Chapter 21
Thalia waited patiently outside the castle, yet it seemed that Finlay was running late. It was still early, the sun barely scraping the tops of the trees as it began its ascent.
They had both had a late night, so she was happy to give him some grace since he had gone to bed later than her, yet her patience was wearing thin.
She tapped her foot on the stone steps where she sat, agitation crawling over her in a way that made her skin itch. They were supposed to go to Inverness to purchase a new dress that he had insisted on. Now she was stuck waiting for him.
“Ye’re still here?”
Thalia twisted around to see her sister coming down the stairs. Ava settled down beside her, smoothing down her skirts over her legs.
“Aye. I daenae think he will be joinin’ me today,” Thalia grumbled. “I didnae even want to buy a new gown, and now I’ll have to make the journey meself.”
“I could go with ye if ye want?” Ava offered.
“Nay, that willnae be necessary.” Thalia sighed, standing up with renewed resolve. “I’ll just go to the nearby village. I’m sure they have something I can use to piece together a nicer dress. I shouldnae be long.”
“All right. Be careful out there. I’ll tell Finlay where ye went, in case he changes his mind and decides to join ye,” Ava replied.
Thalia nodded, though she doubted that he would. After last night, she wouldn’t be surprised if he continued to avoid her until the cèilidh.
And even then, he might still find an excuse to avoid me there, too.
Thalia went to the stables and had one of the servants saddle a horse for her.
Since it would just be herself, she saw no need to use an entire carriage.
She would take a horse, a satchel to put her fabrics and money into, and that would be enough.
She had a small allowance that had been brought with her things from MacCabe Castle, so she should have everything she needed.
She ran through the list of villages in her head while she waited for the horse to be readied. The villages she knew of were closer to MacCabe castle, and she wasn’t keen on riding that far away and back in a day.
“Pardon, where is the closest village from here?” she asked one of the stable boys.
He was a young man whose name she had not yet learned, but he had kind eyes and an endearingly crooked smile. He looked up from where he had been shining a saddle, and lifted his hand to his chin in thought.
“That would be Beauly,” he replied. “It’s just a short ride north of here.”
“Thank ye.” She smiled back.
“Me Lady, yer horse is ready,” the other servant announced.
Thalia followed him out of the stables. To her surprise and delight, it was the same horse she had met when she first found Daisy in the woods. A pretty tan mare who huffed as she approached her.
Thalia reached out her hand, stroking the beast’s soft nose. “Sorry to wake ye up so early, I just need yer help for a short trip.”
The horse shook its head in response.
Thalia put one foot in the stirrup and swung her other leg over the saddle. She adjusted herself so that she was comfortable and gripped the reins tightly in her hands. Keeping the sun on her right, she began the journey to Beauly Village.
The stable boy had been right; it had not taken more than an hour to reach the village.
Beauly was a beautiful village, with the same rolling hills and green grass she was used to seeing around her home. A large stone priory stood on the outskirts, but it seemed not to be in use anymore. The few people who lived there milled around, going about their daily lives.
No one gave her more than a passing glance as she came down the dirt street. Shops lined the street on either side, and she dismounted her horse at the first hitching post.
“Be good now, and maybe I’ll bring ye an apple once I’m done here,” Thalia murmured.
The mare stomped her hooves against the ground, causing Thalia to chuckle.
“Two apples, then.”
She tied the horse to the post and slung her satchel over her head so the strap lay across her chest. The smell of baking bread wafted through the air, and she took a deep breath as her stomach grumbled. In her rush and irritation this morning, she had not had a chance to eat breakfast.
She followed her nose straight to a bakery. The door was open, and there was already a small crowd inside. At the front, two wooden counters lined up perpendicular, behind which a young woman and an older couple stood.
Thalia entered the store and took a spot near the back wall. The three people behind the counters seemed to have a solid system in place. The older woman took the orders and the money, the man would fetch the bread, and the younger woman would wrap it.
She became mesmerized by the process, watching with curiosity as the line before her moved in a quick procession until it was her turn.
“Good mornin’,” the older woman greeted her with a smile. “I daenae think I’ve seen ye here before.”
“I’m just passin’ through,” Thalia said easily. She did not want to mention her betrothal to their Laird, especially since Finlay was still so insistent on it being fake. “Could I get a loaf of middlin’ bread, please? Oh, and a couple of oatcakes.”
The woman nodded, turning to the man beside her. “Rory! Middlin’ bread and two oatcakes.”
Thalia took her coin purse out of her satchel and paid the woman what was owed her. She moved down to the next counter, where the younger woman was busy wrapping up the order right before her own.
“Thank ye, Alec. I’ll see ye tomorrow.” She handed the parcel to the man, then turned her smile on Thalia. “Good mornin’. I’ll have yer order packed shortly.”
“I’m nae in a rush,” Thalia answered with a wave of her hand. She looked around again as the woman began wrapping her order in brown paper. “This is a lovely place. It’s me first time here.”
“Thank ye.” The woman’s grin widened. “It’s me parents’ place. That’s them there.” She pointed at the older couple. “I’m their apprentice, but one day, this will be mine.”
Thalia felt the woman’s pride as if it were her own. She felt the same about her work as a healer. There was so much joy to be had in having a life that you could truly make yours.
The woman folded the paper and tied a linen string along the top to hold it closed. “There ye are. Come back and see us again!” she chirped.
“I will. Thank ye,” Thalia replied and left the bakery with her food.
She opened the wrapping, taking care not to tear it, and nibbled on the oatcakes. She hummed, savoring the sweetness as she made her way down the street.
She stopped by another shop, peering at the wooden dolls in the display. Their painted faces peered up through their woven yarn hair, and she examined them carefully. They were dressed very prettily in tiny gowns.
Perhaps I’ll grab one for Daisy before I leave.
