by Barbara Bard
Catherine shook her head and sighed. “Father is always off on one escapade or the other, looking to raise the prestige of the family. Mother was more concerned with her tea parties than anything else. Harold and I were mostly left to our own devices when we were younger, and now that Harold is getting married he will have his own family. I am not sure where that leaves me.”
“You shall always have a place here, of that I am sure,” Sarah said quickly.
“Thank you so much. That does mean a lot to me,” Catherine said, her face brightening. “Although I am quite sure that in time I will be promised to a duke in London. Father has always told me I shall not marry below my station, and that he will work on finding the best match for me.”
“That sounds rather exciting.”
“Hardly,” Catherine said, a sly look in her eyes, “Father simply wants the best marriage for the family. Knowing him I shall be passed off to some feeble duke who probably drools and cannot even walk without aid. At least you have been given to a man in his prime.”
“Lord Flynn is an impressive specimen. I do consider myself fortunate to be getting married to him. Perhaps you could tell me more about him? My father was often quick to tell me about Lord Flynn's virtues. There were times when I think he viewed Lord Flynn as a younger version of himself. You are in a much better position to tell me about him, I would be pleased if you could give me a more personal view.”
“Ah, where to start with my brother,” Catherine said, tilting her head back. She took a few moments to look around the room, pressing her lips together as she contemplated the question. “Well, if you want complete honesty he was a terror growing up. He would chase and pester me all day long. I think he wanted a brother and tried to turn me into one,” Catherine tittered with laughter.
Sarah gasped. “Was it really that bad?”
“Oh I am just playing; it was just the typical thing that siblings go through.”
“I do not know about that. I was an only child. I suppose that is why I had such a close relationship with my parents. We did not have anyone else growing up. The only friend I had was my handmaid.”
“Oh, how awful for you! It must have been challenging to be friends with someone below your station. I am sure they wouldn't have been able to understand the nuances of our lives. Well, you have me now, and the handmaidens can be left to do their job.”
“Yes, indeed,” Sarah said, holding her tongue. She had always been a good friend to Rosemary, and the two of them had had lots of things in common.
“Anyway, to continue with the evaluation of my brother, he is charming as I'm sure you've been able to tell by now. He's good at hunting, at cards, at riding. Sometimes I think he would be better suited to living in the wild rather than in a house such as this. He is a passionate man, and sometimes this can lead to rather intense moods, but one just has to learn how to handle him.”
“And how would I go about doing something like that?”
“I will tell you when I learn,” Catherine laughed again. “The only person who has been able to control him completely is father. All Harold really wants to do is make him proud.”
“I hope I learn how to please him; I want to be a good wife to your brother.”
“Don’t worry, I am sure you will make a good wife and a very beautiful bride. Harold wants to make it a wedding nobody will ever forget. You are going to be center for attention, nobody would be able to take their eyes off you.”
“That sounds rather daunting. I am used to a quiet life. I attended a few balls with Father, but we mostly kept to ourselves. We enjoyed a peaceful life. I often enjoyed sitting at my window, looking at the wide green hills, wondering about the world outside.”
“You may not find the time to do that here. Harold does enjoy his parties, and as his wife you will be expected to be at his side at all times. Harold inherited my father's ambition. The two of them want to become powerful men in the realm. All his life Father has worked to rise closer to the king, hoping one day that a member of our dynasty shall take their place in the royal family, and perhaps even sit on the throne themselves.”
“A lofty ambition. I cannot say I ever thought of anything like that. I fear my world has been so small.”
“It has gotten bigger now, and it will be wonderful! The times ahead are going to be glorious, and I am so glad that we will be sisters-in-law. We shall have so much fun until the wedding.”
“We shall,” Sarah said.
Talking with Catherine made her feel quite at ease, even though it was painful to lie to her the entire time. Sarah had wanted to close herself off from most of the people in the palace just so she would have to lie to as few people as possible. It was going to be difficult enough to bear the shame of having deceived Lord Flynn, but now she would have to betray Catherine's confidence as well.
“I wonder if it would be possible for me to write a letter to my father, just to let him know that I arrived safely. He does fret so, and I would like to put his mind at ease.”
“Of course! I shall have some writing materials sent up to your chambers. Later on, we should take a walk around the gardens. I will have to show you all around the palace and have lunch later.”
“But I should let you rest for now. It has been a long day, and you must be tired. I am glad we had this conversation though, and I look forward to spending much more time with you,” Catherine said as she rose from her chair and approached Sarah.
Sarah rose too and found herself being embraced tightly. Catherine kissed her on the cheek and clasped her hands together, smiling warmly. Then, she looked down, a little taken aback by the rough skin on Sarah's hands.
“I say, I have only ever seen hands like these on handmaidens and servants,” Catherine exclaimed. Sarah's heart lurched in her chest, fearing she had been found out. Sarah pulled her hands away quickly, hiding them behind her back.
“It is nothing to be ashamed of,” Catherine said, a look of horror on her face, “and I did not mean to offend.”
“It was a difficult life without Mother. We had some servants, but many of them left after Mother died and Father simply did not have the will to replace them. I ended up doing some of the work, trying to keep the house in good condition.”
“How awful. At least you do not have to worry about that any longer. While living here you do not have to worry about a thing, I promise you that. Your life will be relaxing and your troubles are over.”
With that, Catherine exited the room. When the door closed behind her, Sarah breathed a sigh of relief and sank to the floor. Lying so much was draining, and she did not know how she was going to keep up with this.
She almost had to laugh at the irony of Catherine's statement. Her troubles were only just beginning. Once Lord Flynn found out that she was not who she said she was, Sarah would be in so much trouble.
