. ”At ten,” Gregor agreed. She turned to Jack. ”I would like that dance now, my lord.” Jack immediately took her hand. ”So would I.” With that, he swept Fiona into the dance. Fiona tried not to compare Campbell's rather slack grip to Jack's firm one and failed miserably. There was just somethingright about Jack. Which annoyed her very much. ”How did you know I was here?”
she asked. He looked down at her, his glance hot and possessive. ”I didn't. I've been to three other places. I was fortunate to find you at this one.”
He turned her swiftly, his arm firm about her, his hand warm clasping hers. Her skirt whirled, a faint swirl of air tickling her bare skin, and the colors in the room softened and blurred. The air flowed from the terrace door, the music flowed around them. And there she was, no longer alone but with Jack. She frowned.And with Lucinda Featherington.
”Fiona, we must talk,” Jack said in a grim tone. ”It is not safe for you to go about town alone.”
”I came with the coachman and two footmen, so I hardly think I was in any danger.”
”Fiona, you know what I mean.”
”Indeed I do. You think that you should be able to do what you want to do, when you want to do it,
while I should wait at home and notwant at all.”
He frowned. ”No, that is not what I mean.”
”Then whatdo you mean? I can make no sense of your complaints at all.”
He glowered down at her. ”You are being difficult.”
”If taking action when I am unhappy is being difficult, then that is what I am.”
There was a pointed silence.
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