by Alisa Adams
Even though he had only spoken with her for a short moment he sensed that she was a gentle and tender soul who only wanted a simple thing from life: to love and be loved in return. It was all anyone deserved really, and it seemed to him that she was more suited to the Highlands than living in this suffocating English society. Not that she would ever admit it herself.
During the night he did spend time in the garden, alone with his thoughts. He hoped that Rose might seek him out, but she did not. He realized he was feeling an urge to see her, talk to her, look at her. Just to be around her.
He made a point to pass by Lydia’s chambers again to see if he could catch them in the act and this time act with more decisiveness. The first time it happened he had been taken completely unawares and had been so dumbstruck he hadn’t been able to call for help. Keith was not going to make that mistake a second time. However, Lydia and Edward were not so careless, as he didn’t hear any noise coming from her room. No doubt they were making a better effort to hide their affair since Keith had discovered them. In a way he might have actually made it more difficult for Rose to discover the truth since now Edward and Lydia were being stealthier.
He tried to tell himself that it wasn’t his place to get involved. He was just a Highlander and he wasn’t here to meddle in the affairs of the English nobility, but injustice always gnawed at his gut and he hated how people like Edward and Lydia could get away with their duplicity. Some things, though, he was simply powerless to change.
Keith had a very hard time accepting that and he was trying to find a way to uncover their lies.
The more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
There could be no other reason why Edward was lying about his whereabouts that night. Her soul became like cold steel and what confirmed it to her was Keith’s face when she saw him waiting to leave with the rest of the hunting party. Upon his face was an expression of pure pity for her; not anger or hatred or even lust. Just pity. And what other reason could he have to pity her than if he knew something that she had yet to accept? There was no reason for him to lie to her, and in fact it had been an act of bravery to tell her the truth, yet she had slapped him and turned him away.
Her heart burned with enmity for Lydia and Edward; it burned with rage as fiercely as it had burned with love for him. She felt betrayed and foolish, as though everything she had ever known had been torn away from her and shown to be a lie. Edward and Lydia acted as though nothing had happened. They laughed and joked with the others as though life was normal, and she wondered how they could have enough hatred in their hearts for her that they could do this to her. She had never done anything to wrong them. She hadn’t harmed them in any way, and yet they thought they could treat her like this.
And Keith… He had just met her and he had no reason to help her. They did not even know each other. But she felt very close to him the night they spend in the garden. But if Edward did have an affair with Lydia, Keith must have used all the courage he had to tell her the truth. He risked his place to protect her. The thought that he was telling the truth made him a hundred times more attractive to her and she felt like she wanted to get into his hug and stay there, protected, forever. She felt like with him she could do anything.
She had to know what was going on with Lydia and Edward. There was no time to waste. She had half a mind to confront them directly, but wanted to speak to each of them in turn so she could confirm her suspicions and take the right actions. What this meant for the future, she did not know.
But it certainly meant there would be no marriage.
12
A few days after he saw Edward with Lydia a maid told Keith that he had been chosen to take part in the escort of the hunting party. What great news!
Apparently the hunt was designed to alleviate tension and had been a spur of the moment suggestion by Lord Douglas, as they had to hurry to get the horses and equipment ready. Because of his experience living in the wilderness, Keith was deemed a natural choice to join the party and he was glad to be getting out of the estate and experiencing something that was like home. He and the other servants worked hard to make sure everything was ready, and then he watched as the others approached.
Edward was in a good mood, although his face turned into a snarl when he saw Keith. It only lasted a moment though, and then Edward moved on and ignored Keith as though he didn’t exist. Keith’s nostrils flared. In the Highlands it would have been an easy thing to challenge Edward on his behavior, but here there was a clear hierarchy and Keith was powerless to do anything other than bite his tongue and try to quell the anger inside him. He couldn’t forget the way Edward had jabbed his finger and threatened Keith the night Keith had discovered Edward’s transgression. Keith had confidence that he could defeat Edward in a duel, but Edward had other weapons in his armory, like his upbringing and his wealth. There were some things that Keith could not fight.
Or so they told him.
"Are you going to impress your love with your hunting skills Edward?"
"What did you just say Highlander?" Edward’s eyes filled with anger. He would stab him right then and there if he could.
"Yea heard me lad," Keith said and looked him straight in his cold eyes with his sharp blue ones.
"How dare you?" Edward said and pointed his finger towards him. He made a visible effort to constrain himself and turned his back on Keith. While he was going towards his horse, he was giving Edward angry looks every few seconds.
Keith saw that he had made him absolutely mad. And all he had done was ask him a simple question…
If Edward was not guilty, he could have even joked about it. Keith found very interesting the fact that when one is guilty, he almost confesses with his actions if provoked. A little more and Edward would attack him, he thought.
Keith would have enjoyed that very much.
