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Jean was making an effort toward her. There had
been some awkwardness from them initially, for Chloris had been Tamhas’s ward
before he’d met Jean.
    Within the hour the carriage had returned and the two women had
readied themselves for the outing. As the coachman set off and the carriage
jolted along the lane in the direction of Saint Andrews, Chloris noticed that
Jean seemed much enlivened by the prospect of visiting the town. Wisps of her
chestnut hair escaped her bonnet as she turned her face eagerly to the carriage
window. With one hand she held back the curtain for a better view, while the
other toyed with the brooch that fastened her cloak at her collarbone neck. Her
eyes were bright, and the pale pink glow on her skin was most becoming. It made
Chloris smile, for she, too, had found the Keavey household oppressive as a
young woman. Not so now, when her life situation had changed drastically.
Torquil House was akin to a refuge. Jean was younger than Chloris and appeared
to struggle with her role as mistress of the house. She had been married to
Tamhas for over four years and had quickly fallen pregnant with twin boys.
Chloris did not feel jealousy. It was a kind of wistful sadness she experienced,
because she could not fulfill her female obligation to her husband in the same
way.
    Jean caught her smiling and returned it. “I am enjoying your
company, cousin,” she said, projecting her voice over the rattles and creaks of
the carriage. “It is not often that we have visitors.”
    It seemed to be an offering of friendship, for which Chloris
was grateful. “And I yours. I appreciate you allowing me to visit.”
    Her comments seemed to put Jean at ease. Was that what she
needed, to feel it was her choice to have Chloris as visitor?
    Jean brushed her cloak with her hand, apparently busying
herself. “It was difficult for me at first,” she continued. “Tamhas speaks most
fondly about you, and I know you were close after the demise of your
family.”
    Chloris attempted to hide her surprise. Had Jean made a
deliberately provocative statement in order to gain an honest response, to get
the truth? Jean looked quite sincere. “It was a challenge for him, taking
responsibility for a grieving young woman. And it was most kind of him to do so,
and to find me a respectable match when the time came.”
    Jean’s eyebrows lifted. Apparently that was not what she’d
expected to hear. It made Chloris curious. She did not want to pursue it lest it
upset Jean. They had only just found common ground. Chloris did not want to lose
that.
    Was it true, though, that Tamhas spoke fondly of her? It was
far from her experience. When she had been foisted on him as his ward, there
were many difficult times. When she grieved her loved ones, he became annoyed.
He ignored her and traveled abroad, leaving her to her books and memories. When
Tamhas eventually returned, he was sure of himself and ambitious. He assumed
control of her, then expected things she could not agree to. He began to hint at
their union—first, a union of the flesh. If she pleased him, he might wed her.
The pressure of such a proposition for an innocent, grieving woman with no
guiding female in her life was immense. Tamhas gave her time, determined, it
seemed, to have her. Ultimately Chloris could not warm to the terms, or to him.
When his initial plan for her failed, Tamhas treated her as a pawn that he could
barter with in order to gain prestige and power. By then she was already beyond
the ideal age to wed and it took a while longer before he struck an agreement
with Gavin Meldrum of Edinburgh. It was with relief that Chloris accepted
Gavin’s proposal, unaware that the situation she would encounter in Edinburgh
would be even worse than what she had known at Torquil.
    It was because of her past relationship with Tamhas that
Chloris had not visited Torquil before. Not until Gavin had insisted. However,
Chloris found her cousin to be a more mellow master of the house,