by Fiona Faris
Unfortunately, the insufferable man followed her.
Ignore him, mayhap he will tire of whatever ’tis that causes him to trail me. Lorraine took a sharp turn to where her horse was waiting. For a moment, it didn’t seem like she was being followed, but at the last moment, she heard his steps come even closer. He had only stopped to speak to someone for a bit. For every step he took, he seemed to cover two of hers.
Unconsciously, she reached for the small dagger her brother Maxwell had gifted her.
Dae nae be silly, she told herself. He is the son of yer laird. He hardly wants to murder ye.
Well, mayhap nae murder, ye could be kidnapped.
But for what cause? she reasoned. He has more money than yer entire lineage. He does nae need a ransom for yer head.
His steps grew closer as her paranoia grew stronger. Finally, tired of how paranoid she had grown, she turned to him with a glare cold enough to freeze steam.
“What on earth dae ye want?”
He arched a brow. Lorraine grew even angrier. How dare he pester her and act like she was acting weirdly? What nerve!
“Be calm, lassie,” he said in a condescending tone she didn’t appreciate.
Did he expect her to be happy that he was refusing to leave her alone?
“I am hardly a lassie. I am twenty and three.”
“And I am twenty and seven.”
“Barely four years me senior.”
“Still older.”
“Nae old enough to call me a lass.”
“Still older,” he repeated.
Tired, she glared at him again. “What dae ye want?”
“I only want to have a word.”
A word? With her? Lorraine stared at him through slit eyes. “Alright. Nice speakin’ with ye, laddie!” she turned on her heel and made to exit.
Daividh grabbed her hands and pulled her to him. “Ye are a feisty one. I would nae have guessed.”
Lorraine lifted her arm and twisted her wrist out of his relaxed hold. Free of his grasp, she sent him a smug look and for the second time, she made to leave.
Bewildered, he reached for her again. This time, he held her wrist and pulled her to him. Lorraine tried to free herself from his grip but found it as secure as iron locks.
“What is yer problem?” he asked.
“What is yer problem?”
“Me problem? I only tried to talk to ye.” He loosened his grip on her hands. Mayhap she is off her head indeed, he thought.
Lorraine stared at him. Was he really that daft or was he jesting?
“Ye stopped me, paid for me purchase without me word. Then ye bade me buy jewelry and perfume for ye see ladies as people who have naught to dae with money than spend it so frivolously. Then ye followed me here and grabbed me arms – nae once, twice, and ye hold on to me, yet still and ye wonder why I say ye have a problem!” She took a deep breath.
“I would nae have had to dae all that if ye had listened to me at the market.”
“I did nae want to and I dae nae have to. Ye have nae right to demand me ear.”
Daividh had never had someone speak to him so brazenly. “Dae ye ken who I am?” When she didn’t reply, he went on. “I am Daividh MacDougall; heir to the MacDougall lands.”
“And that, m’laird, does nae put food in me belly.” And with a determined twist, she yanked her hands out of his and ran to her horse.
In a daze, Daividh watched her mount her horse and ride off with a smoothness that shocked him.
“Oh, dear God! She’s amazin’.”
Daividh froze and turned round to face Kyla who had a naughty grin on her face. “What in the seven heavens are ye doin’ here?” He glared at her. “I told ye to go home.” He had happened upon her as he chased the insolent lady. He should have known that she would not heed his words.
“Ye are nae me guardian,” she said with a small smile, “Come, brother.” She extended her hand to him.
With a long suffering sigh, he took his sister’s hands and walked her to her carriage.
“What did ye see?” he asked her.
“Enough.”
“Ye are a little imp. I shall speak to Father about getting a tower with nae door or windows for ye.”
Kyla laughed. “Ye will storm the tower before anyone else.”
“And dae nae forget it,” he said, smiling besides himself, “Dae nae wander too far from the guards, imp.” Whatever was happening to him was still strange and he needed her protected.
“But-”
“Promise me.”
“Only if ye tell me why ye never told me ye fancied Lorraine.”
“I dae nae-” he began to argue then paused. He loved Kyla to death but thought it better if she didn’t know anything of the wager.
“Dae nae fight it. I saw ye. She is so bold, is she nae?”
“Aye, she is.” He was still reeling from the shock of it.
“Did ye really say those things to her, ye oaf.”
“What woman does nae want some extra coins?”
“Nae all women are the same, brother dearest. Ye must try to get to ken who she really is. I hear she is a healer.”
“What else dae ye ken of her?”
“Nae so much. But ye can find out.”
“Find out? I doubt she would pay me any mind the next time.” It bothered him. It bothered him more than any woman had bothered him ever. How had she been so immune to all his advances? He had never had a woman physically fight him off.
