by Fiona Faris
She gave a bit of a start when she realized they weren’t alone. Aithe quickly snapped back to the moment. He had not thought about Fergus scaring the lass. She was likely so on edge, given all she was risking. He should have thought of that.
“Lady Alice, may I introduce Fergus Gordon. He lives with his wife an’ bairn in th’ village. He’s a friend and agreed tae loan us a horse and cart for our journey.” Understanding dawned in her eyes, as her body relaxed and her shoulders eased.
“A pleasure, sir, I don't know what you may have heard about my situation, but I thank you sincerely for your assistance.” Aithe bit back his admiration. There would be time for niceties later. Right now, they needed to get as much distance between themselves and Terwick manor before dawn. With one horse, and a clear night, he hoped they would make the border in about four hours, and Lamberton in five, but they would not be able to find a smithy to marry them until morning. If they left at that moment, they would have a good head start. Even if Alice was discovered missing at dawn, and it was figured out which way they fled, it would still be hours before Westing’s men made it to Lamberton and by his calculations, he and Alice would be long gone.
Aithe searched his memory. He was confident he made no mention to Westing or anyone in the household of Cadney. He trusted Fergus, Meg, and Callum not to reveal their destination either. If they could make it to Lamberton, they would be in the clear.
“Your steed awaits, lass.” He grabbed her luggage and helped her into the seat of the cart. She settled in and looked around. He could see the worry in her face, and the nerves of fear and excitement at leaving everything her uncle wished for.
“I’ve never traveled on a long journey,” she added. “At least not since I was a girl with my parents, and then I was so small, I’ve no real memory.”
“Well then, let this be a true adventure, lass. Filled with firsts.” He gave her a reassuring smile, tipping his imaginary hat, and she let out a sweet chuckle. Aithe thought he might not mind being married to such a lass as Alice. If only he had it in him to stay in one place, she would be the exact type of woman he would want to grow old with.
* * *
They had been riding in the cart for many miles when Alice awoke with a start. Without realizing it, she had leaned into Aithe, and he had one strong arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders. She was grateful for the small amount of rest he granted her. All of the nerves and excited from leaving had risen and dropped, causing her to fall into a deep, much needed rest. For the first time in recent memory, Alice felt safe. She looked up at her protector, the moonlight lighting half his face. Once again, she was struck by his beauty, especially in profile.
His nose was straight and neither too large nor too small. His jaw was firm and led down into a pointed chin that had the barest hint of fair, blonde whiskers. Alice thought most likely he had shaved that morning, but that seemed a lifetime ago. She wondered what he would look like in winter. Would he grow a full beard that would tickle the softness of her cheek when he kissed her? Or would he keep his face shorn smooth, giving him the look he had now?
She let out a rather large and unladylike yawn, already feeling a sense of freedom at being away from the manor house, her uncle, and that dreaded Earl of Treadmont.
“How much further?” she asked, trying desperately to push the sleepy haze from her voice.
“Ah, yer awake, are ye?” Aithe teased.
“I am. Thank you for letting me sleep.” She felt comfortable leaning into him and wondered if he minded.
“I thought ye might’ve needed yer rest. We're about an hour from Lamberton.”
“So, we’ve crossed the border?” Her tone was without expression as she tried hard to keep her emotions hidden from Aithe. She was glad to be in Scotland, but also afraid. She had never been anywhere except her parents’ home and Terwick House. Now she was in Scotland, and about to be wed.
As if sensing her thoughts, Aithe placed his arm around her shoulders and began to speak.
“Lass, shall I tell ye more about Cadney to pass the time?” He seemed to know exactly what to say to make her feel comforted.
For the next hour, Aithe kept talking. He told of the crystal-clear blue waters of the loch. How he and his cousins— and there were many of them— would run through the meadows and swim in the waters. He talked about the days they spent doing chores, and how, when the hard work was over, they would take turns sleeping at each other’s Keeps. There was never a moment of quiet or solitude, but Aithe did not sound as if he minded. Alice wondered what it must have been like to grow up around so many people. It had only been her and Christopher once their parents died, and even though she thought them happy, Christopher had always longed for something more.
“Aye, that’s why we were such fast friends, I think,” Aithe replied when she spoke of her brother’s wanderlust. “We both believed in th’ Jacobite cause, that’s for sure, but there was something else... a need for adventure beyond our homes, beyond our kin.”
“What do you think you will do once you go back home?” Alice looked up at Aithe with curiosity.
Aithe paused to think on her question for a moment before responding. “Well, lass. I’ll see ye settled first. Then I’ll most likely make fer France. I may no be able tae fight anymore with my leg such as it is, but I can still help th’ cause. Maybe help train the men or raise funds?” Her heart sank. She knew it was to be a marriage of convenience, but she did not think he would leave her so soon.
“Och, dinnae fret, Alice, I’ll make sure ye aren’t alone… my family will love ye, and ye will be happy. An’ I’ll come back from time to time.”
