by Amy Lignor
They were talking non-stop as Faith laughed at the tales his friend was spinning. Strangely, tonight all of Charles’ stories were true. Jason was familiar with this tone Charles used for wooing as his friend subtly determined just how far a young lady was willing to go. Charles had a gift for making things up in order to win the attention of a female admirer, but oddly enough, tonight he was telling the truth.
Jason didn’t blame him. Charles used his brain for fantasy because his reality was so revolting that the only place he could find beauty was in his mind. Even with all of his money, Jason had watched his friend get pushed aside most of his life. Growing up, Charles was forced to disappear most of his life until his sleazy father chose to display his golden boy around town.
Jason sighed. He had a hard time remembering love or warmth anymore, especially considering how badly everything had ended. Maybe that’s why he felt so close to this beautiful girl now fast asleep in her bed. She probably hated him right now. She was like one of his childhood dreams come to life.
Closing his eyes, Jason resurrected the image he loved so much—the only place where he’d ever known peace. Located on the outskirts of Dublin were the remains of an old cemetery; a resting place taken over by the lush Irish countryside. In that place, sitting high atop a hill, stood a beautiful sculpture of an angel.
He’d first seen her when he was out for a ride, and he’d crossed the dirt road to get to her. As he’d ridden closer, Jason grew enthralled by the faint smile on her lips. Her head was tilted toward the ground, almost as if she were bending down to whisper a secret in his ear. The expression that her maker had carved was absolutely perfect. Not a frown, or even a smile exactly, just a look of deep thought. It seemed like she was just on the verge of telling her story, but her marble lips were frozen and she was unable to utter the words.
The phrase—until next time—was carved at the base.
Taking a deep breath, Jason shook the lovely picture from his head. It was ridiculous to compare a cold, inanimate object to the incredibly warm—and very much alive—girl who was asleep upstairs. The only resemblance between the two figures lay in their mysterious eyes.
A hand pushed against the back of the rocker sending Jason’s legs into the air. He turned to glare at Charles. “What?”
“Faith has asked you repeatedly if you want anything more and you continue to ignore her.”
“Perhaps there’s a ghost up in the loft with Liz,” Faith remarked.
Charles raised an eye to the ceiling. “You may be right. There must be some kind of demon up there to hold his concentration for so long.” He punched Jason in the shoulder. “Don’t tell me you hurt that nice girl’s feelings.”
“I’m going to sleep,” Jason grumbled, ignoring his friend’s teasing. He pulled the blanket tight around his shoulders before closing his eyes.
Charles snorted, as Jason burrowed into the blanket like a small child. “Don’t get too attached. That chair won’t fit on your horse.”
Jason remained still, hoping that his friend would take the hint and turn back to the lovely female at his side.
“It seems that the bonding process has already begun,” Charles laughed. “I don’t think he’s going to be able to leave that chair behind.”
“And what will you take with you?” A flirtatious tone danced in Faith’s voice.
Charles’ words came out low and husky, “It seems that I’ve bonded with you.”
“Good,” she replied.
Jason tried to block his ears as he heard the unmistakable sound of a kiss.
“Life’s too short, Charlie. I hope you don’t mind my being forward.”
“Not at all.” Charles sounded flustered. “But I have a feeling that you won’t like me in the morning.”
“I’m sure I won’t,” Faith giggled. “I barely like you now. You’re completely full of yourself. But I have a feeling that you’ll be quite in love with me by dawn.”
“Then you should go to sleep,” Charles’ voice wavered.
“Why?”
Jason felt a slight breeze brush across his forehead, and he opened one eye.
Charles stood up, and dropped his arms from around Faith’s waist. “Because my friend is in the next chair and I, for some reason, have no desire to leave this place. We should continue this discussion after we’ve both had time to think.”
