by Fiona Faris
Alexander glanced at Emily. “What do you think wife?”
“Oh, so now my opinion matters?” she pouted, quite aware that she was acting like a sulky child but unable to help herself.
Alexander turned away with a derisive snort. “We’ll stop here for the night.”
He directed his horse toward the inn’s stables, confident that they would follow him. Rebecca gave Emily a tight smile. “Your opinion always matters, princess. It’s just not supreme.”
Emily snapped her head around to glare at Rebecca but found that her sister-in-law was already dismounting.
Emily and Alexander were unsaddling their own horses and Frances had followed suit with hers. Emily hesitated, having had to do this herself.
“Are there no stable hands?”
Alexander gave her a look of disbelief before shaking his head and looking away. “Sorry princess, but in this family, we take care of our own horses.” “Would you kindly stop calling me princess?” Emily hissed.
“Would you kindly stop acting like one then?”
Frances quickly caught the reins of Emily’s horse. “Don’t you worry my lady; I’ll unsaddle your horse for you.”
For some reason, it made Emily feel more useless.
Suddenly Rebecca straightened up and regarded Emily with sympathy in her eyes.
“Hey Emily, let’s walk the horses, help them to cool down,” she offered her a small smile. Emily took it for a peace offering and agreed.
“All right.” She grabbed her own horse’s reins and joined Rebecca on the tiny path around the stables while the horses nickered and snorted in conversation.
“It’s been a fraught few days would ye agree?”
Emily sighed deeply. “Fraught does not begin to cover it.”
“Nevertheless, here we are. I do not want us to be enemies. What do ye want Emily?”
Emily looked off into the distance, lost in thought. “I don’t want to be afraid. I don’t want to be angry.”
“Aye. That’s what ye don’t want.”
Emily gave her a dry smile. “You know I do not think anyone has ever asked me what I do want. It’s more difficult to answer than I realised.”
“Is it because ye want the blackguard, Philip Bristol?”
Emily swallowed her face paling. “That was a mistake. I…I was being foolish.”
Rebecca gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Well, at least ye know that.”
Emily turned her face earnest. “I do know that. It was an ill-advised act, a decision made out of fear. I could not go back once it was set in motion. If I had the time again, I would not have tried to run off like that.”
“What would ye have done instead?”
“I would have…” Emily looked away, finding that she did not really know the answer. “I don’t know.” She looked back at Rebecca as if expecting some harsh judgment for her words.
Rebecca merely nodded.
“I think knowing that ye do not ken is a good start.”
Emily gave her a look. “I suppose that’s…wise?”
Rebecca chuckled. “All I mean is, now that ye ken ye don’t ken what ye want, ye can think about it and come to a decision.”
Emily nodded. “Yes, I suppose so.” She glanced at Alexander who was rubbing down his horse as they walked back to the stable. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he took care of the animal. She remembered how meticulously he had taken care of her the night before and felt her face heat with colour.
What do I want?
Alexander reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes and she felt her stomach twist with desire. Everything they had done together was still very vivid in her mind. The way he had touched her, the things he had made her feel. She could not understand how a man she thought she abhorred could make her react to him in such a way.
If only her mother was close by to talk to about it; she was the only other woman close to Emily who had a husband. It made sense that she had felt all these things too and would know what it all meant.
Alexander glanced up at them, grimacing slightly before going back to rubbing down his horse.
“Would ye go and get some water from the well?” Rebecca asked.
Emily nodded, taking the rusting bucket handed to her and walking over to the well.
Hooking the bucket onto the rope, she let it down slowly, all the while thinking about what Rebecca had said
They were about to start a new life together, no doubt it would be riddled with problems. Perhaps it would help if they tried to get along better. Emily decided that she would try her best to be civil. She was married to this man for good or ill. He was right to be angry with her after what had happened. Nevertheless, she was determined to show him that she was worthy of trust; that she could make a good wife.
It was the least she could do.
Chapter Ten
The town of Dun Alba had experienced much hardship during the War of Three Kingdoms. As a meeting point for roundheads, the residents had contended with the compulsory confiscation of goods like food, weapons and anything the roundheads could sell in order to pay its soldiers. They also came around recruiting from time to time, from the ranks of citizens; anyone over the age of fourteen was eligible to fight.
As a result, there was an undercurrent of resentment towards the Cavaliers as the enemies of their children and towards the roundheads too, for perpetuating the war.
