by Barbara Bard
Wrapped in a warm cloak, her hair whipped by the wind, Catrin stood with Ranulf near the gallows, watching as Gilbert Mulvaney, Earl of Hargrove, was marched under guard before being forced to stop and wait for the order to execute him. His expression appeared neutral even as his glance met hers, but she could not help but see the fear sweat trickle down his cheek.
“He be headin’ straight tae hell,” Ranulf commented.
His face wan and pale, he leaned on a walking stick, still limping. Though healing from the battle, the hard ride from Scotland while injured had taken its toll on him. With two surviving clansmen, Catrin had cared for his wounds as best she could. Hargrove, also badly injured, was also bound up and put on a horse and brought back to England for justice.
Catrin gazed up at him, the wind whipping tears into her eyes. “I am so sorry about your father.”
Ranulf nodded. “He died at peace and be wi’ me brother and mother noo.”
Word of the old clan laird’s passing reached them through King Robert’s army, the messenger from Castle Dorford having met up with Ranulf as they reached the border and King Edward’s forces. Catrin grieved for him and had hoped he would have seen them married. She remembered his prophecy of their marriage and smiled.
Through her uncle, the Earl of Kesterton, and William, the Duke of Breedmont, she had learned that King Edward had judged him guilty and signed Hargrove’s death warrant. They only awaited the final order to hang him, once Edward and Robert finished hammering out the final peace declarations between them.
A horseman broke away from the pavilion and cantered toward the gallows. It was William, the Duke of Breedmont. Reining in, he nodded respectfully to Ranulf and bowed to Catrin. “They are drinking toasts to one another,” he said with a grin. “Then Robert will take his forces north, and Edward will return to London with his.”
“Thank God,” Catrin breathed. “We have peace.
“Aye, lass,” Ranulf said, smiling at her. “Because of ye.”
“Did King Edward say anything,” Catrin asked, gazing at William, her throat dry, “about me?”
William leaned on the pommel of his saddle. “Both Kings did, in fact,” he said. “Both Edward and Robert approve of you two marrying. They each seem to think it an avenue to continued peace.”
Unable to contain her excitement, Catrin seized Ranulf in a swift embrace, rising on her tiptoes to give him a sound kiss on the mouth. Ranulf grinned, holding her around her waist.
“I expect that mean ye wi’ marry me then, lass?” he said, his hazel eyes warm.
“Aye, laddie,” she replied, in her best Scottish accent. “I wi’.”
William sighed. “The man has an evil influence on her. Terrible thing to see.”
Raising his hand, he gestured for the executioner. The man, wearing all black, bowed low, then forced Gilbert of Hargrove up the steps of the gallows. Hargrove stood calm, still watching Catrin as the executioner place the noose around his neck and tightened it.
Catrin held Ranulf’s hand, not taking any pleasure in watching Hargrove die. But she did feel much relief and no little satisfaction as the man in black pulled the lever. Hargrove fell through the trap with a flat cracking sound, dead, his neck broken. Whether Hargrove went to hell or not, at least her father and her brother had their justice.
Leaning against Ranulf, she squeezed his hand, watching Hargrove’s body swing gently back and forth. “Let us go home.”
The Extended Epilogue
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Chapter 1
Sarah slammed the door to her bedchamber, she was breathing hard and fast. She stood still and closed her eyes so she would not collapse. She didn’t know imitating rosemary would be this difficult, she wished the ground would open up and swallow her. Been so close to lord Flynn had set her nerves into a frenzy. It won’t be long now before he discovered she was a fraud.
Moving towards the bed, she perched herself on the edge and placed her head in her hands. Soft sobs began to make her body shudder, and warm tears trickled along her palms. The whole situation was a mess, and because of her frayed emotions she was not even able to enjoy the opulent home in which Lord Flynn lived. He was a man of great wealth and evidently had no problem showing it.
Her chamber was filled with so much luxury and extravagant decoration. The bed had four posts and was ever so comfortable. She could have sworn she was sitting on the cloud. There were artworks hung up on all walls, and ornaments placed on a mantelpiece in front of a huge fire. It was as though she had been placed in a dream, but this was a dream she wished she could wake up from.
She knew she had to escape, one way or another. This was not her life, she was ashamed of pretending to be rosemary, as she did not consider herself worthy. She imagined the punishment that would be meted out to her when the truth came out. She would be lucky to just be banished, for she could be thrown into a dungeon and forgotten for the rest of her life. No matter how she looked at it, this wouldn’t end well for her.
