London, Julia - The Perfect Stranger

by Radha

  And that angered him.

  Angered him so that he struck with fury at the featherie, knocking the little leather ball farther and farther each day, while his aim seemed to stray farther and farther from the hole. He hardly cared.

  He was just returning from his latest attempts on the course near Affleck Castle when the innkeeper of the Hawk and Thistle came outside to meet him. Arthur immediately assumed he wanted more money for stabling Thomas, which chafed him to no endhe could hardly abide to waste good coin on such a worthless horse. But the innkeeper surprised him with news that Mr. Jamie Regis, Esquire, had left his card.

  It was about goddamn time.

  Arthur climbed down from Thomas and tossed the reins to a freckle-faced lad and anxiously snatched the card from the innkeeper. I dont suppose he left word where he may be reached? he snapped.

  Aye, e did, milord, the innkeeper calmly responded, then turned and walked back inside without bothering to tell Arthur exactly where he might reach Regis. With a frown, Arthur flipped the card over. There, in very neat script, was the name Broughty Inn.

  Oh fine. He was to call on Mr. Regis at the Broughty Inn, as if he were the solicitor and Regis the client. He whipped around, gestured impatiently for the reins to his mare, swung up on Thomass swayed back and rode out of the courtyard, happily reviewing exactly how he would strangle the stout solicitor.

  It so happened that the stout solicitor was in no mood to suffer the dark mood of His High Almighty Self. Jamie had had a very rough journey from Fort Williams he was tired, he was hungry, and so overworked that he was beginning to feel as if he were sinking beneath the weight of it all. When he saw Lord Christian striding across the courtyardhis jaw tightly clenchedJamie groaned, rolled his eyes, and downed the last of his bitter ale. As Lord Christian burst into the tiny common room of the inn, Jamie pushed himself to his feet. But as the insufferable Sassenach stalked toward him, Jamie had to bite his tongue to keep a very derisive smile from his lipsthe flawless leather boots he had so admired not three weeks past were scarred beyond redemption. Lord Christian had, apparently, met with his own trials on Scottish soil, and for that, Jamie could not be happier.

  His spirits much improved, he extended his hand. Milord, how do you do.

  Christian barreled to a stop in front of him, looked at his hand, then frowned, unbelievably, even more darkly as he folded his arms tightly across his chest. He glared daggers at Jamie for a few moments, his jaw working frenetically before finally muttering tightly, Regis.

  Jamie grinned and gestured to a chair across from him. Will you not sit? The Sassenach looked suspiciously at the chair, then at Jamie. Almost reluctantly, it seemed, he slowly lowered himself onto the chair as Jamie settled comfortably in his own. I apologize for the delay, milord. I was unavoidably detained in Fort Williams.

  Christian shifted awkwardly in an apparent attempt to get his long legs under the table. Not only are you delayed, Mr. Regis, but you did not follow my explicit instructions

  I beg your pardon, I did indeed! Jamie quickly interrupted.

  I beg your pardon! Do you mean to imply that you carried out my instructions to evict Mr. Fraser? Christian asked, his chest filling with superior air.

  Pompous ass. Perhaps not in the precise manner you dictated, but I certainly carried through with your instructions!

  Clearly baffled, Christian leaned slowly forward, peering intently at Jamie as if seeing some wee spot between his eyes. Let us speak plainly, Regis. Did you or did you not call upon one Fraser McKinnon and inform him that

  I didna call personally, I sent proper correspondence, Jamie interjected. I assure you, sir, it is an acceptable and effective form of communication in my occupation, and I think, in matters such as this, perhaps a better way of

  The sudden and sharp sound of Christians palm slapping the table made Jamie jump in mid-sentence.

  You did what? he breathed, his voice quivering with what Jamie instinctively knew was fury white-hot fury.

  He nervously cleared his throat. I, ah, directed a letter to McKinnon informing him that I would be calling in a fortnight to discuss the particulars of his eviction and that

  Do you realize, Mr. Regis, that Fraser McKinnon is quite dead? Christian fairly shouted.

