She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard shouting ahead. She looked up and her eyes brightened in cognizance. Her father's guards were pushing through villagers in an obvious effort to find her. In a distance, she could hear the jingle of the bells.
Not today! I must hide!
To her left stood a small map shop, she quickly slid into the building and peered out through the window.
“Good afternoon, child.” She turned in shock and saw the old shopkeeper who had a small smile on her face. She had a dirty apron on and a broom in one hand. “Pardon me, I just wanted to sweep out a little dust. Careful with the bundles, they are a little dusty. You will get the dust over your pretty dress.”
“Let me help,” she offered and the woman shook her head. “Oh, please. I insist. I do want to help.”
“Do not bother yourself, but pray tell, why is a lady like you wearing a cloak in broad daylight?” the shopkeeper asked as she continued to sweep.
Joan looked at her cloak and frowned. Her frown turned into a bright smile when she lifted her head and saw an apron hanging from one of the hooks beside the door. She snatched it off the hook and quickly tied it around her waist.
“My father would not let me out,” Joan replied.
“You went to see your lover?” the store owner said as she looked up from the floor and started to laugh when she saw Joan in the apron. “You do not give up so easily. Well, you can use that duster there.” Joan picked up the feather duster and she went to the shelves.
Joan got on the stool and started to dust. “Thank you for letting me help.”
“Oh, child, I should be thanking you. It is not every day I see a young lady like you wanting to help and get dirty without being paid.”
“The dust does not bother me. Besides, I have some time on my hands,” Joan said, and she held her breath as she ran the duster across the map on the shelves. “I try to clean up, but my father never allows me to.”
“Well, you look like a lady of high status. You should not bother so much about cleaning.” Joan looked back at her with one eyebrow raised in curiosity.
“Why should I not bother?”
“You obviously cannot marry someone of lower class now, can you?”
Marriage? I have never thought much about the topic.
Joan hummed in reply and went back to cleaning. As she dusted, she noticed a large map and she hurriedly dusted it and took it off the shelf. “What is this?”
“Ah. That is a map of England and all our neighboring countries, it belonged to my husband.” Joan peeked up at the woman's words and spread out the map on a nearby table. “Careful, I haven't opened it in a long time.”
I can travel to almost three different countries with one map!
“These words are handwritten,” Joan commented as she noticed the fine handwriting on the edge of the map.
“Yes. He wrote it himself. He made small notes of any inaccuracies he found in the map.”
“Was he Scottish?” Joan asked as she put down the map and continued to dust.
“Yes, he was. He was Scottish, but he explored different faraway lands in his life. He died during the raid of the Redeswire, he was mistaken for a soldier,” the woman said with a sigh and Joan felt guilty for making the woman talk about her late husband.
“I am sorry.”
“Oh, do not worry about that, child. You can borrow the map if you want.” Joan's face brightened again, and she stepped down from the stool with the book in hand. “Just make sure to return it to me. It may be my most valuable possession.”
“I promise,” Joan said. “Thank you,” she chirped and the woman smiled at her.
“It was nothing. Now scurry off and have a good day, child,” Joan waved at her as she left the bookshop.
I wonder how Aidan would react if he knew that I borrowed a map that I could use to navigate Scotland myself.
He would probably brag that he could show me more than any map.
Joan giggled at her thoughts and bumped into someone. “I am so sorry! I did not mean to run into you,” she said in a hurry as she looked up at the lady she had bumped into.
“It is not a problem.” The lady beamed at her and Joan let out a breath of relief. “Such a pretty dress. You must be nobility.” Joan did not reply.
Why did I wear this? But it is my least elaborate dress. I should return soon.
“There is a party in the next street. Everyone is invited. Are you interested?” Joan was snapped out of her thoughts by the lady. “Well?”
“Of course,” Joan said and she was pulled along by the lady until they got to the party. Joan had never seen anything like it.
It was very different from the parties her father had hosted. It almost looked like a festival to her. The lady pulled her into the dancing crowd. “Let loose and dance,” she yelled over the noise.
I do not know how this goes.
Joan tried to fit in and soon she was caught up in the party.
I have never felt this free. It was almost like the night I left England.
She did not know how much time she spent with those people. She suddenly heard the music cease and she stopped her dancing to look at the commotion that had stopped the music.
She felt her heart start to beat wildly in her chest when she saw Sir James's unamused face. He locked eyes with her and she could see the anger and frustration in them as he pushed past the people to get to her. When he finally reached her, he grabbed her arm and pulled her forward where she could see a coach waiting for her.
“Unhand me now!” Joan instructed loudly.
To everyone's obvious surprise, the head guard unhanded Joan like she was hot coal.