“Well, then. Ye ken now that ye have yer work cut out for ye.”
Daividh wanted to groan. Why on earth had he agreed to Glenn’s stupid wager?
“Is that ye admittin’ that a woman has ye stumped?”
“’Tis me admittin’ that I have nae met a woman like her; so frustratin’!”
His sister laughed. “Look at the good, brother. Ye have nae met any like her. If you were lookin’ for a thrill, ye will get it.”
“What use is the thrill of the chase if the prize is nae mine in the end?” he said, running his hands through his perfect hair.
“Ah – that is where ye are amiss. She will be yers. I will help ye.”
Chapter Three
Daividh sank into the plush bed in his sister’s chambers. Her room was not a crowded one. It held a bed, table, chair, a dresser, and a wardrobe where all her dresses were hung. It had been many years since he had been in her chambers for more than mere moments. He scowled at her choice of furnishing. The drapes of her room were a bright and cheery yellow, reminding him of the sky when the sun was too eloquent in its beauty. The chair and table he could endure. They were made of rich mahogany and although quality, it was not something that he would pick for himself. It had little to do with the color and more to do with the feminine design of the table. However, her bed was a monstrosity, in his opinion. It was far too soft and far too bright. It had too many yellow pillows and was a shade of yellow that matched the drapes. The only thing Daividh decided that he could stand about her chamber was the cobblestone wall.
He made a face and turned to Kyla. “If it gets any brighter in here, the sun would be awfully jealous of yer room, sister.”
“Oh, dae be quiet, ye,” she scolded lightly, and sat at her dresser to take the pins out of her hair. Then she walked back to her bed and sat beside her brother, causing the bed to sink even deeper.
Daividh scowled. “Why is it so soft?” he asked her.
“Dae ye want my help or nae?” she asked, matching his scowl with hers.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Forgive me,” he added after a pause, “I am in a rather foul mood.”
“I would be too,” Kyla said, a smile peeping on her cheeks once more. “I would be in a terrible mood if I was refused by a man,” she said with a sigh.
“Nae a man would refuse ye. They would count themselves lucky to own yer beauty, grace, and charm,” he said with a smile.
Kyla’s eyes softened with a smile. “Yer so ki-”
“And then
he would hate himself as he would meet his untimely end from the blunt end of my sword.”
Kyla shook her head. “Let us talk about yer lady.”
Daividh was too tired to correct her.
“From what we ken of her, she will nae be swayed by yer smooth words as poor Alison was,” she said, ignoring the scowl on his face at the mention of his ex.
“There is nae a woman that cannae be swayed by the right words,” he insisted.
“Has nae yer Lorraine proved ye wrong?”
Daividh was silent.
“As I expected,” she smirked.
“So what say ye, sister? How dae I win her heart?”
“Ye must speak to her in a manner that will nae anger her. Ye dae nae want to draw swords with her. Ye want to woo her,” Kyla said, and stood up with a grin on her face. She swayed by herself slowly around the room. “Think of it as a dance, would ye?” She cast a glance at her brother. “’Tis delicate, soft, slow, and must be taken as such. Think of it as one of the deals ye and Father bargain. Ye ken what ye want right from the start but ye dae nae approach the matter as such, dae ye?” she paused her dance and turned to her brother.
“Nae,” he admitted.
“Good. Do nae try to force her attentions on ye. She doesnae seem like the type that will take tae it. Ye must find out what she likes, genuinely.”
“How will I do that?” he asked, puzzled.
Kyla looked at him and shook her head. “Have ye never put effort into getting a woman before?”
“Nae. They ken of me and they want me,” he grinned. Daividh almost sighed out loud thinking of how much easier it had been with other women. Why did she have to be so different?
“’Tis where the problem lies.” She shook her head. “Ye must ask it of her. Ask her to share herself with ye.”
“I see.” He stroked his beard. “I think I ken what ye mean,” he said with a smile. If this was all, it wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“Good. Now we can speak on yer appearance.”
“What is wrong about my appearance?” he asked with squinted eyes.
“Nae a thing,” she said quickly.
Daividh relaxed.
“Except yer hair?”
“My hair?” he asked in extreme disbelief.
“Aye, yer hair,” she nodded eagerly, “This year, the ladies are finding more tame looks attractive.”
“What is that to mean?”
“It means that the fashion of this season doesn’t favor yer long and tough hair. Ye will need a cut to look presentable.”
“But-“
“Nay,” she said earnestly. “Ye must listen. The hair must be trimmed and softened. I will dae it for ye,” she offered.
