Love Saves A Highland Spy: Ladies of Dunmore Series (A Medieval Scottish Romance Story)

by Freya, Bridget

  “Well then, I suppose that is enough for today. But dinnae forget. This better not happen ever again in me realms. Ye are a representative of yer faither. And a future laird. How ye behave now will determine who will be yer allies in the future. Dinnae disappoint yer faither and dinnae push Dunmore from her place as yer friend. Both now and in the future,” the laird said.

  Francis nodded again, aware that this was wise advice. He could not be the child he had shown himself as during the battle. He had to be a man, a man of better worth than all of that.

  He had to be a man better than what his uncle said he was.

  * * *

  Once he was alone once more in the gallery, Francis allowed his thoughts to drift back to Arabella. It seemed as though the incident from yesterday would go no further, although he was certain there would still be comments now and again.

  For today, he would wonder how he might improve their communication.

  He would not have a great deal of opportunities to speak with her again. He would be leaving very soon for Edinburgh and they had only had their moment together last evening to show that there was peace between them.

  Francis greatly desired that Arabella not only know that he was willing to be warm with her, but that he actually, truly wanted to be around her, to spend time with her and get to know her.

  It was then that Francis remembered that he didn’t necessarily have to go to Edinburgh alone.

  No, indeed it would be wise to bring a lass with him. Of course, they would have to be chaperoned, but the laird would likely approve it as he was far more interested in battle strategies than in romance and the young women in his castle. If Francis presented his idea as a strategy, the laird would be far more inclined to approve.

  Indeed, Francis had a great duty for his time in the capital. He was to act as a double agent. Posing as a Hanoverian, he would observe the defenses being set up by General George Preston, the Hanoverian who now led the garrison there.

  How better might he appear as a Hanoverian than if he brought along a lass to act in the stead of his servant? Arabella would not speak a word. She would not have to falsify an accent or any such thing. She could simply be with him and know that he had chosen her for this.

  Yes, it would be a perfect plan so that he might have a bit of time with her. To get to know her and see her outside of Dunmore would be a dream.

  After all her kindness the night before, Francis was even more intrigued by the woman he had first noticed only for her beauty. He had seen the way she cared so deeply for others and was willing to set aside her doubts about their behavior in order to be present.

  She was even willing to lay aside the fact that he had affronted her pride. That said much about the humility and genuine nature of this woman.

  They would have a chaperone and that would make Arabella more comfortable, he was sure. They would be able to stay at his faither’s townhouse in Edinburgh and it would be quite comfortable for the two of them.

  There would be no need for anyone to fear anything improper. As a nervous man, Francis was also naturally a gentleman. He would never push Arabella into a position where her virtue might be questioned. That would also be a rather unpleasant focus on his own behavior were he to do that.

  With that in mind, Francis went to his room in the tower. There, he sat to write out a petition to the laird requesting her companionship and explaining what his mission would look like in Edinburgh and how Arabella fit into that.

  Once he had finished the letter, he read it many times over and finally decided to take it to the laird.

  “I see. And ye truly think this is the best option?” the laird asked.

  “Aye, me laird. I ought to have someone with me, but it would not do to have an actual servant. I need someone who is brave and observant. I have noticed both of these qualities in the Lady Arabella. Do ye have someone better in mind?” Francis asked, not wishing to seem too overeager, but also knowing confidently that no one would be as equipped as Arabella.

  “I cannae think of anyone else. I say, ye do have good instincts, lad. We ought to follow them. We will inform the Lady Arabella of the work before her and ensure that she is made ready, so long as she agrees,” the laird said, deciding on the matter.

  “Thank ye, me laird. I trust that we will make for an excellent team and will be able to bring back work of the defenses being used at Edinburgh. Ye will be made proud by the work we are setting out for,” Francis promised.

  “I trust ye will,” the laird replied.

  Francis made way back to his rooms and, once there, settled in for the morning until lunch. He was confident that he had made the right choice. He would have time away with nothing to occupy his mind but the Lady Arabella.

