‘Naw, don’t apologize. I – I were to blame. I have a powerful feeling for you, Angus.’

He turned and looked at her. She could see the hunger in his eyes, but could feel his determination not to take her. ‘I think a canny lot of ye, Betsy. But it ain’t reet to take advantage of ye. I feel ye’s a lonely lass. I want more than just to be a balm to that loneliness.’

Betsy was quiet, for she knew the time had come to be truthful with him, but it wasn’t easy. She drew a deep breath. ‘Ta, Angus. I . . . well, afore we go further, you need to knaw sommat about me. I told a lie once, and it caused a lot of heartache to them as I love most. Naw, not just heartache, but it took two lives an’ all.’

Angus’s look changed to one of doubt. Please God, let him not reject me.

After her telling, his hand wiped the tears from her cheeks. ‘Och, me wee lassie, that’s a terrible thing for thee to deal with. But Mags is reet. That Harold was to blame. And I’m reet glad we didn’t save him that neet. Though heartsore as the lovely Montel perished; and, aye, Rory. Rory was a character. A strong man, who had some ways he followed that weren’t within the law, but he kept us villagers in meat, when it was hard for some to afford it. A good man at heart. And a sad loss.’

‘Are you saying as you don’t condemn me?’

‘Aye, and I think thee should forget it and forgive yourself, hen. Ye were tempted and gave in, but ye’re a passionate woman; and with a man like that Harold sounds, taking advantage of ye, it would take a saint not to do what ye did. And, lassie, yer revenge were brilliant, even if it did have a knock-on effect. Ye couldn’t have known that, and if ye had even suspected, ye wouldn’t have done it.’

‘So you still want to . . . well, you knaw . . . be me friend?’

‘Betsy, lassie, I want to be more than ye friend.’ His voice had deepened and his eyes misted over.

Her body swayed towards him. His arms accepted her, and gently laid her down. His kiss this time wasn’t hesitant, but deep. Her mind went briefly to the last time she’d felt like this, with Bill, and it felt as if he was saying it was all right to fall in love again.

With the sun going down over the outline of Ireland on the horizon, their love became one – binding, real and cemented, with a passionate giving to each other. When it was over, Betsy felt a peace sweep her clean of all the hurt and humiliation she had suffered. Her pain left the innermost corners of her heart and was replaced with joy. ‘I love you, Angus McFlorren, I love you.’