Daividh cast his mind back and realized that a great number of the men were sporting the trimmed look. Glenn, however, was exempted as he had always worn his hair short.
He reached a hand to his hair and fingered the tough locks. It was either cutting his hair or walking naked.
“Alright,” he said with little malice, “you may.”
Happy, Kyla rushed out of her chamber leaving Daividh alone by himself to assess her living space.
All too soon, there was a knock at the door.
Daividh left Kyla’s bed and moved to open up the door.
“I thought I would find ye here,” Glenn said with a grin.
Daividh nodded to the guards that stood outside his sister’s chambers. “Inform my sister that I will be in my own chambers,” he told them then began to walk away. The hallway wasn’t a bright one. It had the same stone walls that were present everywhere in the castle.
“I see what yer doin’” Glenn said, following him, “The midwife’s daughter has ye stumped, has she?”
“Nay. ’Tis under my control,” he lied.
“Then why is yer sister out to get the roots of a birch tree?” He smirked. “She says it is tae soften yer hair,” he mocked with the girliest tone that he could muster.
Daividh cursed.
“Nay, nay, dae nae worry,” Glenn continued to tease, “Ye will just look more pleasant for the lasses to see when ye parade the castle grounds naked!” He guffawed with laughter.
At last, Daividh reached the door of his room and threw it open.
Glenn stepped in after him, still laughing,
As one would expect, Daividh‘s room was the opposite of his sisters. The blinds were a deep maroon and worked effectively to shield out light even in the day. The bed was another story. It was so firm that Daividh’s stepmother had always mentioned that it would need to be changed if he were to bring in a wife to stay with him. It was a large room. One side held his cupboard. His clothing occupied that space, being meticulously arranged by the maids. There was also a table placed beside the first window. It held his quill, documents, and several other important items. The cushion of the chair was maroon, blending with the blinds. Unlike Kyla’s room, there was a chest of drawers conveniently placed beside the table. It served the purpose of decongesting the table and keeping private items.
It was on his hard bed that Daividh and Glenn sat. “Tell me, what else do ye have planned for our dear Lorraine?”
“None of yer business, ye bastard,” Daividh replied, but he had a hint of an exasperated smile, “Ye are as annoying as hell, ye ken this.”
“I do nae. Me thinks that ye ken that ye will fail. It irks ye so,” Glenn said.
“I ken nay such thing,” Daividh argued.
The door opened, revealing Kyla with the roots soaked in warm water, a comb, some oils, and a blade.
“Ah, ’tis time for yer grooming,” Glenn snickered.
“Ye didnae come all the way here to disturb my poor brother, did ye?” Kyla scolded.
Glenn said nothing but grinned while Daividh remained silent.
“I think I ken the answer to that.” She shook her head.
“I heard he has been courting a certain lady’s attention. And he cannae seem to do that on his own. What will ye do next? Teach him what to say to her?” Glenn’s composure broke and he began to laugh again.
“I will hear no more from ye,” Kyla said, slightly annoyed. She knew that Glenn could make Daividh decide to change his mind. “Get out.” She nodded towards the door.
”Yes, milady,” he said, and exited, but not without a wink thrown in his friend’s direction.
“The roots are prepared,” she said, as she turned to her brother, “Ye will need to sit in yer big chair,” she added.
Grudgingly, he followed her and sat in the chair.
“Is this really necessary?” he asked.
“Aye. ’Tis,” she said hurriedly, “Remember that ’tis in rave now.”
“But-”
Kyla thrust her hands into his hair and made the first cut, quelling any further talk of aborting the mission.
“We must speak further, brother,” she said, as she cut his hair.
“What now?” he asked, tired.
“What are ye goin’ to say to her?”
“I will request her audience and as ye said, I shall try to find out the things she likes.” Daividh thought of the millions of things he would rather be doing and sighed. If he wanted a woman, it would be one that adored him and not one who hadn’t even been enamored by him.
“And?” she prompted.
“That is all,” he said, rather confidently.
Kyla looked uncertain. “Dae ye nae ken ye should ask her pardon?”
Daividh whipped his head back so sharply that Kyla almost made a wrong cut.
“Careful!” Kyla scolded.
“Ask her pardon?” he asked, as though he couldn’t understand the words.
“Aye, ye must. If ye want her pardon,” Kyla explained.
“Nay,” he said firmly, “I draw the line at asking her pardon. What woman would nae be proud to boast of my intentions? Perhaps I came upon her too firmly in the morn. This time will be different. She is sure to give me audience.”
“I believe ye,
brother,” Kyla said, even if she didn’t believe him at all.
Confidently, Daividh knocked on the door of the small cottage. It was evening and the sun had begun to give up its control of the sky.