She nodded, looking down at them. “Aye, and I’ll never be able to return to my family if I don’t dry them.”
He winced sympathetically. But the doctor wanted her to rest and Granny had warned him to keep Arianna at his side. “I know you said the village was being terrorized. Should we bring your mother on the ship? She might be safer here.”
He saw Arianna grimace. “My little brother is sick with the cough. He can’t be moved and my mother has to tend him. It’s why I went to Granny’s in the first place. She couldn’t make the trip with my brother’s care.”
He rubbed his chin. “We’ll have to take the doctor to see your brother. Perhaps he can assess his condition and see if he can be moved.”
Her eyes lit. “You would do that?” She rushed toward him and then stopped when she was a foot away, her cheeks growing pink. She looked down at herself. “How silly. I was going to hug… I forgot for a moment…” then her words trailed off.
Nick knew two things. One, she would be his wife and two, they had already been far more intimately acquainted than a simple hug and in far less clothing. He had held her body to his without a stich of fabric between them. So he hooked a hand about her waist and pulled her close to him. His lips grazed her temple as she rested her hands lightly on his chest. She didn’t push him away, but they did keep their bodies apart.
“I told you last night,” he whispered. “Your Granny thinks we’ll marry. I believe her.”
He heard her gasp as she applied a little more pressure to his chest. “We hardly know each other. How could we make such a commitment?”
“Do you think I am mad for agreeing with your grandmother?”
She gasped again. Louder. He could see on her face that he’d hit close to the mark. She’d heard him talking to the glass. Did she think him mad in general? Perhaps her grandmother was correct and he would be teaching her about magic too. “Perhaps a little.” She nibbled on her lip.
He gave her a wink. “I’ll tell you what. I will allow you time to assess my mental faculties if you agree to honestly consider marriage.”
The tension in her hands lessoned but her eyes remained wary. “I will consider both.”
CHAPTER 6
SHE DID, in fact, think he was short on his mental faculties. But that didn’t stop her body from responding to his touch.
His was strong and warm and she felt safe for the first time in weeks.
His handsome features and soft lips were also making it difficult to remember why she should resist. “I want to show you something.”
He pulled the satchel out from his belt, the one she had seen him conversing with yesterday.
“What’s in it?” she asked.
“Glass,” he replied. “When I open the sack, I want you to listen. Not just with your ears but with your mind.”
It suddenly frightened her, the sack and the glass, and she put her hand over his. “I don’t want to.”
“It won’t hurt you,” He grasped her fingers gently in his own and tenderly removed them. Then he slid open the string.
She didn’t hear it at first but then a high, clear voice whispered close to her ear. Put me back together. I’ll take care of you, I promise. All I need is for you to make me whole.
“It talks,” she whispered. Nick’s hand was still holding hers and she found herself squeezing his fingers.
“Yes,” he said with a sigh. “I’ve found a great many things do, if you can hear them. Even the trees.”
Her breath stilled. Her Granny was always going on about the prattling of the trees. They told her things, she said. “The trees?”
“I don’t hear them, but my brother Will, and his wife hear the trees too. Like your Granny does.” He cleared his throat. “I didn’t believe it at first, but they warn her of danger, protect her too. I’ve seen her premonitions come true.”
If she hadn’t just heard the glass, she would never have believed it. “Does everyone hear the glass?”
“No,” he shook his head. “Your Granny says that we, you and I, have magic in our blood.”
She let out a squeak. She couldn’t help it, this was all so much. “You spoke with Granny about a lot.”
He chuckled. “Mostly I listened.”
He pulled her close again and if she had liked it before, now her body fluttered every place that it touched his. “She’s had a vision that we will marry. That we’ll start a family. I have to be honest, when I walked up to the cottage I…I saw us living there.”
Her eyes snapped to his. It seemed mad; they’d known each other a day. And yet, it also seemed so right. Next to him as she was now, she couldn’t imagine where else in the world she might want to be. “Nick Fairfield,” she tested his name. “I don’t know anything about you.”
