“But surely five minutes will not be the cause of any issues. Let me run for a few moments and be free. Do you have any idea what it feels like to be trapped?”
Felix dropped his shoulders as he glanced about the open room. With no one around he sighed.
“All right, five minutes. But if the Laird finds out–”
“He won’t. I swear to you, we just have to be quick,” Cleopatra said as her eyes shifted around, wondering who else may have heard their conversation. Her heart jumped for joy at the prospect of being able to go outside, even if it was just for a few moments.
It wasn’t that the castle was small, it was quite grand, compared to her father’s estate and there was still plenty of rooms for her to explore and get lost in, but nothing compared to the freedom that she felt seeing the open sky and hearing the birds chirp and the bees buzz.
As she quickened her pace and scurried down the hallway, she kept her head on a swivel, glancing into each room before she passed through open doors. She wondered whether or not Jude would catch her. Although she knew that her husband-to-be wouldn’t be too harsh on her, she did wonder what he would do to Felix if he ever found out.
I must be smart about this. Cunning like I had been in my father’s house. Although, at my father’s house, there weren’t a lot of people looking out for me. Still, I think I can do this. And it won’t be for very long. If we are caught, I will say I needed fresh air and the door was the closest thing to open.
As they reached the end of the corner, she paused and glanced about. The side door was but a few feet from her and she could almost smell the freshly trimmed grass and the sweet perfume of the flowers that were in bloom. Quickly she shuffled across the hallway and put her hand on the doorknob.
Pulling in a deep breath, she started to turn the knob but noticed it moved on its own. Retracting her hand, she whipped her head to Felix to shoo him back just as the door flew open. Her eyes widened as she stepped back; with his arms crossed over his chest and eyebrows arched Jude stared at her, a crooked little smile drifted over his lips as she stepped back from him.
“Are ye goin’ somewhere?” Jude asked as he shifted his gaze from Cleo to Felix and back again.
“No, just needed some fresh air is all,” Cleo said sharply as she turned on her heels and began walking away. There was no hiding her irritation with Jude. After all, it had been weeks since she spoke to him after he made his decree. Deep down she understood why Jude put her under lock and key, but it still didn’t feel right.
“Cleo,” Jude called for her but she did not stop. She kept moving further away, wondering if she would be able to make it to the other end of the castle and slip out the opposite side door before Jude caught up with her.
“Cleopatra, ye can stop now.” Jude’s tone was harsh, and it startled her to hear it.
Instantly she paused and turned to face Jude. He was closer than she expected him to be. He reached out and curled his fingers around her arm ever so gently for a moment. She wondered whether or not he was going to pull her back into her room and make her stay there. She could feel the rage boiling in her just waiting for him to give the order that would force her back into her confinement.
“I ken ye’re goin’ stir crazy,” Jude said in a soft tone as if Felix wasn’t even in the room or anywhere near them. It was almost as if it were just him and her standing before each other like they had done so many times before. She could feel the tension mounting around them as she tried not to let her irritation with him show.
“I have a surprise for ye,” Jude said.
“What if I don’t want it?” Cleo said shifting her gaze away from Jude onto anything other than his face.
“I think ye’re goin’ to like this one,” he said.
“Is it another distraction to keep me content locked up in the room?” she asked as she nudged her arm out of his grasp.
Jude rolled his shoulders as he straightened his stance. She could hear him breathing heavily and feel his eyes on her. Slowly she looked up at him and noticed that there was no anger in his stance or in his face. In fact, his entire demeanor had softened.
“I ken it’s been unfair of me to keep ye locked in the house for so long,” he said, “but ye ken I was just tryin’ to keep ye safe.”
“So, you locked me in the house with the potential murderer, and you find that safe?” she asked. “That makes no sense at all. If anything, you would want us out of the castle and at some other grounds where the perpetrator is not there.”
“I could do that, but then I’d never see ye,” he said. “So, I’ve come up with a compromise.”
“Have you now?”
“I can teach ye how to defend yerself so that way I don’t worry about ye.”
Cleopatra’s eyes narrowed as her eyebrows arched. She stared at him suspiciously, trying to figure out what it was that he was planning.
“You want me to learn how to use a sword?” she asked with a half chuckle. Jude shook his head as his crooked smile pulled at his lips.
“Daenae be absurd, ye would never be able to swing one even if I showed ye how to use it. Ye’re much too fragile. However, the bow and arrow may just be the weapon for ye. It’s light and easy to use,” he said, “would ye care to learn?”
“Is this something that can be done outside. Or are you going to set up the targets in the grand hall?”
“Actually, I have them set up outside in the courtyard. I wanted it to be a surprise for ye.”
“You’re allowing me to go outside today?”
“I figured ye would be with me. Plus, Felix and Aidan will be outside as well. So, what do ye say? Care to join me outside for a wee bit of fun?”
