Hiding Katherine

by GG Shalton

  Katherine looked at him and said nothing. She turned to the door and closed it behind her leaving Drake staring at the door. Walking toward a chair, she sat down relieved to be alone. After a few moments of silence, she reached up and touched her lips remembering the earl’s kiss. She felt dirty letting another man touch her. She wiped her mouth in hopes of taking away the feeling. A loud yelp of laughter broke her from her woolgathering. More spurts of laughter echoed through the door in her room. The crowds seemed to be enjoying themselves and it would be a long night. She walked to the door and bolted it, although she knew a guard was probably stationed outside to thwart any escape attempts.

  Undressing quickly, she changed her shift and crawled into bed. Her mind wandered to what Ian was doing at that very moment. Would he hate her? Not trusting her sister to tell him that she left by force, she closed her eyes and prayed he knew her thoughts were with him. She had not forgotten their vows or marriage. That bond could never be broken whether it was a secret or not.

  Not able to sleep, she opened her eyes and walked to the window. Staring out into the darkness, she pondered her life. Cracking a smile, she remembered that she would turn seventeen tomorrow. With all the business of her upcoming betrothal ceremony, she forgot. Apparently, her family had as well. Not that it matters, one year is as good as the other and she was no longer a girl, but a woman. Going back to her bed, she closed her eyes and battled the night to sleep.

  Chapter 13

  The next morning a maid woke her up with a new dress in her hand. She smiled and said, “A gift from the earl. It is a beautiful color and the material is so soft. He wishes for you to wear it today.”

  Katherine reluctantly sat up and allowed the maid to assist her. The dress was beautiful, but she would not be taken in by his charms. She was a married woman and the only man she wished to touch her was Ian.

  “You look like a princess, Mistress.” The older woman smiled as she helped Katherine finish dressing. Katherine felt like a sacrifice for her family, nothing else. After a few minutes of applying lavender perfume and lotions, Katherine left her chamber for the great hall. She was without an escort but was followed by two guards. Reaching the hall, her father curled his mouth up in a deceptive smile and motioned for her to come to the table. Her betrothed stood up and walked to her. Taking her arm, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “You have pleased me by wearing the dress. You are a vision, my dear.”

  Katherine tensed at his term of endearment. She tried to mask her disgust and instead answered politely, “Thank you for the gift.”

  Seemingly unaware of her aversion to his pursuit, he bent down to brush a kiss across her cheek. “I have so much more to give.”

  Kathrine reached her chair and the earl gallantly pulled it out for her. Her father welcomed her. “I hope you slept well, my child.” He patted her hand and turned to the earl nodding his head. “Tomorrow will prove to be an exhausting day, as many are coming for the ceremony and the feast.”

  Katherine felt like vomiting at his farce. She was trapped between the men and could not stomach any food. Playing with it, she hoped no one would notice that she didn’t eat. Her father’s attention was taken by a traveling knight and Katherine slipped some meat underneath the table to the dog that laid by her father’s feet.

  The earl raised his brow at her actions and whispered to her out of hearing of her father, “Are you not hungry?”

  She closed her eyes, embarrassed about being caught. “Please, my lord. I don’t want to upset my father, but my nerves have gotten the best of me.”

  His look of concern almost moved her. “I will not reveal your ruse. But you must promise me to eat a few bites a little later.”

  She nodded, and he stood up offering her his elbow. “Let’s take a walk.” Katherine agreed and followed him out of the hall. They came near the stables and he slowed down to ask, “Do you ride?”

  Katherine smiled. “Yes, at least sometimes.”

  He walked her into the stable. A beautiful white horse stood with a groom. “Do you like her?”

  Katherine’s eyes widened in delight. “Yes, she is beautiful.” Katherine reached up to stroke the horse with her hand.

  The earl smiled. “Like her owner.”

  Katherine lifted her eyes meeting his joyful expression. “Who is her owner?”

  “You are. She is a gift.” The earl laughed out loud.

  “It’s too much, my lord. I can’t accept this grand gift.”

  He stepped closer to her. The groom and other stable staff had disappeared with one look from him. He reached out and cupped her face. “You are going to be my wife. Nothing is too much.” He bent down and kissed her. It wasn’t like before. This time, he took control and pressed harder for her to open her mouth. She felt trapped and unable to protest, opening her mouth as he demanded access and allowed him to deepen the kiss. Not wanting it to go further, she squirmed in his arms pushing away from his chest.

  His eyes were dazed as he straightened his jacket. “Forgive me. I forget that you are an innocent. I will take it slower.” She caught her breath rubbing her lips. He offered his arm. “Let’s finish our walk, shall we?”

  Katherine needed air but also craved solidarity. “Is it possible to escort me back to the keep? I am not feeling well. Perhaps that is why I wasn’t hungry at breakfast.”

  “As you wish.”

