He was the most handsome man she had ever seen though, scars or no. And once again, Rhia was shocked that she would notice his handsomeness at all. It was very unlike her. She hadn’t the time to notice men, or have them notice her. She had been much too busy living day to day, trying to survive. But this man was someone who would refuse to go unnoticed. From his size, to the length of his hair, the scars that she hated seeing on his handsome face. And to just that. His beyond handsome features.
He looked like someone had carved him from stone. He had large muscular arms, big thighs that stretched out his pants and Rhia blushed when she noticed that. Shaking her head and trying to clear her thoughts, she studied his face again. Wanting to know who he was. He seemed familiar to her, but she knew she would have remembered meeting him.
He stirred slightly and stretched, then rubbed his neck. Groaning, he moved his head side to side until he popped something in his neck. He opened his eyes and looked straight at her.
His face went slightly red, and he looked down after they had locked eyes, and his hair fell in a curtain around his face. It was longer than she had realized, and she liked it. Rhiannon had also been able to see that his eyes were a gorgeous shade of green she had never seen before on a person. He was fascinating. She wasn’t certain why her thoughts were going insane like they were, but she thought it was because they were still fuzzy from her time here.
He cleared his throat and looked up slightly. “Hello, I apologize if I startled you, or made you uncomfortable in anyway, what with me being a man in your bedchamber; but I have been watching over you while you have been recovering.”
He looked up at her fully and then quickly away, hiding his face from her with his long hair again. She didn’t know why he kept hiding his face. But perhaps it was because he was self- conscious about his scars. She too had scars. Just ones not everyone could see.
“Hello. Thank you for watching over me. Can I ask how long I have been here? I can't seem to remember.” Her voice sounded scratchy and hoarse.
“I found you out in the storm over 3 days ago. You fell and hurt your hand, and your legs. After being in the rain for so long, you got very sick with a fever. We have been trying to get it to break for a while now.”
Rhia was shocked. Three days? She had been sick for that long? Had been at the mercy of complete strangers while she was unaware of it all? She didn’t think he was one to take advantage, and usually she was right about that sort of things. And for some reason, this man didn’t feel like a stranger.
She felt horrible. Her body was tired and aching, her left leg was stiff and from what she could feel, swollen and hot to the touch. She knew she couldn’t move it. Her throat felt scratchy, and hurt to swallow. “If it's not too much trouble, could I have some water please?”
The man nodded and jumped up to get her a glass of water. He handed it to her and their fingers brushed as she reached for it. It sent tingles and warmth racing up her arm and she gasped.
He sucked in a breath and looked at their fingers then at Rhiannon’s face. His eyes were wide as he stared back at her. She could see his scars fully and they didn’t look as bad as she had first thought. They faded into the background of his face. He was simply a very handsome man.
She took the glass from him. “Slowly,” he said and sat down in the chair again as she sipped at the water.
It felt wonderful going down her sore throat and she breathed a sigh of relief. When the glass was drained, she held it out to the man again. Relieved to make that need pass.
He took it out of her hands and put it back on the tray. “When you first arrived, you told me your name was Rhiannon Forester. When we were out in the storm, do you remember telling me? Is that your name?”
She nodded, and he smiled slightly. “Well, Rhiannon, it is a pleasure to meet you again. I am Aidan St. Andrew.”
She smiled, “A pleasure to meet you as well. Mr. St. Andrew.” Grateful her voice didn’t sound so hoarse.
He chuckled. “You may call me Aidan.” She noticed he had straight white teeth when he chuckled. His smile was wonderful. Though his scars pulled it slightly askew, she thought it fit him perfectly. And made him all the more handsome.
She had no idea why she thought that way. He was just helping her recover. She didn’t need to ogle him and think him handsome. That was terribly silly of her.
She shook her head, “You really wish for me to call you by your Christian name? It isn’t at all proper.”
Aidan smiled, and she had to fight not to smile as well. “I know it isn’t proper. But you will find there isn’t a lot we do properly. Please, call me Aidan.”