Jason stifled a giggle at his friend’s solemnity. It was hard for Jason to imagine that Charles was turning her down. After all, Charles had wooed and won many young ladies with his large bank account and warrior physique. Still, from the look of panic in his friend’s eyes, Jason could tell that Charles was actually worried about Faith. Despite her tendency to flirt, the young lady seemed quite naive to the ways of men. Jason was stunned. Charles had finally met the one woman who could bring out the gentleman lurking beneath the surface.
Faith was amused, as Charles tried unsuccessfully to stretch out on the short bench. His boots fell off the end as he rolled around trying to get comfortable. He aimed his face away from the smiling female.
Her voice was clear and steady as she started up the ladder. “I was wrong. You’re already in love with me,” she announced.
Charles jerked his head up, slamming it into the corner of the unyielding table. “Damn it,” he groaned.
“Just stay there, man. It’s safer,” Jason urged while laughing softly.
Sitting back up on the bench, Charles looked over at him.
Jason’s smile vanished when he saw the worry etched on his friend’s face. “What?”
“I’m worried about these girls.”
“Why?” Jason trembled at his serious tone.
“They offered us such easy access to their home. What would’ve happened if the men knocking had been looking for something more than just a place to dry off?”
Jason’s skin crawled. “Thankfully, we were the ones at the door.”
“This time,” Charles retorted. “But tomorrow we ride out leaving them alone to fend for themselves. Maybe this town is nice, and maybe the people who live here are the best in the world, but maybe isn’t good enough. I don’t like it. Not one little bit.” He sighed. “We’ve witnessed once before what happens to a young woman lacking protection, and I don’t want the same thing to happen to Faith and Liz.”
The warmth of the fire burned Jason’s skin, as terror grew inside his gut. A thin layer of sweat coated his forehead. “What do we do?”
Charles shook his head. “I haven’t made up my mind. For now, I’ll stay awake and watch over the place.”
Jason leaned back in the rocking chair and shivered. He wished with all his heart that the sun would rise, break through the storm, and make Liz’s world safe.
CHAPTER NINE
Light filtered across her face as Liz opened her eyes to a new day. The incessant noise was gone. The thunder had disappeared with the darkness, offering only a faint rumble in the distance. Birds chirped outside her window, and a low growl was coming from the top of her bed. She turned over facing the small, furry backside of her loyal kitten.
Liz reached out and touched his fur. Her sudden movement startled the cat as he scampered for cover under Liz’s bed.
“It’s okay,” she whispered, snapping her fingers to bring him back into the light. “I would never hurt you.”
I would never hurt you… Liz was suddenly paralyzed with fear as she heard Daniel’s voice in her head. The brilliant eyes of her friend, his bloodstained shirt and the look of horror as he took another human life in order to save hers, came rushing back into her brain. “It was just a dream,” she reassured herself. “Just a dream, like all the rest.”
She hated the feeling of knowing, but not really knowing. Usually when she woke up there were no pictures, no memories—only bruises marked the possible violence from the night before. But this had felt so real…so different.
This time the scars were on the inside. Her skin wasn’t black and blue, but a feeling of despair was e
ating her alive as it poisoned her soul. Liz did know one thing—she needed to talk to Daniel immediately.
She looked over at Faith, who was dreaming deeply with a smile on her face. Dressing quickly, Liz raced down the ladder and out the kitchen door to the well. She pumped some cool water, splashing it on her face.
Standing in the sun, Liz began to feel a renewed hope that Daniel would soon arrive—just like he did every morning. He always came early on Saturdays to help her with the setup for the day. People would be coming to the pub before she knew it, and there was always so much to be done on the weekend. The men would sit and pat each other on the back while their wives would roll their eyes and catch up with Liz and Faith. Faith would show the ladies the new clothes she’d sewn during the week, and Liz would listen to their stories. Everything would be fine. She swallowed the cold water, trying to stop the burning sensation in her soul.
“May I have some?”
Liz’s heart soared. Daniel was here! Without thinking, she let go of the pump’s heavy handle, sending it smashing down on her hand. “Jesus!”
