Chapter 16 #2
“I like Cloud as well,” Elspeth said, closing the distance between them.
As soon as she was close enough, the smile fell from her face, and her voice dropped.
“I hae something worrying tae tell ye. I think there’s a man watching us, in the forest,” she said.
The smile fell from Jesp’s face too, and his fist clenched around the cloth.
He went to turn to look, but Elspeth touched his arm.
“I dinnae want tae alarm him in case he runs away.”
“Dae ye want me tae get the laird?” Jesp asked in a terse whisper.
“There’s nae time,” Elspeth said with a shake of the head. “Could ye come with me?”
“Of course, my lady,” Jesp replied. He turned and picked up a rake that he used to gather hay and straw for the horses.
The metal points were thin, but sharp, and Elspeth shuddered at the thought of her flesh being pierced by the tool.
“If he’s out there, we’ll get him and make sure he doesnae run away,” Jesp assured her.
He moved around inside the stable so he could peer into the forest, although he shook his head and frowned.
“I dinnae see anything from here, but it is hard tae tell. If he is there, I’m sure he’s hiding himself well.
Come on,” he said. He strode out of the other side of the stable and walked around the back.
They skulked through the trees and were as quiet as they could be.
Elspeth’s heart hammered in her chest, and she wished she could cry out for Finlay, but anything like that would surely alert the man that he had been spotted, and he would flee.
It didn’t take them long to get to where Elspeth said she saw the man, but as they slipped through the trees, she was dismayed to find that there was nobody there. Jesp stalked around the area, jabbing the rake in the air in case anyone was thinking about hiding.
“Are ye there? We know ye are. Come out and show yerself!” he cried, but there were no sounds other than the breeze wafting through the branches of the trees. He turned to Elspeth and shrugged, letting the rake hang limply in his hand. “I’m sorry, but it doesnae look like anyone is here.”
Elspeth rushed forward and looked around frantically. Her hair swept around her as she twisted her neck. She walked around Jesp.
“I was sae sure.”
“Is it possible that ye hae the wrong place?” Jesp asked.
Elspeth examined the area for a few moments and stood by a tree, looking out towards the stables.
She scanned the area, and as she turned her head she saw the tree where she had been standing just a short while ago.
Her stomach churned as she thought about how easy it would have been for the man to see her if he had only looked her way.
“This is the right place. Perhaps there was nae man at all,” she said mournfully, her head dropping.
“Aye, sometimes the forest can be filled with dancing shadows and we can never be quite sure of what we see. Either way, if there was a man out here he’s long gone by now, and hopefully he’ll nae be back again.
I’ll keep my eye out for him. If he should reappear, I’ll make sure tae give him a good welcome.
” As he said this, a mean grin crawled over his face, and he lifted the rake slightly.
They returned to the stables, although Elspeth continued to look back over her shoulder just in case the mysterious figure should reappear.
She returned to her chambers and had a rest as she tried to put that minor incident out of her mind.
She told herself that it must have been an ill effect from all she had been through, and she felt better after she rested.
There was an ache in the pit of her stomach, though, and her head throbbed.
She wanted her life to return to normal as quickly as possible, so that evening, she decided to wear the dress she had ordered the seamstress to make.
It was a beautiful thing, elegant and simple, and yet with such an aura of beauty.
It had been brought to the castle while Elspeth had been recovering, and now she was glad that she could wear it for Finlay.
When she walked into the feasting hall, Finlay’s eyes rose, and his mouth dropped open. He placed the leg of meat back onto the plate and rushed over to greet her. Taking her hands, he smiled widely, and she could feel the warmth of his gaze settling over her like a warm breeze.
“Elspeth…ye look wonderful,” he gasped. Elspeth blushed and curtsied and then twirled her body so that she could show off every angle of the dress.
“Thank ye. The seamstress did a good job.”
“Oh, the seamstress only did half the work. I doubt the dress would look half as good on anyone as it does on ye.” She could feel the desire in his voice; it made her heart flutter.