She was not sure what she expected Lord Flynn to be like, but there was something about him that made the hair on her skin stand on end. He had all the making of an English man, and carried himself with dignity and pride just as an English man should. But there was something missing. He lacked the wholesome goodness she had hoped to find. His eyes were cruel and his gaze felt as though he was peering into her soul.
Damn George, and damn this whole mess!
For the time being she could pretend to be Rosemary, but the truth would soon come out. Rosemary's father, Charles Brambly, would quickly tell Lord Flynn that Sarah was an impostor. Unless Sarah could explain to him her situation.
She would have to send him a letter to prepare him, for if he saw her, his reaction would surely leave the truth with nowhere to hide. But what then? Was she supposed to live her life as a lady, keeping the truth from Lord Flynn?
A light knock at the door jolted her from her thought. She dried her eyes with a handkerchief and started to move towards the door to find out who it might be. However she feels, the show must continue. She has come too far to give her true identity away. Whoever it was, she could not let them discover the truth about herself. But what if it was Lord Flynn? Her heart began to thump inside her chest as she curled her hand around the golden doorknob and twisted it, opening the door to reveal a shy-looking woman.
She had delicate features, a slim build, and long curly brown hair. Her skin was clear as spring water. Her eyes were wide, and Sarah was envious of her beauty. Then again, she was envious of most other women's beauty as they were true ladies and she was just an impostor. Never could she compare with their soft skin, their lustrous hair, or the aura of self-confidence they possessed.
“Rosemary, I'm so pleased to finally meet you! I'm Catherine, Harold's sister. I thought it only right that I introduce myself
as I hope we can become good friends. I must admit, at first I was a little jealous when Harold told me he was getting married and another lady would be coming to stay here. I am used to being the only woman here, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it is a good thing! Finally, I would have a friend, someone who I can talk to about all the nice and girly things in life without them turning their noses up at me. All Harold wants to talk about is war and horses and all those nasty things men take pleasure in.”
Catherine breezed past Sarah, moving about the room like a swan settling on a warm lake. She took a seat on one of the velvet-lined chairs and placed her hands in her lap. Sarah closed the door slowly, inhaling deeply as she composed herself. Picturing Rosemary in her mind, Sarah tried to become the picture of an English lady, rather than a common handmaid.
“It's so lovely of you to come and welcome me. I am glad that you are here. To find another like me was more than I could ask,” Sarah said, returning to the bed.
“Have you been crying, my dear?” Catherine asked, leaning forward a little, concern etched upon her face.
Sarah turned her face away. Her hands darted to her eyes, trying to cover the reddened lids.
“I... yes, I have. You must think it so silly of me,” Sarah said, seeing no use in denying it.
“Not at all. On the contrary, it is quite understandable. I imagine that if I were in your position I would be much the same. I suppose it is strange, since you have not come too far from home, but it is still a new environment, and you are away from everything you have known. Then there was all that commotion with those terrible bandits as well,” Catherine said, shaking her head in disbelief.
“It has been a trying time. Thank you for understanding. I am excited to be here, of course, but as you say it is quite different from what I have known. I had to leave my home and father, of course.”
“That must have been very difficult for you. I did ask Harold about you and he said that it was just you and your father? I am so sorry to hear about your mother.”
“Thank you, although it was years ago now.
“And do not be too fretful. It will not be too long until the wedding, and then you will be able to see your father again. I imagine that the two of you became quite close after your mother died?”
“We did indeed. There was just the two of us, we cried and consoled ourselves. We only had each other. He tried to do everything to lift the cloak of sadness from our house. We tried to celebrate her memory, instead of losing ourselves in a gloomy mood but things will never be the same again.”
“I suppose that is all one can do. I am sorry to say that I cannot offer much in the way of understanding to this conversation as I have neither lost a parent or enjoyed a close relationship with either of them.”
“You haven't?”
Catherine shook her head and sighed. “Father is always off on one escapade or the other, looking to raise the prestige of the family. Mother was more concerned with her tea parties than anything else. Harold and I were mostly left to our own devices when we were younger, and now that Harold is getting married he will have his own family. I am not sure where that leaves me.”
“You shall always have a place here, of that I am sure,” Sarah said quickly.
“Thank you so much. That does mean a lot to me,” Catherine said, her face brightening. “Although I am quite sure that in time I will be promised to a duke in London. Father has always told me I shall not marry below my station, and that he will work on finding the best match for me.”
“That sounds rather exciting.”
