Darkwood

by Rosemary Smith

The water for my bath was brought up and I sank thankfully into the warmth of it. Megan helped me out, wrapping me in a fluffy white towel, luxuries I had never been used to and I recalled the cracked jug and bowl I had washed in at my lodgings, quite often with cold water.

  ‘Are you to dress in your nightgown, mistress?’ asked Megan as I dried myself.

  ‘Yes, I think that is the best course to take.’ I agreed, although I did now feel more alert.

  ‘Is it all right for me to unpack your luggage?’ my maid asked.

  ‘Why yes, but I’ve not much to unpack as you will see,’ I replied somewhat ruefully.

  ‘The master’s first wife had little when she first arrived, but if she’s anything to go by you’ll have a wardrobe full of pretty things before too long.’

  Megan’s words drifted across to me and stopped me in my tracks.

  ‘The master’s first wife?’ I said with some astonishment, reiterating my maids words. ‘So my husband has been wed before?’ I asked with great interest.

  ‘Yes indeed. I’m sorry mistress, I thought you knew.’ Megan apologised, an anguished look on her face.

  ‘No matter,’ I soothed for I could see the girl was quite distraught. ‘I’m glad you told me for I would have learned of it soon enough.’

  Megan had taken my best white lawn nightdress out of my bag, I had pressed it only this morning when I had high hopes of a happy wedding day. But since our arrival at Rowan Castle the day had not gone well, indeed not, and as Megan slipped the nightgown over my head and fastened the pearl buttons I tried not to anticipate how my wedding night would fair.

  Sitting at the dressing table, Megan brushed my long straight golden brown hair until it shone. The reflection which looked back at me was pleasant enough, but I had not one ounce of the beauty Kerensa Templeton possessed. At the thought of her I felt angry at the way both she and my husband had acted as if I weren’t there, as if I hadn’t this very day married the master of Rowan Castle.

  ‘What was the master’s first wife called?’ I asked Megan, startling the girl as the only sound in the room for some time had been the logs crackling on the fire.

  ‘Annabel,’ was Megan’s short answer.

  ‘And what happened to the first Mrs Alexander?’ I asked quietly, needing to know more about my predecessor.

  ‘It’s not for me to say, mistress,’ the girl answered quietly, the hairbrush still in her hand. ‘The housekeeper would be the one to ask.’

  ‘Very well, Megan, but you can see I have a right to know,’ I said, meeting her eyes in the mirror.

  ‘Oh yes, you certainly have and I hope you find out soon,’ she said, as a look of sympathy mirrored in her lovely brown eyes. ‘I’ll unpack the rest of your things now if that’s all right with you?’ she asked of me.

  ‘Thank you, Megan.’

  I was very interested in my husband’s first wife and I set to wondering if the reason he had been so aloof to me since we had arrived at Rowan Castle was because he felt a traitor to her memory. But my instinct was that he was head over heels in love with the beautiful Kerensa. Whatever the situation my intention was to find out exactly where she fitted into the scheme of things at Rowan Castle. I chided myself, I must be tired to even think these things about my beloved Kieran.

  After my maid had left I crossed over to the window and pulled back one of the heavy curtains. Snow had started to bank up on the window pane, but over it I could see the blizzard still driving down and the white landscape looked like a huge cake topped with icing sugar. Swiftly I drew the curtain back in place, the whole scene causing me to feel cold once more.

  For a little while I sat by the fire thinking of the day’s events, it all still felt like a dream, our wedding, the castle, its inhabitants and the heavy snowfall all seemed unreal and for an instant Derrick’s smiling face appeared in my mind.

  I glanced at the clock on the mantle which showed the time to be nearly midnight. Would my bridegroom come to me or was he with the lovely Miss Templeton? I blew out the candle on the table by my chair and climbed between the crisp white sheets, my honey brown hair spread on the snow white pillow. By the candle light I looked around the room lying expectantly waiting for some time, but as I suspected Kieran did not appear. I couldn’t honestly say if I was relieved or disappointed, but whatever I felt it would appear for tonight at least I was to sleep in the marriage bed alone.

  To download the book and continue reading, click here