She thought his name was perfect. He looked like an Aidan.
She smiled again, “Very well, Aidan.” She felt odd using his Christian name, but since he asked her to do so, she complied with his wishes.
“A lot of what happened hasn’t come back yet. I remember falling a lot, but I don’t remember introducing myself. I apologize.”
He sat quietly in the chair for a moment, “It is all right. I know you have had some hardships. What with everything that happened on your journey to get here, and your illness over the last few days, I understand if you do not remember all of your ordeal.”
He gave her a tiny quirk of his lips, and then stood. “If you will excuse me for a minute, I should probably let my mother and sisters know you are awake.”
She looked up at him as he stood. Heavens he was tall. She hadn’t realized just how tall he was when he first brought the water. She didn’t think she would even reach his shoulder.
She nodded, “You have all been taking care of me? You are so very kind. I apologize for being such an imposition.”
He smiled kindly at her. “You have been no imposition at all Rhiannon. Please don’t feel that way. I promise you this.”
She didn’t know what to say, so she just nodded. He walked to the door and out of it, and in a few moments, returned with an older woman and two younger ones. His mother. And sisters.
They did look similar and his mother had the same green eyes as him. They were all very beautiful. As they walked over, they all smiled at her warmly. His mother reached her first and held out a welcoming hand to her.
Rhia took it and his mother said, “Oh, my dear girl. You look so much better. I am so very pleased. I am Lydia St. Andrew, but please call me Lydia.” Rhia gave her a tiny nod and Lydia helped her sit up a little better in her bed.
“Do you feel well enough to speak with us about what happened?” Lydia fussed with her blankets and straightened them out, plumping her pillows behind her back, before continuing with her question. “We don't wish to rush you, or hinder your healing in anyway.”
Rhia smiled lightly and nodded at her. “You are not rushing me in the least. I am Rhiannon Forester. But call me Rhia, please.” She watched Lydia as the woman smiled at her name.
“I do feel a little better. I haven't been that sick in a very long time. Even though I do not remember much, I wish to thank you for helping me. For taking your time to nurse me back to health. You are so wonderful to take care of a sick stranger.” Lydia waved her hand in the air to dismiss her worry and thanks, and Rhia watched the girls do the same. Aidan just stood quietly, watching her.
“I will answer what I can. What I know or remember. I am exhausted, even though I am certain I have slept a lot.”
Lydia smiled at her. “You were never an imposition and we didn’t mind taking care of someone who desperately needed our care. Don't overtax yourself. It would be horrible if you did so. We worked so hard to make you well. If it becomes too much, stop at any time. We will understand. We are all just so curious about you.” Lydia released her hand after giving it a soft squeeze. One of Aidan’s sisters came forward and Rhia noticed they looked about the same age.
The sister took her hand much like Lydia had. “I am Rose. I too am very pleased to see you feeling better Rhia. We are all happy to help you in anyway. Helping to get you well was no
t an imposition, like my mother said. We welcomed the distraction.”
Rhia smiled. “Thank you Rose. I am very much in your debt. I am grateful to all of you, for giving up your time and talents.”
Rose shook her head. “It is not every day we get the chance to help someone. Most people are scared of this place.”
Rhia’s eyebrows furrowed at that, but Rose had stepped back and the other woman took her place. She too took Rhia’s hand, “I am Lily. It is a pleasure to meet you and see you looking so well.”
Rhia smiled at her too, “Thank you Lily, you and Rose are so beautiful.” Lily and Rose, now standing close to her bed, both blushed.
Lydia took her daughters by the hands, “Lily, Rose, why don’t you see if Ida will make Rhia a tray? I bet she is hungry.”
Lily and Rose both walked out the door, and it was just the three of them left. “I take it Aidan has already introduced himself?”
Rhia nodded, “Yes, just before he went to get you. Even though, we apparently had already introduced ourselves. I don’t remember that.”
