“What of Angelica?” she questioned, withdrawing and leaving him both aching and relieved. If he took Aisley too soon, he’d only frighten her. He’d not make her afraid of his panthera nature before she’d even learned of it. “May I come to the manor and visit her soon?”
“I will have Valiant bring her to you any time you wish.”
Uncertain as to why, Garrick noticed Aisley’s shoulders lower in defeat. She started to speak, but caught herself and turned away.
“Hold, say what you were about to,” he insisted.
“I’ve wanted to visit the manor house since I was a child. Now I understand that a simple healer would not be welcome.”
Garrick grasped her elbow and held her fast. “You misread me, little one.”
“I am not little. You keep calling me that and it makes me nervous.”
Aye, it made her nervous, he knew. It also thrilled her. He could detect her skittering pulse as easily as he felt his own heartbeat.
“You are little to me,” he said. He liked knowing that her head reached his shoulders. Her legs were long, giving her height that equaled most Englishmen. “Aisley, you will come to the manor house. In a fortnight, I will speak to your father about our betrothal. Afterward, you will come and live with me.”
Garrick watched her mouth slam closed with a sharp snap of teeth.
* * * * *
The Earl of Danford’s edict rendered Aisley temporarily mute.
When she found her voice, she frowned, “Have you gone mad?”
“There is no madness in me,” the Earl said. “You will be mine according to the dictates of the Church and English law.”
Suddenly frightened, Aisley could not prevent herself from drawing away. “Do not jest, milord. I will not be yours.”
“You will.” He stalked closer with the precision of a hunter. “I claimed you the moment you acknowledged that you could hear me speak to you mind-to-mind.”
“You say things best left unsaid.” Unbidden, she recalled Sedgewick’s warning about witches and shivered at the thought of what might happen to Lord Danford if anyone were to think he was capable of speaking in her mind.
“Aye, on that I agree. Ease your mind. Only you and I can talk in such a manner. It is the way of true mates. I believe you’ll not betray me by telling others of the ability.”
“Lord Danford, I have no idea how to handle you.” In truth, she was curious and a little frightened, yet unable to walk away. She’d never accuse him of practicing witchcraft, but he had an ability that few could claim.
“You’ll learn. Aisley, I have enemies who’d like nothing more than to harm the woman I intend to marry. It is for your safety that I arrange our betrothal as soon as possible.”
“You know nothing about me. I am already betrothed. It would be impossible for us to—” A giant hand caught her chin.
“It is unwise to provoke me on a night when the moon is full and my instinct is to bed you until dawn. We would beget a babe if I took you this night. Are you ready to bear my child?”
“Surely I misheard you?”
“You did not, you are fertile.”
Uncertain what to think, she tried to step back. “I am twenty and one. There is no reason I could not have a child.”
“That’s not what I meant. You are fertile now.”
“Now?”
“Aye,” he said, glancing up at the moon.
As he did, she remembered that her menses would begin in a sennight. She’d seen many women give birth. She knew a woman’s cycle. If she were to lie with him on this night, they could create a child. Dear goodness, he was right.
“Cease! How could you know such a thing, much less speak of it? No one has ever spoken to me in such a way.” Curiously, as much as she was offended she also found herself wondering what it would be like to carry the Earl of Danford’s babe. For reasons she did not understand, her heart swelled and her womb tightened with a strangely pleasant yearning and she hoped he did not know what was happening within her body.
“Not even the man you mentioned?”
“Do not mock me. You know the truth.”
“Aye, I do. Always remember that I have excellent senses. If you had a man, I’d have smelled him on you. You have the scent of almond oil, the herbs used in remedies to aid the villagers and the honey you added to your porridge earlier this eve.”
Incredibly, he was right, again. Aisley was confounded and awed by his presence.
Who was this man who stood before her? His vivid eyes reflected a man of great passions and convictions. His stance was one of confidence and infinite patience. Lord Danford could wait all day for someone or something and not move a muscle. Why did she not fear him as she should?
“You were right, I must go,” Aisley insisted, finding the strength to pull away as Garrick lowered his hand. “Send word when Angelica will be visiting. I pray it will be soon.”
“You will see Angelica on the morrow and whenever you wish thereafter. Be ready for me, Aisley, I will come for you a fortnight from now.”
Aisley sighed as she turned to leave. Something about his silent presence drew her to glance back one last time. She wanted to tell him where her father was, but decided to hold her tongue when she realized the Earl was watching her. He was an arrogant, but compelling, man and it was most difficult to walk away.
Refusing to give in to temptation, she resolved herself to avoid Lord Danford as much as possible. If he pressed the issue of betrothal, she would consider leaving Danford altogether.
A handsome man of average height and muscular stature approached and offered an escort to her cottage. As they walked, her musings were thwarted by the very familiar sawing she knew belonged to him.
There is nowhere you could go that I could not track you and bring you home, Aisley.
A glance at the guard warned that only she had heard Garrick’s vow, the rumble in his voice warning her to flee while she could. It took every ounce of determination she possessed to walk on as though she’d heard nothing.