He chuckled then, and lowering his head, he captured her lips with his own. She’d never kissed a man and as heat travelled through her body, she knew she’d never kiss another. “My name is Lord Nicholas Fairfield. Though I am the fourth son of a baron, I have been gifted land and title by the Prince Regent. I’ve not built a home of my own. I’ve always preferred the sea.”
She blinked, because his last statement filled her with disappointment. “Of course.” Why should his love of the sea concern her?
“Until now.” He kissed her again and every part of her responded.
“Have I,” she blinked, trying to make sense of all of this, “even told you my surname?”
He laughed. “I suppose you haven’t.” Then he eased back and she had to confess, that she missed his touch.
“Granger,” she extended her hand. “Arianna Granger.” She wanted to step back in his embrace. But she was hardly wearing any clothing and somehow, even though her body was ready to be next to his, her mind needed to catch up.
“Very well, Arianna Granger. I will go see to your mother and your brother. When I get back, we’ll take a tour about the deck and you can tell me all about yourself.”
“And yerself,” she gave him a smile, happiness radiating from within. That sounded absolutely perfect.
With a wink, he disappeared from the room again. It was only after he was gone that she realized he’d told her magic existed, that her Granny did in fact speak with trees, and they would marry. Even stranger, she believed him. There was no other choice but to accept that they were both mad. But where would this madness lead them?
NICK ROWED AWAY from the boat feeling as though he had made a mistake. It wasn’t because he’d told her about magic, which had gone exceedingly well, or even that he’d more or less proposed to a woman he’d known for a day.
It was that he was leaving her. He should be by her side.
Strange he’d feel this strongly after just a day but there it was. The doctor gave him a smile. “It’s a good thing you’re doing, old chap, helping her like this.”
Nick wasn’t so sure. Yes, her brother needed the doctor. But the further he got from his ship, the more uneasy he felt.
They made their way into the village and he noticed how quiet the streets were. Hardly anyone was about. The town should be bustling with morning activity.
It only caused him to grow more concerned as he and Dr. Harper made their way to Arianna’s home.
Knocking on the door, a woman quickly answered. He smiled to see her, she reminded him so much of Arianna. Same red hair and large green eyes. “Yes,” her tone was clipped and afraid.
“Mrs. Granger? Arianna sent me.” He gave her a warm smile but she looked more worried rather than less.
“How do you know my daughter?” She straightened as her eyes narrowed.
As quickly as he could, he told her that he’d found her on a log, she’d been chased by wolves.
“By the saints,” Mrs. Granger held her hand to her mouth as she listened.
But before he could get any more of the story out, a shadow cast over him. A young man stood tall and thin, not five feet away. “Is Arianna all right?” His Scottish brogue had a deep timber considering the
youthfulness of his face.
“She’s fine, Haggis.” Mrs. Grangers’ hands landed on her hips. Her sharp voice made Nick’s eyebrows rise slightly.
But Haggis stepped closer. “Where is she? I haven’t seen her in a few days.” His gaze swept over Nick. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
Nick assessed the boy on the verge of manhood. He was likely as tall as Nick but much thinner. Either he really cared for Arianna or he was brave indeed to so openly challenge a larger and older man.
Mrs. Granger huffed. “That is none of your concern, Haggis. Go on now.”
Rather than respond, Haggis narrowed his gaze, his thin chest puffing up. “I want to know where she is. Are you from the ship in Cairnyan Harbor?”
Nick narrowed his gaze. He found the boy annoying and he might have just dismissed it as youthful overzealousness but Mrs. Granger seemed terribly annoyed. “Mrs. Granger asked you to leave.”
Haggis took another step forward. His proximity and puffed-out chest challenged Nick. Nick crossed his own arms about his chest.
But Haggis didn’t seem intimidated at all. If anything, he straightened taller. “You’re not man enough to take on me and my friends.”
