Chapter Ten
“What do you mean, she’s not here?” Reid stared at Brent in the middle of the Chillendale Inn’s upstairs corridor.
“I left her at her home. I haven’t seen her since, and I’m going quietly mad I think.”
“You couldn’t have left her at home. She was with me all night.”
“What do you mean she was with you? All night? What did you do to her?” Brent’s voice rose as he neared Reid. “If you’ve frightened her…”
“What the hell…of course I didn’t frighten her. We both agreed it was what we wanted. I’m going to propose today. If I can find her.”
“You can’t,” gasped Brent. “I’m going to marry her. Not you.”
Reid blinked. “You’re going to marry Prudence?”
Brent stared at him. “No, of course not. I’m going to marry Emmeline.” There was a pause. “Wait…”
“What?”
The two men each took a step back, frowned and then sighed.
“You want Prudence,” said Brent.
“And you want Emmeline,” answered Reid. “Although for the life of me I’m not sure I understand why.”
“Just a moment…” Brent bristled. “Em is the sweetest girl I’ve ever met. She’s shy and intimidated by a lot of things, but if you’re gentle with her she will reveal a very smart mind. She’s lovely and gracious and funny and…”
“All right, that’s enough.” Reid held up his hand, grinning. “You’re smitten. Got it.”
“And you’re not?”
“Er…”
“Right then.”
The two men looked at each other, shrugged, and turned as one to find the nearest ale.
After they’d procured two tankards of Chillendale’s finest, they found a small table near the fire that afforded them warmth and a degree of privacy, tucked away as it was in the corner of the taproom.
“Now.” Brent put his tankard down and licked his lips. “God, whatever else you do in life, Reid, I have to say that you make the best ale in the entire known universe.”
“I know.” Reid smiled smugly.
“So we’re both looking for missing ladies. Emmeline might well have stopped to visit some of the locals on her way. She’s late, but I won’t start worrying yet.”
“I’m not sure where Prudence might be. But yet, she might have done that as well. She does get on very well with people and there are one or two houses near the village she might have passed.”
“There we are then. No reason for us to panic. Yet.” Brent nodded reassuringly.
“However. I think it’s time you told me what’s been going on between you and Pru.”
Reid blinked. “There are some matters which should remain private, Brent. Even between friends like us.”
“Good lord, I didn’t mean…” Brent paused. “It’s gone that far?”
It was Reid’s turn to pause. “Well, I’m going to marry the woman. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
“After two days?”
“You sound like my parents.” Reid sighed and took another swallow of his ale. “And let me point out that you could be accused of the same thing. I distinctly heard the words marriage and Emmeline in the same sentence coming from your mouth. And you only met her yesterday.”
“We were both smote, weren’t we?”
“Smote?”
“Past tense of smite, I think. Whatever we are, we seem to be set on the same goals with our ladies.” Brent grinned.
“We’re probably raving idiots,” remarked Reid. “But here we are. Determined suitors who have finally found our mates and where are they?”
“Not a clue.”
“Me neither. And I don’t like it, to be honest. Pru left the hideout early this morning as near as I can tell.
She didn’t take the horse, so she must have walked.
But I took that path here and there was no sign of her, her footprints or anything.
It’s as if she vanished.” Reid couldn’t wash away that nagging worry, even with his own ale.
“Tell me about your cousin, Brent. She’s told me a lot, but I think there are things she’s holding back. ”
Brent stared at the fire. “Not a lot to tell. We’ve known each other since we were both very young.
The woman who raised her was my very close to my mother.
So the ‘cousin’ title is false, but worked for us.
My mother seemed happy to lend our name and support to the little girl.
She was living with her aunt when we first met, and I know her mother had passed away.
Apparently, her father sent her there, but it never occurred to me to question any of the arrangements.
Children don’t give a damn about such things.
To this day, I have no idea who either of her parents were. ”
“That’s pretty much what she told me.”
“She didn’t want to marry Eldridge. I do know that.
But her aunt was failing, and it was a good offer overall, even though not to her liking.
There were quite a few times when she could barely hold back the tears.
It was a small wedding, and I know she trembled through most of it.
I was there.” Brent frowned. “But she came through it in style, and we lost touch for a while.”
Reid took a breath. “It must have been hard for her.”
“I’m sure it was. But when she returned, a widow, she was different.”
“Different how?”
“More reserved, I think. Definitely more mature. She was in control and planned on staying that way. The girl I used to know had grown into a woman I didn’t really know at all.
