Chapter 25 #2
“No, you know the story. I couldn’t bear retelling it in front of the men, that’s all.
Please, sit down.” Ashley walked across to the chairs gathered around the fire and sat down.
“Thank you, Helene,” she said, addressing the blonde woman, who was handing her a cup of tea.
The other women took a seat, and each accepted a cup from the tray Helene was carrying.
The young woman set the tray on a small table by the fire and excused herself.
“Did he do something to hurt you?” Angelina demanded.
Ashley seemed to be collecting her thoughts.
When she finally spoke, she seemed to have regained control of her nerves.
“He did. I thought I had gotten past it, but seeing him today without any prior warning, it brought everything back in a rush.” Ashley twirled her hair around her fingers and lapsed into silence for a minute.
“Are you in love with Richard?” she asked when she spoke again.
“I thought I was, but now I’m not so sure.” Angelina glanced at Edna, who seemed somewhat embarrassed by the entire situation.
Ashley sipped her tea before she continued.
“Well, the condensed version of the story is that Richard was in love with Irene.” Angelina’s head whipped around to catch Irene nodding her head sadly.
So, she was the Irene Nick had spoken about.
“He had been in love with her for many years, but she had married Robert, her true love and Richard spent years obsessing about finding a way to get her back. Eventually, he saw his opportunity, and he kidnapped both Irene and me. Richard’s man, Thomas …
” when Ashley said his name, she cringed, “…he tried to rape me and his other man, Roger, choked me before Thomas stopped him.” She paused, obviously replaying these events in her mind and Angelina felt terrible that she was the cause of Ashley having to relive the memories.
“Richard may or may not have known what was going on, as he wasn’t there when we were kidnapped, but he was so focused on Irene, he really didn’t care what happened to me. ”
“I’m so sorry, Ashley, but I have to know. Did he hurt you?” She hoped the answer would be a negative, but up until this point, she’d heard nothing that would make her want to pursue a relationship with Richard.
“Yes.” Hesitating, Ashley turned to Jenna, who nodded. “He hit me.”
“Oh my God. He hit you?”
Ashley nodded focusing her gaze on Angelina.
Edna cleared her throat. “I’d like to say something, if ye dinnae mind.”
“Of course not. Please, go ahead.” Angelina said, turning her attention to Edna. She wasn’t certain how much more she could deal with, as she was already feeling queasy after hearing Ashley’s tale.
“Ashley, thank ye for sharing yer story with us. I ken it was painful fer ye to relive it.” Edna inhaled sharply before she continued.
“There is no excuse for Richard’s behaviour, but I believe that everyone deserves a second chance in life.
I gave him a nudge in the right direction and since that time, he has maintained a spotless record.
Angelina, ye ken what he did with Maggie and Dylan.
He wants to be a good man and he can be.
When I sent him to San Francisco, I wanted him to learn what it was like to be in love.
Truly in love. Not the type of love he imagined he had with you, Irene.
He fell in love with ye, Angelina, and he never once thought about possessing you.
He was happy just to be in yer presence.
He was willing to let you go if ye didnae wish to return to Scotland with him.
It would have hurt him terribly, but he learned that he cannae possess you, he wants you to be in his life because that was what ye want. Ye ken?”
“I do, but I can’t possibly be with him now. I can’t tolerate a man hitting a woman. As you said, there is no excuse for his behaviour,” Angelina said sadly.
“Well, I’m sorry to hear it, but I cannae force ye to do something ye dinnae feel right about.”
The men were heard entering the hall again. Cailin hurried to Ashley’s side and searched her face. “Are ye well, Ashley?”
She nodded and buried her face in his chest, as he wrapped his strong arms around her and held her tightly.
“Where’s Richard?” Jenna asked Cormac.
“He’s outside, saddling up Arion.” Cormac poured himself another whiskey before settling next to his wife by the fire.
“He’s leaving, Angelina.” Nick had come to Angelina’s side and spoke softly, so only she would hear. “Go to him. He’s miserably unhappy.”
“I can’t. I know what he did and I don’t want to see him again. It’s better that he leaves.”
Without a word, Nick turned away from her and strode back out through the door.
Angelina suspected her heart was broken. She had thought she’d found her man, but he had turned out to be no different from all the others. It was time to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams and put her heart on lock down, once again.
***
Richard was slumped against the castle wall. Arion was snuffling his hair and face with his nose, but while he was obviously happy to have Richard back, he couldn’t seem to understand what was wrong with him.
“Richard,” Nick called to him as he approached.
Richard stood and adjusted his saddle. “It’s done, isn’t it?”
“I think she just needs some time to digest it all,” Nick said, rubbing his hand across Arion’s shoulders. “It’s been a shock for her. Stay. Give her some time. She’ll come around, you’ll see.”
“Thank you for trying to help, Nick, but I think it’s best if I leave. I cannot bear to be around her when she looks at me with such disdain. To know I’ve disappointed her so.” Richard vaulted up onto Arion’s back and turned him towards the gate.
“At least stay for the night, Richard!” Nick grabbed the reins, in an effort to get him to stay.
“I cannot. Take care of Angelina and keep her out of harm’s way. It has been good to see you again, my friend, but perhaps you were right to have ridden away from me those many years ago. Perhaps one day, I’ll see you again.”
“Where are you going?” Nick demanded.
“I don’t really know.” With that, Richard urged Arion into a gallop and took off like a shot through the gates and out of sight of the castle.