Nick didn’t answer. He would not be drawn into a challenge from a boy. And his friends? More boys? Nick took a deep breath, slowly filling his lungs. “Go.”
Haggis let out a grumble as he stood for another second before finally turning to leave. “This isn’t over,” he called as he loped off. His movements distinctive and his motives concerning though Nick could yet articulate why.
“That was…odd.” Nick muttered more to himself.
“Aye,” Mrs. Granger agreed. “He’s been hanging about and getting bolder in his attentions. Knocking on the door. Asking after her several times a day. I caught him trying to convince her…” she stopped. “It will all be better once my husband comes home.”
“He’s hunting?” Nick asked more out of politeness but her answer made him pause.
“Yes, though that was strange too. He normally just hunts Lord Williams’ property but out of nowhere, the lord demands they go on an extended trip and leave the next day. They’ve been gone for weeks. He took half the village with him, almost all of the men over twenty.”
The lord had left his domain unattended and took all of the men who might defend it away with him? Magic. That was the only answer. Nick should have known. Whoever was behind the wolves, had used her powers to coerce the province’s leader to leave.
But he couldn’t tell Mrs. Granger that so instead he introduced the doctor, who stepped inside to examine Arianna’s brother.
It didn’t take long and after leaving some medicinal herbs, they were on their way. “Can we bring him to the ship?” Nick asked.
“I’m afraid not. I can’t diagnose the disease. It’s strange,” Dr. Harper replied. “Who knows what it could be but not only is he likely contagious, the journey will be too taxing. Until he improves, he should stay where he is.”
Hell and damnation. Arianna’s grandmother had told him to keep Arianna on the ship but he couldn’t keep her there indefinitely without her family’s attendance. He was already breeching social convention and could only justify it for her health.
Was there any way to keep her at his side? Keep her safe? He couldn’t think of one…. Unless he married her—and quickly.
Would she even agree? They’d discussed it this morning but things were moving so quickly. He shook his head at his own foolishness. Not for wanting to marry a woman, but for being so openly opposed to it before. He’d catch hell from his brothers. He’d told them all what fools they’d been and now here he was committing their same folly.
But perhaps it wasn’t folly at all. It might be the best thing he’d ever done. And, honestly, he couldn’t help but wonder if this entire thing was orchestrated by fate. It seemed too much a coincidence that he’d met Arianna just as she was in dire need of help with magical forces beyond her control.
He hurried back toward the ship, wishing to see her again. The trip to the village had unsettled him. Now that he’d made the decision to make her his wife, he wished to talk to her and tell her the plan that was beginning to form in his mind.
CHAPTER 7
ARIANNA STOOD ON THE DECK, watching for Nick.
She was thinking through all that she had seen and learned over the past day. Magic, the wolves, Nick.
She had sussed out a few things. One, though she had trouble believing magic was anything other than a trick, her grandmother had always known things she shouldn’t and those pieces of glass had spoken.
In addition, those wolves or men or whatever they were, were awful forces plaguing her village, and Nick would help the people, just like he had helped her. She could feel it deep down.
She closed her eyes and considered for a moment that she just wanted to believe this. That his handsome face and warm touch had tricked her into thinking that he had the power to help and that he wasn’t mad as she’d first thought.
But her heart took over. It wasn’t true. The man who had jumped in the water to save her, risked the wolves to tend her Granny, and taken a doctor to her brother was good. Deep down good. What was more, she had feelings for him that she wouldn’t deny. He’d said that he’d seen them together at Granny’s cottage. She could see that too. It was so beautiful, that it near brought her to tears.
A boat started rowing out toward them and she perked up, hoping it was him. She wanted to tell him how she felt.
But she soon realized there was only one man aboard the vessel instead of two. This man was tall, slightly awkward, and lean. As she squinted, she realized it was her neighbor, Haggis.
