Chapter Two
Alana Duran let out a frustrated growl as she circled the muddy wreckage of her overturned carriage, throwing her hands up in defeat. The two guards that had been escorting her were nowhere to be found.
She was alone.
In the woods.
Far away from her home.
Her father would be furious. When only two men arrived at their home days ago to take her to her betrothed—something she still could not fathom—he had insisted that she deserved more protection than what was originally offered.
They had to wait another fortnight for reinforcements to arrive.
As soon as they were far enough away from Auchenford Castle, her now former home, those very same guards that had presented themselves as additional help to escort Alana to her new home, left them alone once again, so it was only the three of them.
Alana couldn’t ascertain if it was because her husband-to-be was uncaring for her welfare or unable to finance such an escort. Neither option set her mind at ease.
The weather had turned from pleasant enough to a full-on drenching rain not long afore they crashed.
As the carriage rolled over, she found herself being tossed about, rolling along with it, trying to find something stable to hang onto so she wouldn’t be thrown from the cabin.
As the carriage came to a rest with a severe jolt, upside down on the soft, wet ground, Alana had taken a steadying breath, thankful that the carriage hadn’t come crashing down upon her body.
She was sore and was for certs that in the next day or two her body would be dotted with numerous bruises, but she was alive and that was what was most important.
That is what her betrothed would be happy to hear about. Wouldn’t he? She asked herself. Actually, she was unsure of the answer he would give. She had never met the man. His age, his demeanor, his looks—all were a mystery to her.
The only thing she kenned was that her father and he had come to an agreement and in doing so, she was to be sent northeast to be married. She would be lady of the keep or castle. She laughed bitterly. She didn’t even ken what the name of her betrothed’s residence was.
Her boots were soaked through, making her feet cold even though it was early summer.
Up here, the weather was cooler than it was at her home in the lowlands near the English border.
A wet chill hung in the air now that the rain had subsided and the fact that the surrounding trees were packed so closely together that nary a ray of the faint sun could filter through—when the sun decided to reappear.
A fire to warm her cold toes near sounded like heaven to her right now.
The betrothal ring her future husband had given her via a proxy was still nestled on her finger, a stark reminder of what her goal was—to marry.
She would need to find transport to the place she would soon call home.
It was what her father expected of her, and she would not let him down.
She wouldn’t be the one to bring disrespect to their family by not following through with the order she had been tasked with.
Looking down, she noted the sad state of her gown.
It had been perfect when she had left Auchenford Castle, but now not only was it wet and dirty, with clumps of mud stuck to it, a large tear rented the center of the skirt.
She would mend it after it had been properly laundered, but until then she would change into another gown packed in the trunks that had been secured to the carriage afore they set out on their journey.
Her trunks!
Searching the surrounding area, she found them both and whispered a quick prayer that, even though they had broken away from the carriage, the lids remained locked in place. At least she wouldn’t have to launder all the items that she had brought.
“Hello?” She called out, foolishly hoping that her escorts had just wandered into the woods to relieve themselves.
She waited a few moments.
Naught.
No answer. No shuffling of someone walking through the woods.
Sinking down onto a weathered tree stump, worn smooth over time, she thought of her current predicament.
What was she to do now? She had no idea of what direction they were going other than northeast. Her father hadn’t told her much.
Only that she needed to marry and he had found her a husband.
The union would bring much needed coin to their depleted coffers.
Her father hadn’t mentioned the sad state of their financial situation, but she had heard enough conversations betwixt he and others to learn that Auchenford Castle would not remain in Duran hands much longer if they could not find the needed funding to maintain it.
Understanding that was why she hadn’t questioned or pushed back to her father once he had told her of his plans.
Not that she could have anyway. She was his daughter and she wasn’t naive enough not to realize a young woman’s place in the world.
She was there as a bartering tool. Naught more.
When she’d first learned of her place and function as a young lass, she had been upset.
Her mother had explained that it was just the way things were.