But it was Jason who rushed forward to hold her bruised hand under the freezing water. “I’m so sorry. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” Liz said through gritted her teeth as she wrenched her hand away.
Hot blood infused her cheeks, as the memory of their passionate kiss swept through her mind. “I can make you some food…for your journey.”
“That sounds wonderful. But let me do the cooking. It’s the least I can do.”
He raised her hand to his lips. Carefully, his soft lips moved against her fingertips, as he cradled her injured hand. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
Liz remained silent. She wanted to say thank you, or something, but her heart was thumping so hard inside her chest that she could barely breathe. Her brain whirled. What were the proper words for this type of behavior with men? She made a mental note to ask Faith. She turned away from him, needing to break his intimate grip before she passed out on the grass. “Well,” she stuttered. “Um…is your friend still sleeping?”
“No,” Jason replied in a husky voice. His dark eyes stared into her soul. “He was up all night and went out riding quite early this morning. Inspecting the village, I believe, was what he mumbled to me before he left.”
Liz started for the door, attempting to untangle herself from the beguiling hold he seemed to have on her. “I hope he’s okay.”
“I’m sure he’s fine. Your friend just put a slight…scare into him last night.”
Liz rolled her eyes, as Jason took the heavy bucket of water from her hand. “Faith scares a lot of men. I hope he understands the games she plays. I mean…I know they’re all in fun, but sometimes they can be hurtful.”
Jason laughed; his beautiful eyes glittered with amusement. “Oh, I’m sure that Faith didn’t scare him away. Charles is a skilled player when it comes to games. Believe me. He’s had an enormous amount of practice. I believe this new fear comes from meeting up with a girl who he doesn’t want to play games with. He’s confused right now. And trust me, he deserves it.”
Liz smiled. “Well, I hear that God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.”
Jason waved her through the door. “Maybe, but I have a feeling that Faith will be quite a challenge for him.”
As they walked into the kitchen, Liz reached into a small cupboard to retrieve her apron. She selected some pots and pans, as Jason lit the old iron stove.
“Hello?” A man’s voice called out. Liz rushed to the door, hoping Daniel would be standing there, his trademark grin cemented firmly in place.
She stuck her head out eagerly, and her heart sank into her stomach. “Charles…good morning.”
Charles pushed a bouquet of wildflowers across the threshold. “For you, Lady Liz. I want to thank you again for your hospitality last night. I don’t think I’ve ever slept so well in all my life.”
“Odd,” Liz countered, accepting the flowers.
“Odd?”
“I heard that you stayed up all night tossing and turning.” As she breathed in the fragrant purple flowers, a lovely memory seemed to rise up from her soul. “Stop and smell the flowers,” she whispered.
“What?”
Liz shook her head. “Nothing. Just something my father used to say…I think.”
Charles smiled. “Nice…I believe that will catch on someday. And, as for sleeping, I feel quite refreshed today.” He placed his hands on his hips and stared at his friend who was kneading dough. “What’re you doing? Slave labor?”
Jason jerked his head up quickly to glare at him.
“Sorry…just a joke,” Charles said taking a step back. “Albeit, a very bad joke.”
Liz watched in confused silence at the anger suddenly beaming from Jason’s eyes.
“Flowers? For me?” Faith asked as she sauntered into the room.
Charles coughed and turned away from Jason’s glare. “I have something else for you.”
“Really? What could that be, exactly? Your heart on a string?” She asked as she batted her eyelashes.
Charles’ hand shook as he held out a small velvet bag before mumbling, “I think you already have that.”
Faith emptied the contents of the pouch into her hand. A black silk cord met her gaze, with an amulet dangling off the end. It was a small circle of finely polished silver. What looked like a family crest was carved on a metal coin; two falcons stood beak to beak, holding a radiant purple stone between them. They looked as if they were reaching out for the lovely prize, each trying to grab it and fly away the victor.
“Is this an amethyst?” Faith inquired.