Chapter Three
Deep in the forest, Aisley hunted through the brush for herbs, plants and sticks instead of thinking about him. Three days had gone by and she’d not heard from Lord Danford, yet he was never far from her mind.
She thought it was strange that the Earl remained silent, but she was pleased that Angelica and his squire visited daily. Already she’d developed a deep, abiding love for the quiet, though energetic, child.
Valiant and Angelica were due to visit soon and Aisley decided to make her way home. Relatively pleased with the items she’d gathered, she stood tall and became aware of someone, or something, watching her.
Aisley looked around, but spotted nothing. Still, she could feel eyes upon her and swung about.
“Are you there, milord?” Mayhap Lord Danford had decided to visit after all. She could almost hear his distinctive rumble.
She waited for the Earl to show himself, but it soon became apparent that her imagination was playing tricks on her. She’d long since rebuked herself for believing that eerie sawing she’d heard three nights ago came from the Earl of Danford. While she’d heard it each night since, she’d decided it belonged to an animal, not a man.
Thinking she should go home, she turned away. Once more she felt as if something was watching her and looked back. Nothing moved, nothing made her feel in danger, but she suspected that something was hiding within the greenery of the forest.
“Is someone there? If you were part of Haywood’s troop, it would be best if you left before Lord Danford catches you.”
There, in the thick ivy covering the hollow in a dead, fallen tree, a pair of eyes caught a ray of sunlight, making them flash red. With her next breath, the same eyes became a brighter green than the leaves framing them. Both intrigued and frightened, Aisley stared back.
Instinctively, she remained still and quiet, praying the creature wasn’t a wolf. She didn’t think so. This seemed to be one animal. As far as she knew, w
olves rarely hunted alone.
As she waited and watched, she saw that those eerily familiar green eyes belonged to a regal, feline face covered in fur so dark it looked black. Well, it wasn’t a wolf. It was a cat. Given the size of its head, it was a very big cat. She’d heard that wildcats that fed off scraps from villagers could become quite large.
Cautiously, Aisley waited to see if the cat would become aggressive. When it didn’t move or hiss, she relaxed. She didn’t sense any danger, but she thought it would be best to return to the cottage and tell Valiant about her discovery. The squire would likely know best how to deal with the beast.
Satisfied with her decision, she backed away and retreated to her cottage. Safe at home, she stored the herbs and plants she’d gathered.
A knock at the door had her rushing to greet her visitors. Angelica’s plump face glowed with a smile as Valiant held her in his arms. Sunlight rained down from above them, haloing the child’s head and emphasizing a pretty dress.
“Well now, Lady Angelica, don’t you look the manor born in all your finery,” Aisley praised. “Good day, Valiant,” she said as she reached for Angelica.
“And to you, milady,” Valiant addressed, ever the polite lad. She wished he would stop speaking to her as if she was a lady.
“Come in, come in.” Aisley turned away from Valiant and strolled toward the center of her modest one room dwelling, where she’d spread a blanket and a few gewgaws she’d borrowed from some of the villagers so Angelica could play. “My, this is a lovely gown.”
After placing Angelica on the floor, she lowered to her knees and inspected her dress. Simple in its childish design, the silver and blue fabric enhanced Angelica’s soft brown hair and blue eyes. Her face was flushed with a healthy, rosy hue.
“Lord Danford had the gown made for Angelica. It should please you to know that he has seen to all her needs, milady. He’s turned a guest chamber and solar into a place for Angelica and sent missives to hire suitable maids.”
“That pleases me very much,” she said, wondering if she might be asked to work in Lord Danford’s household. She’d not forget the villagers, but she would like to spend more time with Angelica.
“Milady—”
“Aisley,” she said.
“Aisley, do you not realize why she wears these colors?”
“Blue and silver?” she uttered. “Oh aye, the Earl of Danford favors them.”
“They are his heraldic colors. Angelica’s gown is Lord Danford’s way of proclaiming to others that he views her as his own.”
“I see.” Stunned by what she learned, Aisley couldn’t thwart a pang of jealousy. She hadn’t the means of providing such pretty things for Angelica.
“Have I upset you?” the squire asked, seeming to detect her disappointment.
“Nay, I thought that I would have a more active part in her life.”
“What makes you think you would not?” Valiant settled on the floor and Angelica smiled up at him.
“You said Lord Danford sent messengers to find maids for Angelica. No one has come to ask if I might wish to be one of her maids.”
“You are to become the Countess of Danford. Your influence in Angelica’s life will be far more important than a maid’s.”
“Nay!” Alarmed, Aisley drew back, frightening Angelica. “Oh angel, I did not mean to scare you. Our friend here, well, he likes to jest.”
“I speak the truth,” Valiant insisted, turning his attention to Angelica for a moment.
“Milady, you must realize that Lord Danford is preparing a place for you in his household,” he said after the girl calmed.
“If that’s true, why haven’t I heard from him?”
“That is for him to say. His mind is set.”
“Cease, Valiant. When you return to the manor, tell Lord Danford that I cannot marry him. I am a healer. This is my abode,” she continued, sweeping her hands about. “I’ll not leave it because he says so.”