As she turned to leave, her shoulder bumped into a man who had been walking in the opposite direction.
“Oh!” she cried out in surprise. “Pardon me, sir. I didnae see ye there.”
The man looked at her, his dark eyes trailing down her body in a way that made her want to run away and hide.
“Apologies, me Lady,” he replied in a gruff voice.
Thalia waited for him to do or say something else, but he only stared at her as if he were waiting for her to make the next move.
She had been pressed up against the glass during their collision, and now he stood between her and the open street.
A few people passed by, but no one bothered to give them attention.
She tilted up her chin and tried to keep her voice steady as she announced, “Excuse me, I have other things to attend to.”
She pushed past him, and to her relief, he let her go. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she forced herself to take deep breaths as she found the shop she had been looking for.
A small wooden sign hung atop the door, labeled, Weaver. She stepped inside, letting out a heavy sigh as she did. There were yarns and a few bolts of wool along one wall. It was small, but it would do.
“Good mornin’,” the older woman at the counter greeted cheerfully. She smiled, the wrinkles around her cheeks deepening. “Let me ken if ye need anything, dear.”
Thalia nodded at her, giving her a small smile.
Her encounter with the man had shaken her, and now that she was away from him, her head began to clear. Her breathing slowed, and she found it easy to move on from the incident.
She went over to the array of fabrics and began examining them. They were all wool, with a wide range of colors to choose from. One of the plaids caught her eye. Woven blue, brown, and green that would be quite lovely for a skirt.
Her mind began sifting through the possibilities.
She could have a solid color for the bodice, and the plaid was similar to the pattern Finlay often wore.
If it matched his colors, it would perhaps be enough of a statement to show her uncle, and maybe Finlay himself, that she was serious about this betrothal.
She heard the door squeak open behind her, but she kept her attention on the fabrics.
“Good mornin’,” she heard the older woman greet the new customer.
Footsteps approached her, but she paid them no mind until she heard a gruff voice say, “Me Laird suggests ye buy red for the wedding. He thinks it will look best on ye.”
Thalia jumped back as she recognized the voice from a moment ago. She stumbled back into a nearby table and gripped it to regain her balance.
“Yer Laird?” she gasped, willing her heart to slow down. She had met many of the servants there, but perhaps she had not met all of them yet. “Ah… I’m sorry. I daenae recall seein’ ye before at MacAinsley Castle.”
The man pursed his lips. “That’s because I daenae answer to Laird MacAinsley.”
The words were like ice water poured on her. Dread pooled in her gut as she asked, “Which laird do ye answer to?”
He grinned. “Laird MacGibbon.”
Thalia moved quickly. She flew to the door, ignoring the curious calls of the woman behind the counter.
Wrenching open the door, she raced down the street.
Her horse was still standing by the post, and there were no other signs that more men were chasing her.
If she could just get to her horse and ride in a full gallop back to the castle, Finlay and his men would be able to protect her.
She only made it to the next shop before her arm was grabbed roughly and she was yanked back around. The man glared down at her. He was close enough that his sour breath invaded her nostrils. She barely resisted the urge to gag.
“Me Laird asks ye to reconsider his offer of marriage,” he grunted. “He would prefer that ye come of yer own volition, but even if ye refuse, I will have to drag ye to him.”
Thalia tried to pull her arm from his grip, but his hand only tightened.
“I am betrothed to Laird MacAinsley,” she hissed. “He is the only one I will marry.”
He yanked on her, and she cried out as pain shot up to her shoulder. “Why would ye stay with a man who blames ye and yer family for his inability to control his child?”
Thalia went still. How would he know that?
Unless…
“Have ye been watchin’ us?” she asked in horror.
That night, as they had searched for Daisy, she had felt someone watching them. She had assumed it was nothing but paranoia, but now she knew that she had been correct.
“Laird MacGibbon asked that I keep an eye on ye,” he sniffed, looking down at her in disgust. “He wants to be sure his bride remains untouched.”
She flushed, thinking of what she and Finlay had done together in that cabin. Finlay hadn’t taken her, not completely, but she wished again that he had. Then, Laird MacGibbon wouldn’t want her, and this part of her life could be left to the past where it belonged.
At her silence, the man continued, “Daenae ye see that Laird MacGibbon is the right choice for ye? He wouldnae string ye along like yer Wolf.”
At the mention of the nickname, her anger flared anew.
She straightened and looked him dead in the eyes. “Finlay is twice the man Laird MacGibbon will ever be. He’s strong and kind, and he’s a good faither. I willnae marry Laird MacGibbon. I daenae care what ye say.”
The man’s jaw clenched, and his eyes flashed with anger. “Then ye’re comin’ with me the hard way, me Lady. Apologies.”
He did not sound sorry in the slightest as he bent at the waist, wrapping his arms around her middle tightly. As he straightened, Thalia was lifted off the ground, with the top half of her body falling down his back and her legs dangling down his front.
The air was knocked out of her lungs from the sudden pressure as she was slung over his shoulder, but she managed to recover quickly. She wriggled in a bid to free herself, but his arm held her firmly in place.
“Help!” she cried. “Help! Somebody help!”
Her head turned as she tried to draw the attention of the people around her.
Many faces looked over at the commotion, but then they all looked away.
She was jostled with each step the man took, and she pounded her fists against his back as she kicked her feet.
Nothing seemed to sway him, and hopelessness consumed her.
Why did she insist on coming here alone? Why hadn’t she taken up Ava on her offer to join her? Why couldn’t Finlay have just taken her to Inverness like he was supposed to?
“Please! Willnae somebody help me?” she screamed.
The man suddenly stopped.
Thalia twisted, trying to see what could have made him stop, when a familiar voice rang out, “I wouldnae do that if I were ye.”