Clem made love this time with all his power, as if he was trying to stamp himself inside her. Tenderness gave way to passion and went on and on until his terrible need ignited the same need in her. They journeyed together and came together, the exquisite moment exploding in their bodies and splintering fantastically into their souls.

‘Remember this,’ he pleaded with her when at last he could speak.

‘Don’t worry, my dear love.’ Taking his hand she pressed it against her heart. ‘I have you safe in here, forever.’

They dressed slowly, both dreading the moment when they must say goodbye.

At the bottom of the stairs Clem suddenly pulled her to him tightly. For the first time since they had begun their affair he was thinking realistically, suddenly afraid these wonderful times they had spent here were all they were going to get.

‘I love you so much. This has been the best time of my entire life. Why can’t it always be like this?’

He knew the reason. He had a cunning, ruthless enemy. A man who loved Kerensa as he did. If the reason Pengarron was back home was because his love for her had outstripped his damnable pride, and if her feelings for him broke through her anger and horror over the accident, then his own cause would be lost again.

He clamped her face in his hands. ‘Kerensa, we can never tell what might happen. If for some reason we can’t meet like this again, you will seek me out? Even if it’s just to talk awhile? I couldn’t bear to be without your acknowledgement that we had something special.’

She reached up and tenderly smoothed out the furrows in his brow, then took his hands and kissed them. ‘Clem, beloved, I promise from my soul that there will never come a time when we must consider ourselves as unequal. When we come together as Harry’s grandparents, we will speak naturally, as we should. I’ll always love you, Clem.’

After a last emotional kiss, Clem left before the darkness turned into day.

A few hours must pass before she could leave. She went back upstairs and sat down on the bed, wrapping herself up in the bedcovers and pretending Clem was still there. Next time Clem came to Vellanoweth he would be bringing Catherine and the twins. It would not be easy to meet him like this. From his frantic words it seemed he doubted it would happen again. Only time would reveal what fate had in store for them.

And for her and Oliver.

Twenty-Five

Oliver was enduring a second sleepless night at home.