Richard looked at her with compassion in his eyes and she felt it bore through her. It was as if her heart was collapsing in on itself under the weight of his kindness and softness toward her. “I understand. Well, perhaps I do not. I have never had that sort of friendship, but I have had dear friends and I have worried for them on many an occasion. I have watched friends be cut down in battle and I have wept for them. So, while I have not had the fortune of such closeness, I have borne the burden of mourning them.
“I am sorry that you have to live with such an unknown right now, Miss MacGowan. Please accept my sympathies and know that I will do what I can to help you find your friends,” Richard promised.
Adeline melted under his words. Her heart was full to bursting and she began to wonder how such a man was possible. Were there many men this gentle and soft and kind? Or was he truly the only one, as he seemed to be? She could not imagine that there were other such men like him in the entire world.
“Ye’re far too kind to me,” Adeline said softly. She felt undeserving of his behavior. At the same time, she felt that it was right, that it was just who he was. This was Richard Holloway in his most honest form. She was the woman fortunate enough to be the recipient of such kindness.
Adeline was elated at such an idea. To feel so much affection coming from him seemed too great a hope, and yet she allowed herself to do just that.
“You are a woman that I can easily be kind to. I am thankful for your openness to this foolish Hanoverian,” Richard said.
“Ye are anything but foolish. Ye have been good to us. We are thankful for men like ye who have taken care with us as we try to fight this war. I ken that ye are technically an enemy, but ye have been so kind. And like Douglas, ye have held an open mind,” she replied.
Adeline was unsure exactly how much it was appropriate to compliment Richard, but she desired him to know how deeply she appreciated him. “Not to mention that ye saved me life just back there. I do owe ye a great deal. Ye have proven yerself a hero in me eyes. I mean, ye fought yer own men for the sake of ours,” she added lightly.
“I did very little to fight,” Richard replied bitterly.
“Ye spoke to them. Ye tried to stop them. There’s nothing more we could have asked for,” Adeline said.
“I could have fought…”
“No, ye couldnae have. They’re yer men. Ye may be nothing like them, but they are still yer kinsmen. They are on yer side. Ye couldnae have fought them, not really,” she said. “It would have been just as wrong as what they did.”
Richard nodded and Adeline watched him read his thoughts. She was right. He knew she was right. He was thankful that she saw it that way. At least those were the thoughts she was hoping he had.
Adeline truly believed it though; she couldn’t imagine how hard the decision must have been for him to stand up to those men. She wished she had seen it. She had heard some discussion, but only caught bits and pieces as she attempted to hide before the shooting began all over again and she had to run.
Knowing that it had been Richard, this man, this Hanoverian man, who had tried to protect them all, it made her wonder at his character and his integrity. He was a true hero, a warrior even.
“So, do you want to sleep out here?” he asked jokingly.
“Certainly not!” Adeline laughed. The sun was finally gone and the purple hues of the sky were drowning into the black. Night was falling; they would have to find a place to stay for the night and they would have to find it soon.
“Do not worry. I would never keep you out here in the cold. Do you think we could ride on a little bit further? I imagine it will not be pleasant out here much longer,” Richard said, almost as a warning.
“Yes, I suppose we should move on. But…my purse…” Adeline said, realizing that she had no money with her. How embarrassing! Here Richard had rescued her and now she was unable even to pay for them to stay in an inn or somewhere that they might be able to be comfortable for the night. She had already eaten, but he might not have…
“Please, don’t worry. I have enough with me. I was out the majority of the day getting things I needed, and that involved bringing money,” he said with a laugh.
“We will most certainly reimburse ye for any expenses once we return to the castle. Or-” Adeline realized that she should have no expectations of Richard joining her at Dunmore or taking her the whole way back.
“What I mean to say is, I will have money sent to ye from Dunmore. Of course I imagine ye need to return to yer camp. But I will send it with a messenger. Will he be safe coming to the fort?” she asked.
Richard looked at her and a smile tugged on his lips. “Why don’t you reimburse me when we arrive, together, at Dunmore and I have seen that you are safely at home with a full stomach,” he said, inching closer to her and, once again, giving Adeline the sensation of comfort.
“Ye really are far too kind,” she said again. It seemed to have become something of a mantra for her in speaking to Richard. He had taken such good care of her. How could she ever truly thank him?
“Perhaps I am, or perhaps I am just the right amount of kind that I need to be. Whatever it is, we had best be on our way. I learned before that you need no assistance, but might I help you up anyway? It is the gentlemanly thing to do,” he said, offering Adeline his hand to assist her in mounting the steed.
Adeline looked at Richard’s hand and back to his face. He was charming, handsome, and altogether a good man. She took his hand and allowed him to lift her onto the horse effortlessly.
“Thank ye,” she said, a little breathlessly.
“It’s nothing. I am happy to help you in any way. Not just this evening and not just with the tragedy you faced tonight. But always, any time. Whenever you find yourself in need, please do not hesitate to come to me for help,” he urged.
