“Are you here alone?” he asked, glancing behind her, and Anna could hear the slight regret in his tone. He loved his daughters, but it was Aaron that he revered.
“Yes, just me,” she replied lightly. She hooked her arm around Richard’s and led him towards the house. “Aaron and Keira send their regards, of course,” she said as they crossed over the threshold. Jenny was sitting near the fire when Anna entered the small parlor at the front of the house. The passing years had not been kind to Jenny, and she looked far older than her forty-eight years. She smiled at Anna, but her eyes were dull, lined with black rings, while the skin sagged around her cheekbones.
“Anna, you have come to visit. How lovely.”
“Yes, Mother,” Anna said, dragging a stool towards her parent and taking her frail hands. “How are you doing today?”
“Not well, Anna, not well. I believe I’m not long for this world.” Anna glanced at Richard, and he smiled sadly.
“Dame Lamb came to see your mother this morning,” he explained. “She says there is nothing more to be done.”
Anna turned back to Jenny, who was already patting her hand. “We are all marked for death, daughter,” she said. “I have many regrets in life, but at least I know one daughter has a secure future, even if he is not the man I would have chosen. Now if I can just see you married, I could be at peace, ready to meet my Maker.”
“Well, Mother,” she replied, “it may be that God has seen fit to leave me a spinster. There are few men as worthy as Father, or Aaron, so I am quite content to remain in the unmarried state.” She saw the dismay in Jenny’s face, but was saved from reproach by the announcement that dinner was served.
“Come Mother,” Anna said, helping Jenny to her feet. “Let me help you to the table.”
Anna did not stay long after the meal was finished. She led Jenny to her room and helped her lie down on the bed. The fire had died down a little, and she stoked it back into flames before shutting the light from the windows and closing the door behind her. Richard had already returned to his workshop, but he lifted his head to give a distracted wave goodbye as she walked past.
Nothing in the village was a great distance apart, and it took Anna only a few minutes to reach the high street, with its collection of shops and services. It ran perpendicular to the churchyard, and Anna paused to tie her horse next to Garrick’s before continuing on her way. Someone called her name, and she turned, her heart sinking when she saw Sarah Draper hurrying towards her.
“Anna! How lovely to see you! You have become quite the stranger!” She hooked her arm around Anna’s, dragging her along the street. “I must confess, I am surprised to see that you are still alive and well.”
Anna pulled her arm free. “Why?”
Sarah laughed shrilly. “Well, you do live in the mountains with a dragon.”
“The dragon would never harm me.”
“It would if Aaron Drake allowed it to,” Sarah responded knowingly. “But I’m not really interested in hideous monsters. It is Garrick Flynn I want to hear about. Did I see him at the smith?” Anna shrugged. “He is so handsome,” Sarah continued. “I’m sure he would kiss a girl very prettily.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Anna said.
“He wouldn’t be able to resist me,” Sarah said, slyly. “I’m going to tell him you are delayed, and that you sent me to tell him.”
“No.” Anna was aghast. “Do what you will, but do not drag me into your affairs.”
“Oh, la,” Sarah said with a wave of her hand, before running lightly down the road, and disappearing around the corner. Anna watched her for a moment, then with a slight shrug of her shoulders, turned in the direction of the shops.
Anna took her time completing her purchases. She ordered new boots from the shoemaker, selecting the softest and most supple leather; she stopped by the parchmenter to pick up a roll of parchment; and she spent twenty minutes selecting a fine woolen worsted at the milliner to make a new gown. It had been dyed a soft blue, and Anna was sure the color would become her. She reached the end of the high street, where the cobbled paving petered into a muddy lane, before she turned around and headed back in the direction she had come. She had forgotten Sarah Draper and her plans to trap Garrick, but as she neared the end of the street, she was startled to see Sarah stomping towards her, scowling furiously. She glared at Anna as she walked past, but said nothing. Anna glanced towards the trees where the horses had been tied, and saw Garrick staring angrily after Sarah, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
“That woman is entirely lacking in propriety,” he growled as Anna drew near, “and refuses to even consider that her advances may not be welcome. She would have thrown me to the ground if given half a chance. Even so, I had to endure her touching and stroking me until I was forced to give the harshest putdown.”
“Am I correct in understanding,” Anna said with a grin, “that Sarah Draper is not the kind of woman you admire?”
Garrick’s angry gaze swung to Anna, until a reluctant grin tugged at his mouth. “No, Sarah Draper is not the kind of woman I admire.”
“Tell me, then,” Anna said playfully, “what kind of woman do you admire?”
The smile dropped from Garrick’s face, and he turned away to check the straps on Anna’s horse. “A woman who can engage in a good conversation without being coy. A woman with spirit and fortitude. A woman who knows how to endure trials and still be cheerful.”
Anna was silent, taken aback at the directness of his response, and she wished she hadn’t posed the question. Garrick moved to the horse’s head and checked the bit, before turning towards Anna, cupping his hands to boost her into the saddle. He did not meet her gaze, but when he placed his hand on her back to steady her, it lingered a moment longer than necessary. She saw a frown crease his brow before he turned away and mounted his own horse. He turned onto the path that wound behind the church and towards the forest at the foothills of the mountains. He did not speak as they crossed the open fields, but when they gained the shade of the trees, he drew his horse to a halt, forcing Anna, who was a step behind, to stop as well.