I still don’t, to this day. But we’re as close as ever.
It’s a good solid friendship, Reid. So if you are serious about her, I’ll tell you to your face that if you hurt her, I’ll kick your arse from here to John O’Groats. ”
“Agreed. And yes, I’m serious about her.” A thought occurred to him. “You were the one who told her about the hideout, weren’t you?”
Brent chuckled. “Yes, I was. I knew it would appeal to her sense of adventure, and she was quite safe there. It amazed me how well it has stood the test of time.”
“And did you tell her about me, by any chance?”
His friend looked self-consciously around the room, trying to avoid Reid’s gaze. “Er…I might have mentioned you now and again. Just in the way of regular conversation…”
“Hmm.” Reid narrowed his eyes. “She seemed to be expecting me, or know I was around. Or something. It was odd then, but now I know – it makes sense.”
Brent grinned. “I’ll accept that as your thanks for uniting you with the love of your life.”
“Yes, well, thank you, I suppose.” Reid blinked at his tankard. “So, to turn the tables here, when did your sudden passion for Emmeline explode?”
“All she did was smile at me. That’s it.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“A smile, Reid. A smile that knocked me down, laid me out flat and then flew me up to heaven.”
“Good lord.”
“I never imagined anything like that could happen. But her eyes…so expressive, and the way she smiled at me – I was lost, my friend. And I’m not ashamed to admit it.”
“Er…good for you.”
“I took her and Lady Southwick home, and they invited me in for tea. So of course I went and managed to spend some time talking to Emmeline. A couple of hours, actually, which was a delightful surprise.”
Reid cleared his throat. “Well, my friend, I do need to be blunt here, I suppose, because I am your friend. There is a pretty strong rumor that Lady Southwick is on the hunt for a title for her daughter…”
“Well, she’s found one. Me.”
“And that is acceptable?”
“I can’t say I have much liking for Lady Southwick’s way of thinking. But I don’t believe Emmeline was a willing party to that goal. She was being forced into the whole Mistletoe thing. Told me that as soon as we started our private conversation last night.”
“That’s a huge relief. I would have hated to break her heart when I announce my engagement to Pru.”
“You won’t.” Brent smiled. “I need to talk to her and then I plan on heading over and speaking with Lord Southwick this afternoon. It would be lovely if we could make the formal announcement at the Mistletoe Ball, don’t you think?”
“That’s next week. Do you really think you can keep Lady Southwick quiet that long?”
“Hmm. Perhaps. Or maybe not. I don’t know.”
Reid stood, pushing his tankard aside. “I have to find Prudence, Brent. I’m going upstairs to knock on her door again.
Perhaps she was delayed or something. Then I’m going back to see if anyone saw her this morning.
My instincts are telling me she must be all right, but I’ll be happier when I find her. ”
Brent rose as well. “I’m for Southwick. She was supposed to meet me this morning early – she assured me she could get away, but since she’s not here, I will have to go and find her. I’ll talk to her father while I’m there. I might look around the village in case she was delayed somewhere as well.”
They walked away from the fireplace and notice a group of men around one table. Curious, they both turned their steps that way to learn what was afoot.
“There they was, swear it on me ol’ mum’s grave, I do.”
“Now Jacob, you’ve been at the ale agin, ain’t yer?”
An elderly man shook his head vehemently. “Ain’t touched a drop this mornin’, lads. I knows what I saw. And I saw ‘em. Fairies they was. I’m sure of it. Nekkid as the day they was born, running ‘round in the snow. Now I asks yer. Who else but magic people could do that, then?”
“Did yer see them wings, Jacob, or was yer too busy lookin’ at t’ other bits?” A rumble of laughter greeted this question.
Jacob lifted his chin. “I saw ‘em. If yer don’t wants to believe, that’s yer right.
I bin blessed by ‘em. Didn’t show ‘emselves to yer did they now, yer sorry lot. Right over in t’ big meadow they was.
Lit clear as day by that there moon a‘fore the snow come in. Couldn’t mistake that, I tell yer.
Would ha’ missed it if’n old Clancy hadn’t had to take a piss so damn late… ”
“Good dog, that Clancy.”
“Aye. But nekkid fairies?”
The conversation ranged on for a few moments, and Reid turned to see a quizzical eyebrow raised in his direction and a rather knowing look on his friend’s face.
Various comments drifted through his mind, but then he decided discretion was the better part of commonsense in this instance. “Just shut up.”
Brent stifled a snort and followed Reid away from the crowd.