Cleo mulled over the idea of learning how to use a bow and arrow. It had been a weapon that her father insisted she never touched. According to him, it was only for the noble and cunning. Cleopatra was thrilled to be able to learn something new. Setting her irritation aside, she nodded her head.
“Yes, I would love to. Anything to get outside for a few hours.”
Jude’s smile stretched across his lips as he extended his hand to her. Cleopatra glanced at him for a moment before slipping her hand into his and allowing him to lead her out of the side door and into the open courtyard.
She smiled as the sun hit her skin and warmed her face. It seemed like an eternity since the last time she had felt the grass under foot. A part of her wanted to kick off her shoes and just go running, but she knew that if she did, Jude may take it the wrong way and keep her locked up even longer.
Glancing to her left, she saw hay targets set up on one end and a quiver of arrows with the bow leaning against it. She turned and looked to Jude, stunned by what she’d seen. After all, she had thought that it was just a joke that he was trying to get her outside, but clearly learning how to shoot was his top priority for her.
“In the back of my mind, I thought that you were just jesting with me. I half expected a picnic of sorts,” Cleo said as she began walking over to the bow and arrows waiting for her at the other end of the field.
“Do ye nae think that it would be wise for ye to learn how to do this?” Jude asked as he followed closely behind her.
“No, I think it’s a lovely idea. I just wasn’t expecting it.”
“Well, shall we begin?” Jude asked as he lifted the bow and handed it to her. “I had this one made especially for ye.”
“And why did you do that?” Cleo asked as she studied the wooden bow in her hand.
The wood had been etched and it had little flowers that raced up to the point where the string met the wood. It wasn’t nearly as heavy as she thought it would be. Nor was it like the other bows she had seen that were merely hunks of wood with no decorations to them at all. To her untrained eyes, they simply looked like twigs bent to an arch and tied down with string.
“Do ye like it?” Jude asked. “I had hoped that it would be a weddin’ gift, but I’m afraid that event is goin’ to have to be postponed a wee bit lon
ger.”
“It is lovely,” Cleopatra said as she ran her thumb over the little flowers that lined the ridge of the bow.
“All right then, let’s see what ye can do,” Jude said as he walked around her. Cleopatra was highly aware of how close Jude was to her. The last time that he was in such proximity, they had been rolling around the bed and her body yearned for him to hold her like that once more, but she knew being out in the open those moments would have to wait.
“Take the bow and hold it up in front of ye. Now simply slip the notch of the arrow into the string and use yer knuckles to hold the arrow up in place…Good.”
Cleopatra did as she was told and found the little notch at the end of the arrow where it met the bow. The feathers that stuck out tickled her nose as she studied the point of the arrow that seemed to be made of a shiny stone. She placed the arrow on top of her knuckles and slowly pulled the string back. The arrow shifted and moved away from her knuckles. Had she not been pinching the feathers of the arrow it would have fallen from her.
Frustrated, she tried to steady the arrow once more on her knuckles and pull back, but again the arrow shifted, making it nearly impossible to keep it straight. Irritated, she lowered the arrow and the bow, and turned to Jude. “What am I doing wrong?”
“Ye’re holdin’ the arrow too tight. Ye daenae need to pinch it so hard. It will pull back with the string,” he said as he cupped his hand around hers.
“Now pull in a deep breath and exhale. On the next breath, I want ye to pull back the string and release as ye exhale.”
Nodding, Cleopatra understood completely what she needed to do. Yet all she could think about was Jude standing behind her, holding her hand. She pulled in a deep breath as instructed and she pulled back the string of the bow, as she exhaled, she released the arrow.
She held her breath as she watched the arrow shoot from the bow and soar across the field before diving directly into the grass without reaching the target. Jude’s soft laughter filled her ear as they both watched the arrow miss its target completely.
“Well, that’s a good start,” Jude said. “I’m impressed that ye got it that far.”
“Maybe the targets are too far away for me. Perhaps we should move them closer,” Cleopatra said as her face scrunched with displeasure at failing to hit the target.
“Nonsense. They are at the right settin’. Ye just need to pull back and have a bit more conviction when ye release. I want ye to feel the tension in the bow and have it bend to yer will. A little more strength, and ye’ll see the arrow fly to yer target.”
Mumbling under her breath, Cleopatra reached for a second arrow. Jude stepped back from her but kept his hands on her shoulders. The warmth of his hands on her caused the fire within her to ignite. She found herself wanting to please him and wanting to get this done correctly.
Perhaps if he sees that I can handle myself, he won’t have such rigid rules for me. I’ve got to make the shot.
Cleopatra slipped the arrow head onto her knuckles and ensured that the back of the arrow with the feathers found its groove in the string. She rose it slowly and pulled back with all she had. She noticed this time the bow had bent to her will and as she exhaled, she released the arrow. A high-pitched whistle startled her as the arrow released from the bow and soared through the air before finally crashing dead center onto the target. Pride filled her as she turned around and jumped up and down.