“If the Earl of Danford wishes to marry you, he will. I heard him tell my father that the two of you can speak without saying a word.” Deliberately, he pointed to his temple. “In a way, Lord Danford and I are related, like cousins. Our ancestors believe this is the way to discover our destined mate.”
“Nay, nay we cannot.” Aisley didn’t want to believe that she and Lord Danford could talk in their minds. “Strangely, I think I have heard something in the woods, at night when the villagers are abed. It began the night Sedgewick Haywood came.”
Valiant scooped up Angelica and stood tall, but the girl pointed to a wooden horse and he set her on the blanket. “Have you heard this in your mind or aloud?”
“I don’t know for certain.”
The squire stood, remaining close to Angelica, but eyed Aisley. “Describe what you heard.”
“It sounded like someone was sawing old branches. Only it was louder. It scared me.”
“You say no one else has heard it, other than you?”
“Do not jest, Valiant. Have you heard it?”
“Not since I’ve been here. Don’t be frightened, milady. It’s a roar.”
“Nay, lions roar. It couldn’t have been a lion.”
“Do you know what a lion’s roar sounds like?” Valiant asked. She scowled, feeling her temper rise, but he held up his hand. “My apologies, I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. You’re right, it wasn’t a lion. You heard a leopard.”
“That can’t be. Mayhap it was the wildcat I saw in the forest earlier. You might think to mention it to Lord Danford. If it’s savage, it could bite a villager.”
Valiant stared at her, his mouth open.
“Did I say something wrong?” she asked.
“Nay, milady.”
“Aisley.”
“Lord Danford continually reminds me to be respectful of you.”
“You are,” she said. “Why you are staring?”
“I am amazed that you’ve seen it.”
“Seen what?” Puzzled, she frowned. “The cat?”
“Aye, how big was it?”
“I can’t say. I saw this much of it,” she said, framing her eyes and part of her nose with her fingers. “It was hiding in a tree and covered by ivy. I’m fairly certain it was a cat.”
“It was, just not the kind you think it was. Leopards are good at finding places to hide and not being seen unless they want to be seen.”
“The animal I saw was black. My father once told me the Earl of Danford’s coat of arms had a leopard on it. Leopards are yellow with spots, aren’t they?”
“My ancestors came from a land inhabited by leopards, lions and tigers. In earlier times it was believed that lions and tigers mated and their young became known as leopards. This may not be so, but while it’s true that black leopards are rare, they are real and they have spots. You simply have to look close enough to see them.”
Aisley shook her head. “I don’t know if I believe you. If you are right, why is it here?”
“That is for Lord Danford to say.”
“The leopard belongs to him?”
“Again, it is for him to say.”
“I’ve heard such a beast is huge and savage.”
“This one is larger than its kind and outweighs many adult male lions,” Valiant answered.
Aisley didn’t understand. She’d never seen a lion, knew little about leopards, could the beast in the woods hurt a child or a villager? She had to ask. “Would it hurt anyone? Would it hurt me? It would be tragic if it hurt a villager or a child.”
“The leopard’s purpose here is to protect you and this manor. When you hear it late at night, it’s talking to you and only you. It’s Lord Danford’s way of watching over you when he cannot come to you himself.”
“I see,” Aisley mumbled. The Earl sent a beast to watch her, but wouldn’t come to her himself. This was the man she was expected to marry? Silently, she fumed. She did not want to marry a man she didn’t know. That she wanted to know him mattered not at all.
&nb
sp; “Tell Lord Danford to keep his beast away from me and Angelica,” she told Valiant. “I want nothing to do with it. I want nothing to do with him.”
“I’ll be certain to,” Valiant said with a devilish smile. The squire knew something more, but he was keeping mum.
Refusing to worry, Aisley sat beside Angelica and talked with Valiant, doing all she could to learn about the Earl. Why she would care was beyond her understanding. Something about him enchanted her from the moment she heard a black leopard’s roar in the forest and realized that she had heard Lord Danford speak in her mind.
* * * * *
“Both letters have been sent?” Garrick inquired of his clerk as he studied the record of accounts. Usually the clerk performed such a duty, but he enjoyed the intricacy of numbers and figures.
“Aye, milord.” The clerk inclined his head. “Missives have been sent to your brothers, Sir Colton Forrester and Sir Grayson Forrester, informing them of your intent to marry and the date of your betrothal.”
“Dare I inform you Gray and Colton may not arrive in time to witness the betrothal?” Lucien asked from where he lounged across the room.
“I am aware of my haste, but pray that my brothers can reach Danford before the wedding ceremony. Now, do you not have anything better to do with your time than bother me?”
“I’m comfortable here.” Lucien stretched lazily in a plush chair that had been designed by an Abcynian craftsman for a person’s comfort rather than the usual hard wooden contraption Englishmen tended to make. “Your man here, what is your name, good fellow?”
“Godfrey, milord.”
“Godfrey,” Lucien said, looking at Garrick as he spoke. “I am certain the letters were what Lord Danford requested. Be a good man and give us some privacy until we need you next.”
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