Lydia would join them for the hunt too. When she saw Keith she offered him a smug smile, goading him with the fact that she still had Rose’s confidence. Rose looked as lovely as ever and Keith felt his attraction rise throughout his body, as though a warm glow was lifting him up into the heavens. Their eyes met and they exchanged a quick glance, but then Rose averted her gaze and Keith was left wondering about what might have been. It was completely unfair that he was made out to be the person in the wrong.
What could he do to prove the fraud and help Rose?
The hunting party left the Douglas estate and galloped along the road to the woods where there was good hunting. The men were in good spirits, and the women present were eager to see the prowess of the hunters. The servants, like Keith, were there to aid the hunters with whatever they needed. Edward rode his horse to the front of the pack and declared that he was going to be the most successful hunter, and that if he wasn’t he would pay quite a substantial sum to anyone who beat him. William’s face paled at this, but the deal had been made and there was much whooping from those in attendance who hoped to profit from Edward’s boasts.
Keith enjoyed the simple thrill of riding a horse again, and of feeling the air rush against his face. He tried to put his troubled thoughts out of his mind, and he found it to be much easier when he was out in the familiar comforts of nature. Keith was also amused by the boast of Edward as he challenged anyone to come back with a greater haul than him. If only Keith could actually take part in the hunt rather than simply support the nobles. He was quite confident that he could be more successful at a hunt than Edward. The noble Drake might well have spent his life hawking and hunting, but Keith had lived his life in nature and that experience counted for more than just a hobby. But now the best he could do was to relax and enjoy this ride.
Rose had other plans though.
As the hunters prepared to gallop off and pursue their quarry, Rose sidled towards Lydia’s horse. She spoke quietly so that nobody else could hear.
“I must have words with you Lydia.”
“Of course, whatever you wish my lady.”
“You’re an a
mbitious girl aren’t you Lydia?”
“Well, I’m sure we all want a better life for ourselves. One could say the same about you.”
“Indeed, but there are limits to what I would do to feed my ambition. I’m not sure you are the same.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Lydia asked. She was the picture of eloquence, but as Rose gazed into her eyes she was convinced she saw a flicker of cruelty.
“I know what you did Lydia. I know about you and Edward.”
Lydia tilted her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about my lady. I don’t know who has been whispering lies in your ear, but I can assure you there is nothing to them.”
“No? Then perhaps you’d like to tell me who it was that Keith saw you in bed with a few nights ago? When you’ve already told me that you are not engaged romantically with anyone.”
“I can’t believe you would come to me with these accusations. I know you’re only attacking me out of guilt, my lady. I’ve seen the way you two look at each other when you think nobody is looking. How could you want a Highlander over someone like Edward? You’re trying to make me feel guilty for your own sins and I will not have it,” Lydia said. She held her head high in a haughty manner and tried to walk past Rose, but Rose pulled her back. Rose’s cheeks were burning. How dare Lydia say such things! Especially given their respective positions.
“You forget yourself Lydia. You should not speak to me that way, nor should you intimate anything like that. I would never besmirch Edward’s reputation, but I am not coming here with a theory. The truth has been given to me, and I was too hurt to accept it at first, but I cannot deny it any longer. Keith seems to be the only one I can trust.”
Lydia’s face twisted into a snarl and she glanced in Keith’s direction. “I told that Highlander not to say anything,” she growled.
“I’m glad he did. Now what do you have to say for yourself?”
Everyone was so focused on the hunt that nobody had turned towards them. Edward was gazing into the distance.
“What I have to say is that you shouldn’t be so naïve. This kind of thing happens all the time. Surely you’d prefer him to be with me, someone you know you can trust, rather than anyone else? We can both make him happy; it will be a discreet affair. I will serve you both as best I can. One woman is not enough to serve Edward’s appetites, and in time I’m sure you will be glad of my company.”
Rose couldn’t believe the cheek of the woman! Her mouth hung agape.
“How dare you try and tell me that you’re doing me a favor by this act! You have wronged me, and you have wronged God. You have sinned, and I will see that you are punished for it. This is not how marriage works. I would never share my husband, and I would never want one who wants to be shared. I will see to it that you never get work here again.”
The last word was barely out of Rose’s mouth when she suddenly felt her horse rumble underneath her. While she had been talking, Lydia had taken a small dagger out and had hurt Rose’s horse with it! The sensation made the horse whinny and it went riding away into the forest.
All of a sudden Keith heard the thunder of hooves as Rose’s horse galloped away. He had no idea what had prompted the horse to act in such a way, but he quickly geed his own horse and gave chase, leaving all the others behind. Lydia and her had not been close to the others and Keith was the first one to see Rose’s horse going mad for no obvious reason, as he was constantly aware of Rose’s position. He felt very protective of her. The horse was running at breakneck speed and Rose was being bounced about. He was afraid she would fall off, and as they broke through a thicket he called out to her.
She could not hear him so without a second thought he rode towards her as fast as his horse could gallop. They entered the forest and everyone lost sight of them.
