He loved Kat Macdonald. And suddenly he knew it was forever. The ring began to warm, sending a tingle up his arm. He opened his fingers and looked at it in amazement. How could he have ever run from it? From his fate? “Thank you,” he said quietly, and then slipped the ring into his waistcoat pocket.

“Murien,” Fiona said, turning back to her sister. “Perhaps you should join the other guests. We will be along shortly.”

“But I—”

“That is all, Murien.” Fiona’s voice rose in frosty dismissal.

Murien stiffened. “Fiona, do not speak to me that way.”

“Why not? You stole St. John’s ring.”

“Yes but—Malcolm did the same thing.”

Malcolm snorted. “All I did was borrow it for a wee hour, no more. You’ve kept it for days. Had Kat not so obviously won over St. John, you would have the ring with you still.”

“Won over?” Murien laughed. “What do you mean by that?”

“You saw them kiss and…other things. Everyone did.”

“Yes,” Murien said, a faint aura of superiority on her face. “But it doesn’t matter. You cannot make St. John marry Kat for that; she’s already ruined. She has no reputation to protect.”

Kat’s face flooded with color. Devon wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms, but something about the stiff set of her shoulders halted him. She had her pride, and she would not welcome a gesture from him that might be interpreted as pity. So instead he sent a cool glance toward Murien. “I don’t know what you’re speaking about.”

“Oh? Let me tell you, then. When she was seventeen, Kat—”

“I know about that,” Devon said dismissively. “I just meant that I don’t know what you mean when you say she has no reputation to protect. She has a reputation for many things, including her excellent glasswork, as well as her kindness, capability, caring, and intelligence.”

Kat looked at him, bemusement on her face. But Murien was not so quiet. She made an impatient noise. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but it’s—”

“None of your concern,” Fiona said firmly. “Murien, it is time you left. Now.”

“But I—”

“Either you go, or I will tell Mother how you embarrassed us all by sneaking into St. John’s bedchamber and stealing a family heirloom.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Try me. And you know what she’d do. You’d never see Edinburgh again, much less London.”

There was a long moment of silence. Murien looked resentfully from Fiona to Devon. “I suppose there isn’t any need for me to stay, is there?”

“No,” Malcolm said flatly.

“None at all,” Devon added. “Even if the St. John talisman ring began to glow red-hot with your name printed on the side, I would never marry you.”