Lydia nodded and sat down on the edge of her bed, “I was so afraid for you my dear, when Aidan first brought you here, you were freezing cold, soaking wet and covered in mud. I couldn’t believe all you went through. And I am certain we don’t even know the half of your story. Aidan said you are trying to get to Scotland? But that the villagers would not take you through the road to get there?”
Rhia nodded, “I asked around town, but everyone there is terrified of the Duke and his curse on the land. I think it is utter rubbish and told them so. But I needed to get to Scotland, and I don’t have the funds, the time, nor the patience to go all the way around, not when we are so close to the border. So, I walked. And I did well for a lot of my journey. But after that much time, my leg didn’t do so well, and walking didn’t work. When it started raining, my leg just couldn’t keep going for much longer, and I fell, several times. Over the course of a few falls, I cut my hand open, bruised my knees and fell down an embankment. I’m rather clumsy the best of times, but this was the worst I have ever experienced before. I have never fallen like that.”
Lydia nodded and leaned forward to take her hand once more. “You poor dear. I am so sorry for everything you have been through. The walk must have been horrible on your leg.” Rhia nodded and Lydia patted her hand.
“When we were taking care of you, I noticed your scarring. It is rather severe. If I may ask, what happened to your leg? With the severity of your scars, it is shocking you still have the limb. And that it works at all. I know you described your walk here, but I am in awe that your leg can even hold your weight.”
Rhia looked down at her lap and picked at the coverlet. Lydia covered her hand and Rhia looked up into her kind eyes. She knew how her leg looked, and no one, besides Julia and the people who had saved her life had ever seen it.
She wanted to feel embarrassed about the state of her leg was in. She hated how badly it looked and how sometimes it swelled and turned red when she had walked too much. Which had been the day they found her.
Rhia sighed, knowing they were waiting for her tale. It was not her favorite thing to discuss, but she would tell them the short version.
“A few years ago, my family and I were traveling to Scotland to visit my father’s family there. Whilst driving, the carriage got in an accident, killing my mother, hurting my father and throwing me out the broken side of the carriage and onto a stick lodged in the ground. The stick went through my leg. It not only pierced my flesh straight through to both sides, but it broke my leg as well. I almost lost my leg, and got very sick from infection and from being out in a storm much like the one from the other day. The doctor who lived in the small town near our accident worked hard to save my leg, and me. It was a long process, and my leg has never been the same. I have had to work for years to be able to walk almost normally. I still limp and stumble, but I would take that over no leg any day.”
She looked up and saw that Aidan’s jaw was hanging open. He snapped it shut, “That sounds horrible. I am so sorry Rhia. You said you lost your mother in the accident? What happened to your father?”
Rhia sighed, “After the accident, it took us a while to recuperate. But, while I thrived, my father did not. In the accident, he struck his head. His mind had gone with that bump, and some days he was lucid and knew who I was, others, he didn’t. Had no clue I was his daughter. Those days were the hardest. I cared for his every need, while trying to do everything for myself again. It was difficult to say the least. But I miss him every day that goes by. He passed away over a year ago.”
She didn’t want to see their faces while she told her story, it was hard enough to tell it without crying. Couldn’t look at Aidan when she finished her tale the compassion in his eyes would be her undoing.
“I was traveling to Scotland to live in my family’s cottage there, as after my father’s death, I became near destitute. He had a lot of debt that I didn’t know he had. I had done the books, but apparently, they weren’t the right books. I only paid it off by selling practically everything we owned in our home, and then the house itself. I didn’t really have much of a choice. I couldn’t get a job because most people think I am crippled, so they don’t want me to work. Afraid that it’s catching. I also couldn’t get married. Most men think I am a cripple. They think I won’t be able to take care of children or live a normal life. So, here I am, hoping that I can make it to my cottage, and find someone in Scotland who will hire me to do something, anything really.”