She pressed her hands against his chest and gave him a simple kiss on the cheek before making her way to the table for dinner.
“How are ye feeling?” he asked as he settled back into his chair and resumed eating his leg of meat, savagely tearing a mouthful of meat from the bone.
“I am well,” she replied.
“Alan didnae find anything out in the forest. If there was a man watching the stables, then he had already disappeared intae the wind by the time we searched.”
“Thank ye for making the effort, although I’m sure it’s just my mind playing tricks on me. I feel so silly.” She gave a nervous laugh. Finlay reached across the table and clasped her hand.
“There’s naething silly about it, lass. If ye ever feel threatened or that there’s something nae quite right, I want ye tae come tae me about it.
Even if ye are wrong 99 times out of a hundred, that one time ye are right might prevent something dire from happening.
But let’s hope it was just a trick of the mind.
I’d like tae think we hae all the men captured.
None of them hae said that anyone else is working with them, but we’ll remain vigilant and be on our guard. ”
“I dinnae want all that trouble just because I thought I saw something. Most likely, it was the shadows in the trees,” Elspeth said, but Finlay was firm in his thinking and assured her that it was no trouble at all to post guards around the castle to ensure that they were safe.
“How are ye feeling?” he asked.
Elspeth sighed. “I am tired of feeling this way. There’s a knot in my stomach that I cannae be rid of, but I think something else may be wrong with me. This food doesnae taste the same.”
“Perhaps ye should gae and see Abigail again. She might be able tae provide ye with a remedy,” Finlay said with a concerned look on his face.
“Aye, I will,” Elspeth said, but that was a matter that could be handled the following day, for this night she wanted to focus on herself and Finlay.
“I was thinking that we could pop down tae Kilin soon tae greet yer uncle and thank him for all he haes done for us. I would also like ye tae meet my family.” When Elspeth suggested this, Finlay’s face darkened.
“I hae nae seen my uncle in some time. The last time we spoke…kind words were nae exchanged.”
“Then all the more reason tae see him now. Believe me, Finlay, I know more than most how awful it can be tae let these things fester. People can be taken from ye quickly, and there is never enough time tae say everything ye want tae say, but it’s important that we be on good terms with our family while we can. ”
“I understand what ye are saying, but Uncle and I…” Finlay shook his head and stabbed a piece of meat with a skewer. “Ever since Da died, he haes been like a shadow lurking over me, telling me that I hae tae dae this, I hae tae dae that.”
“Well, considering the way things have worked out, I think he may hae been right. After all, if it wasnae for him, we would never hae met,” Elspeth said.
Finlay smiled and nodded at this. “Perhaps ye are right.”
“There is something I hae been wondering...what exactly was in that letter yer uncle sent with me?”
Finlay picked a piece of meat out of his teeth and cast it back to the plate.
“He said that ye were a fair lass who haes been through a lot of tragedy, trouble that I could understand. He told me what had happened with yer da and that it haed been his dying wish tae see ye married. Uncle said that he couldnae refuse the man’s dying wish and that it would be good for me tae welcome someone intae my home.
He said it was time I stopped living in the shadows and started being a man, that this wasnae the life my parents wanted for me.
He reminded me that it was the dying wish of my parents that I should get married and hae a family of my own, that I hae a duty tae fulfill.
I didnae like that he put it in these terms, but I didnae hae the heart tae cast ye away.
I hae never been very good when people tell me what tae dae. ” He offered her a self-aware smile.
“At least things turned out for the best,” she said. They ate the rest of the meal in peace and then returned to their chamber.
Finlay shrugged off his tunic and settled into bed.
Elspeth gazed longingly at his masculine body, feeling the stirring of desire within her.
She slipped out of her dress and walked towards the bed, swaying her hips in a pleasing manner.
Finlay arched an eyebrow and reached out to her, sliding his hand around the curve of her hips as she draped herself over him, their bodies only separated by the blanket.
“Are ye nae gaeing tae be cold taenight?” Finlay asked, looking down at her milky skin. His hand tightened around her waist, and a small murmur escaped her lips.