“Aye, dear, he is comin’ too. I’ve sent word tae bring him from wherever he is,” said Lady Drechten.
The news warmed Juliana’s heart further. Moments, that is all it had been. It was only moments ago that she thought he was lost forever, and that she would never see him again. Now, she would find him, the truth, and change her future forever.
Will that future be the one that I want? It does not matter. The truth must come out, even if it destroys everything that I have.
They did not walk for long when Lady Drechten stopped in front of a door. A maid was waiting there. The maid opened the door, and Lady Drechten strode in, Juliana followed. The maid said a few words to her Ladyship and disappeared.
The room was elegant, that was the only word that Juliana could use to describe it. There were large windows on two sides of the room, and the double windows let in streams of sunlight. A large rug adorned the wooden floor, and it almost stretched from wall to wall, hand-crafted by fine artisans.
There were paintings too. Magnificent artworks, though Juliana was no connoisseur. She only knew that she liked the paintings that presented her with green rolling hills, lakes in the sunlight, purple and blue flowers, and flowing streams. It made her feel as if she were outside.
Lady Drechten motioned to the table and chairs by the east-facing window, and Juliana obediently walked over and sat in one of them. Even the furniture was ornate. The table was wooden, with a mosaic pattern on the top, and the chairs had carvings in the legs, with sewn cushions on the seat.
As soon as Juliana sat, she felt uneasy. She was not used to being treated like this in the Castle, and especially not by Lady Drechten. She looked across to where the other woman was closing the door; she was deep in thought.
“I did not mean any offense by visiting your husband,” said Juliana.
“He doesnae know.” Lady Drechten paced the room, drawing out the suspense.
He does not know what?
Juliana sat in silence, giving the Lady a chance to finish her thought, but she did not, not immediately.
“Is Andrew coming?” Juliana was beginning to worry that she would not see him again.
“Aye, he should be here soon,” replied Lady Drechten. She was standing by the window, looking out at whatever was happening below. Juliana glimpsed out her window and could only see the forest beside them. The door opened, and Juliana almost leaped out of her chair. She did not, but her heart leaped out of her chest.
The door was swung open, but Andrew was not behind it. Juliana shifted in her chair and looked back out of the window. Two maids entered and took the trays of cakes and tea over to the table on the side of the room. They asked if they could pour the tea, but the Lady shooed them out of the room.
“It is time for things tae be made right.” Lady Drechten spoke in a dream-like way as if she did not know quite what she was saying. “Ye were listening’ tae our conversation.”
“Pardon,” said Juliana. It took her a second to catch up with what was being said, and there was more menace in the Lady’s words or, at least, the amount that she was used to. “With the Laird. I am sorry. I did not mean to eavesdrop.”
“Yet ye did, and for an awfully long time.” The menace was still there, but there was a calmness too. Lady Drechten turned and looked at Juliana.
“I did not mean to,” admitted Juliana again.
“When I looked over at the door and saw that it wasnae closed properly, I worried that someone had overheard us. When I got tae the hallway, I could see ye walkin’ away. I'd a feelin’ that ye would be on yer way tae me husband’s room. That’s where I would have gone.”
“Again, I am sorry.” Juliana blushed. She did feel ashamed that she had come straight to the Laird’s room to try and find out the truth, delving into a family history that may have nothing to do with her, but she also had a sense of pride that her actions had brought everything to a head. The truth was finally going to be told.
If only she would tell me what that truth is.
“I hope he doesnae find out.” Lady Drechten looked away again and wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. “I dinnae think that ye know the truth yet or ye would have attacked me with it. If he does find out, perhaps he'll forget it. It wouldnae be right for that tae be his last thought.”
Juliana felt more ashamed now that she had gone to the Laird. Lady Drechten was right. He was old and dying, and Juliana only wished him joy in the last moments of his life. Their conversation had brought Juliana closer to the truth, and she knew that the truth had not come to the Laird. That comforted her a little.
“Again, I am—”
“I ken, I ken,” said Lady Drechten. She waved her hand in the air as if batting away a fly. “I dinnae blame ye for what ye did. Ye want the truth, so ye’ll get it.”
Again, silence hung in the air. Juliana waited and kept a careful eye on the door. Lady Drechten opened the window slightly and allowed the breeze to flow around the room, a welcome addition to the stuffiness that was inside. A bird could be heard outside, perched on a branch somewhere, singing.
When Juliana could not take it any longer, she spoke. “So, what is the truth?” She felt more ashamed for asking after what she had put the lady through, but she had to know. Lady Drechten was finding it hard to talk, and Juliana hoped that she could coerce the truth out of her.
“We should wait for Andrew,” announced Lady Drechten. “How about some tea while we wait?”
