Medieval Ever After

by Kathryn Le Veque

  They strolled on to the vegetable garden next. Maddie’s eyes feasted on the plethora of purples, golds, and oranges in neat rows, but the best part of this garden was the view. Gazing at the rippling surface of the loch, she could almost hear the distant lapping of the water on the banks. Maddie turned her face to the sky to take in the wind, sighing as the sun warmed her cheeks. She smiled and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, reminded of some of the beautiful gifts the Lord offered daily. Perhaps the quiet of a convent would indeed be right for her. Then she could spend her days in the gardens, enjoying the sweet solitude of nature.

  She beamed at Brenna. “This must be your favorite place. The view of your lands is beautiful.”

  “’Tis no’ my favorite place, Maddie,” Jennie remarked. “My sister makes me work hard in the dirt sometimes. I don’t like it. I would prefer to play with my dogs.”

  Laughing at the child’s honesty, Maddie ran her fingers through Jennie’s dark curls. “I think you have hair just like your brother’s.” She furrowed her brow, wondering where that thought had come from. She had not intended to think about Alex.

  Brenna guided her to the chapel. Maddie approached the inside carefully, as if opening a special package. Her eyes teared up as she ran her fingers along the smooth carvings with reverence, taking in the details of the lovely woodwork. She was reminded of the chapel Kenneth had turned into another armory. How she missed the beauty of prayerful silence in that place.

  “Brenna, do you have a priest that lives here?” She loved how sound resonated in that lovely space.

  “Nay, we have a traveling priest, Father MacGregor. He is a wonderful priest, but he has several places in the Highlands he likes to visit. He is due to visit again soon.”

  “Father MacGregor! Oh, how wonderful!” Maddie could not help but clasp her hands together in excitement. “I have not seen him since my parents’ death. He used to visit us as well, but he stopped coming long ago. I thought mayhap it was due to ill health. But he is well?”

  “Aye, he was hale the last time we saw him.”

  “You will not mind if I visit the chapel on my own?”

  “Of course not. You may use it whenever you like.” Brenna opened the heavy door for Maddie and they headed back out into the sunlight, catching up with Jennie and her dogs who seemed to be living in their own world.

  Brenna pointed out many of the buildings as they strolled through the bailey, including the storehouses, the buttery, and the blacksmith. Madeline was introduced to many of the clan. She had to admit she enjoyed meeting them. They were all friendly and helpful, and no one seemed threatening. The hard worklan Grant was evident in everything she observed. She was reminded of what her own small clan had been like before her da had passed.

  As they moved on to the armory, Maddie’s discomfort from her ribs and her back grew more acute. She sighed as she realized she would be suffering through another healing challenge. Quietly praying, she begged the Lord for the strength to endure her tribulations without complaint. This, combined with thoughts of her parents, usually helped her to continue suffering in silence.

  “Maddie, would you like to return to the castle? Mayhap you should rest a bit? Is your back paining you?”

  “Nay, I am fine. I am used to working after my beatings. What about you, do you normally take rest after Alex disciplines you?” Maddie raised her eyes to meet Brenna’s.

  She jumped at the other woman’s sharp intake of breath. Jennie froze in her path.

  “Och, nay, Maddie, Alex does not beat us,” Brenna said softly. “Jennie, take the dogs to the stables, would you?

  Maddie nodded her head after Jennie left and continued on. She tried her best to hide her emotions, but her mind was in turmoil. Alex didn’t beat them?

  Kenneth beat the servants whenever he had a whim, and she had seen Laird Niles Comming swing at Kenneth’s servants as well as his own. Wasn’t that what all lairds did? Kenneth had said it was the only way to keep the servants in line. Of course, she could never beat anyone. One time a maid accidentally tore her favorite gown, but she had not even said a cruel word to her. The thought of slapping viciously for something so small did not sit well with her.

  Hope rose in her heart. Was Alex truly a laird who didn’t beat his people? A laird more like her kind father in temperament than her brother and the Comming?