  Chapter 9

  The News Of A Journey

  “No, I tell ye, daisies are weeds,” Leona grumbled.

  “Why do ye have to say it like that? They grow wild and free, but that doesnae make them weeds. Honestly I think ye’re just annoyed because they overcame what ye did plant,” Arabella teased.

  “Oh hush now. I ken exactly what I’m doing,” Leona replied in frustration, pulling back her blonde plait as it continually fell over her shoulder when she bent down to pull up the daisies she had determined to hate.

  “Are ye alright? Ye seem a bit…frustrated…” Arabella pointed out.

  “Mind yer own business, if ye dinnae mind me being so rude,” Leona said in an uncharacteristically harsh manner.

  Arabella was taken aback, but she could see that the young gardener was in no mood to chat with her. Whatever it was, she didn’t wish to keep bothering her.

  “Right, well then, I shall leave ye and yer bad mood and I’ll just be on me way,” Arabella said.

  Leona sighed. “I’m sorry. Dinnae be angry with me, please. I’ve just had a right terrible morning and the laird is angry that the gardens arnae up to his idea of perfection. Of course that meant I got a good bit of criticism that I didnae expect, nor wish for, and I’d rather just get this stupid place looking how he wants it before he turned me out and hires someone else in me place,” Leona finally confessed.

  Arabella listened with sadness that Leona should live a life where she was so dependent on the graces of an ungracious laird. Especially knowing what an excellent worker Leona was, it was difficult to imagine.

  “Listen, Leona. I cannae imagine him ever turning ye out. I ken he’s not the kindest man and he hasnae a reputation for that, but ye’re the best we’ve got in Dunmore. Truly,” Arabella comforted.

  “Well thanks, but until I ken for certain, I’ve got to pull up these daisies without discrimination,” Leona said, finalizing the matter.

  “Lady Arabella!” came a call from behind her. Arabella turned and saw one of the maids seeking her.

  “Mona, what is it?” she asked.

  “The laird has summoned ye. He’s called to tell ye about some journey ye’ve been summoned for,” Mona replied.

  Arabella perked up at the news. A journey? What sort of journey? She couldn’t imagine that anyone would choose her for any sort of important event, so it made no sense at all to think that it was anything more than perhaps the laird’s wife visiting Colla or some such thing. However, Colla had only just left, so that would not be practical either.

  “I’m sorry, but what do ye mean by that?” she asked Mona.

  “I’ve no other details, my lady. Only that the laird has called for ye and he says that he has a journey that ye’ve been requested to join,” Mona answered.

  “A journey…” Arabella said to herself, relishing the thought of it.

  “Well ye’d best get on up there!” Leona urged from her knees where she sat in the dirt of the garden.

  “Right then. I will. But dinnae worry about anything, Leona. All will be just fine, yeah? Dinnae give up hope. Ye’re a genius with flowers and weeds alike,” Arabella encouraged before rushing into the castle and up the stairs to the laird.

  Reaching his council roo
m, Arabella stood outside to catch her breath before knocking on the door.

  “Ye may enter,” came the laird’s voice.

  She walked through the door and stared wide-eyed at the Laird MacGowan, waiting for him to instruct her further. As his ward, she was always nervous about how to interact with him. Arabella knew she was lucky. Wards were often treated terribly in other clans, like servants or worse, but she was simply ignored. She preferred it that way. After all, the laird scarcely treated his daughter any differently.

  “Please sit, Arabella,” the laird instructed.

  She did as told and sat at the end of the oval table. From the opposite end, the laird eyed her with some strange blend of suspicion and excitement.

  “Arabella, lass. Have ye gotten to ken me other ward very well? Francis?” he asked.

  “Aye, me laird. I mean, only a little, but I ken who he is and we’ve spoken once or twice,” Arabella answered. She wanted to be honest, but needed the comfort of vagueness to stop herself from blushing.