“That would be nice,” As soon as she said it, she began to panic. It would be nice, sitting here with her future-sister-in law, if that was still a possibility, sipping tea, eating cakes, waiting for the man she had developed feelings for, and finding out the truth.
The entire situation was too nice. Lady Drechten had never acted like this, not once since she had arrived, and now she was treating Juliana like family. The Lady had been angered before when Juliana had stuck her nose in where it did not belong, but now, when her deepest secrets were about to be discovered, she was congenial.
It put Juliana on edge. If the Lady had been angry or bitter or annoyed, it would have put her more at ease, but she was pleasant and forgiving. Perhaps she had accepted her fate, and knew that the truth was coming out.
Or, perhaps, she does not intend the truth to ever come out.
Juliana gasped when she realized that Lady Drechten was standing in front of her, holding out a cup. A smile was on her face, and Juliana took the cup, bringing a smile to her own lips, though she was sure that the Lady saw straight through it.
Juliana studied her face as she took the cup, trying to find something there. She only found warmth and kindness, and that worried her further.
“Is Laird Lochenbrew coming?” asked Juliana.
“Nae, he doesnae need tae know about this,” was the reply that came. The Lady turned her back and started to place cakes on a plate. One, two, three, four, as if the act were automatic. Juliana raised the cup to her lips, and that was when the Lady turned, ever so slightly.
She had been on edge sitting there, witnessing the Lady being kind to her, but the glance from the Lady shot through her like an arrow. The way that she was putting the cakes on the plate was more about having something for her hands to do than anything else, and the look across the room was clouded in suspicion.
She wants to watch me drinking from the cup.
The thought just popped into her head. She had the funniest feeling that the Lady was trying to poison her. Juliana did not know where it had come from, but it sat in her mind like an unwelcome visitor. The cup was only inches from her mouth, and the Lady had looked away as Juliana had stopped the cup in mid-air.
What do I do?
Juliana looked down at the cup before her. It was full of tea, that much was apparent, and she scanned the surface of the liquid, looking for something, but came back empty. There was nothing out of the ordinary, no discoloration, no difference in viscosity, no sheen that would suggest poison had been added, yet Juliana was sur
e.
Lady Drechten had stopped placing the cakes on the plate and was fumbling around, not doing much, while her hands moved all over the table. Juliana had never feared for her life more than she did at that moment. Even when she had been captured by the bandits, she had not feared death, but she did now.
Juliana’s hand trembled, and the handle of the cup slipped from her grasp. The cup and saucer tumbled to the ground with a crash.
“I do not know what came over me.” She looked down at what was left of them. She had purposefully dropped the tea, and watched, with some satisfaction, as the ceramic had smashed on the floor, a few large pieces, and some shards that splayed across almost to the rug.
What am I doing? Secrets upon secrets, and now I suspect the Lady of trying to poison me?
“What did ye dae?” The venom was back, and Juliana looked up, more afraid, as the Lady stormed over, her regular look of disgust plastered back on her face. But, like the changing weather, that storm fizzled out, and the sky became calm, yet overcast, as Lady Drechten mastered her anger.
“I felt faint,” lied Juliana.
“Aye, it’s fine.” Lady Drechten’s face was a puzzle. Juliana had no idea what the secret was, and no proof that the Lady wanted to kill her. The slight changes on the Lady’s face were under more scrutiny, and Juliana could not tell what they meant. She only wanted to run from here and find Andrew.
If I can hold out long enough, Andrew will either come or he will not, then I will know for sure if the Lady has lied about that.
“Let me get ye another cup,” suggested Lady Drechten.
“Do not feel the need to send down on my behalf.” Juliana, again, would have been less worried if the Lady had shouted at her, but this show of kindness only bolstered the fact that she meant harm.
“Ye can have me cup,” said Lady Drechten. “I dinnae feel like tea yet, sit yerself down, and I’ll pour ye another cup. Andrew should be here soon.”
Juliana did not believe her, but she did not have many options. “Please do not go out of your way, I can wait too.”
“Dinnae be silly,” said Lady Drechten. “Take another cup, and we can have some cake together.”
“That would be nice.” Juliana looked around the room once more as Lady Drechten went back to the table. There was only one route of escape, and Juliana was not sure that she was brave enough to try it. She also knew that she was not going to drink the tea, but she could not pretend to spill it again.
You did not call the maid to clean it up. I would have called the maid immediately, but you do not want anyone else in the room, do you?
It was too late. Lady Drechten had poured another cup of tea and was walking back with it. This time, she had a smile on her face, and that was what worried Juliana the most.
Is your hand shaking?
“Well, are ye goin’ tae take the cup?”
Juliana stared at the cup and the woman before her. In an instant, she was on her feet. There was the sound of a second cup crashing to the floor, and the feel of liquid splashing, not hot enough to burn. Juliana pushed her way past Lady Drechten and dashed across the floor.