  Now there was a new piece of information. McKinnon dead? A pity, that. The man had himself a bonny lass, indeed he did.

  Had you bothered to look after Lord Rothembows investment, you might have known as much, Christian snapped.

  That only put Jamies back up. Now see here, milord, youve no right to insult me! I have seen my business triple in the last two years, and I canna possibly be expected to hike up into some remote Highland glen to see if everyone is quite alive!

  You certainly might have done so when no payment was made, sir!

  Jamie did not appreciate the stab of guilt that brought him, and sat back, glowering. That is neither here nor there, A letter has been delivered on your behalf to McKinnons survivors, and I daresay they are quite capable of understanding the gravity of the situation His voice trailed off; Jamie actually forgot what he was about to say because the transformation in Christians countenance was nothing short of remarkable. The color seemed to bleed from his face; he gaped at Jamie, his gaze sharp enough to bore a hole clean through him, but Jamie had the distinct impression that Christian wasnt seeing him at all.

  Dear God, he muttered. DEAR GOD! he bellowed and suddenly surged to his feet, disappearing through the door before Jamie could stand.

  Jamie thought to go after him and tell him that he had prepared the necessary documents and had them delivered to the Bank of Scotland, but it was too late Christian had already disappeared into the crowded street.

  While Jamie Regis was trying to sort out the confusing behavior of the Englishman, Thomas McKinnon was seeing to it that the belongings of the last pair to leave Glenbaden were securely fastened onto the old wagon that would carry them to Loch Eigg.

  Aye, but this was a colossal mess Fraser had left for them, the bloody fool.

  As he tightened the rope around a piece of luggage, Thomas watched Kerry walking slowly through the shorn barley field. He would curse Fraser to his dying day for putting this on her, but he could not help marveling at how she had shouldered the burden of her husbands deception for so long. Admired her, aye, but he was also angry with her for having kept it to herself. What had made the lass believe she could generate five thousand pounds to save them all? The whole of what was standing in Glenbaden wasnt worth that much!

  Evicted.

  The word sounded harsh to his ears.

  Harsh, but it had only been a matter of time before it was bound to have happened. Thomas turned his attention to the wagon again. It had happened in every glen and valley in these Highlands, and there was certainly naught about Glenbaden that would separate it from the rest of them. For a score of years, good, decent, hard-working Scots had been pushed out by landlords in favor of the Blackface and Cheviot sheep across the Highlands. The sheep needed a lot of room to graze, needed so much land that it was, by the very essence of it, a rich mans venture. Truthfully, the sheep seemed to suit the Highlands far better than the beeves, and sheep-farming was, for the barons, the most efficient means for making a profit. Which meant that the Scots who had lived and farmed in the same glens and valleys for centuries were in the way.

  No matter how he tried to tell her that Moncrieffe was doing the same to them, Kerry would not accept it. The lass believed she was responsible for this mess, but God above, it was Fraser and his dealings with Moncrieffe who had brought them to this end. The land, the white house, all of its furnishings, the stables, and barnall of it would go to pay the debt to Moncrieffe and the Bank of Scotland. The only thing Kerry and Thomas were determined to keep were the twelve beeves Fraser had bought before he diedthey were the only thing of value left to them.

  After a conference with Big Angus and May, they decided they would drive the cattle to market, get what they could for them,
and hope to high heaven it was enough to buy passage to America for all who wanted to leave. Big Angus and May had decided to stay behind with his family who had migrated to the lowlands, where factory work was said to be abundant. Doona ken how well manage, but Ill feed her, Big Angus had said to Thomas one night as they cleaned out the barn. Ye will see America I think, he had predicted.

  Thomas reckoned he would. After thirty-five years, the time had finally come for him to seek his way in the world. Since Kerry had told him of the eviction and shown him the letter, the thought of venturing into the unknown had both excited and frightened him. He had moved about in a sort of daze ever since, his thoughts miles from Glenbaden.