“It is. You told me during our long conversation last night that it was your favorite stone. It just so happens that I was carrying one with me.”
“You just happen to be carrying an amethyst in a velvet bag?” Faith stared at him.
“Strange, isn’t it?” Charles said. “That’s my family crest you’re holding. My father gave it to me when I turned eighteen. He thought I needed something to remind me of who I am.” He hung his head and stared at the necklace with distaste. “Like I could ever forget.”
“Well, it’s lovely, Charles. Thank you.”
Charles tied the silk ribbon under her long, brown hair. “It’ll look much better on your slender neck than it does on the back end of my horse.”
“Why are you giving away a family heirloom?”
He winked. “Because I like you more than my family.”
“Fair enough.” Faith shrugged, “Liz can keep the flowers.”
Charles laughed and reached for her hand. “Would you like to take a walk with me?”
“I would like nothing better,” Faith giggled, as she took his arm.
“Um…Faith?” Liz asked. “We have to get things ready. You know—work, food, business—any of this sound familiar?”
Faith walked through the front door calling over her shoulder, “Later!” The laughing couple soon disappeared into the sunshine.
“Great! Now what am I going to do?”
“I can help,” Jason offered.
“Look, I have to be honest. I can’t cook…at all. That’s Faith’s realm not mine.”
“Not a problem,” he said winking at her. “It’s definitely my realm.”
Liz raised an eyebrow. “Your mother must be one amazing woman.”
Jason’s eyes glazed over as he began to chop potatoes into a hot iron pan. “Sometimes,” he said as he shrugged. “Anyway, I had to learn. Charles can’t do much of anything. He’s useless, remember?” He snatched the apron from around Liz’s waist and aimed a determined gaze at the vegetables that needed to be fried.
Liz walked to the front door. Daniel was still in the forefront of her mind, as she prayed for his tall figure to appear across the field. The ominous feeling in her heart wasn’t lifting. Trying to believe that all was well wasn’t working. She needed to see him. She needed to feel something beside
s fear, and Daniel’s presence was the only thing that would ease her troubled mind.
CHAPTER TEN
Daniel slept. Tossing and turning in his small bed, he tried to block out the familiar harsh words filtering under his door. The sun had risen, but his mind remained dark and unclear. He knew that the previous evening had to have been a nightmare. It had to be, for nothing in his soul could fathom that kind of rage for another human being.
The sound of thunder blocked out the drunken footsteps of his attacker until it was too late. Daniel felt a knife go through his shoulder as he was blinded by pain. He’d thought a bolt of lightning had actually struck him where he stood, until he saw warm, sticky blood running down his chest.
He quickly realized that he was still alive before Billy struck again. In a flash, Daniel turned and grabbed for the knife without thinking. The blade sliced through his hand but he’d kept possession of it before pushing Billy to the ground.
Tears ran from his eyes, as he brushed the angry wound on his hand against his forehead. The skin had already started to mend, and he thanked God for this strange, quick-healing gift, as the violent scar began to disappear before his eyes.
His soul hurt. He knew he could’ve done things differently. When he’d left the pub, Daniel had seen Billy stumble down the hill and head towards the village.
After Daniel had made sure that Liz and Faith were safe and the braggart wasn’t coming back, he forgot his promise to Liz and trudged off home. He knew that Liz would want him to protect the women of the town, if need be, but Daniel didn’t want to. After dealing with his mother, he was a long way from standing up for any female. Except Liz, of course, because she was the girl he loved.
Liz had told him long ago, during one of their strange and wonderful talks, that she believed their relationship thrived because they were kindred spirits.
Daniel remembered how ecstatic he felt, believing in his heart that Liz was finally confessing her romantic feelings for him. But that wasn’t the case. Kindred spirits were anything but lovers, she’d said, squashing his hopes into dust. Liz said that kindred spirits were powerful partnerships. So powerful, unfortunately, that even though they could join together to help other people, they would slowly kill each other if they even attempted to have a romantic life together.