  Maddie had mixed feelings about Alexander Grant. He made her shiver, that much she knew, but she was not afraid of him. And she was so, so grateful to him for having rescued her.

  Though she did not know what had brought the Grants to her keep, she was thankful for it. Yet she could not reconcile the confusion this one man was causing her heart. Sometimes her breath caught when she dared peek at him. This morning in the great hall, she had been struck by how devastatingly handsome he was, especially when free of dirt and grime. She wondered why he had not married yet since he could surely have his choice of lasses. Who would reject him?

  Surely, Alex would not be interested in someone as plain as Madeline. Kenneth had always delighted in informing her that due to her sour appearance, he was fortunate to find anyone willing to marry her. Madeline knew she wasn’t beautiful, and besides, she no longer had the dowry to attract a respectable match.

  Saints above, why was she thinking about marriage? She would never get married. If she married a man, he would expect to touch her…and do much more than that. What was Alex doing to her mind? Madeline shook her head to sweep the cobwebs from her brain. She forced herself to focus her attention back on Brenna.

  From the inner bailey, they traveled to the stables, where Brenna introduced her to the stable master, Hugh.

  “Old Hugh has been with us forever. He really knows our horses,” Brenna said with pride. “Hugh, this is Lady Madeline, a dear friend who will be staying with us awhile.”

  Maddie smiled at the stable master. “It is nice to meet you, Hugh. You remind me of our own stable master, Mac. He is married to my maid, Alice, and I love them both dearly.”

  “And obviously they love you dearly, too, my lady. My laird told me ‘twas the stable master who sent the missive about your stepbrother.”

  “I am aware, but I worry about them now. Kenneth can be very cruel when he wants to be, especially to servants. He beat all of servants on a regular basis, but he was never allowed to touch Alice because she was my mother’s maid. Who knows what will happen now?”

  Maddie’s mood darkened as they continued with their jaunt around the bailey. Many of the children they passed watched them with fascination, and some even followed behind them.

  Madeline rustled the hair on one of the weans and smiled. “If you like, I would be happy to return and tell you a story.”

  The wee lassie nodded her head and gave Madeline’s leg a hug. Maddie glanced over her shoulder as she walked away. “I will be back, I promise.” The children waved to them and promised to wait for her to return.

  Maddie stopped walking when they reached the lists, gaping at the sea of swords and shields. What an impressive sight to see such a large number of warriors, all following Alex’s lead. She had no trouble picking him out. Taller than most, he was training a few of the younger guards at the periphery of the field. Her palms filled with sweat from the nearness of so many men, but she knew it was time to express her gratitude for her rescue. Her mother had taught her to be forthright about expressing appreciation for any hard work that had been done on her behalf. Her manners would not allow her to overlook such a risky deed.

  “Brenna, if you don’t mind, I would like to speak to your brother for a moment.”

  ***

  Alex turned at the sound of people approaching the lists, and his gaze immediately found Madeline. He noted how she carefully kept her distance from his men as she walked in his direction. The closer she came, the more his throat constricted and his chest tightened. Devil take it, what strange power did this lass have over him?

  Maddie tentatively stepped closer to Alex.
“My laird, may I have a moment of your time?” She nodded briefly at the guards, who all stared at her with eager smiles on their faces.

  Alex removed his helmet and replied, “Of course, my lady.” He glared at his guards before he spanned the distance separating him from her. “How may I assist you?”

  “Laird Grant,” she started, “I fear I have not thanked you and your brother properly for risking your lives to come to my aid. I am truly grateful that you were able to hasten me away from my stepbrother without causing harm to anyone.”

  “My lady, you do no’ need to thank me.” He stepped forward, and Madeline stepped a couple of paces back, though her smile did not drop from her face. Again, he thought, she backs away from me. He did not move again, thinking mayhap he smelled unpleasant after working so hard.

  But his thoughts jumped to the situation he had found her in a few nights ago.

