Rescued By the Scot

by Laura A. Barnes

  Your dearest Zane

  P.S. When we do meet again, you will have no doubt for I will draw you into my arms as our bodies press close together. My fingers trailing across your skin, setting you on fire. As my eyes devour you, I will lower my head to yours, our lips but a breath apart…

  I will leave your imagination to fill in the rest, my love.

  Skye brought the letter to her chest and her fingers to her lips. She sensed his lips upon hers, hovering above ready to take her lips in a passionate kiss, but it was not to be. Was she being foolish to fear their passion? She rose from the divan and pressed her hands over her dress, smoothing out her wrinkles, the letter falling unforgotten on the ground. She rushed to the door, hurrying to see him below. Her steps flew along the staircase as she made her way to the Rose Room, standing outside the door. She brought her breath under control, her fingers twisting nervously at her sides. Skye took a deep breath, and pushed the doors open, ready to meet him. She needed to see him.

  When she stepped in the room, she expected him to be waiting patiently for her to appear. An empty room greeted her; he left and so did Ivy. During her time upstairs the rain had abated, perhaps they went for a stroll through the garden. When she rushed to the windows, she saw no sign of them.

  “Excuse me, My Lady, I thought the room was empty,” a maid apologized as she went to remove the tea tray.

  “You are fine. Do you know of Lady Ivy’s whereabouts?”

  “She is in the nursery.”

  “And, Lord Maxwell?”

  “I am sorry, My Lady, but I do not know of any visitors.”

  “Thank you.”

  The maid cleared up the tea tray and left her alone in the parlor. Skye realized she had been too late, she decided to visit Ivy in the nursery. For she would have news on Maxwell, she always took delight in telling Skye of his visits. Ivy always held out hope Skye might relent and join them. The day she did, he left early. Maybe he was tired of waiting even though his letter suggested otherwise. Did he realize she wasn’t worth his trouble?

  In the nursery Ivy fed her newborn as she listened to her son Tommy tell her a story. Skye stood in the doorway and watched the naturalness of Ivy. Ivy was always relaxed, making everybody secure in her love. When Tommy made her laugh she noticed Skye in the doorway, motioning her to come inside. Skye sat next to her and when Ivy finished with her daughter, she passed her into Skye’s arms. Ivy lifted Tommy on her lap as she listened to the rest of his story.

  Skye held the small baby in her arms. She slid her finger into the tiny hand, the baby tightened her grip around her finger, making Skye smile at the simple gesture. When the baby smiled and cooed at her, Skye melted completely. She wanted this with Zane, but was it too late? Could she reach out and grab what she desired? When she glanced up, she saw Tommy wandered off to play and Ivy was watching her again.

  “Why are you always watching me?” Skye asked.

  “I have been waiting.”

  “Waiting for what?”

  “For you to come to your senses regarding Maxwell and you finally have.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Well you are here, out of your bedroom earlier than usual when Maxwell comes to visit. That must have been a passionate letter to draw you out of your room,” Ivy teased.

  Skye blushed, “Well it was for naught, he has left?”

  “Yes, he saw no reason to stay since you fled to your room. While he apologized, it wasn't my company he desired. At one time it would have hurt, but now I only find humor in it. Since he wasn’t up for my laughing at his expense, he left.”

  Skye didn’t respond to Ivy’s wicked sense of humor. She turned her gaze back to the baby, whispering soft words to her. The baby kicked and cooed from her attention. Skye still sensed Ivy’s gaze upon her waiting for an explanation.

  “I decided to join your tea, to inform him to stop sending me gifts and letters.”

  “Bull.”

  Skye raised her eyebrows, “I beg your pardon, My Lady.”

  “You heard me correctly. You came downstairs today because the letter he wrote you sparked a desire to see him. A desire so strong, you rushed to set your eyes upon him. Now you are defensive because he left so soon, and you hold a disappointment because he didn't linger. You decided to put your fears away. Am I correct?”

  Skye sighed, “You are correct.”

