Chapters (50)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- The Pengarron Sagas
- The Harvey Family Sagas
Tears were in his eyes. While her confession had distressed him deeply, what he was about to confess she had no suspicion of. Why should she? He had not been wrenched away from someone he had loved and could never forget, from someone he could turn to for true love, after a sequence of humiliating and terrible events. His confession might burn away all her love for him.
‘As difficult as it is to come to terms with the very thought of you being with another man, I – I do forgive you, Kerensa. Although for one hideous moment I felt I could kill Trenchard, I acknowledge you were in love with him.’ He sighed from the bottom of his heart. ‘That’s more excuse than I had.’
She looked at him, puzzled, then as realization flooded through her, in shock and disbelief. ‘Are you saying…?’
‘Yes, Kerensa…’ his voice faltered, ‘it was with Rosie Renfree.’
‘What?’ The relief that he taken her confession so well was overshadowed by acute emotional and physical pain, as if she had been given a blow to the heart. It had crossed her mind that Oliver might have thought about being unfaithful, but she had dismissed it. There had been no gossip, no rumours. But with him staying at Ker-an-Mor, and apparently being utterly discreet, an affair with Rosie had gone unnoticed. Why did he do it? Why Rosie? Clem’s sister! How strange. How terrible.
‘I never thought you’d… Rosie? Was it to get back at me or Clem in some way?’
‘Not that, I swear. I was so lonely, so wretched, Kerensa, and I was so afraid. I needed someone and Rosie happened to be there. I beg you not to say anything that will destroy her and Matthias’s marriage; her remorse made her ill. I overwhelmed her better judgement, stirred up past feelings. You see, there was a brief, innocent, attachment between us when you and I fell out after the death of my half-brother. I too know how, through terrible circumstances, one can give way to one’s needs and, although it pains me to admit it, I can acknowledge that you never lost your feelings for Trenchard. I shall never stop regretting that I helped to push you towards him. I’ll not ask if you still love him, only to say that I accept there will always be a bond between you. Kerensa, can you forgive me for my unfaithfulness?’
They were both staring miserably down at their feet, absorbing the appalling things they had heard. Simultaneously, they lifted their eyes to the other’s face.