Chapter Fifteen What He Misses #2
The distance had not been easy to build.
There were days she had awoken and reached for him out of instinct, before reminding herself of everything he had done.
There were moments at dinner where he would say something wry, something she wanted to laugh at, and she would have to become very interested in her food.
But each day, it became a little easier, the way a wound might scar over if you left it alone long enough.
She had begun, cautiously, to let herself grow in her absence.
She laughed with the maids. She walked the grounds.
When the village women arrived she entertained them as best she could.
That did not mean she stopped noticing him or stopped looking for him.
She would notice the shadows under his eyes at dinner, how little he ate some nights, and the way he barked at the servants when his temper was short.
She would tell herself these were no longer her concerns.
As she walked in, she heard something clatter in the Great Hall. She went to the door and Keith burst out, looking dishevelled, suddenly slamming the door behind him.
“My Lady,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “What—ah, how are ye?”
“I am well,” Alice said. “Are you? You look as if you might have a fever.”
“Nae, nae,” he said, pressing his back against the doors. “I am well, thank ye.”
“Well, that is good,” Alice said. “Actually, I am glad I found you. Could you take me on a walk to the loch today?”
“The loch?” he asked, blinking hard. He glanced toward the doors and then back at Alice. “Unfortunately, not today, my lady, but that should nae stop ye from goin’ tae see it.”
“You mean, finding someone else to take me?” she asked.
“If that is what ye would like tae do,” Keith said. “‘Tis a fine day, and ye would nae want to miss seein’ the loch. Even if ye did nae find someone else tae take ye, I believe ye should see it. Ye have been interested in it since the time ye came here.”
“I have,” Alice said, shifting her weight between her feet. “But Ev-the Laird would not like me to go alone.”
“Nay,” Keith agreed. “But ye have a horse, and the loch is visible even from the top of the keep. There is nae even a worry in my mind.”
“You are right,” she said softly. “Thank you Keith. I will be on my way.”
“Good, good,” Keith nodded as Alice left. Only when she did did he open the doors and usher Sorcha out of the Great Hall and up the stairs.
Alice walked out of the keep and toward the stables. Peggy was waiting for her, whinnying.
“Come on girl,” Alice said softly. “We’re going to see the loch.”
Alice and Peggy began trotting down toward the loch.
The air was warm on her face, the sun shining and leading the way.
Alice felt her shoulders relaxing as she went through the villages on the route they had taken before her brother left, waving down to the people she had met before.
A shepherd in the fields called out, asking about her health.
People seemed genuinely pleased when Aliced reigned Peggy in long enough to speak to them properly.
A group of boys ran past them, only stopping when they saw her, their eyes wide.
One of them, clearly the charmer of the group, bowed theatrically to her, nearly falling over into the mud.
The other boys were sent into fits of laughter and Alice had to cover her mouth so she did not join them.
It was strange how much more at home she felt among these strangers than she did in the keep. Eventually, she got toward the side path that took them through the trees. Nervously, she and Peggy navigated the treeline to get out onto the field.
“This would have been much easier with Evander’s help,” Alice muttered. “But no. He did not keep his promise. So now I have to do it myself.”
Peggy snorted, as if in agreement.
Eventually, the trees allowed them out and they trotted over the grass and wild flowers, toward the water’s edge. Alice’s breath hitched as she dismounted.
“Keith was right,” she sighed. “Today is a lovely day to see the loch.”
She unsaddled Peggy, throwing the leather to the floor and letting the mare graze, before she settled herself on a large, flat stone at the shore.
She tucked her skirts underneath her, letting the cool air play with her hair.
The loch stretched out, dark and glassy.
The hills on the far side shimmered gently in the water’s reflection.
After a moment, she closed her eyes. For the first time, Alice’s mind was quiet. She just let the wind wash over her, the loch ripple at her side, and the birds sing in the trees.
It was the closest she had come to peace since the training grounds. Peggy walked over and nudged into her pocket. Alice snickered and opened her eyes, taking out a lump of sugar that the mare ate greedily.
“You are a terrible flatterer,” Alice said, scratching beneath the mare’s mane. “You only love me for the sugar.”
Peggy nudged Alice’s shoulder, as if to dispute her. Alice laughed, the sound carrying over the water and through the trees. She leaned into her horse, giving her all the scratches, sugar, and attention the animal wanted.
For once, she was not focused on the keep, or the village, or Evander.
She was able to just be herself, in a charming place, with her mare. Alice’s world was at peace. Truly. She was going to allow herself to enjoy this peace for as long as she could now.
Only she had no idea of the chaos her absence had unleashed back at the keep.