  The excuse worked, and Katherine was not disturbed the rest of the evening. The earl insisted that she be allowed to rest and prevented her father from summoning her for dinner. Even Drake did not bother her. If nothing else, the earl’s authority allowed her one more day to escape before her upcoming nuptials. After her dinner was cleared away, she tried to lie back down and block out the thoughts of the morrow. She would be forced to attend her own betrothal ceremony and partake in the feast. The earl wanted the wedding as soon as possible, and they had planned to have it within a few months. Many important dignitaries were to attend, and they needed time to prepare. It would be at the earl’s estate.

  After a few hours of tossing and turning, Katherine finally gave up on sleeping when suddenly she felt a presence in the room and felt a hand cover her mouth. Sitting up, a scream caught in her throat.

  “Shh… my love, it’s me.” A large man loomed above her.

  Trying to catch her breath, she thought it was a dream until recognition invaded her. He released her mouth and embraced her. Her emotions were so overwhelming that she sobbed in his arms unable to speak. He rocked her for a few moments before pulling back to touch her face.

  “Ian! I thought I would never see you again.”

  “Nonsense. You are my wife.” He kissed her briefly. “Now, I need you to listen to me carefully. There is much to say, but we have only a small window of time. We have subdued a few guards and I need to get you out of here. Very quickly grab your things.”

  Katherine obeyed and took a satchel filling it with lotions, perfumes, shifts, and a few dresses. Ian took the bag from her and opened her chamber door. “Come, follow me.”

  She followed him to another chamber a few doors down that used to belong to Deanna. “Where are you going?”

  He put his fingers up to her lips and whispered, “We will speak soon, but not now.”

  Katherine followed him into Deanna’s chamber and watched him as he went to the corner of the room. Ian went to the window and whistled. A few men showed up with a wooden pole and Ian picked up Katherine into his arms holding her next to the pole as he inched their way down to the ground. She did not recognize some of the men but was quickly covered her up with a shawl hiding her hair and obscuring her face. She followed the men through the crowds outside in the bailey inconspicuously as they wore the colors of the earl. They blended in and escaped through the gates unnoticed. Reaching the woods, several other Scotsman spoke to Ian in their Gaelic l
anguage. Katherine remained quiet and allowed Ian to tie her satchel to the horse and lift her up onto the saddle. He mounted behind her and they took off swiftly through the woods followed by a group of his men.

  He held her close to him and after a few hours of riding, the group slowed down. A large man approached Ian speaking again in their language. Ian spoke back with a smile. “Now we can speak.”

  Katherine hugged him. “They forced me, Ian.”

  “Do you think I am cross with you?”

  Katherine nodded. He kissed her cheek. “I know they forced you. Deanna told us. She also told us of the obscured window in her old chamber. When we scouted the castle yesterday, we heard about your betrothal celebration. It was a perfect excuse to blend in with the crowd.”

  Katherine noticed the men following her conversation. She recognized Dorian coming closer to the couple. “It’s nice to see you, Miss Tolland.”

  “Miss Tolland? Are we not to be related soon?”

  Dorian smiled and agreed, “Yes we are, Sister.”

  Ian looked back to another man she did not recognize. She removed the blanket and her hair fell in waves over her shoulders. Ian smiled and did the introductions, “Katherine, this is my brother Jakub. He came to help.”

  The man took her hand and kissed it. “I now understand why my brother would search the country for you.”

  Katherine blushed. “You’re too kind, my lord.” Noticing the men surrounding her and Ian, her thoughts took her to the irony of her life. Almost comical, she suppressed a grin. She was surrounded by the most savage looking Scotsmen yet was unafraid. There was no other place that she would rather be.

  His brother tilted his head. “I don’t get it. You choose to be with the most notorious battle scared warrior in all of Scotland. I must know what kind of potion my brother used on you.”

  Ian slid his hands around her waist and embraced her, pulling her closer to him. He scowled at his brother lightheartedly. “It was my charm. She begged me for my affection and I felt sorry for her.”

  Katherine gasped and turned to hit him playfully. He laughed, and his brother and his men looked shocked at the display of playful banter. Jakub shook his head admitting, “That is the first time I have heard you laugh in years. My too serious brother has a weakness after all.” The men nodded their heads in agreement.

  Ian straightened his face, seemingly annoyed at the men’s prying eyes. His normal somber expression took over his face. “It is time to part ways.”

  Katherine looked at him in surprise. “Where will we go?”

  Ian rubbed her arms reassuringly. “You and I will ride east with just a few of my men. We will take a ship back to Scotland. My brother will cover our tracks with his men headed north. It will throw off any soldiers who may wish to pursue you. They will know soon that you escaped.”

  Katherine accepted his explanation and put the blanket back over her head and shoulders. The men spoke a few words in Gaelic and they were soon on their way. They rode hard for what seemed like several hours. They finally stopped by a stream and clearing to rest for the night. Ian took some furs and laid them by the fire. His men followed with their furs. He came to the horse to help Katherine dismount. Her legs were unsteady, and she nearly collapsed from the hard riding. He picked her up and carried her to the fire to lie beside him. He whispered in her ear, “It will be hard for me not to touch you tonight. But my men are too close by for comfort. We should be alone tomorrow night. My friend is the captain of the ship we will be sailing on and should have a cabin for us to use. Have you ever been on a ship?”