Rose tried to regain control of the horse but it was a strong-willed animal and it didn’t seem to take any notice of her, for it had been panicked by the pain. Rose was worried for her life. The horse was sprinting away without any sense of danger or direction. It crashed through branches and Rose screamed as she threw up one of her hands, keeping the other held tightly on the reins in an effort to protect herself from the impact of the branches. Her thighs ached as she gripped with them tightly, putting pressure on the horse’s body to try and stop herself from falling off. The ground was a blur and she knew that if she fell her body would be tossed about the ground as though she had fallen from a cliff and was bouncing against the rock face. The horse was crazed and she thought she was on her own, but then she heard someone calling out to her.
It was Keith.
“Pull back on the reins, hard!” he yelled. “When ye can, jump off. She’s nae gaeing tae calm down while ye’re riding her.”
Rose was glad to hear a familiar voice and it gave her a great deal of relief to learn that she was not alone. Her throat was dry and an anxious knot twisted in the pit of her stomach, but she tried to do as he said even though fear rippled through her body. She twisted her head to the side and saw that Keith was coming up behind her fast. Seeing him gave her courage.
“Ye can dae it!” he cried. She closed her eyes as she gripped the reins tightly and pulled them back. The white horse whinnied and it reared back on its hind legs. Rose felt the lurching sensation and she almost tumbled off the horse completely, but she managed to hold on. Her knuckles turned white and her entire body shook as the horse’s front legs crashed back down to Earth. It shook its head.
“Now!” Keith yelled in his thick Scottish brogue. Rose yelped as she threw herself from the horse, moments before it galloped away again and disappeared into the depths of the forest. Rose landed with a crash and she groaned; the impact of her landing made her teeth rattle and shook every one of her bones. She pushed herself into a sitting position and inspected her wounds. Her arms had been lashed with the branches and deep red cuts appeared up and down the pale flesh. Her clothes had been torn, and she felt entirely sorry for herself.
Keith brought his horse to a stop and jumped up. He tenderly inspected her wounds and told her that she was going to be fine. She was so scared and terrified that her first instinct was to fling her arms around his neck and hold onto him, for she was afraid that somehow she would be dragged away again. He was so warm. His steady breathing and his strong arms helped to soothe the tension in her mind.
“You saved me just like you saved the baby bird,” she said in a soft voice. Keith grinned sheepishly. Rose suddenly became aware of what they were doing and she tore her hands away. She blushed and looked beyond him. “Where is everyone else?” she asked. She had at least expected Edward to come chasing after her. Keith looked back as well, and he too seemed surprised.
“It happened quickly. We were all taken by surprise,” Keith said.
“I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything more. That’s twice you’ve tried to save me now Keith.”
“Twice?”
“I know you were telling the truth. I’m sorry for slapping you. You were only trying to help, I just wasn’t ready to hear it. I confronted Lydia about it and she all but confirmed it. She did something to the horse, which is why it galloped away. Oh Keith, I am such a fool!”
“Nay lass, ye are nae fool. They are the fools for taking advantage of ye. And Edward is the fool for nae seeing the goodness ye hae tae offer.”
“Thank you for saying that,” Rose said, turning her face away to hide the fact that she was blushing. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about it all. I know I am not going to marry him, but I am tired of being patient. Oh, and look at me!” She gasped with pain as she moved her arms and the cuts began to ache. Keith took her arms and inspected them.
“Wait here,” he said. He moved away and went to a plant. She wasn’t sure what he was doing, but she watched him curiously as he pulled out a stem and dragged his fingernail along it, opening up the thick green stem. He brought it over to her and squeezed the stem, letting the sap drip down onto her skin. She shivered, as it was
cool. The liquid was thick.
“This is gaeing tae soothe ye,” he said, and began to rub the liquid in. Rose tingled with delight as his strong Highland hands moved over her soft white arms. She could sense his power, and knew that if he ever wanted to he could snap her arms in two, but he never would.
“There’s not a cruel bone in your body is there?” she said.
“I like tae think nae,” he replied. “I always thought I could be a warrior, but maybe it is nae the life for me.”
“I don’t think it is. Not everyone has to be a warrior. There are other ways to gain honor and glory.”
“Perhaps ye would be kind enough tae tell me?”
“Through acts of kindness, and bravery; such as telling someone a truth they don’t want to hear, or speaking out against injustice even when you know it will make you a powerful enemy. I’m not sure I can thank you enough for what you did. You may have saved me from a life of misery.”
“I just did what I thought was right. It’s better that ye should hae a husband who knows how lucky he is, and who will take care of ye.”
“Yes, you’re right,” she said, and she was taken with quite a fanciful notion that someone like Keith was just the man he described. She was filled with affection and the overwhelming desire to thank him properly. Keith had never showed her anything but kindness, unlike Edward. Keith had only ever been honest with her, and she didn’t want him to think these efforts had gone unnoticed. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his cheek. This moment of complete surrender filled her with a tingling excitement, although she quickly pulled her lips away as she remembered who she was. Keith seemed flustered as well. He finished rubbing the sap into her arms and she was amazed at how quickly the remedy had taken effect. “I suppose we should be getting back to the hunting party now,” she said.