Again, she looked up and both Aidan and Lydia were sitting there with shocked expressions on their faces. Rhia looked up at them. “I am sorry if I said anything upsetting.”
Lydia cleared her throat. “Oh Rhia. You have been through a lot in your life, haven't you? You poor dear. I cannot imagine all of the struggle you have endured for these years. But even going through what you did, from then until now, you worry for us and our well-being. Here you stand, or sit rather, and you are kind and polite. It is refreshing.”
Rhia looked down. “I just did what needed to be done.” Which was true. She had to. No one else could. Or would have, if this burden had been placed on their shoulders.
Aidan was still standing at the foot of her bed, his face a mask of shock and wonder.
Rhia looked up at him, and he cleared his throat. “Astonishing. That is all I can say. And my mother is right in her sentiments.”
Rhia blushed. “Thank you.”
Aidan nodded and went to say something else when there was a knock on the door.
Lydia and Aidan looked at one another again. Then Aidan went to open the door. On the other side stood a man. “Hello Aidan. Lily and Rose say our visitor is awake.”
Aidan nodded, “Yes, brother. We were just getting acquainted.”
He stepped back and let the man into her room. Rhia blushed again since she was only in a nightgown, in her bed, for goodness sake. She felt silly around these men, dressed as she was, looking horrid, if she had been fevered and ill for days.
The man following Aidan into the room looked just like Aidan. There were differences between them, like the new man had hair that was a few shades lighter than Aidan’s. It was also much shorter, shoulder length, rather than almost to the middle of his back like Aidan’s. It was pulled into a queue, so she wasn’t certain. But he turned slightly and Rhia could see the length a little. Aidan also sported a short beard that ran along his strong jaw and made Rhia yearn to run her fingers along it. Where the other man had a clean-shaven face. Rhia couldn’t see his eyes, but from where she sat, they looked lighter than Aidan’s as well. He was as handsome as Aidan, but had no scars on his face. That apparently was only reserved for Aidan. She hated it and had no idea why, but she desperately wanted to know.
He stepped up to her bed and Rhia looked up into his face. He smiled down at her, “Hello, beautiful, my name is Cole St. Andrew.”
Rhia looked down, her face still warm from when Cole had w
alked in. It seemed like she would never stop blushing around these people. She wanted to disappear into the bedding. They were both such handsome men. Never before had she been so close to a man like this. Especially not in a setting this intimate and with her still in her nightclothes.
She never was a blusher before either, not the woman who had time for silly romantic notions about men, but apparently put her in a room with two tall and extremely good-looking men? She turned into someone who blushed.
Rhia thought that Aidan was much more handsome. Had thought so from the start. She knew for certain that she was at the home of the Duke. She now recalled the man at the inn saying the name of St. Andrew for the family that lived here, and she felt like an imbecile knowing she had probably insulted Aidan by not addressing him as my lord or his grace.
But she wasn’t certain if Aidan was the Duke or if Cole was. She was thinking it was Cole, since he was dressed like a nobleman, whereas Aidan was casually dressed. More than she had seen in a house of this kind of significance.
Not that she had seen many, but when she was younger, before the accident, her father knew several gentlemen and titled noblemen. They were always smartly dressed.
Aidan was just in shirtsleeves and a waistcoat with breeches. No cravat, and nothing that would imply he was the Duke. Cole, on the other hand, had on the same, but he had on a jacket. No cravat either.
“Hello your Grace. I am Rhiannon Forester, but you may call me Rhia if you wish.” She addressed Cole, and saw Aidan start out of the corner of her eye.
Cole coughed in surprise and turned to look at Aidan. “Actually, Aidan here is his Grace, I am merely Lord St. Andrew. The Marquess of Woodbridge.”
Rhia felt her mouth drop open. She looked up at Aidan and noticed a red blush creep up his cheeks, and he refused to look her way.
“I apologize Your Grace.” Aidan waved a hand dismissing her. “You didn’t know. I didn’t tell you.”
The Duke Who Loved Me Page 11