She had no idea where she was going, she had to get out of the room, and a plan could be formed after that. Outside, the birds sang, unaware of the life and death situation going on inside. The air had warmed, and a pile of cakes sat on the table at the side of the room, it would have been a pleasant afternoon if it were not for the poison.
Juliana grasped onto the handle and opened the door, seeing the freedom that lay beyond, no matter how fleeting that freedom would be. But, as soon as the door was opened, it was slammed shut with a bang, the Lady getting to the door a moment after Juliana.
The slamming door sounded like the crack of a gun. Juliana did not have time to do anything before she was spun around, and a knife was put to her throat. The cold, sharp steel took her back to when she had been captured by the bandits, though Andrew would not be coming this time. He had no idea that she was up here with a blade about to cut her.
“That was a mistake,” said Lady Drechten.
“You tried to poison me.” Juliana wanted to cry, but she pushed her sobs deep down inside. She was not yet dead, and hope began to return. Lady Drechten had tried to poison her, but killing someone with a knife was a different matter, and she would have done it by now if she could.
“Aye, ye’re a smart lass,” said Lady Drechten.
Her heart was beating so quickly that Juliana was sure that the Lady could hear it too. There was still time, she only had to work out how to get out of this situation. The Lady did not want to kill her with the knife, but the poison was different. Yet, Juliana was sure that a compromise could be reached that would benefit them both.
The lie formed on her lips and came out before she had time to think it through. “If you give me money, I will leave here and never say a word.”
“What?” Lady Drechten was taken aback.
“Your secret will be safe with me.”
“Ye dinnae even know me secret,” the Lady countered.
That much was true, but Juliana pushed her luck a little. “That is true, but I do know that you have one. I know that you also know of my family’s situation, thanks to your brother. Give me some money, I will return home, and you will never hear from me again.”
Lady Drechten was doubtful.
“I am sure that if the right people were told, then some digging would reveal a great many secrets," said Juliana.
Anger shot through Lady Drechten’s face, but she brought it under control. “Ye’ll have enough money when ye marry the Laird.”
“But you do not want to have me around, do you? I would be a constant reminder, just like Andrew is.”
“What is there to stop me from killin’ ye?” asked Lady Drechten. “I could dae so quickly, and then kill Andrew.”
Juliana put some thought into it, more for show as the plan formed around her words. “You do not want to kill me, you want to kill Andrew, and I can help give you a reason to do so. I can help you to get rid of him.”
“Ye expect me tae believe that ye would kill him? I know about the two of ye, dinnae try and hide it,” scoffed Lady Drechten.
“I am most certainly not going to kill him, and neither are you,” admitted Juliana. “But, Laird Lochenbrew will, if he is given the right provocation.”
“Well, I dinnae know about that.” The Lady seemed to be thinking about it.
Juliana knew then that she had the Lady hooked. The knife wavered slightly at Juliana’s throat, and she decided to push her luck even more.
“It will give him a chance to make amends for six-and-twenty years ago when he could not kill him the first time.” Everything was falling into place for Juliana.
“Aye,” whispered the Lady.
Juliana reached up and placed her hands around the Lady’s hand, on the hilt of the dagger. She lowered the knife from her own neck, and let it drop to the Lady’s side.
“You go to Laird Lochenbrew’s side, and make sure that he is in the courtyard, where everyone can see. I will go and find Andrew and bring him there. You need to give me a little time to get there,” said Juliana.
Lady Drechten was wary again. “Not too much time. If ye try tae escape, I will kill ye, and Andrew too. It’ll be a good excuse tae be done with the pair of ye.”
“I know that you will,” admitted Juliana. “But, I have no intention of risking my life any more than I have. I only want the money to help my family, and I can go back to my former life.
“Aye,” agreed Lady Drechten, before adding, “just tae be safe, I’ll send a guard with ye.”
“There is no need for that,” said Juliana.
“Oh, I think that there is,” said Lady Drechten.
Juliana tried to protest, but she could not protest too much, or the Lady would know that something was up. The rope was pulled, the bell rung, and a maid appeared soon after. She was instructed to call the Lady’s personal guard, and two men w
ere soon in the room. One man accompanied each lady as they went their separate ways.
Lady Drechten still had a look of distrust on her face, but Juliana had convinced her enough. She had hoped to go to Andrew alone and make a final stop on the way there, but she would have to improvise. She was walking a fine line now, but she was getting closer and closer to the truth.
I only have to find the missing pieces, and set the truth free, once and for all.
23
The Kiss Of Death
Andrew packed the bags into the carriage and tended to his bruised ego. He had not known until that morning that he would be leaving and returning to Lochenbrew Castle. In fact, he had not known until that morning what his fate was to hold. So far, everything was returning to the way that it had been, with one exception.
Consumed By The Lost Highlander (Steamy Scottish Historical Romance) Page 21