“Then let me talk to Lorelei and I will explain it to her, too.”
Fiona shook her head once more. “Now is nae the time to make amends with Lorelei.”
“Why nae?”
“Because she is verra angry with ye.”
“Which is exactly why I need to see her.” He frowned. “I need to explain.”
“She willna listen,” Fiona replied.
“I can convince her nothing happened if I can talk to her.” His sister gave him a look as though he were a half-wit. “I can.”
“’Tis better if ye let me talk to her. I will tell her what ye told me—”
“Nae! I willna have ye fight my battles for me. Promise me ye’ll nae say a word.” He scowled. “Promise.”
Fiona scowled back. “Ye are the most stubborn—”
“Promise me. Nae a word.”
She heaved a sigh. “All right. I promise.”
“Good.” He gave a satisfactory nod. “I will tell Lorelei myself and make her see the truth.”
Fiona gave him a skeptical look. “When I told her ye were here to see her, she said,You can tell him that I will see him when bloody hell freezes over.”
Alasdair blinked. “She saidbloody hell?”
“Aye. Actually, she repeated it just in case I dinna understand.” Fiona lifted one shoulder slightly. “Or mayhap, it wasyeshe wanted to understand.”
He ran a hand through his hair and swore again. “How in hell am I going to convince her nothing happened if she willna see me?”
A bit of sympathy shone in Fiona’s eyes. “Give her some time, brother. Ye ken there is nae use trying to talk tomewhen I am angry. ’Tis the same with her.”
“But I doona have time. Mount Stuart said his wife has secured tickets for all of us—you, Lorelei, Louisa and her mother, as well as the Oakleys—to a performance at Vauxhall on Thursday night. That means Melissa will be there. I want Lorelei to ken the truth about what dinna happen before then.” He grimaced. “I canna avoid Melissa. Our clan needs her father’s support. Ye ken that. Lorelei will understand once I tell her.”
“Ye truly are an eejit if ye think Lorelei will understand ye flirting with Mel—”
“I am nae going to flirt!”
Fiona shrugged. “She will flirt with ye. Lorelei will see it’s the same thing.”
He ran his hand through his hair once more in frustration. “Then what am I going to do?”
“I doona ken,” Fiona patted his arm, “but I am afraid ye are going to have to make a decision.”
“What’s that?”
“Ye may have to choose between the duke’s support for our clan or your love for Lorelei.”
He stared at her. “The clan is depending on me. I canna make that choice!”
“Ye may have to,” Fiona said softly.
…
She probably should not have been so abrupt in her reply, but she wasn’t ready to face Alasdair just yet. She couldn’t. Lorelei paced back and forth between her bed and the window, looking out each time she reached it, to see if Alasdair had left yet.
