A Scottish Love

Chapter 6

"Only you could make an earl back out of a perfectly decent marriage, Cora. What is the matter with you?" Her father was quite clearly displeased.

"Father, it wasn't like that," Cora began, looking quietly at the blooming roses in the earl's rose garden.

"I don't care what you think it was like. You have ruined the only chance of a good marriage that you will ever have. Is it your wish to remain a spinster for the rest of your days, throwing yourself on the mercy of Alice and her betrothed?!" His bald head was flushed from anger, his pale blue eyes snapping at his youngest daughter. "I could have had a son, if you had been a boy. I wouldn't have had this problem!"

That stung. "I am a problem?"

Her father laughed humorlessly. "If it wasn't for your mother..." he stopped suddenly. He looked at Cora and deflated. He sighed, shaking his head. "Right. It's too late now. All we can do is press forward, and see if the earl knows anyone else who will offer for you."

"He did mention a school friend arriving here to visit for a few weeks. He will be here for a week before we go home."

Her father's eyes lit up for the first time since their exchange. "That's a bit of good news," he said. "I've just received a post from your mother, she wants me to return home but you and your sister will stay and finish the visit with Earl Leighton. We must stay in his good graces, after all."

Cora carefully hid her excitement at this. "When will you leave, Father?"

"Shortly after breaking my fast. I will let the earl know and leave after. Consider this my goodbye to you until you return home," he said simply.

"Yes, Father."

Her father gave her the ghost of a smile, then left the earl's rose garden behind with their quarrel. They were fortunate that the roses could not talk back or give their opinions.

Cora pondered the earl's statements from the night before. "Do not mention this to anyone, that I believe I'm your uncle. I don't want to give the gossip any more fodder than what is already. I truly believe that my sister was either carrying you in her belly when she left, or she became with child after she ran away, and had you. I believe your father is your natural father, and your parents passed you off as theirs to hide the truth, and the shame of what they had done.

"If what I suspect is the case, my sister likely died after you were born, or ran away afterwards. As others have said, you resemble my little sister rather strongly; you do not look like your older sisters. I wonder if you are even related to your family at all."

The earl had smiled then. "I would like to be your uncle; if not in fact, then in heart, for my sister's sake. I want you to visit me whenever you like, and often. I will provide you with a small dowry should you wish to be wed, and if not, then an allowance to comfortably support yourself someday. I want you to have the happiness that my sister never had, no matter where life takes you."

And then the earl embraced her tenderly, as if she was still a small girl.
Tears gathered in Cora's eyes. She wrapped her arms around the man who freely claimed her as family. A small sob escaped her, but she allowed herself no other sound, even after she took her leave, wishing him a soft good night.

Her parents would be pleased if they knew of the earl's offer, but they didn't know. And Cora certainly wasn't going to tell them. Let them stew in their judgment and bitterness, she thought angrily to herself.

There was not much to do at the moment. Catherine was visiting her love Gabrielle at Langford, where they were spending much needed alone time together. Probably naked. She shook her head in memory of accidentally catching them in a tall hedge maze during a ball at Langford several years ago. Both Gabrielle's and Catherine's dresses were unlaced, revealing bare breasts, a skirt bunched up at the waist with Gabrielle's head between widely spread legs, licking and sucking Catherine's sex. It was raw, passionate, and, from the looks of things, certainly not their first time making love.