Somewhere out there Rosemary was alive, perhaps she had found freedom and happiness. Before she left, Rosemary had expressed doubts about marrying a man she had never met. Sarah had thought her foolish for thinking such a thing, but although Sarah dreamed of marrying a noble she did not want it to happen like this.
Not when she had to take on the guise of another person.
She was about drifting away again when she heard another knock on the door. Catharine had sent a handmaiden with a pot of ink, a pen, and some papers.
Sarah took them from the handmaiden and thanked her. The handmaiden was taken aback by this gesture and showed her surprise. Sarah immediately realized that she is a lady now or at least she was pretending to be one, and it was not in her place to thank handmaidens and servants.
She immediately composed herself and dismissed the servant. She needed to be more careful if she didn’t want to be caught by Lord Flynn.
She placed the writing materials on the table, pulled out the chair to sit on and proceeded to write the letter to Lord Brambly - Rosemary’s father.
“Dearest Lord Brambly,
It is with great regret that
I write to you. You may be told that this letter is from your loving daughter, but actually, it is Sarah who is writing this.
There has been a terrible misunderstanding. While we were traveling through the forest we encountered a wagon filled with prisoners.
Rosemary wanted to investigate, fearing that something strange was occurring. I tried to dissuade her, but she was set on her course of action and she disappeared into the night.
I do not know what happened to her. I have only heard a rumor that she was seen with a Highlander, being carried away to the north, and I fear for her safety.
But to protect us from the soldiers who were guarding the prisoners George told them that I was Rosemary. We were escorted here and since then I have had to remain true to the lie.
I wish that I could speak the truth to Lord Flynn, but I am afraid that he will not take too kindly to this subterfuge, even though it was not a conscious decision on my part.
I feel ashamed, guilty, and scared. I do not think there is anyone to whom I can turn aside from you.
Please help me, Lord Brambly, you are my only hope.
Yours faithfully,
Sarah”
Reading the letter over and over again, Sarah wondered if she should write more, but what more could she say in a letter?
Before anyone came in she blew on the ink to help it dry more quickly, then folded it up and sealed it in an envelope. As she carried it downstairs her heart trembled. If anyone should read this letter it would be the end for her and her lies.
She walked so quickly that she stumbled. The letter slipped from her hand and slid out of her reach. Her hands slammed against the carpeted floor, as did her knees.
She gasped and reached out for the letter immediately. As she tilted her head up, she found out that she had been beaten to it by Lord Flynn. He was holding the letter in between his fingers and looking down at her.
“Ah, a letter, how intriguing,” he said, turning it over in his hands. Sarah's breath caught in her throat. “What secrets does it hold; I wonder? Did I get a mention? I hope you are not writing to your father in hopes of calling off the wedding,” he said.
Sarah couldn't decide if he was joking or not.
“I would never do that. I am so excited for our impending wedding,” she replied.
Lord Flynn looked down at her as he ran his fingertip along the edge of the envelope. He tapped it, and for a moment Sarah was sure that he was going to tear open the paper and find out all she has been hiding.
Surely a man as intelligent and wise as Lord Flynn had seen through her lie. It wasn't as though she was a mastermind. Before this, she had never told a lie before in her life!
To her relief Lord Flynn leaned down and offered her a hand, helping her back to her feet. He handed the letter to her and caressed her cheek gently.
“As you should be,” he said. “Are you sure you are not injured, my Lady?” he asked, looking her up and down.
“I believe so. I merely lost track of my thoughts,” she said, offering him an apologetic smile.
“You are just like my sister, always rushing around as though you are running out of time.”
“We are quite a pair,” Sarah agreed.
“Just be careful. I would not want to see anything harm your appearance. I want everyone that comes to our wedding to see how beautiful you are.”
Sarah bowed her head.
“Now, are you not going to ask me about my hunt?”
“Of course, I apologize. The fall shook my wits from me. How was your hunt, My Lord?”
“It was successful, thank you for asking. At this instance, I am going to freshen up. I am looking forward to dinner tonight. I shall regale you with the tale of the great hunt.”
“I look forward to it, my Lord.”
A smile tugged at the corners of Lord Flynn's mouth. He nodded, then spun on his heels and walked away. Sarah breathed a sigh of relief, pressing the letter into her bosom.
She had to escape soon. The longer she remained in the palace the more likely it was that the truth would be revealed. If she ever got to the wedding she just might faint with anxiety.
Sarah walked more carefully for fear of tripping up again. The sooner the letter was on its way the better. She went to the traveling merchant and handed her letter over to him. He was a young man, with a yellow beard, and he looked at Sarah in a strange way. He gave her a toothy smile, but did not say anything, and slipped the letter into his cloak.
The letter was out of her hands now. She merely hoped that Lord Brambly would read it and come to her rescue.
With only a few hours until dinner remaining, Sarah tried to read but found it most difficult to keep her mind focused on the words in front of her. She kept thinking about the traveling merchant and if he would reach Lord Brambly safely, and then if Lord Charles would actually be willing to come to her aid.
Most of all she dreaded dinner. Every time she was around Lord Flynn she was afraid that she would say something that would betray her own secret. The more time she spent with him the more she was sure he would realize something was strange about her, but there was nothing she could do to avoid dinner.
If she said she was ill he would most likely dote on her, or be frustrated that she was weak and frail.
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http://barbarabard.com/AmB1
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Also by Barbara Bard
● Book 1: Highlander’s Honor
● Book 2: Highlander’s Savior
● Book 3: Her Highland Devil
● Book 4: Her Highland Protector
● Book 5: Highlander's Captive