For the inhabitants to learn that a former cavalier and his bride had arrived to take over the manor house, it was not news that was greeted with joy. Alexander, Emily, Rebecca, and Frances rode into town at dusk the following day, tired, dusty, and hot. It had been a long, quiet ride – the awkwardness between Alexander and Emily affecting the whole party.
“Is anyone aboot?” Rebecca asked as they rode into the silent compound.
“I expect so. There should be a groundskeeper at least, and a steward.”
Rebecca flicked her curls back so she could better see Emily. “Are ye sure? This place looks like it has been empty a long time.” She looked up at the crumbling turrets, the west wing having been reduced to nothing but a pile of brick and stone.
The huge oak front door hung off its hinges and the darkened hallway beyond was hung with cobwebs.
“Well…this isn’t exactly the welcome I was expecting.” Alexander looked disappointed, although
Emily was horrified. “What will we do?”
“Well, it’s dusk and for now, we must find shelter. We will decide what to do in the morning. I’m sure we can find somewhere to bunk down for the night.”
Rebecca immediately alighted from her horse as Emily watched in disbelief. “You don’t honestly intend to spend the night in there, do you?” she asked in dismay.
Alexander walked slowly towards her. “Do ye have any other suggestions?”
Emily looked frantically around. “I-I don’t know but…we cannot stay in there!”
Alexander sighed. “Emily, can we have this discussion after we have found somewhere safe to pass the night?”
Emily opened her mouth to state that the discussion was about where they would spend the night but then closed it again and alighted from her horse.
Her words had already made things awkward and she didn’t want to make things worse.
As she looked after her horse, Alexander spoke quickly to Frances, as they searched through the bags, looking for flint to light the torches.
“We are going to have a look inside, see if there is anywhere we can camp out for the night.”
Emily hung her saddle on the fence, her stomach rumbled with hunger and she glanced shyly at Rebecca, face flushing. “Sorry.”
Rebecca gave her an amused smile.
“Och, ye’re hungry. Let’s see what food can be scrounged up from the bags. I think there’s some dried meat and bread somewhere…” she emerged brandishing a paper bag, smiling triumphantly at Emily.
Emily could not help but smile back. “That’s good. Where shall w
e set up for dinner?”
“We can eat on the steps. There should be a barrel of ale on the wagon. Would you find us some cups?”
“Of course.” Emily hastened to do as she was told, glad to be finally useful and to take her mind off how scared she was.
She was unpacking the cutlery when Alexander and Frances emerged from the house. “The house is quite rundown; I don’t think anyone has lived here in a while. I saw a croft out the back window on the other side of the property that looks sturdy. We can stay there for now.”
Emily looked at the bags they had unpacked from the horses and the wagons, all spread out on the porch. “Really?”
Alexander came to stand over her. “Aye.”
“Let’s eat first.” Rebecca placed their meagre supper on plates, pouring ale and gesturing for them to make themselves comfortable on the dusty step. Emily took a plate and sat on the stone banister alongside the steps and Rebecca came to join her.
Alexander found a seat on the top step, stretching his long leather-clad legs out before him as he bit into the bread. Frances crouched by the banister beneath Emily and took bird like bites ooh of the food.
“What will we do now? Go back home?” Emily tried to keep the hope out of her voice.
Alexander shook his head, his eyes on the horizon as he watched the sunset. “No. We will rebuild.”
“Rebuild?” Emily echoed in disbelief, “Just the four of us?”
Alexander gave her a small, bitter smile. “Well, at least ye include yerself in the labourers.”
Emily blanched, looking away as Rebecca glared at her brother. He grimaced under her stare. “My apologies, I spoke out of turn.”
Emily shook her head, studiously avoiding his eyes. “It’s all right.”
“No, it isna. I acted like a petulant child and I am sorry.”
Emily’s eyes swiveled toward him. “I…forgive you,” she mumbled, unable to stop the blush that stained her cheeks and he had already turned away and was tearing into his dried meat.
“I’m…sorry for the way I acted before,” she whispered hesitantly.
He nodded, to indicate that he had heard but continued to eat. Emily picked up her cup of ale and drained it before standing up.
“I’ll get the bags back onto the horses so we can move to the croft.”
“No need. I’ll carry them. It’s not that far. You must be tired. Why don’t you take a blanket and a torch and go find somewhere to lie down?”
Emily hesitated for she was indeed tired, but she also did not want to leave their company in the waning light. “No, I’ll wait for you.”
Alexander bit back a smile; she might be desirous of his company. She let him think so, sitting back down on the banister and waiting for the rest to finish their meals.
Frances hesitated at the entrance to the one-roomed croft. “My lady? Where am I to sleep?”