“Well done,” Jude said as he looked at her approvingly. “Seems ye maybe a natural.”
“Do you think that maybe if I get a little bit better, I won’t need Felix to escort me everywhere? It’s gettin’ quite irritatin’ seein’ him everywhere I go.”
Jude’s shoulders dropped as did his expression. He glared at her for a moment before shaking his head. “Under nay circumstance are ye to go anywhere without an escort.”
“Then, what’s the point of learning how to do this if I can’t be on my own?” Cleo asked. “Please. I cannot remain cooped up in that castle like a prisoner. There have been no attempts recently.”
“That is because the security has been heightened. The minute I let ye roam free will be the moment I’ll lose ye. Who’s to say that somethin’ isn’t goin’ to happen to ye or to me son?” Jude said crossing his arms over his chest and scowling at her.
“You might as will just lock me up in the dungeon or the tower or someplace you can keep me absolutely secluded. But just so you know, there’s no place that’s going to be safe. You can’t protect every room every single hour of the day.” Cleopatra looked at Jude as she lowered the bow and set it against the quiver of arrows. She moved to him slowly and pressed her hands to his chest.
“I understand where you’re coming from but you are overreacting. There is no place that’s going to be safe until the person is caught, and until you catch them you will be fearful. You can’t let that fear rule you.”
“Until I am absolutely positive that the reign of terror has stopped, ye will do as I say.”
Rage boiled within her and Cleopatra dropped her hands from his chest.
“Fine,” she said, scowling at him. “Thank you for at least taking me outside today. I will savor the fresh air and the warm sun but don’t think for a minute that I’m grateful that you’re keeping me trapped inside. You are being ridiculous.”
Before Jude could say another word, Cleo stormed off. She pulled open the side door and rushed into the castle. The sound of Felix’s boots clambering against the stone floor was an indicator that he was closely following her as per Jude’s orders.
She thought for a moment about quickening her pace to see whether or not she would be able to lose him, but it wouldn’t matter whether or not she did. She wouldn’t be the one to get in trouble. It would be Felix. The last thing that she wanted was for anyone to have to deal with Jude’s temper.
Cleopatra raced upstairs and bolted to her room. She slammed the door on Felix and threw herself on the bed.
This isn’t fair, what does he expect is going to happen? How long does he expect to keep this up?
Cleo sobbed as she stared at the baby blue sky with the white soft clouds that drift lazily by. A part of her wanted to scream and find a way to escape like she had done so many times in her father’s house. And for a moment, she let the idea play out in her mind.
She knew how to use her sheets as a rope to climb out of the window. Yet then where would she go? She knew she’d be caught at the gate and just brought right back to her room. Slowly, she rose from her bed and walked over to the window to gauge how far the drop would be when she heard the rapping on the door.
“Cleo, please may I enter?”
Cleopatra’s shoulders dropped as she sighed heavily. “Come in.”
The door creaked open and she didn’t have to turn to know that Jude was standing in the doorway. She couldn’t bear the sight of him, knowing that he was the cause of her anguish and grief.
“I beg ye, please, daenae be angry with me,” he said, stepping into the room. “Ye ken that I care for ye.”
“Yes, as I care for you, but you have to understand, you can’t control everything. Things are going to happen and it’s better to live a full life with adventure, than one that is secluded and lonely. You do know what you’re doing to Hugh, keeping him locked up in here. I’m not the only one suffering,” Cleo said as she turned around.
She had hoped that her words were striking him as hard as his words struck her earlier. He pressed his lips into a tight line and nodded.
“Ye think I daenae see what I’m doin’ to him? It pains me to see the both of ye mopin’ around as ye are, but what else can I do? How else am I supposed to protect ye?”
Pity replaced her anger and Cleo moved to Jude. She pressed her hands onto his chest and tried to catch his eye.
“You have to learn to let go of the what-ifs in this life. There is no guarantee that anyone is going to live forever, and there is no guarantee that anyone’s going to get hurt. You just have to ha
ve faith that everything is going to work out. I get that you’re scared, and bad things are happening all around us, but that can’t be an excuse for you to stop living and to lock everyone up. We are not as fragile as you think we are,” Cleopatra said as she reached up and cupped Jude’s face.
He nodded slowly as he stared at her.
“Have faith that everything is going to be fine. Trust that your guards will do the right thing and protect your son and protect me. But they do have a life of their own. You do realize that you have caused them to miss out on important events. Felix has not seen his family since you had him posted at my door. How many lives are you’re going to uproot because you’re scared?”
“How is it that ye’re so wise?” Jude asked as he brushed the back of his fingertips over her cheeks.
Highlander’s Wicked Temptation: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel Page 16