  Ivy let out a sound of glee. The smile on the woman’s face was one of utter joy, but then it turned. Turned into the smile of a woman set upon scheming. Skye must stop her in her tracks before she set any scheme into play.

  “Now what we need to do is…”

  “No, we will do nothing. It was foolish of me to come downstairs today. I have changed my mind, I'm not ready to meet him yet.”

  “But you are.”

  “No.” Skye was firm.

  “Well I will leave you with one question to answer. I don’t expect an answer now, but when you are ready to give me this answer, I will be waiting to help you with Zane. Whatever is stopping you from reaching out to him, only you understand the answer. I only ask you this, do you love him?” Ivy asked as she gathered the baby and passed her to the nanny.

  Skye didn’t answer, instead asking a question to help make her decision, “What gift did he bring me today?”

  Ivy turned at the door and smiled sadly at her, “Nothing my dear, I am sorry,” she replied as she left the nursery.

  Skye stared at the door, lost in those words. She rocked the chair back and forth, realizing she only had herself to blame. She thought over Ivy’s last question. Did she love him? It was an emotion she didn’t want to ponder. Whenever she thought of Zane she froze, too afraid to open those floodgates of emotions, it made her too vulnerable. To experience any emotion frightened her. She lived her life in fear now. This was not her. She did not love this Skye. She wanted to be herself again. For that she needed to face her fear, every facet.

  Throughout the gloomy afternoon she sat in the quiet nursery. Her tears fell silently as her mind wrapped itself around her fears. Her mind fought through her fears as she confronted them. Every fear, emotion, terror she fought and conquered. Wiping the tears from her cheeks she rose and walked to the windows. When she gazed outside, she watched the sun fighting through the dark heavy clouds moving swiftly across the sky. The sun fought its way free and sent rays of sunshine shooting across the city’s skyline. Skye sensed the clouds fading away from her mind and heart. She knew the answer to Ivy’s question but was unable to admit it aloud.

  When she walked into her bedroom, she rang the bell for a maid to help her change for dinner. It was time to live again. To do that, she needed to interact with society. She understood it only to be Thorn, Ivy, and their families joining them for dinner. She remained in her room on other family meals, but she would join them tonight. Then in time she would accompany Ivy in more outings. First things first, small steps. Then those small steps would lead to larger steps, and those larger steps would one day return her back to Zane.

  Skye moved to the divan as she searched for her letter from him, she wanted to stash it with the others. It was nowhere to be found. She dropped to her knees as her hands searched underneath the furniture, brushing across the floor, hoping her fingers encountered the scrap of paper. She came up empty. When she looked behind, she noticed it didn’t lay there either. The maid must have cleaned her bedroom. Her eyes searched the room expecting to spot the letter. As she turned in a slow circle around the room her spin stopped at the bed. For there lying on her bed rested her opened letter propped up against a package. He did leave her a present today. How? Was he in her room? Did he search her out? She hurried to the bed, picking up the package and held it in her hands. Skye looked around her room as she searched for him, but he didn't linger. Her hands shook as she held the package, too afraid to open what he left her today. But fear controlled her life the last few weeks and wouldn’t direct her life anymore. She wanted to reach out to grab for herself
what destiny threw at her feet. Skye ripped open the wrapping with eager fingers and stood in awe of what she held in her hands.

  She embraced the gift in her open palm and reveled at what he gifted her. With him leaving her this, he gave her his heart. More tears slid down her cheeks. She was an ultimate crying pot these days, but these tears were shed from happiness. Her fears drifted into the wind if there existed a wind to drift away to. They were all gone, replaced with determination. Determination to win him. Skye now realized he had been wooing and charming her, with the visits and small gifts. Now she would chase him, he wouldn’t even see her coming.

  Skye smiled as she gazed upon the red ruby and began to make her plans. Plans which would only succeed with the help of Ivy. She slid the red ruby in her pocket as she set off to find her new friend. They had scheming to do. She found Ivy in her bedchamber and knocked on the door. She didn’t want to intrude on her private chambers, but she could answer Ivy’s question now and knew Ivy wouldn’t mind.