“Will you write to your family and let them know we're coming?”
“Aye, I suppose I should. It’ll be hard. I’ve not written a word tae them in nearly five years now.”
“Five years, Aithe? How could you abandon them that way?” Alice could scarcely believe what she was hearing. This man who had just entertained her with lovely stories of his wonderful family had not communicated with them in almost five years. Why that was an eternity. Anger began to well inside her. She would have given anything to have a large and loving family, filled with cousins, and parents who were alive. And there she sat with a man who took all of that for granted. How could he not allow them, at the very least, the knowledge of his whereabouts and that he was alive?
“You dinnae ken, lass. It wasnae easy. We were on th’ road most of the time, and when we stopped tae sit still, we were most likely in battle. It wasn’t as if I could’ve easily sent a letter. And imagine my poor Ma if she were tae receive a letter, and then I died and couldna send more? It would break her heart.” Aithe’s voice took on a pleading tone, his face turned serious.
“I know enough to know that her heart is broken now. That after five years wondering if her firstborn is alive or dead, she would be beside herself.” Alice crossed her arms over her chest, too angry to be near him. “I know enough to know that some people don’t have such a loving family, and the fact that you take yours for granted is unconscionable. It’s cruel, Aithe.”
“Aye, I suppose it is. I thought I was doing th’ best thing for them. I’d never want them to mourn me. But I can see yer anger, and yer right, lass, it is cruel.” His hard expression softened. “I always thought I was protectin’ them. But ye dinnae ken, lassie, tis not easy being a lad out there, worried ye might be killed in yer sleep, worried ye might have nobody, if ye did die, tae return ye tae yer family. I ken yer mad but try tae understand. I was only doin’ what I thought was best.”
“Will you write to them once we are married. Set it right?” Alice pleaded with him. She needed to know that he would try to fix things with his family but also worried what life would be like if she arrived, by his side, without any warning of their coming.
He looked at her, and in the early gray dawn, she could see the genuine remorse reflecting in his green eyes. Her heart gave a lurch. She had never lost her temper with a man, and
here in the span of two days, she had lost it twice with Aithe. Yet he did not raise his voice at her, nor move to strike or leave her. Instead, he listened to her, had made it a point to listen to her and consider her view. He made her feel that it was important and valid.
“Aye lass, I will. I give ye my word.”
* * *
As they approached Lamberton, Aithe was amazed at how much feeling the slight brown-haired lass beside him had invoked in him on their journey. He had enjoyed telling her about his family and his home. He had felt shame when she had chastised him about taking his family for granted. He wanted to impress her, and he hoped the land around them would help rekindle their friendship.
He knew they needed to find the smithy, and then an inn. He thought they could use a wash and a rest after their travels, but as they entered the village, the ruined spire of the great kirk rose up against the horizon, and Aithe pulled the cart over.
“What is that?” Alice asked, her voice filled with an awe Aithe thought reserved for children seeing something for the first time.
“That, lass, is Lamberton Kirk. Or at least it once was, those are the ruins.”
“It is absolutely breathtaking.”
“Aye, ’tis. I’ve only seen it once before, but 'tis a vital bit a’ Scottish history.”
“How so?” He saw the same curiosity in her eyes as before, and Aithe felt his heart skip with admiration. She was so excited by the possibilities in life, it made him feel more hopeful.
“Are ye familiar with Margaret Tudor?”
“Of course, every good English girl is schooled in the Tudor family.” She folded her arms again in consternation, a move Aithe was beginning to find adorable. He dared to challenge her education and accomplishments. Often times, when she spoke, Alice sounded very English. He smiled as Alice’s lips turned up in a fashion that was her habit when irritated. He wanted to push her more, see if he could raise a warm blush of pink to her cheeks, but then thought better of it. It had been a trying day. There would be a time in the future for him to coax a blush or two from his bride. For now, he would settle on a story.
“Well that Kirk, or what’s left of it, is where Margaret was married, by proxy of course, to James IV making her our first Queen of Scots before her granddaughter Rebecca. It’s said that while Margaret held court in Lamberton, there was a great stable fire, an’ she lost many of her prized horses. She was inconsolable until King James, himself, her new husband, entered her room and gave her a sweet kiss goodnight.”
She looked up at the towering spire, captivated by the ruins and his story. Aithe admired the fine line of her neck as her head leaned back. He longed to kiss her right where her neck connected with the delicate bone of her clavicle. She was mesmerizing in the early morning light. Och, lad, she’s not for you, he thought. But what if she was, if only for a moment?
“Is that…uh… is that where we’re to be married?” Alice interrupted his longing thoughts and brought him back to the present moment.
Aithe stifled a laugh. She was nervous, and he could tell it would do no good to laugh, but her question was endearing. He wished, at that moment, he could give her a grand wedding in the kirk of her choosing. He wanted to pull her to him and smile into her hair and assure her that she was worth marrying in the grandest cathedral in all of Scotland.
