She experienced visions of him for over a month in her dreams. She thought it was just her fanciful imaginings until she came upon him last night screaming in pain as he slept. Her heart urged her to offer comfort. She only intended to whisper and touch him, but oh! Her entire body grew warm, and not from the heat of a highland summer day. She hoped he would never tell of her nocturnal wanderings should he ever meet Nanny Tabor.
Since the dreams, she felt compelled to ride at night. With limited darkness anyway, there was not much opportunity. Her wraith-like appearance made her more conspicuous in the dark. White hair, skin, and horse? She might as well be a spirit. She shook her head at her silliness. God knew her heart was true and didn’t fall into the superstitions of the people hereabouts. At her core, she was as British as the captain, in spite of her being raised here in the highlands, tucked away from society.
Her mother tried to raise a lady and taught her all the duties of a woman born to the peerage. It was not easy to do tucked away in their crofter’s cottage on the Aldourie estate. The Ivy Cottage was set apart from the grand house which provided privacy for Nanny Tabor, herself, and Mister Terrance McLaughly. With the passing of Lucy’s mother two years hence, those lessons ceased. All Lucy understood was that this was a safe place from a real and palpable danger that lurked in her homeland.
Her brother, Damon, joined them for a time before he rebelled and ran back to father. A little over a year ago, Lucy received news that Damon died. That left her as the sole offspring of the Duke of Diamonte, not an enviable position to be in if her memories of her father proved to be true.
Her elderly Nanny and their man-of-all-work, Terrance, were her only real kin now, even though they were not related by blood. Their crofter’s cottage beheld a view of the loch. The Camerons, who lived in the manse, helped provide for them out of a trust established by her mother. While they lived a simple life, Lucy was content with her basic needs met and the sense of safety.
She headed back toward the cottage, ran inside to grab her journal, and headed to the garden to sit in the shade under her favorite tree. She loved the peace and quiet of this space. To listen to the birds singing and the breeze rustling the leaves above. She pulled out the book and paged through her entries from a month past. She’d sketched the face she’d encountered in her dream. She gazed at it now and wished she could paint well. How would she capture the exact shade of his dunnock’s egg blue eyes? Or hair the color of golden wheat? There was no way her pencil could ever convey the soft scratching of his whiskered face, or the tickle of those whiskers on her own cheek. She traced her own lips with her finger and remembered his kisses.
She groaned and leaned her head back. What was happening to her? At four and twenty she was quite on the shelf and had been content to be so if it meant her safety. So why this man, and why now? God, what are You aboot? A tremor of fear rattled her composure. She jumped to her feet and strode to the maze between their cottage and Aldourie. She ran into the entrance and jogged her way to the center where she collapsed in the man-made grotto there. It was her favorite place to pray.
~*~
Jared stood stock-still for some time after his fairy sprite disappeared. Was she for real? Part of him wanted to run after her and another wanted to strip and dive back into the cold loch. He glanced down at the ribbon in his hands. He lifted it to his nose. It was the scent from the night, heather. She was all that was lovely and pure.
She had seen him, scars and all. He must have shocked her and he assumed she was a maiden from her blush. But she had not turned away or shown horror at his scars. He gulped. If only…
No. He shook his head. He was not here for a dalliance. He was here to accomplish a mission. He found his stockings and boots and once he was packed up, he mounted Rogue and headed along the path, hoping to soon find what he sought.
It didn’t take long to come upon Ivy Cottage. He dismounted and tied his horse to a branch where the stallion could graze. He strode to the front door and knocked.
A short stocky woman with reddish hair streaked with grey, answered. Her shrewd green eyes looked him up and down. He doffed his hat.
“I’m Captain Jared Allendale of the British Army. I’ve been commissioned by the Duke of Wellington to come here to retrieve a package and deliver it to London.”
