The Man She Should Have Married

She had bought it in London, after that terrible meeting when the true state of the family finances had been spelled out to her by Douglas.

Leaving the accountant’s office, she had been so angry and upset. With her parents for their absurd and selfish extravagances. But more so with herself.

It had all been for nothing. That had been her first thought. She had given Farlan up and it had all been for nothing. All those long, lonely years she had spent embracing the pain had been worthless.

She was going to lose Lamington anyway.

She bit her lip. Even then he had never been far from her thoughts.

Nothing had changed, and yet everything had changed.

Over these last two days she had allowed herself to be a ‘normal’ woman, with feelings and needs. She had confronted the past and let go of it. For the first time in a long time, maybe ever, she liked herself.

And Farlan liked her too.

She thought back to that moment in the restaurant when he had finally told her about his grandparents. He clearly still missed them. Otherwise why would someone like him—someone so gifted at communicating, at telling stories—find talking about them so hard?

It hurt, knowing that he carried that pain, those bad memories. But tonight she was going to make sure they made some good ones.

Even though she was expecting him, the knock on the door startled her. Heart bumping, she picked up the hem of her skirt and made her way downstairs to the front door.

Farlan stood outside, his broad shoulders filling the porch. She had been expecting him to wear white tie and tails, but he was wearing a traditional Prince Charlie jacket, white shirt, ghillie shoes and a Drummond tartan kilt.

He looked devastatingly handsome and romantic.

‘You look beautiful, Nia,’ he said softly.

‘Thank you.’ She swallowed. ‘I’ve never seen you in a kilt.’ Or anything remotely tartan.

‘Tom’s chuffed to bits.’ He grimaced. ‘We’re going to have to send them a photo or my life won’t be worth living.’

Her eyes gleamed. She knew he was wearing it for her, and the fact that he would do that made a lightness spread through her whole body, so that she felt as if she might float away.

Taking her hand, he pulled her against him and kissed her softly on the mouth. ‘Time to go to the ball, Cinderella.’

She felt the muscles in his face move as he smiled.

‘I couldn’t find any mice, so no coachmen, I’m afraid.’

She glanced past his shoulder at the sleek, dark sports car. ‘Looks like we won’t be needing any.’

The glare from the supercar’s headlights skimmed the hedges, tunnelling swiftly through the darkness so that they reached Castle Kilvean in just under half an hour.

After a short time spent in the queue of cars moving slowly along the drive, they were walking upstairs towards the huge ballroom.

‘Lady Antonia Elgin and Mr Farlan Wilder.’

As the announcer called out their names Nia felt a shiver run down her spine. How many times had she dreamed of this exact moment? Only of course in her dreams she had been Mrs Antonia Wilder.

Farlan’s wife—not just his temporary lover.

It was what she still wanted to be.

Her heart felt so full she was suddenly afraid it would burst.

‘Nia?’

Farlan was looking at her, his eyes narrowed on her face.