  “Please enter.”

  Skye walked into the enormous suite and saw Ivy at the dressing table. Her maid was pulling her hair into curls on top of her head.

  “I am sorry to intrude. I needed to speak with you right away.”

  “Please give me a few moments, Mabel is nearly finished.” Skye noticed Ivy wave at Mabel to hurry.

  “I will wait, My Lady,” Skye replied, and she wandered to the painting hanging on the wall.

  The painting drew Skye’s eyes to the delicate setting. The portrait portrayed Ivy. She sat on a blanket at the park, feeding the ducks. She gazed at somebody with utter devotion. Whoever she smiled upon, held her heart and obviously she held his heart too. The painting must have been drawn by her husband. She didn’t relate Thornhill to be a painter. She glanced in the corner and gasped in shock at the initials nestled in the corner. For they were not MT, but ZM. Zane Maxwell? If he drew this portrait, then he painted the drawing he delivered to her yesterday. Were they the two lovers separated in the storm? Obviously not, for his love for Ivy was displayed by the painting on the wall.

  She turned around slowly and saw Ivy walking towards her. Mabel left out the door. She caught the look of concern in Ivy’s eyes. Skye knew her thoughts were expressed on her face. Through her confusion she didn't understand what to think of this new dilemma.

  “I know what is running through your over active mind. It is not what you are thinking.”

  “What am I thinking?”

  “You are imagining Zane painting me in love with him and he in return painted his love for me. Am I correct?”

  “The painting does not lie, My Lady.”

  “You are as much of a fool as my husband was when he discovered the picture. Now he cherishes it.”

  Skye tried not to jump to a hundred different conclusions, but she couldn’t stop herself. She kept leaping to the same assumption. She decided to listen and not allow her jealous heart to make judgements for her anymore.

  “I am listening.”

  Ivy stood before the painting with a wistful smile on her face and told Skye of the time Maxwell and she were close friends. How Thorn asked Maxwell to keep her company while he was away fighting in the war. While during their time together they grew close, not in a sexual way, but as close as friends as a gentleman and a lady were allowed. They shared everything with each other, well almost everything. So, during that outing, Maxwell did what any friend would do when their best friend pined for their lost love. He set out to cheer her spirits. He painted in the park and enlightened Ivy with stories of Thorn. She missed him terribly and was miserable. When Maxwell regaled her with stories of Thorn, Ivy became sappy. So, it was then that Maxwell drew her, while she spoke of her love for Thorn with him. He captured a lady expressing her true love. Not of a lady he loved.

  Skye looked at the picture in a different light. She noticed the differences from her first glance of the portrait. Ivy held a faraway look in her eyes as she stared off in the distance. She didn’t focus on the painter but on an image in her mind.

  “Do you see?”

  “Yes, I am sorry for jumping to the wrong conclusions.”

  Ivy laughed, “You are not alone, which is a story for another time. Now what brings you to my bedchamber? Wonderful news I am hoping.”

  “An answer to your earlier question.”

  Ivy came to her tiptoes in anticipation of Skye’s answer. She understood the excitement in Ivy’s eyes. Skye joined in Ivy's laughter, she had not laughed for a long time. She felt a new sense of lightness in herself.

  “And?”

  “Yes,” Skye spoke with a smile.

  Ivy let out a whoop of glee and danced around Skye. The lady was much too excited. Skye shook her head at the woman’s silliness.

  “Finally. Now you must promise to let me help you. If it were not for Maxwell, Thorn and I would not be together. I want to help you too. It would be my greatest pleasure.”

  “How did he help you and Thorn?”

  “Another time, another story. I will just say he made Thorn so jealous, it was such a delight.”

  “I don’t wish to make Maxwell jealous.”

  “No, no my dear of course not. What made you change your mind?”

  “He left me a present in my room.”

  “Oh, that man is such a romantic,” Ivy sighed.