Adeline was glad for the darkness. She felt the blush on her cheeks and worried how Richard might respond should he see it. She didn’t want him to know she was so intrigued by him, and so deeply touched by his character.
Richard mounted behind her again.
“So, there is a village that should be fairly nearby. In fact, if I have followed our path correctly, it is perhaps only a half hour’s ride. And it is certainly possible that my friends made it there,” Adeline said.
“That is good news. Where should we go?” he asked.
“Northwest. Just a little west, mostly north,” Adeline replied, trying to picture the path in her mind. “There is a road that will take us, just through the trees. Truly, if I’m right, we arnae far at all.”
“I imagine you have a better idea than I do, so northwest it is,” Richard replied.
A Place To Rest Your Head
“You were right, the road was easy to find,” Richard said as his steed clipped his hooves along the semi-cobbled road.
They were heading northwest as planned and he could sense there was a village nearby. Little lights flickered up ahead and he was sure they were coming from windows of homes that could not be seen against the dark sky.
“I think I see the village up ahead,” Adeline said.
“Yes, I do as well. You truly are amazing, Miss MacGowan. I am grateful that you know the land so well,” he complimented. Richard sensed that her silence was one of slight embarrassment at his compliment. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, but she was so sweet and he couldn’t seem to help himself in telling her so.
“When I was very young,” she began, “I’m told that me faither took me out riding like this. Even at night. I dinnae remember it. But I’ve heard the stories. People scolded him for taking a child so young out on a horse. They said I would get hurt or that the bumping would do something bad to me head.”
“Your father?” Richard prodded.
“Aye. He was a good man. And wealthy. And everyone in the clan adored him. Me mum, too,” she said. “They tell me she was beautiful and I look just like her.”
“You mean, they are no longer living?” R
ichard dared to ask.
“No. But that’s just how it is. Life isnae lived until it’s ended,” Adeline sighed.
Richard was quiet for a moment, not wanting to say anything to make her sad or upset. He understood that on this topic he had to be incredibly sensitive. “So, what else do you know about them?” he asked gently, noticing, yet again, her waist between his arms where he reached to hold the reins.
“I ken that me mum was an exquisite singer. I hear she had a voice like none other in the clan. She was asked to sing at every celeidh, every wedding,” Adeline informed.
“And do you sing?” Richard asked.
Adeline scoffed. “Not if I can help it. Let’s just say that I may have inherited her appearance, but certainly not her gift for song.”
Richard smiled, wondering what it would be like to hear even the worst of voices coming from Adeline’s exquisite mouth. He couldn’t help himself from imagining it. In that moment, he decided to let go.
He wanted to be with Adeline. He had seen how desire had tortured Douglas. He couldn’t allow himself to undergo that same hurt. He would have to be cautious and try not to frighten her. He also knew it was a delicate matter with him being the enemy. Nonetheless, he was falling for Adeline and knew he couldn’t stop himself at this point.
Every time her hair drifted toward his face, he wanted her a little bit more. She smelled so good and was so beautiful. Yes, his desire for her was overwhelming, but Richard knew he couldn’t touch her no matter how badly he wished to do it. He had to show her that he respected her before he showed her how badly he wanted her.
“Adeline,” he said finally, hoping that talking would distract him from his thoughts.
“Aye?” she replied.
“Are you feeling better although we still haven’t found your friends?” he asked, making up the question as he went along.
She sighed. “Honestly, it is frightening. But I imagine they are either in this village or in another nearby. Most probably we could have found a place sooner had we gone east, but by the time we were on the road and trying to escape, it made more sense to come this way. I didnae have much time to think on it when we were leaving. This was just where me thoughts went.”
“I see. Well then, I imagine if they aren’t here then you are right and they went to another place nearby,” he said.
“And what about ye? Tell me about yer friends, yer family? What are they all up to while ye’re fighting those damn Jacobites?” she asked with a laugh.
Richard gave a bitter scoff. “Well, my father is not a fan of my being a soldier, but I had little choice except to enter the regiment. Growing up, our family was nothing special, but he is a hard worker and it was trading with the Scots that got him there. So he is no fan of this war and rivalry.”
“Interesting. And yer mother?” Adeline asked.
Richard smiled. “My mother is an amazing woman. Strong and brave. She is an incredible cook and when we were young, that was how she helped my father to support our family. Her cooking was well known throughout our town. But now she doesn’t need to cook anymore and our family is worse off for it,” he said.
Adeline laughed. “Well, I dinnae ken exactly what sort of things she cooked, but I love to make food and maybe sometime I will make ye a meal in return for saving me life,” she said.
Richard felt his heart warm and an image of Adeline making him dinner in his home flashed before him. He could absolutely see this woman as his wife. He only hoped that one day he might have such a chance.
They rode in quiet for some time, but Richard continued to ponder how desperately he wanted to stop right there and pull Adeline from the horse so he could kiss her. He wanted to take her in his arms. Having her sitting before him with his arms around her was almost too much to bear in itself. She was so close. However, he knew he had to resist his temptation.