The woman’s eyes grew large, her mouth dropped open, and a pudgy hand came to cover it. “Na! Is it time? Ah cannae hawp it.” She stepped back and motioned for him to enter. “Dae ye hae th’ code phrase?”
“A ‘nighean mar a mathair.” He had practiced this over and over and over to make sure he had the pronunciation correct. His success or failure depended on it. He had no clue why a phrase that meant “such a mother, such a daughter,” was relevant to his mission, but it wasn’t his job to question—only to do.
The woman nodded. “Dae ye hae papers?”
Jared smiled and shook his head. “Not without your code words first.”
She nodded. “Chan urrainn do dhuine ‘sambith seirbhis a dhéanamh do dhà mhaighstir.”
Jared had memorized that phrase too so he would recognize it when he heard it. It was a quote right out of the New Testament, “no one can serve two masters.” That one at least made more sense. His mission was for his king and his country, which he believed was a way to serve the sovereign King, Jesus.
He handed over the papers, which were written in English, Scots, and Gaelic.
She took them, scanned them over, and nodded. “I’ll fetch Terrance. He’ll get you what you want. It’s not here right now.”
“Kept in a safe place, I hope?” Jared raised one eyebrow.
“As safe as we could make it. I’m not sure…”
“Sure of what?”
“You’ll see.” She walked out the back door and yelled for the mysterious Terrance. She returned and offered Jared tea.
~*~
Terrance found her in the grotto. He was winded from traversing the maze at a faster pace than usual.
Lucy jumped to her feet and ran to his side. “Haes something ill happened?”
The older man bent at the waist, supporting his upper body with his hands on his knees. He put up one hand to indicate she should wait. When he stood, she led him to the bench in the grotto. “Tell me, please, Terrance. Ye hae me worried.”
“Th’ time haes come, lass.”
“Fur whit?”
“Yer escort tae London tae tak’ yer rightful steid thare.”
“My rightful place is here with you and Nanny. Ah will nae gang.”
“Aye, ye wull. Come alang.”
Lucy rose and escorted her trusty retainer out of the maze and back to the cottage. She had no intention of leaving Aldourie. She wasn’t sure how she could convince them to let her stay. Perhaps she could win her escort to her side?
She walked into the front drawing room, her hair still unbound. She pulled up short at the sight of her handsome stranger. “Ye?”
He was fully clothed with his cravat tied neatly. He stood when she entered, his eyes wide with shock. He turned to Nanna. “I came for a package. What kind of May-game are you playing here?”
Terrance stepped forward and handed a sealed document to Jared. “Open it, it wull explain a’.”
Lucy found a chair and sat to watch this unusual tableau play out before her. Who was this man and why was he here? What kind of escort was he? He slit open the envelope and perused the document within. He shook his head and when he looked up his face wore a distinct frown. “I cannot do this unless you will travel with us, Miss Tabor.”
“Na, Ah cannae gang. A’m tae auld fur sic a journey.” Nanny shook her head.
Terrance spoke up. “We aye knew this day micht come. Yer tae tak’ her alone. It wid be tae dangerous fur ony o’ us tae come alang.”
Lucy gaped to these servants she called family. “Whit? Urr ye saying ah hae tae lea wi’ him?”
“I cannot escort a lone miss all the way to London without some kind of maid. Her
reputation would be in tatters,” Jared protested.
Lucy took umbrage at this and put on the aristocratic airs her mother taught her. “I am not so feeble that I will fall into your bed, Captain. My reputation is not a concern anyway, as I am not going anywhere, much less London.”
Jared’s face fell but he finally spoke in a soft voice. “I think this has been a shock to us all. Lady Penelope Diamonte, you possess a rightful place amongst the ton and a half-brother I believe you would enjoy meeting, as well as your nephew. All of whom will be delighted to make your acquaintance. I do not know all the whys and wherefores of your being here and my coming for you, but I have a duty to fulfill and if you are the ‘package’ I need to deliver, then I will do my utmost to see you there safely and with as much haste as we can manage.”