She grimaced. Haggis was clearly smitten with her and, recently, he’d grown bolder in his intentions. Almost demanding and far to pushy for her own comfort. She’d tried to avoid him whenever possible.
His were feelings she didn’t return and she’d told him so but he’d only smiled knowingly. “Ye’ll change yer mind,” he’d said.
She didn’t welcome the sight of him now.
He turned, and seeing her, waved. She gave him a small wave back and he doubled his efforts to row out to the ship.
“Arianna,” he called as he approached.
“Haggis,” she returned. “What are ye doing here?”
“I’ve come to fetch you. That sailor, Fairfield was it?” Haggis gave his head a small scratch. “Says yer brother is too sick and ye need to come right away.”
“Angus?” Fear trickled down her spine and she was already climbing over the rail, lowering herself down. She’d reached the bottom of the ladder before he’d even pulled the rowboat abreast of the ship and she jumped in while the tiny vessel still moved.
Haggis reached up to steady her and his hands at her waist sent shivers of revulsion down her spine. Even her body understood the difference in her feelings. It relished Nick’s touch and rejected Haggis’s. None the less, she appreciated Haggis coming for her now. “Thank ye, Haggis, fer taking me to Angus.”
“Don’t think anything of it.” Haggis replied, turning the boat and rowing toward the shore. He did not meet her eyes as he said the words, which in and of itself, was strange. Nor did he give her anymore details.
“What else did he say?” she asked, looking intently at Haggis’s back. Something seemed off. “Why didn’t he come himself and leave the doctor?”
He did look at her then, his eyes narrowed and his jaw set. “Ask him yerself.” Anger and perhaps jealousy laced Haggis’s voice.
Her breath caught as her heart beat wildly. Haggis had gotten quite tall, though thin, and he still had a grip of steal. A few days prior, he’d tried to pull her into an alley for a kiss. If her mother hadn’t caught him, he surely would have succeeded. It suddenly seemed a folly to be alone with him and even worse to make him angry. But she needed to hide that now. “I didnae mean to offend.” Her voice was soft, despite the fear beating in her chest. “I’m glad ye came, I
’m just worried. If they both stayed, Angus must be in dire need of help.”
He relaxed and then so did she. “Dunnae worry about a thing. Once I get you onto land, everything will be fine.” He shook his head as though agreeing with his own point. “Maybe we can even convince her to make your brother well.”
She blinked several times, wondering what that meant. What did he mean that she would make Angus better? Who was she and how would this woman be able to help? Rather than soothe her, the words made her even more nervous and she clasped her hands in her lap to hide their shaking.
Scanning the beach, she tried to decide how to get out of this mess. Something on the shore caught her eye, a movement just in the shadow of the cliffs along the beach. And then she saw them, several wolf men stepping out into the sun.
Cold fear paralyzed her as she stared at their prowling movements on the beach. “Haggis,” she cried, placing her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. Then she pulled it away again, her mind starting to work. “Turn around. It’s the wolves.”
Haggis looked back then at her but he kept rowing straight for them. “Dunnae worry about them.” He gave her an easy grin. “They are going to help us.”
“Ye’ve gone daft,” she whispered. “Please turn around.” She managed to move as she leaned toward Haggis and grabbed his arm. Pulling on his sleeve, she crouched lower to hide herself. “Please.”
But he shook her off. Then grabbing her arm, he pulled her close to him. She tried to shrink away, his touch making her wince, but he held her tightly in an iron grip. “They will make sure you finally listen to me. Once you do, your brother will be fine.”
He bent his head, clearly intent upon capturing her lips in a kiss but she turned her head away. “What does that even mean?”
“You’ll see soon enough.” Then he landed on the shore and within a second, the wolves surrounded the boat.
Arianna bit back a scream. Nothing could save her now.
NICK’S HEART raced faster as he searched the ship for Arianna. No one had seen her, no one knew where she’d gone. It was as though she’d vanished.
Romantically Enchanted: A Twisted Fairytale Collection Page 52