  “Do not be concerned for your stepbrother. He was hurting you, was he no’? I would have done whatever was necessary in order to stop his cruelty. ‘Tis no’ right to beat a woman over anything, let alone a betrothal. Lass, you have my apologies for no’ getting you away from him sooner. And if he comes for you, rest assured that I will protect you. He will not hurt you again!” Alex’s men turned to stare at him as his voice escalated to a shout.

  Madeline seemed to be cringing away from him, so he forced himself to calm down to avoid upsetting her more.

  “But I do not want anyone hurt because of me,” Madeline whispered.

  Alex’s bluster blew again. Was the woman daft? She could be hurt, but no one else could be?

  “If your stepbrother or Niles Comming tries to come to my keep to get you, someone will be hurt.” He tried to rein in his anger, but lost the battle.

  Maddie stepped back, clutching her hand to her chest.

  “No one will touch you again!” Al could feel the fire burning in his chest as he spoke, his entire body rigid. The thought of anyone harming Maddie made him clench his hands in rage.

  He knew his fervor probably frightened her, but he couldn’t help himself. Staring at the ground in frustration, he had to fight the desire to stomp his feet. She had no notion of her own value. Why did she not understand men did not have the right to touch her whenever they wanted? He would have to show her that she was special, but he did not know how. This woman took away his ability to reason. When he lifted his gaze, he found himself drowning in her blue eyes once again.

  Her beautiful face and delicate skin were all he could see.

  Her voice interrupted his thoughts, “Thank you, Laird, and please convey my thanks to your brother as well.” Maddie graced him with a timid smile and fled.

  Alex watched her go and sighed. Great, I have scared her away again. Why does she make me daft? He reminded himself he was laird with many responsibilities—he could not spend all his time thinking of one woman. He vowed to keep a clear head around Madeline in the future. He would not allow her to interfere with his responsibilities. With that settled in his mind, he turned back to his men.

  “Robbie, where are you?” Alex grinned as he bore down on his brother. Robbie was the only lad in his clan who could offer him a challenge with the sword. He definitely needed someone to practice on right now.

  Robbie smirked as he peered over Alex’s shoulder at Madeline’s departing form. “What has addled your mind?”

  Alex withdrew his sword, alerting his brother to do the same. He brought the sword down repeatedly, but Robbie expertly deflected his blows, sending the sound of clashing steel ringing through the air.

  Robbie danced in a circle, both hands on his sword. “Could the reason you are in this fury have golden hair, brother?”

  After a thorough workout, Robbie finally conceded and patted Alex on the back.

  “Good to see you befuddled for a change. Everybody loses control once in a while.”

  Alex stared at his brother. “I do no’ know what you are talking about. I do not lose control. Ever!” With that, he stalked away.

  His confusing feelings for Maddie had made a liar of him.

  RESCUED BY A HIGHLANDER

  CHAPTER TEN

  Maddie decided to search out the youngest of the clan, something guaranteed to make her smile. She found Jennie and they headed out to the bailey, searching for anyone interested in listening to one of her stories.

  She sat on the ground with Jennie, surrounded by weans of various ages. She had them all enraptured with a tale of fairies in the forest, and she could see the delight in their gazes. How sweet they were. Her pain bothered her a bit, but the bairns made it all tolerable. As Madeline continued her story, Alex appeared out of nowhere and his gaze found hers. She blushed and paused for a moment before continuing with her tale.

  Madeline’s pulse raced when she caught Alex watching her. She finished her story and waved to him, but he only smiled and moved on to the keep. As she glanced at the wee ones around her, she imagined what it would be like to have a husband like Alex. To have bairns who belonged to them. As she hugged each of the ladies and lassies and promised them another story soon, she sighed and bowed her head. That life sounded wonderful, but it could never be for her. She had experienced a man’s touch, and she never wished to do so again. How did other women bear it?

  Fortunately, she had already had her courses after that night with Niles. As eager as Maddie was for the terrible marriage to never happen, Alice had actually cried tears of happiness when Maddie started to bleed.