Lucy put her hand to her chest. “You know my full name?”
Jared waved the paper and handed it to her.
She rose to take it and stood to read it. She’d never fainted before in her life—until now.
3
Jared caught her before she hit the ground.
Nanny jumped up and led him up the stairs to a bedroom where he set his sweet burden down. He stepped back as Nanny wafted smelling salts under the young woman’s pert little nose. He shook his head. Seriously? He would have a few words to say to the Duke about this assignment to be sure.
Not only was this a woman he was to deliver, but the Black Diamond’s daughter! While the Black Diamond had been banished to France because of his treasonous acts, there was no guarantee he would stay there or that his minions spread far and wide might still do his bidding.
He leaned against the wall and watched as Lady Penelope’s eyes fluttered open.
It would have been safer to stay in France himself than take on this mission. Lord, help me.
The young woman sat up and let her legs hang off the bed. Her mussed up dress was pulled up to expose her dainty ankles and feet. Jared narrowed his eyes. She was barefoot and her feet were filthy. This was someone who would become a lady amongst the beau monde?
Jared pushed away from the wall. “I need to think. I’ll return later.”
No one barred his exit and there were no farewells. Understandable, given how he had unsettled all their lives. Correction, Wellington unsettled all their lives. Jared rode to the shore of the loch and sat down under a tree to watch the water.
Fishing, Jared. Remember fishing. You can go fishing at Rose Hill when this is over.
The cost to get there might be high. How was he to get this beautiful sprite to London? Head north to Inverness and catch a packet that would head south? He was tired of sailing. He’d rather go over land if possible but that was a long journey as well. If he could avoid staying at any posting houses he could avoid the appearances of having a mistress. While he loved a comfy bed and pillow, he feared upsetting people with his nightmares. While they didn’t come every night, they came often enough. Jared leaned his head back to rest.
~*~
Lucy folded her arms across her chest as she examined her two faithful friends. Nanny and Terrence were the closest people to her, like doting grandparents. And now they wanted to foist her on an Englishman to travel with him? Even worse, he was attractive and something about him called to her heart. How could she spend time with him on that journey and not fall in love with this wounded warrior?
She’d heard his cries during the night. She’d viewed his scars in the light of day. This was a man who had suffered for a cause he believed in and he would get her to London or die trying. And where would that leave her? Alone and brokenhearted. She didn’t think she could bear it.
She left the cottage, meandering down to the loch to one of her favorite views, a rock that jutted out from under the trees. This was her home for as long as she could remember. She didn’t understand why her mother ran, only that there was fear for her and her daughter’s safety. Had the danger passed now? Why would she in any way be needed by the British government? She was naught but an English lady raised as a Highland miss. Her mother at least taught her proper English, but would she be able to stick to only that after these years speaking Scots and Gaelic only? She read that they spoke French in London as well. Her French was execrable.
She sighed as she looked out at the water that stretched farther to the left or right than she could see from her vantage point. She would miss this place and the people. This was home. God, how am I to follow this man?
She realized that God had been preparing her with the image she’d received a month ago. Was it possible to fall in love with him simply from the picture in her mind? The Captain fit every ideal that she’d dreamed of for a man.
She needed to face it. She was already half in love with him. There was no turning back from that now.
She heard his steps before she saw him.
“May I join you?”
She nodded and made a space on the rock for him.
“This is a beautiful area. In all my travels, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the like.” He gazed out at the loch and across to the cliffs on the opposite shore.
“Aye, it ‘tis. I will miss it when I go.”
“You’ll come?”
“Yes.” She glanced over at him and even in profile he was handsome. Would she regret this? “How will we travel? What is your plan to get us to London?”
“Rogue and I are tired of sailing. Would you mind traveling on horseback?”
“I would be grateful to take my mount. I’m a proficient rider, unless you expect me to ride sidesaddle, then we will have a problem.”