Alexander stopped walking, interested to hear what Emily would say. She glanced at him for guidance but he merely cocked his eyebrow at her. “Well... uh, I suppose you can sleep inside with the rest of us.”
Alexander gave a sardonic laugh and she turned sharply to him. “What?”
“Ye suppose she can sleep inside? Where else would she rest?”
Emily opened and closed her mouth like a landed fish. She felt wounded by his sudden disdain. Of course, she had not expected Frances to sleep elsewhere. Clearly, there was nowhere else, and they would have to make do. She was not so out of touch that she did not understand that. Her words just seemed to come out wrong or be misconstrued.
She felt helpless in the face of his contempt. “I…”
He waved a hand at her dismissively. “Never mind, let us get to bed.”
Taking a roll out of his bag he laid it down beside the doorway then crossed to the small fireplace and laid some logs in it, before gathering a few bits of nearby dried grass he found.
Striking a flint, he lit the grass throwing it in between the logs. Eventually, there was a small merry fire warming and lighting the room. Rebecca sighed, laying her roll below the window. Frances took the opposite side of the room, leaving Emily with the space in front of the fire.
She too gave a sharp inhale of breath before laying down her blankets onto the hard floor and tried to get comfortable. Her corset pinched and she wanted to remove it. But that would not do. Looking over at Rebecca she could see in the dim light that she was rolled up in her blanket, nothing showing but her dark head.
“Er Frances?” she whispered.
“Yes, m’lady?”
“Would you loosen my corset please?”
“Oh! Of course, m’ lady.” Frances scrambled to her feet and hurried over to kneel beside Emily, unbuttoning her gown before loosening her corset.
Emily wondered if Alexander was watching, but he lay facing the doorway. No one seemed interested in her state of undress, so let Frances divest her of the gown entirely before settling down with a sigh of relief to sleep in her shift, bunching up her gown to use as a pillow.
She thought she would lie awake in discomfort, but her tiredness and the toll of the journey meant she dropped off in no time.
Alexander woke as soon as the sun rose, venturing out of the croft to go and inspect the manor house. Now that there was some light to see by, he wanted to know just how decrepit the place was.
It came as no surprise to him that the Baron had done this; given him a pile of rocks in lieu of an actual home. It fitted very well with the rest of his life. Nothing had come easily. Having to rebuild his new home from the ground up was simply par for the course.
He came up to the foot of the manor house and examined it in the dawning light. It was old, decrepit, but the basic structure was sound. He took the steps two at a time and peered into the gloom of the foyer. He was about to step inside when he sensed movement to his right. Whipping round, knife in hand, he saw an old man standing near the foot of the steps, leaning on a stick.
“Who are you? What is your business here?” the man demanded, much to Alexander’s surprise. He sheathed his weapon and strode toward the visitor.
“What business of yours is it?”
The man straightened up to his full height. “I am the steward of Dun Alba.”
Alexander smirked. “The steward? Really? And ye have no shame that the keep in yer charge looks like this?” he gestured contemptuously toward the structure behind him.
The steward grimaced but held his ground. “I do the best I can with what I have. We’re lucky to have anything left once the roundheads pillaged us.”
“Oh aye?”
The steward moved closer. “You have yet to tell me who you are sir.”
“My name is Alexander MacTavish, I recently married Lord Caldwell’s daughter and Dun Alba was our wedding gift.”
The steward’s mouth turned down. “Well…I wish you joy of it.”
He turned to leave, and Alexander quickly put a hand out to detain him. “Wait. I will need your help to return this place to habitable shape.”
The steward laughed without humour.
“What is yer name, sir?”
“Amos Gilbert at your service.”
“Good to meet ye, Amos. Now, can ye help me?”
Amos shrugged. “I suppose it’s still my job.”
Alexander nodded sharply. “Thank ye.”
The steward took a step closer, “How many in your party?”
Alexander hesitated, not knowing if he should tell the steward that he was in the company of but three women. However, the steward would find out eventually and it was better if he thought that Alexander trusted him.
“Just me, my bride, her lady’s maid, and my sister.”
Amos whistled in disbelief. “So you have no men at all?”
Alexander stiffened. “Not yet.”
“Well, I can gather the villagers together, and see who would be willing to come and help. You would pay them a wage, no?”
“Aye, O’ course, I would not expect labour f
or free.”
“Well then, I shall see what I can do.”
With that, Amos turned and left.
Alexander turned around to see his sister and Emily standing uncertainly at the corner of the manor house.
“Good morning to ye.”
Rebecca immediately walked up to him.
“Who was that?”