“Hardly,” Catherine said, a sly look in her eyes, “Father simply wants the best marriage for the family. Knowing him I shall be passed off to some feeble duke who probably drools and cannot even walk without aid. At least you have been given to a man in his prime.”
“Lord Flynn is an impressive specimen. I do consider myself fortunate to be getting married to him. Perhaps you could tell me more about him? My father was often quick to tell me about Harold's virtues. There were times when I think he viewed Harold as a younger version of himself. You are in a much better position to tell me about him, I would be pleased if you could tell me a more personal view.”
“Ah, where to start with my brother,” Catherine said, tilting her head back. She took a few moments to look around the room, pressing her lips together as she contemplated the question. “Well, if you want complete honesty he was a terror growing up. He would chase and pester me all day long. I think he wanted a brother, and tried to turn me into one,” Catherine tittered with laughter.
Sarah gasped. “Was it really that bad?”
“Oh I am just playing; it was just the typical thing that siblings go through.”
“I do not know about that. I was an only child. I suppose that is why I had such close a relationship with my parents. We did not have anyone else growing up. The only friend I had was my handmaid.”
“Oh, how awful for you! It must have been challenging to be friends with someone below your station. I am sure they wouldn't have been able to understand the nuances of our lives. Well, you have me now, and the handmaidens can be left to do their job.”
“Yes, indeed,” Sarah said, holding her tongue. She had always been a good friend to Rosemary, and the two of them had had lots of things in common.
“Anyway, to continue with the evaluation of my brother, he is charming as I'm sure you've been able to tell by now. He's good at hunting, at cards, at riding. Sometimes I think he would be better suited to living in the wild rather than in a house such as this. He is a passionate man, and sometimes this can lead to rather intense moods, but one just has to learn how to handle him.”
“And how would I go about doing something like that?”
“I will tell you when I learn,” Catherine laughed again. “The only person who has been able to control him completely is father. All Harold really wants to do is make him proud.”
“I hope I learn how to please him; I want to be a good wife to your brother.”
“Don’t worry, I am sure you will make a good wife and a very beautiful bride. Harold wants to make it a wedding nobody will ever forget. You are going to be center for attention, nobody would be able to take their eyes off you.”
“That sounds rather daunting. I am used to a quiet life. I attended a few balls with Father, but we mostly kept to ourselves. We enjoyed a peaceful life. I often enjoyed sitting at my window, looking at the wide green hills, wondering about the world outside.”
“You may not find the time to do that here. Harold does enjoy his parties, and as his wife you will be expected to be at his side at all times. Harold inherited my father's ambition. The two of them want to become powerful men in the realm. All his life Father has worked to rise closer to the king, hoping one day that a member of our dynasty shall take their place in the royal family, and perhaps even sit on the throne themselves.”
“A lofty ambition. I cannot say I ever thought of anything like that. I fear my world has been so small.”
“It has gotten bigger now, and it will be wonderful! The times ahead are going to be glorious, and I am so glad that we will be sisters-in-law. We shall have so much fun until the wedding.”
“We shall,” Sarah said. Talking with Catherine made her feel quite at ease, even though it was painful to lie to her the entire time. Sarah had wanted to close herself off from most of the people in the palace just so she would have to lie to as few people as possible. It was going to be difficult enough to bear the shame of having deceived Lord Flynn, but now she would have to betray Catherine's confidence as well.
“I wonder if it would be possible for me to write a letter to my father, just to let him know that I arrived safely. He does fret so, and I would like to put his mind at ease.”
“Of course! I shall have some writing materials sent up to your chambers. Later on we should take a walk around the gardens. I will have to show you all around the palace and have lunch later.”
<
br /> “I should let you rest. It has been a long day, and you must be tired.” Catherine said as she rose from her chair and approached Sarah. Sarah rose too, and found herself being embraced tightly. Catherine kissed her on the cheek and clasped her hands together, smiling warmly.”
With that, Catherine exited the room. When the door closed behind her, Sarah breathed a sigh of relief and sank to the floor. Lying so much was draining, and she did not know how she was going to keep up with this.
She almost had to laugh at the irony of Catherine's statement. Her troubles were only just beginning. Once Lord Flynn found out that she was not who she said she was, Sarah would be in so much trouble. Somewhere out there Rosemary was alive, perhaps she had found freedom and happiness. Before she left, Rosemary had expressed doubts about marrying a man she had never met. Sarah had thought her foolish for thinking such a thing, but although Sarah dreamed of marrying a noble she did not want it to happen like this. Not when she had to take on the guise of another person.