“Anna.” He paused.
“Do you think we will reach Storbrook before nightfall?” she said.
Garrick shook his head. “Probably not.” He was staring at her, and she looked away, suddenly uncomfortable.
“Well, I hope it won’t get too cold. My cloak is not very warm,” she said. “Perhaps if we –”
“Anna.” Garrick’s voice was firm. “There is something I would say.”
She glanced back at him, and shook her head. “No.”
“I cannot keep silent any longer. It is destroying me to see you every day, and not speak of how I feel. I have waited for some sign from you – anything that I could take as an encouragement, but my patience is wearing thin.”
“Please, Garrick –”
“Tell me, Anna, do you feel anything for me?” he said.
Anna turned away and stared into the trees. “Garrick,” she finally said, “I like you very much. You are a good man, and I consider you a great friend.”
“A good man. A great friend.” Garrick laughed dryly. “Words of the damned. You’re still hankering after that dragon, aren’t you?”
Anna turned to him with a look of surprise as her heart skittered within her chest. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t take me for a fool, Anna. I have lived at Storbrook most of my life, and like everyone else who lives there, I know exactly what Master Drake is. Don’t worry,” he added as she pulled in a startled breath, “we all know that there are some secrets that must be kept. But that does not change what Master Drake is, or the friends that arrive at the dead of night, through entrances other than the gate. Friends like Max Brant.” The air was suddenly too heavy to breath. “You still have feelings for him,” Garrick continued. “Even after all these years. But where is he now, Anna? He left you, didn’t he? Probably without a backward glance.”
Anna looked away as
a pounding grew in her ears. “No,” she whispered. “It wasn’t like that.”
“No? Then where is he now? He’s not here, Anna.” Garrick paused, then added gently, “But I am.” Anna glanced down at the ground. A small, brown beetle was clinging to the edge of a leaf, dry and speckled with spots, and she watched as it fell on its back, its little legs waving furiously in the air, before it righted itself. Garrick leaned closer. “Anna,” he said, “I love you. I know your feelings for me are not the same, but I love you enough for both of us. I want you to become my wife.” She glanced up at him in dismay. “We could be happy,” he continued quickly. “We already have friendship, which is more than many couples start with, and in time you will learn to love me.” She opened her mouth to respond, but he covered her lips with his fingers. “Think about it, please,” he said. “At least give me that much.” She stared at him for a moment, then dropping her eyes, nodded slowly. “Thank you,” he said, pulling his fingers away. He stared at her for another long moment, then turning away, nudged his horse down the path, as Anna did the same.
The rest of the journey was traversed in silence. Anna’s first thoughts had been of bewilderment, dismay, and wild refusal, but as the initial shock wore off, she was able to consider Garrick’s words with more composure. She didn’t love him, it was true, but she had been honest when she said he was a good man, and she knew he would treat her well. And she could learn to love him. It wouldn’t be wild or passionate, but steady and enduring. She would have a husband who loved her, and a home of her own, filled with children. She would have a life that did not depend on Keira or Aaron. A life that was hers alone. That was what she wanted, wasn’t it?
Chapter 3
Anna lay in bed that night, tossing and turning under the heavy quilts. She pushed them off, but when a breeze blew through the crack in the shutters, she pulled them back up with a shiver. Her chemise, although fresh and clean, felt scratchy and uncomfortable. A dull pain hovered behind her eyes, and her shoulders ached. Garrick’s words would not be forgotten, but she could find no peace in them. She knew he was a man who was not only kind and generous, but also determined and strong. He would be a good husband, of that she had no doubt. But then why was she not happy? Why could she not bring herself to accept his offer with pleasure? Not only would she have her own home, but being married offered far greater freedom than she currently enjoyed. A reasonable man like Garrick would allow her to run her household as she chose, and with the protection of his name, she could travel and conduct business in a manner she could not do as a single woman. But even as she acknowledged these advantages, she was not content. She had seen the look of love in Keira’s eye when she gazed on her husband, and recognized Aaron’s happiness when he looked back. It was clear to Anna that Aaron and Keira were tied together by something far stronger than a mere contract. And there was the rub. She wanted what Keira had, even as she acknowledged that it was a strange and rare thing.
She lay restless through the long night, until the light of dawn started to penetrate the darkness. She stared blearily at the windows, but after the passing of another restless hour, finally pushed herself from the bed. A few glowing embers were all that remained of the fire from the previous night, and Anna stoked up the flames, watching as they licked the logs she placed over them. She crossed the floor to the window and threw open the shutters. A dark shadow was circling in the distance, and for an instant she thought it was a dragon, until it turned and she saw it was an eagle, gliding on a current of air.