  But perhaps coupling with a man like Alex would be more tolerable. He was a much gentler man. But how many times did it take to make a bairn? Maybe Brenna knew. Even though she was most likely still a maid, she was a healer, and thus, maybe had assisted with the birth of a few bairns. Mayhap she had heard talk amongst the women. She would have to find a way to ask her.

  Stop your dreaming. It can never be, the cruel voice in her head insisted. He could have any lass he wants, so why would he want you?

  No, she was going to a convent. She had no choice.

  Brenna approached coming from the direction of her gardens, stopping because she apparently noticed the worry on Maddie’s face. “Is everything all right, Maddie? There must be something I can do to help you.”

  “I am fine, Brenna, there is no need to worry about me. May I assist you with your garden?”

  “Mayhap tomorrow, Maddie. I think it is time to change your dressing and put more salve on your back.”

  ***

  Alex leaned over the side of the battlements, his favorite vantage point. He drew in a deep breath of the cool night air, hoping to clear his jumbled thoughts. Realizing he was searching for a golden halo in the area beneath him, he shook his head in disgust. Of course, Maddie would not be there. She was probably abed.

  “Alex, may I have a word with you?”

  He turned as Brenna approached. “Of course, you know I would do anything for you. What is it?”

  “Did you really mean what you said about marrying Maddie?”

  Alex sighed as he stood and crossed his arms. “Nay, Brenna, I have too many responsibilities to take the time to marry. I doubt Madeline would even consider me, but I am trying to get to know her better. I enjoy having her near me, but she does not appear to return the feeling. Every time I step near the lass, she backs away from me. I try not to frighten her, but it appears I do.”

  “You know she has a tender heart. I think she is confused right now. I hope you are not planning to send her away.”

  “Nay, ‘twould be too dangerous for her to leave until the situation is settled between her brother and the Comming. I still should not have mentioned marriage, at least no’ yet, but you know as well as I do how much Robbie and Brodie love to goad me.”

  “Aye, they were having a wee bit of fun with you. But ‘tis rare for you to notice a lass, Alex. Mayhap if you tried to woo Madeline slowly, it would work. I think ‘twould be a good match, and anyone can see how wonderful she is with bairns. She is a sweet-hearted lass.
”

  “Aye, that I see. The lass does not seem to feel easy around me, but I will not give up yet. Has she talked about the Comming at all, Brenna?”

  “Nay, when I ask her, she says she is not ready to talk. She needs time.”

  “Aye, I know she was in a bad place. I will give her time. She has much healing to do.”

  ***

  The next few days passed quickly. Maddie discovered she was exhausted. She was surprised at how much she slept, but her energy was slowly returning. Brenna fussed over her wounds and continued to apply salve to them daily. Time brought slow relief, as always.

  She spent hours sitting outside near the keep, telling stories to the wee ones. Bairns and toddlers had always had a way of putting a smile on her face. Their innocence was precious to her, and it helped her forget her own troubles.

  Alex spent most of his time training his men in the lists, and it hurt Maddie to think that it was her fault they needed to be prepared for a possible attack. Still, she could not regret that she was free of her brother. Her days were so much happier here. She sketched drawings to use with her storytelling, and Brenna had given her some needlework to help keep her busy. Everyone at the Grant keep treated her wonderfully, including the maids. She ignored the inevitable. Some day soon she would have to leave. But where did she belong?

  One day, after breaking their fast, Brenna convinced Maddie to join her in the garden. Jennie had run off to pick apples with the servants, so they were alone together.

  “‘Tis peaceful here, Maddie. ‘Tis why I like this place so much.” Brenna grabbed her friend’s hand as they walked toward the small, beautifully appointed plot of land.

  “Aye, Brenna, ‘tis a wonderful place.” Maddie gazed around at the golden flowers lining the outside of the garden. Lavender plants filled the air with their sweet fragrance. She picked a flower and wove it into her waves. “You must teach me about the plants someday.”