  As for Kerry, well, she had not said what she would do. She had loved the Englishman, that he knew. But he had also known that Christian would never stay; he was too refined for this part of the world and the McKinnon clan. Ah, but her long face was enough to dishearten the sturdiest of souls, and he hoped, for her sake, that she would join him and the others in a journey to America.

  Thomas had heard enough of a bountiful America to picture a sort of Eden, a land proving rich and prosperous for every man, regardless of his station. He had visions of stepping off a ship onto land green and fertile and brimming with flowers and sunshine.

  Oh aye, he hoped she would join them and put the Sassenach out of her mind.

  The last wagon, piled precariously high with luggage and belongings, bounced along the rutted road that snaked around the eastern shore of Loch Eigg toward Perth. Standing in the room Arthur had used, Kerry watched the wagon disappear over the crest with the last pair of Glenbaden residents clinging to the bench. There was no one left but Thomas and herself now, and even Thomas would leave before the sun rose the next morning, driving the cattle to Perth.

  The plan was to give Thomas a good head start before she let Moncrieffe know Glenbaden was now his, in case Moncrieffe had the idea of going after the beeves. Kerry rather imagined he would not, as the beeves were rather sickly and would not bring him much profit. She would wait two days and collect the last post from Willie Keith before calling on Moncrieffe, then go immediately to Perth to meet Thomas. Together, they would travel on to Dundee, where the others would be waiting. And then she would she would what?

  Of the fourteen residents of the glen, all but four had opted to go to America. What choice did they have? But Kerry doubted that the cattle would bring enough for half that number, and she could not, in good conscience, take someones place on the ship to America.

  Then what?

  Not Glasgow. Not Glasgow!

  What would become of her? She could hardly wander around the countryside hoping for the best. She had no marketable skillshe had heard of the textile factories that employed women like herself, but she hadnt a notion of how to spin wool. Worse, she had no concept of how one went about obtaining employment. It was rather ironic, she thought, that after all the years of superior education her father had given her, she had come away with little more than a forgotten appreciation of art and literature. Nothing very useful at all.

  But she had, in the course of that education, met Regina Kilmore, a small, quiet girl from Edinburgh. Although Kerry had not spoken to or heard from Regina in twelve years, they had once shared a room and girls secrets and a mad infatuation with the schools headmaster. Perhaps Regina could help her. She seemed to recall that her father was a prominent mansurely he could help her find employment in one of the factories. But how difficult would it be to find Regina in Edinburgh after all these years? And how would Regina receive her now, in her patched widow weeds?

  What did it matter? Regina, bless her, was her last hope. Arthur.

  The thought of him never left her, pricked at her constantly. It felt as if she had misplaced a part of herself, as if she was sort of hobbling about. There seemed so many dreams of him, so many things left unsaid, so many-things she longed to tell him. But it was as if he had died, for she would never have the opportunity to say what was in her heart. Or to see his smile, his eyes. Feel his lips on her skin

  The hot, burning tears of her grief filled her eyes, spilled onto her cheeks, and Kerry swiped at them, angered by them. How she longed for Arthur now, his quiet strength, the comfort of his arms.

  The next morning, Kerry stood shivering in the mist, watching Thomas as he adjusted a bag onto his shoulder containing the last of the biscuits, some cheese and dried fish. Finally satisfied that he wore it securely, Thomas glanced up at Kerry and smiled thinly. Well then. Ill be going now.

  Kerry nodded.

  Ill be meeting ye on the far edge of Perthshire no later than Thursday, lass. If yere not come by then, Ill come for ye.

  Doona worry, Thomas, she tried to assure him. I will be quite all right. I went all the way to Dundee and back, remember?

  Aye, I remember, he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. Youve got the gun?

  Yes.

  And ye remember how to use it?

  I do, she said, smiling.

  Thomas frowned, looked across the barley field. Kerrys heart went out to him; for all his talk of wandering, she could not begin to imagine what he must be feeling now.