Her gaze drifted downwards to the gardens of Storbrook. She could hear the cheerful twittering of birds as they fluttered between the trees, searching for grubs and insects. Early morning mist still clung to the mountain, and Anna could see a layer of dew covering the lawns, like a finely spun spider web. The sun had risen above the horizon, but the sky was still streaked with pinks and grays. A slight breeze stirred between the plants, and Anna caught the scent of roses drifting up past her window. All was peaceful and still, so unlike her own turbulent thoughts, and she reached for a gown, quickly fastening the laces as she slipped on a pair of slippers and headed out of the room.
Anna could feel the damp rising through her slippers as she walked across the grass, the back of her gown leaving a trail through the dew. She paused for a moment to watch two birds fighting over a worm, until a vicious peck convinced the smaller of the two to surrender, chattering angrily as it hopped away. The path twisted slightly as it meandered through the gardens, and she followed it around a corner, pausing when she saw a figure crouching on the ground a few feet away. Garrick had his back to her, but when she started to retreat, he held up his hand with a soft ‘hush’ and she paused, watching him cautiously. He wore a crumpled shirt, hanging over a pair of leather breeches and rolled up to his elbows. His hands were close to the ground, but his back hid what he was doing. It was only when he turned, his expression intent, and motioned her forward with his chin, that she could see a small bird in the palm of his hands.
“It’s been hurt,” Garrick said, his voice low. “I think it may have broken a wing. I found it lying on the ground.”
“What are you going to do with it?” she asked.
“I’ll find a box and nurse it back to health until it can fly on its own,” he said. He was looking at the bird again, and as he spoke, Anna watched his face. His expression was gentle as he carefully stroked the trembling creature in his hands.
“Why?” Anna asked. Another man would choose a quick death for the injured bird, rather than taking time to care for it. “Why would you do that?”
Garrick turned to her with a smile as he rose to his feet. “Even the smallest creatures are of value to God,” he said, “and no life should be taken needlessly.” His smile stretched into a grin. “Even dragons know that.”
“Well, some dragons, maybe,” Anna said, suppressing a shudder as the memory of a black dragon rose in her mind – black in heart and black in appearance. And black Jack Drake had had no qualms about killing innocent people – whether they be human or dragon – in his efforts to try and wrest the Mastership from Aaron and pay him back for perceived wrongs. She glanced back at Garrick, who was watching her carefully; but when he met her gaze, he held his hands out towards her.
“Would you like to hold it?” he asked.
“All right,” Anna said, cupping her hands together as she stepped closer. She could feel the roughness of his skin as he placed his hands over hers, carefully opening them and allowing the bird to slip into her palms. The tiny creature was trembling, its little heart racing with terror, and Anna felt a stab of pity for it. How easily its life could be snuffed out, its death completely unnoticed. She gently stroked her hands over its feathers, before smiling at Garrick.
“It’s so tiny,” she said.
He smiled back, but said nothing as he cupped his hands together once more, placing them beneath her own. She could feel the calluses on his hands as his skin pressed against hers, and she darted a quick glance at him, but his gaze was intent on the bird. He was so gentle as he handled the small creature, and she wondered what made him care for something so insignificant. But that was what set Garrick apart from many other people. She knew he loved nature, and whatever he loved he cared for and nurtured. Perhaps, Anna thought, that was what love was about. Not the searing blaze of flame that burned a path across your heart, but rather smoldering embers that warmed and comforted, gently spreading heat through your soul. She had yearned for the searing flame, but perhaps she should welcome the glowing embers.
“Garrick,” she said. He lifted his gaze from the bird and looked at her upturned face, his eyes softening as he gazed at her. He took a step closer, and her name left his lips in a whisper.
She drew in a deep breath. “Garrick. I –”
The sound of her name being called made her turn around. Keira was coming along the path.
“There you are,” she said. “You’re up early! I went to find you in your chambers, but you were
already gone. Aaron and I have something we need to discuss with you. He’s waiting …” She had been looking at Anna, but paused when she glanced at Garrick. “There’s no rush, however. Just come to the study when you’re ready.”
“I’ll come with you now,” Anna said. She glanced at Garrick, then hurriedly looked away. She had felt an unsettling sense of relief at the interruption.
“We can talk later,” he said, and she nodded before quickly hurrying away. Anna could feel the weight of Keira’s gaze as they walked, although she kept her eyes steadily on the path before her. “I interrupted something, didn’t I?” Keira finally said. Anna glanced at her quickly, then looked away again.
“It was nothing.”
Keira nodded, and silence fell for another few moments.
“Garrick’s a good man,” Keira said.
“Yes,” Anna said with a sigh, “he’s a very good man.” She smiled wryly as she met Keira’s gaze. “But maybe just too good for me.”
Chapter 4
“Anna, come in,” Aaron said. He was leaning against his desk, his long legs stretched out in front of him as Anna followed Keira through the door. A roll of parchment lay on the desk beside him, and he took it in his hand. “This arrived last night,” he said. “The king is dead, and Prince Alfred is to succeed him to the throne. He has requested my presence at the funeral and subsequent coronation.”
“Why?”
Aaron laughed dryly. “He knows what I am, and wants to ensure he has my support and cooperation. Keira and I wondered whether you would like to accompany us to the city. We will take the children and travel by coach. We leave in the morning.”
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