  “Good that is. The lad has requested ye to join him on a bit of a journey. What do ye think of that? Would ye be interested in a wee trip to Edinburgh for a few days?” the laird asked.

  Arabella felt her heart burst into flame. Could this be real? Was Francis truly asking for her to join him? And to go to Edinburgh no less? It seemed a dream come true.

  “Aye, me laird. I should be thrilled for such an opportunity. Thank ye for allowing it, me laird,” Arabella said in a nervous rush.

  “Ye understand that ye’ll be protected by a chaperone, of course?” he reminded her.

  “Oh, I should think so, me laird!” Arabella laughed although her thoughts had not even reached the point of such a consideration.

  “Very good. Well, I suppose ye had better be off then. I believe he intends to leave in the morning,” the laird informed her.

  “Aye, thank ye. I’ll be off then,” she replied, scurrying excitedly from the room.

  Arabella’s excitement was reaching its height when she decided she had to find Francis and ask him why he chose to be so generous in allowing her to accompany him on the journey.

  A small part of her heart was frightened. It was going to be a very intense thing, going all the way to Edinburgh. She had been once as a child, but that was before it was so overrun with Hanoverians.

  Moreover, why would Francis specifically request her? Was he really so certain that he wished to make her his companion for the trip? Did he believe she could be a benefit to him?

  As she raced through the castle to find Francis, Arabella could not silence these thoughts. Finally, coming upon the courtyard where she felt quite certain she would find him, she decided to give herself a moment of peace. A moment of hope. Maybe he cared about her after all.

  There he was. Standing just within the walls, Francis sat, resting his head in his hands.

  It was quiet, there was no one else around, but Arabella knew that Francis wouldn’t mind her asking him about the decision to take her to Edinburgh. After all, if he minded her speaking to him now, he would not enjoy the trip they had planned for the next few days.

  She slowly walked up to him and Francis didn’t glance up until the last minute, when he saw Arabella standing before him.

  Immediately, shock registered on his face and he stood to greet her formally. “Arabella,” he said breathlessly.

  “Aye, forgive me for coming to ye like this. I ken ye might be a bit surprised, but I, too, was a bit surprised to hear that ye had requested me for company on yer journey. I wanted to come and ask ye…why?” She finally exhaled.

  A shy smile crept over Francis’s face as he gazed on her.

  “Well, lass, I simply wanted to get to ken ye better. Ye were kind to me the other day and…ye said that ye didnae think I thought much of ye. I figured I ought to give ye a chance then. Not that ye were right, but nevertheless I wouldnae mind having a bit of company in a lass who believes I dinnae care much for her,” Francis explained.

  Arabella wasn’t sure how to proceed. It seemed like Francis had an interest of sorts in her, but he hadn’t come out and said it.

  Francis’ face changed quickly and Arabella realized that he was embarrassed at having told her that. He quickly tried to recover himself and shy away from her. Arabella didn’t quite understand why, but it was clear that Francis was feeling exposed.

  “Well, whatever yer reasons, I’m glad. I’m incredibly thankful to ye for thinking of me as your companion on the journey. I ken we’ll have Laurie to join us as well and she’s…well she will be fine company, I’m sure. So I hope that ye dinnae live to regret allowing us to come along,” Arabella said.

  She soon realized that she was talking without having anything of substance to say. She wanted to continue the conversation, to extend her time with Francis, but it was of little use. There was nothing more to say.

  “Well then, what time do we leave in the morning?” she asked, knowing that it was an easy way to end their chat.

  “No later than seven. Is that alright with ye?” Francis asked.

  “Aye. It’s perfect,” Arabella replied, although she was inwardly groaning. She did not love to wake early and she knew that if they were leaving by seven, she would need to be up at five if she had any hope of making herself look decent enough for time spent with the man she was coming to be interested in as a potential suitor.

  Finally, Arabella went to shake Francis’ hand as a farewell. In the moment their fingers touched, something like a spark shot between them and they locked their eyes on one another.