Jared nodded. “I don’t understood how women do that, to be honest. Perhaps as we get closer to London we can hire a carriage and arrive with more decorum that way. I would hate to compromise your reputation by any untoward appearance.”
“That has never been anything I’ve needed to worry about here.”
Jared pointed to her feet as she swung them off the edge of the rock. “Do you own shoes? Or at least riding boots?”
Lucy grinned. “We are not so backwards up here that I go barefoot all the time. Yes. I have shoes—and boots.”
“Would you be able to depart tomorrow?”
Lucy leaned over and bumped his shoulder with her own. “Aye, I will be ready.”
Jared nodded.
~*~
Jared was surprised she’d agreed to come. There was something refreshingly honest about her. She was petite in stature but obviously possessed a willfulness about her. She did not put on any airs like the misses he met in Portugal, Spain, France, or England. He sat with her as a boy and a girl. Almost as if they were…friends.
The thought jolted him. Michael and Katrina had been friends and while they were now happily married, it had been a wild ride getting them to that point. He had never even considered being friends with a woman. But now, the idea had some tantalizing merits. He closed his eyes as the trees rustled, and he inhaled the scent that he associated with Penelope.
They sat in silence. It was a pleasant experience to do that with someone. He spent too many years alone. Slinking through woods, and past enemy lines, eavesdropping in a corner of a bar. Always alone. Trust no one. The only people he’d been able to talk to had been his brother, Marcus, his sister-in-law Josie, and their friends, Philip, Michael, and Theo. But even they didn’t understand his deepest struggles and fears. Only Marcus was aware of the way he relived his days of torture in his dreams.
This young woman understood that, too.
“Penelope?”
“I’d prefer to be called Lucy. I’ve been Miss Lucille Cameron for as long as I can remember. Lady Penelope ceased to exist when my mother brought me Scotland.”
“I think I understand. Lucy?”
“Hmmmm?”
“About last night…”
She turned a pretty shade of pink that matched her dress. “I often struggle to sleep so I wander and came across you.” She turned to him as she pulled her knees up and hugged them to herse
lf. He could still spy her little toes peeking out from under the hem. “You were in such agony, I thought only to help you in your distress. I didn’t intend…”
“Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head and stared out onto the loch.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were a real person until you pushed me away. I thought you were a part of a new, wonderful dream.”
“I’m glad I could bring you something good.”
He gazed out to the loch.
Toward the middle of the water emerged a dark figure.
“Lucy, what is that?” He glanced at her. Her face had lost all color which gave her a ghostly appearance with her almost white hair. “Lucy? Are you all right?”
A lone tear escaped down her cheek. “’Tis the monster.”
Jared looked out as the last of a large tail disappeared beneath the water. “Monster?”
“Legend has it someone will die.”
“That’s foolishness.”
“You don’t believe that God can give us foreshadowing of things to come?”
Jared shrugged. “Well, I believe He could, but I don’t think He does.”
She rose to her feet, her lips firmly closed, and her eyes the color of a sky before a storm. “Come with me.”
He jumped to his feet and followed her. She took him past the crofter’s cottage, into the gardens, and through a maze. She grabbed his hand as she dragged him right and left, left, right, and he lost count of the pattern. Soon they arrived at the center and a small grotto there. She let his hand go and entered. She picked up a book, paged through it, and handed it to him.
“Make sure to note the date.”
He accepted the open book. Her eyes beseeched him to take her seriously. He glanced down and was shocked to see his own image in black and white. “What…how?”
She walked away, turning her back to him as she pretended to inspect one of the bushes. “I had a dream and your image haunted me, so I drew your picture to get you out of my mind.” She turned to face him. “Imagine my surprise to find you sleeping under a tree suffering terrible agonies.” She walked around to stand behind him. She traced a finger down the back of his jacket. “Your scars taunt you from the past.”
The Captain's Conquest Page 2
