"Running away?" Charlotte snarled. "It's that stowaway your sister found on the ship, isn't it? You are in love with her. Do not deny it; I have seen how you look at her."
"Charlotte, stop." McKenna said, as Hannish guided her around the angry woman.
Charlotte was not yet finished. "I saw Hannish carry her up the stairs…I know what happened!"
As soon as they were out the door, Hannish raised his hand to signal Egan, but Charlotte was still yelling behind them so he did not wait. Instead, he hurried his sister down the street. "I hate you!" he heard Charlotte scream.
By the time they got to the carriage, he could no longer hear Charlotte. He helped McKenna in, climbed in beside her and closed the door. Then he tapped on the window to let Egan know they were ready. When he looked back, Claymore was holding a weeping Charlotte back, and several of the ball guests were standing outside watching.
They were halfway home before McKenna asked, "Is it true? Have you fallen in love with Sassy?"
"I already have a wife."
"That is not what I asked."
"McKenna, what sort of man lets himself love a woman who is not his wife? I cannae, indeed must not love again…ever. I am fond of Sassy, she is very easy to be fond of, but I still love the woman I thought I married."
"That woman does not exist."
He sighed. "How well I know."
"I would not blame you if you did fall in love with Sassy someday, yet I caution you - if you are convinced divorcing Olivia is the wrong thing to do, do not let Sassy love a man she can never have. It is too cruel and it would drive her away from us, perhaps into the arms of the wrong man."
"I shall not let that happen."
He stared out the window into the darkness for a long time before he spoke again, "Do I know him?"
"Who?"
"The married man you fell in love with?"
McKenna closed her eyes. "He was not married at the time."
"But he is now?"
"Aye, he chose Mariam's money instead, and he knew he would all along. He said all the words I longed to hear, but when love cannae be, those same words torture the very soul."
"So you boarded a ship and fled to America."
"What else could I do? I could not bear to be in the same world as he, let alone the same country."
"I am glad you did. He is not the sort of man I would wish you to marry. Someday, you shall find one who is worthy."