Finally they found themselves coming upon the village. They rode through the houses searching for an inn, but were dismayed to find there was none.
“How can a village have no inn?” Richard asked with irritation. It seemed as though they had found the only place in the country that wasn’t suitable for visitors. They continued riding until they reached the end of the village, at which point they saw a cottage that appeared abandoned.
“Do ye think we ought to try it?” Adeline asked hesitantly. “I mean, maybe someone is there. What if we frighten them?”
“I’m quite certain it’s empty. But yes, we should be careful. Allow me to go first,” he said.
“Do ye really think that’s wise?” Adeline asked.
“What do you mean?” Richard wondered.
“Well, they would be far kinder to a Highland lass than a Hanoverian soldier…” she said slowly.
Richard felt foolish. “Right, of course. I ought to have thought of that,” he said, embarrassed.
Adeline dismounted and went to the door, knocking lightly. There was no answer. “There isnae anybody here. Come!” she called back to him.
Richard hopped down from the steed and led him to a tree where he might easily be tied. He was looking forward to seeing what the little house might hold, but was still nervous that they might find someone rather unwelcoming within it.
As Richard and Adeline stepped into the cottage, she found a place to light the lantern Richard carried. They looked around and saw that it was, indeed, abandoned. Yet still the charm was evident.
“My goodness, this is quite bonnie if ye look beyond the dust and the cobwebs,” she noted.
“It is rather. But I am far more concerned about finding food…” Richard began. He had the candy for Mr. Hudson and a little remaining dried beef and nuts, but otherwise there was nothing.
“I’ll have a look around,” Adeline said, making her way through a door with the lantern and leaving Richard in the dark. “Oh! It’s perfect! I have found coal and there are lots of potatoes!” she called from the other room.
“Potatoes? So the owner must not have left all that long ago,” Richard noted.
“Apparently not! A few of them have something growing on them, but for the most part, they are still edible. And I have found seasonings and spices as well. It willnae be the most elaborate dinner, but it’s something and it will fill us up,” she said, coming back into the room, where Richard had made himself comfortable on a floral-printed sofa.
Adeline sat by him for a moment and he took in the sight of her face amidst the glow of the lantern. Even in this haunting light, she was still the most beautiful thing his eyes had ever seen. He dug his fingers into his thighs to keep from reaching for her.
“I ought to build a fire,” he said suddenly, needing the distraction. They were going to be alone in the house that night. He couldn’t allow himself to do anything that might jeopardize Adeline’s trust in him.
“Right, let me grab ye the coal. Then I will need a bit of fire in the kitchen as well so I can cook,” she said.
Richard started with the kitchen fire so she could begin preparing food and then, as she now had light, he took the lantern and lit a fire in the living area. The cottage seemed to come alive and it truly felt like home. Once more, Richard had visions of Adeline as his wife.
Before long, she came out with two plates stacked high with steaming potatoes.
“Tatties!” she exclaimed. “Now, I added lots of spices so we could pretend to be having a full meal. This pile of tatties has only a bit of salt, this one some salt and pepper, and this one has a bit of dried pepper. Do ye like spice?” she asked.
Richard smiled at her ingenuity. “I love spice. In fact, I think I should like to eat that pile of…tatties…first,” he said with a laugh, using her dialect.
“Wise decision!” she said joyfully.
They ate with little spoken between them, but their eyes continually caught one another, and they were unable to tear them away until finally Adeline began to blush and pretend to be very intrigued by the white mush on her plate. Richard found it rather endearing.
He had heard so much of the bold Scottish women. In addition, he had seen so much of the painted dolls in England, who pretended to be coy as they thought it would bring them a husband. However, Adeline was neither.
Adeline was a true gem of a girl who was genuinely shy, but full of grace and delicacy and an enjoyment of life. She did not fake anything, but rather, she seemed to be striving for more, for better things. It was beautiful to watch her grow and Richard felt he was seeing her develop even over the previous week.
When he had first asked her to dance, he’d never imagined that the same woman would be cooking for him in an abandoned home after traveling with one another through the woods. She had an adventurous spirit, it was just hidden away behind her sensitivity.
“I’m stuffed to full,” she said after clearing her plate in a way that no Englishwoman would ever be willing to do in front of a man.
It only impressed him even more.
“As am I. Well then, shall we have a look and make sure there are beds in this place?” Richard asked nonchalantly, hoping that by using a breezy manner, Adeline would not take his words the wrong way.
She looked at him with slight hesitation before walking ahead of him through another door. “There is a bed in here. It looks quite comfortable,” she said. “Have a look over there, will ye?”
Richard peeked through another room, but it contained only storage. “Well then, you can take the bedroom and I will sleep out here. If you get too cold in the night, let me know and we can switch so you can be by the fire. But I think it is probably better that I be here. I can better keep watch from here,” he said.
Adeline nodded shyly, still clearly thinking about there being only one bed.
A Fight And A Goodnight
Kidnapped Highland Bride: Ladies of Dunmore Series (A Medieval Scottish Romance Story) Page 4