‘And you’re not going to get used to it. I have no intention of dragging your reputation down into the dirt. You have to live here after I’ve left.’ He took her face in his hands and looked at her. ‘So far the only person who knows is Logan and he won’t say anything. Our secret should be safe.’

Confused, she shook her head. ‘Is that why you’re ending it? Because of what people might think of me?’

‘Look me in the eye and tell me you haven’t spent years dreaming about finding the right man, about having babies and being a family here on Glenmore.’

Incurably truthful, Flora nodded. ‘I have imagined that, of course, but—’

‘Of course you have. And you deserve that. You’ll be a great mother.’ With a faint smile he lifted her hand to his lips in an old-fashioned gesture and then cursed softly and dragged her against him. ‘Sorry, but I think I’m going to be bad one more time.’ He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her slowly and thoroughly until her heart was hammering and her legs were weak. Then he lifted his head and smiled. ‘Now, go away and find a man who is going to make you happy.’

Without giving her a chance to reply, he turned and left the room, leaving her staring after him with a head full of questions and a heart full of misery.

* * *

‘Conner is in such a foul mood,’ Evanna murmured, tucking the baby expertly onto her shoulder and rubbing his back. ‘The rumour is that whoever he was seeing has dumped him. I told Meg that’s completely ridiculous because when in this lifetime did a woman ever dump Conner? Flora, are you listening to a word I’m saying?’

‘Yes. No.’ Flora lifted her fingers to her throbbing head. ‘Sorry—I didn’t really hear you. What did you say?’

Three days had passed since Conner had ended their relationship. Three days in which she hadn’t eaten or slept. She felt as though part of her had been ripped out.

‘I was just talking about Conner.’ Evanna frowned. ‘I can’t believe a woman has dumped him because what woman in their right mind would dump him? On the other hand, I haven’t seen any broken-hearted women around the place. Everyone is behaving as they usually behave. What’s the matter with you? Why are you rubbing your head?’

‘Bad night.’ Flora curved her mouth into something that she hoped resembled a smile. ‘Too much on my mind.’

She missed him so much.

She missed sleeping in his arms, she missed their long, intimate conversations in the darkness of the night, and she missed the way he made love.