She, too, had been bartered by her father when she was young in exchange for land and coin.
And now Alana saw that this deal struck betwixt her father and her husband-to-be was the same thing.
She only hoped that the man she was to marry was close to her age and pleasant to gaze upon. That he would be a kind husband and a good father to the children that he would no doubt insist she bear him. That last piece was to be expected. Every laird needed an heir.
And for that, she would also do her duty.
It would just be much easier to perform said duty if her future husband wasn’t an old crotchet.
Alana took solace in kenning that even though her parent’s marriage had been arranged, they enjoyed a happy union and a life filled with love.
Footsteps stomping the ground nearby pulled Alana from her thoughts and she stood quickly, trying to quickly brush the mud, dirt, and leaves from her skirts.
A quick flash of worry washed over her but quickly diminished as three young lads appeared, stopping short when they noticed her and her overturned carriage.
“Are ye weel, my lady?” The tallest boy of the group asked, stepping forward, concern creasing his forehead.
She nodded. “Aye, I am. Thank ye. I am in need of assistance though.” She waved her hand toward the carriage as if they hadn’t seen it.
He looked from her to the carriage and back again, nodding. “We can bring ye back to the village with us. ’Tis just a short walk.”
“Thank ye. But what of my things?”
“Men will come to retrieve those and bring them to ye in the village.”
“I cannae stay at the village. I need to get to my betrothed.”
The boy scratched his chin and shrugged. “That is no’ for me to say.” He turned on his heel and began walking back the same way he had come from.
Was he going to leave her there? For certs not. “Wait,” she called out.
The lad paused and threw her a look over his shoulder. “The village is this way.” He pointed in front of him.
Sighing, she kenned she wouldn’t get any more information from him. She took a deep breath, swallowing her frustration as she quickly made her way to his side.
The other two lads had already run ahead. Probably to warn the village that an outsider was coming.
“Did ye perchance see two men on yer way here?”
The boy shook his head. “Nay. No one. Why do ye ask?”
She blew out a breath. “I was just trying to locate my guards.”
“I havenae seen anyone. Were they hurt in the accident?”
“Nay. I checked the surrounding area. ’Tis only me here.”
“Sorry, my lady. I am of no assistance for that.”
“’Tis fine. Mayhap they made their way to yer village afore ye began yer journey here,” she said wistfully. “’Tis possible I will see them there.”
His look told her that he didn’t believe her, and quite frankly, she didn’t believe it herself.
But she couldn’t fathom why they would have abandoned her.
There would for certs be a consequence to pay for such an act.
How could she explain to the villagers that her guards had left her without nary a care for her well-being?
It was embarrassing. What if they thought she was a horrible person and that the men escaped the first chance they got?
She sighed as she continued to walk beside the lad. She was not dastardly. And she was not some miscreant off the street. Surely, her trunks alone would prove that.
If she wasn’t so dirty and her dress in such a state, they would easily be able to tell. But not in her current condition. They might even think she was lying about the contents of what her trunks contained.
As they neared the village, she clenched her hands into fists. Damn those guards. Every single last one of them. The two that had run, and all the others that left the moment they were out of view of Auchenford. She would ensure her father kenned about what had happened.
She bit the inside of her cheek. She no longer fell under her father’s responsibility. That now fell to her betrothed.
Fine, then. She would ensure that her husband-to-be kenned of her abandonment.
They crested a hill and the village appeared on the other side, bustling with life. A small crowd had gathered waiting for them to arrive. The two lads that had run ahead must have made everyone aware of her appearance.
Refusing to be looked down upon, she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, taking confident steps forward as she entered the village.
“Welcome to Dornichton, my lady.” A woman that appeared to be around the same age as her mother stepped forward and greeted her.
“Thank ye.” Alana looked around at the people gathered, feeling like she was a prized hog on display. “I need to secure transport to my betrothed. Have ye seen my two guards come through? They were escorting me when the accident occurred.”