  As if to answer her question, he said simply, Canna put it off now, can I? He shifted his gaze to her and smiled. Ah, lassie, the world beckons me, he said, and leaned down to kiss her cheek. He turned and walked forward, into the mist. Thursday! he called sternly as the mist began to wrap around him.

  Thursday! she called back, and watched until the mist swallowed him.

  She stood there for what must have been an eternity before returning slowly to the house, each step dragging as if she had weights tied to her legs. She wondered what Arthur was doing now, as she did a thousand times a day since he had slipped out before the sun had come up, giving in to her wishes not to see him go. She imagined him in an ornate room, a dozen or more men gathered around and hanging on his every word as he regaled them with his journey through Scotland. God, how she missed him! Kerry made a breakfast but couldnt eat it; she was too distracted by the silence. So she walked outside and looked around the glen, shivering with a strange chill that ran up her spine. No smoke rose from the chimneys of the empty cottages dotting the countryside, there were no sounds of laughter, no dogs barking, no chickens, no cows, no Big Angus bellowing. It was as if the life of Glenbaden had been stolen in the night, snuffed by some unseen force. It was eerieshe hoped Thomas was making good progress. She wanted to leave as soon as she could, escape this misery.

  Escape his memory.

  He had fallen into her life, left her breathless, and when she had at last gained her breath again, he was gone. But her dreams continued to surround him, and she could scarcely walk by the room where he had made such wonderful, passionate, glorious love to her without the tears welling. She had never known lovemaking could be so magical, had never known that a man could lift a woman to such surreal heights of pleasure. Oh, but he had lifted her, more than once he had lifted her and filled her with such tenderness that she still shivered when she recalled it.

  It was little use to remember it now, she thought bitterly, and set about the business of cleaning the white house, putting the final chapter into place and leaving no sign of the McKinnons behind. The task took her all day; when night fell, she sat shivering on the old tree stump, gazing up at the stars, wondering if Arthur was gazing at these same stars, wherever he was.

  The next day, she moved about like an imbecile, hardly thinking, packing the few belongings she would take from Glenbaden. In the afternoon, feeling very restless, she went outside and wandered around the kitchen garden. There were some beans left on the vine, but the rest of the gardenwhat little had actually grown in the summerhad been depleted in the last few weeks. It was a good thing they were going, she supposed, because they likely would have starved before autumn.

  Kerry leaned down to pull the beans for wont of anything better to do, but something behind the white house caught her eye. There, on a rock protruding from
the side of a hill, was a Blackfaced sheep. As she slowly straightened, she noticed two more, higher than the first.

  Where have the people gone?

  Startled, Kerry whirled, dropping the beans. Charles Moncrieffe stood before her, his expression puzzled. She had not heard him approach.

  There were people here before, he said.

  What was he doing here? Charles! Have you come alone? she asked, her chest now filling with the dread of encountering Moncrieffe. It was too soon! Thomas had not had enough time!

  Charles nodded as he stepped inside the confines of the garden. Just me. What happened to the people, then?

  They, ah, they went on holiday.

  That seemed to confuse him; he peered down the lane for a moment, his brow furrowed with his thoughts. But then a lewd smile slowly crept across his lips, and Kerry took a step backward as he shifted his gaze to her again. My da sent me to fetch you.

  Her stomach rose on a sudden surge of fear. She took another step backward, keenly aware that she was alone, unprotected

  Charless tongue darted across his cracked lower lip. His eyes fastened on the bodice of her gray gown. My da is impatient with you because you owe him money, he blithely informed her. He says you are to come to Moncrieffe so arrangements can be made to repay him.

  She swallowed. What arrangements?

  The wedding.

  Fear seized her fully then; Kerry backed farther away from Charles and frantically looked around him for an exit. But Charles seemed to know what she was about; he walked deeper into the garden. You canna run away because Im to take you to Moncrieffe. My da says we will be married. He moved toward her again.

  Frantic, Kerry threw up one hand. Please, sir

  He grasped her hand in a surprising show of agility before she could yank it back. I will share a bed with you, he continued, and pulled her roughly to him, groping at her with his hand and mouth in an attempt to kiss her.