“Nay lass, we will be married by a smithy most like in the tolbooth. If we’re lucky, there’ll be a man-o’ th’ cloth around, and we can make it more official.”
“So this is like Gretna Green? Where we will not need a special license, but we can easily be wed. Will it be real?” Aithe briefly wondered what the lass knew of Gretna Green, and a pang of jealousy hit his belly. Had another offered her a speedy marriage? He quickly lost the thought. Surely not; a lass as honest as Alice would have said if she been offered for. He was sleep-deprived and not thinking clearly. Yet the feeling remained.
“Lamberton is also kent for its, let’s say irregular marriages. Dinnae fret, lass, the marriage will be real. Ye’ll be in no harm from yer uncle or any other man.” Her demeanor instantly relaxed. She truly lived in fear of her uncle and how he planned to use her for his own greed. The thought of it made Aithe steam. How could anyone use another person as a tool in their lives? How could they not see the error in such a crime?
Once they were wed, she would be his. Even if in name only, she would have no other. Mayhap it was not fair for the lass, but they would cross that bridge when the time came. For now, they had only one goal, to keep her safe from her uncle and his cruel decisions. “
As long as I draw breath,” he finished his thought aloud.
Chapter Nine
Aithe had thought they would spend the better part of the early morning looking for an inn where they would be able to rest and sleep after they were married. As luck would have it, there was a reliable inn with a stable for their horse and cart a short walk from the tolbooth. The stable was large but simple. Alice glanced up at the building as if fascinated by the structure. Aithe watched her with curiosity. She seemed to be marveling at everything, and he wondered how little she had seen of the world. For someone who came from a well-established family, it seemed she never had a chance to really embrace life. Well, Aithe would make sure that would change. From their wedding onwards, Alice would have a life of peace. Once they moved to Cadney, she could join his family on small outings to the nearby market. When he was near home, he would take her to revel at the wonders of nature. He would make sure he did right by Christopher, and give her a happy life.
A boy of thirteen or so sat on a tree stump outside the stable entrance.
“’Ello, lad. Do ye have room for anotha horse in yer stable?” The boy startled and looked up at Aithe wide-eyed. Aithe couldn’t tell if the boy had not yet slept for the night or was the unlucky soul who had to be woken at dawn to see to the beasts.
“Aye, sir. We’ve room.” He stood quickly to grab hold of the horse’s reigns. “It’ll only cost a small bit of coin too.”
Aithe tossed a shilling at the boy, he knew it was worth more than double the rate for the beast’s stay at the stable, but something in the lad’s eyes made him think of his younger brother Liam. “What’s yer name, lad?”
“Thomas, sir.”
“Well, Thomas. Ye can keep th’ difference if ye take special care of my horse here. I’m about tae get married. I dinnae want the animal tae be forgotten about on our special day.” He moved to help Alice down from the cart as she gave him a radiant smile. With a wink, he was rewarded with the light pink blush he had hoped for earlier. They got along well, the two of them, and he looked forward to getting to know her better.
“Congratulations, sir. Lots of weddings here,” he paused and leaned in to whisper to Aithe, “but not a single bride as bonny as yer lass.”
Alice laughed out loud at the lad’s comments.
“Careful, Thomas. I wouldna want tae call ye out.” The boy looked alarmed, and Alice clicked her tongue.
“Must you scare the boy?” She asked as he offered her his arm.
Aithe smiled, “Nay, I’ll leave ye tae yer work then, Thomas.”
“Yes, sir!”
They walked the short distance to the tolbooth, and for a moment, Aithe let himself believe that this wasn’t a wedding borne out of desperation. It was a bright morning. The haze of the dew and fog had already burned away. Alice looked bonny even in her simple traveling clothes, and he was finally able to make right his promise to Christopher. It was a pleasant day for a wedding, and they had enough for the two of them to get by for now. Aithe knew not what the future held in Cadney, but guessed it would make Alice happier. It might be a simpler life, but she did not mind a simple life so long as she was happy. When Aithe and Christopher had spoken of Alice, Aithe had never imagined he would be marrying her, yet he knew this was the best way to honor his friend’s memory.
“Are you alright, Aithe?” She asked, and he realized he had been standing in front of the tolbooth fo
r quite some time and had made no move to enter.
“Aye, lass. I was just thinkin’ about yer brother is all.” She nodded solemnly, thinking of him as well.
“I’ve thought of him often over the last few hours. I wonder what he would think of all of this. I know I’ve put you in a terrible position. If you don’t think this is wise, we can—” she started speaking, but Aithe was quick to interrupt the thought.
“Hush,” he would not let her finish. There was no way he would abandon her now, they had come this far. “This is the best way to ensure that ye are safe lass. I’ve no had second thoughts. But I miss my friend, and I dae wish he could be here with us is all. Nay a second thought about this decision.”