  She shook her head. “I have always wanted to sail. I look forward to tomorrow.”

  He kissed her cheek and tucked her into his arms. One more day and she would know him as a wife. No longer a girl, but a woman of seventeen. A little apprehensive of what would be expected of her the next night, she tossed and turned unable to sleep.

  The next morning, they awoke early and started off toward the coast. By afternoon, Katherine was exhausted and happy to taste the salty air. They walked along the docks and came across a few rough looking men. The larger one of the bunch approached Ian and hugged him. He was missing his front teeth and had a long beard pulled together with a band. His clothes were disheveled, and his smell made her eyes water. He shook his head looking at Ian with admiration. “The infamous Cold-Heart. It’s been too long, my friend. I was shocked when I received your missive.” He smiled and then looked at Katherine. “Is this your woman?”

  Ian smiled squeezing her hand. “Yes. She is mine. This is Miss Tolland. I was pleased you received my message. As you know, I trust few people.”

  The man nodded. “I owe you my life. My ship is your ship. Come let’s load the horses and I will show you to your room. One of the townswomen cleaned it up for you and changed the stuffing on the mattress with clean linens. Your men can sleep below with my men. I will sleep in the storage room.”

  Ian smiled, and they followed the captain onboard. The captain’s quarters were small but clean. Katherine was happy about that. Ian left her alone to change and told her they would eat in their room after the ship sailed. They should be in Edinburgh within a day or two depending on the winds.

  Katherine eyed a bowl of water on the table in the corner. She took a towel and cleaned her face and neck. She dug through her satchel and decided on her green gown. After dressing, she tried to calm her nerves by lying down on the bed. Soon she felt the ship move and the rocking motion put her into a deep sleep.

  “Katherine?” A warm whisper invaded her dream. She opened her eyes, startled, trying to get her bearings. A panicky feeling was quickly relieved when she realized that Ian was smiling down at her. “Are you well?”

  Katherine sat up trying to adjust her eyes to the light. “Forgive me, I fell asleep.”

  He leaned over and brushed a kiss on her forehead. “It all right, my love. I have checked on you a few times and let you sleep. It’s getting late and most of the crew have retired for the night. I wanted to make sure you ate something. Are you hungry?”

  She nodded, and he went to the table and took some bread and cheese. Accepting it, she chewed on the hard crust and then accepted some ale from him. “The rocking of the boat had made my stomach a little queasy. This bread should help.” He joined her and ate some bread as well.

  After eating, he stretched out on the bed and patted the space beside him. Suddenly, her nerves took over. They were alone and the look in his eyes gave away what was on his mind. Not knowing what to say or do, she wrung her hands. “Ian, is it possible to take care of some private needs and change?”

  He came out of his stupor and sat up. “Of course. I will leave for a few minutes and be back soon. Most of the sailors use the head, but I will not allow you to. There is a chamber pot under the bed. One of the sailors will empty it in the morning.” He stood up and closed the door.

  Katherine was a little embarrassed, but painfully aware that she needed to relieve herself. She quickly took care of her personal needs and changed into a clean shift. She did not bring a night rail and was unsuccessful in making her shift cover more of her body. Instead, she opted to crawl into bed and cover herself up with the blanket.

  A few minutes later, she heard a knock and told him to enter. He ducked under the doorway towering over the small space in the room. “Are you cold?”

  She shook her head. “Not too much. I didn’t have time to pack properly and forgot a night rail.”

  A grin lifted the corner of his mouth as his eyes raked over her. “Not a problem. I will keep you warm.” Ian slid off his tunic and breeches, and Katherine looked away embarrassed at his nakedness.

  He slid into the bed next to her. “Katherine, don’t be nervous. We will go slow, and if you want me to stop, I will.” Katherine clutched the blanket near her chin. Ian rubbed her
arms and then gently took her hands, prying them away from the blanket.

  “You’re beautiful, let me look at you.” Katherine stiffened and was unconsciously shifting her body away from him. Ian brushed a soft kiss on her lips while holding her hands, preventing her from covering herself. She allowed him to kiss her and open her mouth with his tongue. His kisses were intense and grew deeper. Her body began to relax as he rubbed her arms lightly. Leaning back, he looked into her eyes and whispered, “Trust me, Katherine.”

  His kisses breaking down her resistance, she admitted, “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Just enjoy my touch. That is all I ask.”

  His hands moved down her legs and his face nuzzled into her neck. She responded with a light groan. Ian slid the shift up and removed it quickly without giving her a chance to protest. Feeling exposed she reached for the blanket, but he took her hands away softly rubbing them and guiding them around his neck. She complied and rubbed his back. He began to explore her body, and she felt her resistance begin to dissolve. Her body was responding, and the feelings were nothing that she had ever experienced. It was not as painful as she had heard servants speak about. It was so special and now she understood why—because it was a gift for married couples. She couldn’t imagine having such an experience with anyone other than Ian.

  He lay beside her holding his head up with his elbow. Staring down at her, his body shook. “That was better than I ever imagined it could be. I have never felt so close to any woman before. I wanted to possess not just your body, but your mind and thoughts.”