“"Your father will not be lenient this time,” Sir James finally said.
“And this is why I think this war should be ignored, Yer Grace,” Aidan said, hoping the Earl would consider what he had to say.
The Earl rubbed his bushy beard as he thought about what Aidan had said and shook his head. “Aidan, ye are a very good man with good intentions but I have nae seen a reason that would benefit this town. Dae ye think Aberdeenshire will lose this war?”
“Of course nae, yer Grace but I only feel must fight only when it is worth it, not just because we have been provoked.”
“Aidan this is not our first war, neither will it be our last. We have a safe place for the women and children and ye know this. I do not understand why ye ‘re so worried about something that has a solution.” Aidan bit his lip at what the Earl said.
I daennae want the Earl to know I am only doing this because Joan is English but it seems like he needs more persuasion.
“And yer faither here has told me that ye have refused to take part in the war and that ye destroyed yer war plans. Why is that?”
“Forgive me, yer Grace. I daenae wish to fight this war against Haerton,” Aidan said, not wanting to lie to the Earl.
“He mentioned to me a lass. A Sassenach from Haerton.” Aidan looked up at the Earl expecting him to be angry. “I am angry that ye brought an English lass to the province when ye very well know that both towns are at the brink of war. I am even more disappointed that ye want us to stop this war because of a woman. Ye even tore up yer hard work.”
Trust me faither to ruin everythin' for me once again.
“I apologize, Yer Grace but…”
“Aidan, ye are to take over yer faither's position after this war but ye are not provin' that ye are worthy of this position with yer recklessness. I may have to appoint another family member to take over,” the Earl said and Aidan sucked in a breath.
Me faither will murder me in me sleep if I dae this to him.
“All I ask is that you try to settle this without bloodshed. We can try to understand the Englishmen and come to an agreement,” Aidan said, and the Earl sighed.
“I cannae dae so. I know she must have been bonnie but ye should forget about that lass. Ye are also a hero in Aberdeenshire and ye are certainly very handsome. Many women wi
ll gladly fall at yer feet. Choose a bride amongst them and I will personally see ye wed. Come back to me by the marrow with yer decision of who ye will marry.”
“As ye wish, Yer Grace.” Aidan bowed.
This is even worse.
Chapter 20
Here goes nothing.
“I have made me choice.” Aidan stood before the Earl the next morning. The Earl smiled at the blond man, ready to take action once Aidan had told him who he wanted.
“So tell me. Who have ye chosen?” the Earl said as the door open and Afric bust into the room.
“"Aidan!” she yelled as she ran into his arms. “Ye promised to come see me!” She tugged at his hair and he winced.
“Afric, I am busy. Ye can talk to Aidan later,” the Earl said with a small smile playing on his face. An idea occurred to Aidan.
I pray I leave here with me head on me neck.
“Yer Grace, I will fight for Aberdeenshire only if ye allow me to marry any lass of me choice.”
“Of course. Any lass. Just mention her and she will be yers,” the Earl beamed.
“Afric.” The Earl's eyes widened, and the girl looked up at Aidan when she heard her name. “I want to marry her on the day she turns eighteen summers if I fight this war.”
“What madness is this, Aidan?” the Earl snarled and Aidan got to his feet.
“I have made me choice. I will wait to marry her if I fight this war. I have chosen my bride and ye will keep yer word, will ye not?”
“Aidan, Afric is still a child. I cannae allow ye to marry me child! Dae ye know that this lass that you kidnapped from Haerton must have the Englishmen on their way ready to attack. We planned to attack them and now ye will bring them to our home,”
“I did nae kidnapped her. She came to me of her own will. I fell for her even though I should nae have. She gave me purpose, protecting her was all I wanted. Nobody forced her on me, I chose her.” Aidan sat on the floor in the middle of the room, his head lowered to his chest. “Now that she is gone, my heart is empty. I wish for death,” Aidan said as the Earl got to his feet and grabbed Afric's hand, earning a yell from the girl.
“Aidan, ye have lit a fire in the heart of the Englishmen. The lass would have told them everything and they will be preparing to slice our heads off. If ye dinnae take her from England in the first place then none of this would have happened. Ye have to get over yer emotions and fight for yer town.”
The Earl picked up his daughter who cried because she was not allowed to stay with Aidan. “Daenae disappoint yer town for one lass.” The Earl began to walk away from him, but he turned back to see Aidan looking dispirited. “Fix yerself, Aidan. Be a man.”
“My apologies, father,” Joan said without looking up.
“I have had enough of you Joan! You have become so rebellious since you came back from Scotland! I am your father and you have always listened to me, but I do not know what has gotten into you.” Joan bowed her head as her father yelled at her.