  Skye didn’t reply to Ivy’s comment. She realized she didn’t know Maxwell that well. Which remained part of the problem. Their desire spun out of control and they never took the time to learn about one another. Maybe if they had, they could have trusted each other with their secrets. They couldn’t return to fix the actions of their past, they could only move forward from here. It was time for Skye to open her heart to him.

  “I would like to accept your invitation to dinner, if it is not too late.”

  “Oh, this is perfect. I must warn you, I invited Zane this afternoon. I can send word to him to cancel if you wish.”

  “No, I was hoping he would be at dinner this evening. Can I ask you a small favor?”

  “Please do.”

  “Can you please place him next to me?”

  “Are you sure you are ready for this Skye?”

  “Yes, I believe I am.”

  “Perfect, now hurry I will send Mabel to help you prepare. I think the white gown will be lovely for this evening.”

  “Will that not be too debutante?”

  “Not with your curves, it will be a perfect mixture of innocence and minx.”

  “Are you sure I won’t be intruding on your family dinner?”

  “You are family, my dear. Now hurry I cannot wait to witness Maxwell’s expression when you join us. Also, make sure you come downstairs fashionably late.”

  Skye returned to her room where Mabel awaited her with a bath. She bathed and set at the vanity for the maid to fix her hair. She never had her hair styled before. This was a new experience for her, even to having beautiful dresses to wear. Ivy’s seamstress came to the house her first few days here and with her and Ivy’s help they created a small wardrobe for Skye. After Mabel finished with her hair, she guided her into her dress. As she stood before the mirror it was to gaze upon an unfamiliar woman staring back at her.

  “You look gorgeous, My Lady. Yes, Earl Maxwell will drop to his knees. Lady Ivy is correct as usual. Now wait here and Lady Ivy will send word on when you are to arrive below.”

  “Thank you so much on making me beautiful tonight Mabel.”

  “You needed no help, you just are,” the maid told her as she straightened the room.

  When the maid left, Skye still couldn’t remove herself from the mirror. She couldn’t believe the vision staring back at her. She wiped her palms down the front of her dress. Ivy stood correct, she didn’t look like a debutante in this dress. She looked wanton, with a touch of innocence. The dress was white and hugged her curves. White pearls laced through the fabric covering her bust line. Her breasts were tucked in tightly with enough to tease a gentlem
an’s eye. Skye picked up the dark blue shawl and draped it across her shoulders. She wasn’t quite comfortable yet, to show her assets so wantonly. She swung around in a circle and her skirts danced around her legs. Her body was graced in lace and tulle, making her feel soft and feminine. An experience she never felt before except when Maxwell held her in his arms. She discovered it was a sensation she quite enjoyed.

  A knock sounded upon the door. On the other side stood Thornhill decked out in his evening clothes. He bowed when she answered the door.

  “I am here to escort you to dinner, My Lady, by instructions of my wife.” He winked at her.

  “Thank you, My Lord.” She took Thornhill’s elbow, and they preceded downstairs.

  He chuckled to himself and Skye glanced at him in confusion out of the corner of her eye.

  “Is there something about me which amuses you, Sir?”

  “No, but when you and my wife finish with Maxwell, he won’t realize what hit him. And that is what amuses me and will continue to do so. I cannot wait to watch him fall.”

  “Fall?”

  By then they reached the library, and he escorted her into the room. He never answered her question, only squeezed her hand as they arrived. She wanted to correct him on whatever he thought about Zane when she heard a loud crash and a string of curse words that even made herself blush.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ZANE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WHY he tortured himself. As he glanced around the room, the Thornhills and Mallorys’ enjoyed themselves immensely. While he hid in the corner nursing his drink and feeling sorry for himself. His gaze caught Ivy, who was once again smirking at him. What had her so amused? His misery? Why did he come tonight? Did he really imagine she would emerge out of her cocoon? If she knew he came to dinner, she would make herself scarce like the previous times when he came for tea. To know she remained up those stairs in her bedroom, made him crazy with desire. What would they think if he climbed those stairs to her? What would she think? She would probably scream, and they would throw him out into the street.