  Arabella felt her heart pound, then slow. As if the shock had given way to warmth and all was suddenly right.

  “Arabella…” came the name, soft as a whisper, on Francis’ tongue.

  Little more needed to be said as they stood until finally Arabella inhaled and Francis released her hand. The magic had been broken only by their own sudden self-awareness. Nevertheless, it had been a moment like Arabella had never experienced.

  Francis cleared his throat and Arabella looked down at the ground.

  “Th-thank ye,” she said, and Francis grunted in reply, before she turned and ran back into the castle.

  The exchange had been awkward as usual, but that moment of connection between them was more than Arabella could have hoped for. The knowledge that she would soon be traveling with Francis, to Edinburgh of all places, kept her spirits up as she triumphantly made her way through the castle and to her favorite seamstress.

  “Catherine! Catherine, I need ye!” she called.

  “Yes, me lady? What is it?” Catherine asked.

  “I need a few of my dresses tweaked. I’m going on a journey tomorrow. Oh, do ye think ye will have time? Maybe call for Joanna if ye need any assistance?” Arabella said.

  “As ye wish, me lady,” Catherine replied, taking hold of the first dress Arabella threw on the bed.

  “I imagine there’s no time at all to sew something new?” Arabella teased, well aware that the hours before dark would not be enough. Yet, inside, a small part of her hoped Catherine would refute her assumption and offer to work through the night.

  “Oh, I fear not, me lady. But I can certainly do something spectacular with this piece,” Catherine said with a wide smile, grabbing another of the gowns that Arabella had thrown down.

  Arabella smiled as well. It was a gown that had so much potential, and yet had never been overly flattering to her figure. She and Catherine discussed a few options to highlight her form while maintaining the class of the material.

  While she would have loved a new gown, she knew it was impractical and this idea was magnificent. She would wear it to the first event she could upon their arrival in that great city. In addition, if possible, she would capture the attentions of Francis so that he could in no way deny her ever again.

  Chapter 10

  On The Road To A Great City

  “Do ye think it’s enough?” Arabella asked Francis, as he loaded the coach with all of her
things. He knew she hadn’t packed much and was uncertain how long they would be gone, as she hadn’t been given a direct answer by anyone yet. He’d remained vague for a reason.

  “Aye, aye. It should be plenty. We’ll only be gone a matter of a few days most likely. Although much of it depends on what me faither decides…” Francis replied, feeling the usual sense of sickness in his gut for having used the word ‘faither’. It would never grow comfortable.

  “Right then, that’s good,” Arabella replied nervously.

  Francis could see that she was shaking a little. It wasn’t an overly cold morning and she had on a capelet, so he could only assume that she was anxious about the trip. He couldn’t blame her. It was normal for men to travel, but women scarcely had such a chance. For Arabella this would be a new and exciting journey, but also perhaps a little bit frightening.

  “Are ye nervous?” he asked outright.

  Arabella looked up at him sheepishly. “Perhaps just a little…”

  “Dinnae be. Ye’ll be fine, I promise ye. It isnae going to be too stressful for ye. But there are a few details I’ll need to go over with ye on the journey. About our full plan. And about how ye’ll have to pretend to be…me servant,” he said, not meeting her gaze.

  He could sense Arabella’s self-worth drop.

  “Please ken, I dinnae think of ye as that. I’m sorry we have to pretend such, but we need ye in a role where ye willnae speak at all. Else the Hanoverians might suspect something. Ye ken I’m going undercover as a pro-Hanoverian. But I dinnae want ye to be in such a position as having to tell a lie to men who are apt to recognize falsehoods and are always seeking to sniff out a spy,” he explained.

  Arabella nodded, but he could see that she was still offended.

  “Please, Lady Arabella, understand. I will not be taking ye to the castle, so ye’ll likely not have to pretend at all. And when we visit me…me faither and uncle, ye’ll be just as ye are. It is only in the instance of the Hanoverians wanting to speak to ye that ye and Laurie will be me servants,” he promised.