She had been dragged to her room, away from the curious eyes of the guards and maidservants
“I only went to the Duke and—”
“Silence! Enough of your excuses,” Lord Tyrill shouted as he ran his hand through his brown hair. “You know you are starting to act like those savages! You are a lady! The Lady of Tyrill and you mingle with the peasants on the street. Savages do not have class. They mingle with just about anyone!”
“These peasants are people too, father!” Joan snapped back at the Lord. “They are your people. Why do hold so much contempt for everyone?”
“How dare you raise your voice to me. How dare you take the side of those savages instead of mine. I am only trying to protect you from the evils of this world.”
“I have seen our people. I have seen the Scots. I have seen royalty and I have seen commoners, and there is no difference, father. In the end, we are all humans, and fighting each other does not do anybody any good,” she said as she braced herself in her chair. “Not everyone is evil, father, there are still many good and kind people. Not everyone wants to hurt me, or you. Not everyone is a witch with a malevolent agenda.”
Coming back was a mistake. My father was never like this. I have never heard him speak so ill of his own people.
“Are you even listening to me?” She jumped as her father pulled her up from her seat. “I do not want to know anything that has happened between you and those people! All I want is for you to understand that I only want to protect you!”
“By starting a war? How is that protecting me?”
“A war against those that dared to harm you!”
“No one has harmed me in any way! While I was there, I was always protected day and night! Aidan never let any harm come to me!” she yelled as she stepped back, the back of her legs hitting the chair she was sitting on.
“These people took you away from me! I was worried sick about you! They kept you with them and I know they forced you to stay because you would not want to leave me! You know how attached I am to you!”
“No father! No more accusations! I went with them because of you! It was your behavior that chased me off! You believe that everyone is out to kill me! You believe that I would die if I step beyond your gates! I have been locked up all my life and I have not been able to experience anything for myself all because of you and your fears!” she yelled as she pushed her father back.
“Joan, I am only trying to keep you safe!”
“No! You are trying to keep me locked up for the rest of my life! No one in the town knows I exist! I have no friends! All you want me to do is sit at home and be a lady! I got tired of it all and I left with Aidan! I begged him to let me go with him and he agreed! He showed me the thrills of life and beautiful scenes that paintings in books cannot do justice! The exciting part of life that you kept me away from! Aidan was my first friend and my first lover.”
“What did you just say?” her father asked as he grabbed her arm in a tight grip. “Your lover? He had better not have laid his filthy hands on you in anyway or I will make that uncultured swine pay!”
“Do not call him names!” Joan screamed, and her father stepped back in shock as her emotions slowly made her eyes water. “Do not judge him! You do not know him like I do! I love him father.”
“Silly girl! Has he touched you? Are you ruined?”
“It does not concern you what I have done with him,” she snapped.
The Lord clenched his teeth in anger. Joan could see the veins on his forehead start to flex and she knew she had pushed him past his limits.
“He defiled you! He must have forced himself on you.”
“He has done nothing of the sort. What he has done was with my consent! Can't you hear me? Will you ever hear me, father?”
“You silly child. You have let him take advantage of you. How could you have done this?”" She turned her face away from him and he grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him. “I will not spare you from this because I warned you.”
Joan closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. “Do as you wish but I just want you to know that the moment I am able to set a foot out of this estate, you will never see me again.” With an angry yell, the Lord shoved her away and left the room. Joan heard a loud click coming from her door and knew he had locked her in.
“The next time you leave this estate will be the day you are to be wed,” he said as she fell on her bed and pulled her knees to her chest.
I hope Aidan is having less trouble than I am. I would do anything to just see him right now.
She looked at her window that had now been barricaded with metal bars and her mind went back to when she and Aidan had been kidnapped. She was about to doze off when she saw a black bird perched on her window, just staring at her. She ignored the raven and dozed off.
“Aidan, we have to finalize this weddin'!” The Laird of Leitan said as Aidan reluctantly took a seat next to him. “That is why I have invited Gavina's parents to visit. Ye are familiar with the Laird Brodie
and his wife, Glenn.” The Laird pointed at the guests.
“Yes,” Aidan said curtly.
“It has been such a long time since I saw ye. I think the last time was after the war with Ireland." Laird Brodie said and Aidan rested back into the couch. "He still looks like a proud hero. Me daughter is very lucky."
Aidan grunted when his father nudged him to give a reply to the woman. “Thank ye,” Aidan said, glaring at his father.
“So let us finish these arrangements as quickly as we can. We should definitely have the wedding after the war and—”
Highlander's Cursed Bride: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel Page 17
