"My husband and I have upcoming plans then." She forces a smile and throws a glance at Clach, who, in turn, did the same.
"I'm sure Clach won't mind rescheduling the plan for another day," she bites her lip and smiles coquettishly at Clach.
"Clach dear, will you?" It is very noticeable that she is flirting with him.
"Of course not." He returns the gestures with a sheepish smile like a small boy who is flirting back. Amelia knew Sophie and Clach were sleeping with each other; she has caught them on several occasions. Finding them having sex with each other several times was never the reason Amelia disliked Sophie. For all she cares, she can have Clach. They are a perfect match for each other. Laird Clach is in his late forties, tall, heavy in height and weight while Sophie is in her early thirties, slender with an excellent feminine figure and height. When they stand together, one can easily mistake her as his wife.
To Amelia, Sophie is just the female version of Laird Clach. She is always humiliating Amelia every chance she gets, while at the same time throwing in a façade that anyone would think of as being kind. She often wonders why these two never married each other. Maybe it is because Clach had married her before Sophie came along.
The one person who is caught up in this whole mess is Dunn. The young man is in business, entertaining his other friends without being aware that his so-called best friend is busy fecking his wife under his nose. At this table are men and women who secretly hate each other, but only gather to tolerate each other because of wealth.
"I tell ye, the only way to win a burd heart is to give her gold and lovely jewels. They always love shiny things,” Dunn jokes.
"Aye, aye," his male friends agree with him.
"Come on, love, you know I didn't marry you because of your money. I saw something in you," Sophie says as she leans forward to kiss her husband on the cheek.
"True, but you accepted my marriage proposal when I bought you that diamond necklace that cost me a castle." He takes her hand and kisses it while the men burst into laughter.
Dunn continues, "No matter how much they love you; the gold and diamonds keep them coming." All the men laugh and cheer at that.
"You don't blame them; money they say brings out a burd beauty. But not all women need shiny things to look good. Amelia, for instance, was a very bonnie burd even before..."
"Oh, please..." Clach snaps. "She was a minger before I married her. Even now, money doesn't do much for her. A boot will always be a boot!"
They all laugh at this joke, which nearly makes Amelia burst into tears. How can a man openly insult his wife in pubic and his friends laugh at this? She took her glass of wine to her lips and bit on it to prevent herself from bursting into tears. When she catches Sophie looking at her, she can tell she enjoyed the humiliation rendered on her.
As the evening is resting, the atmosphere has further lightened up. Some of the guests were entertaining themselves, and some dancing, some conversing, others were drinking themselves into a stupor; after all, they were feasting in a wine maker's home. Speaking of the winemaker, 'where is he?' Amelia looks around the crowd for Clach, but he isn't there. He probably has some business discussions with his friends. She looks toward the direction where the others were talking, but he wasn't there. Moreover, with his physique, it was hard for him to go unnoticed within the crowd.
Or, was he busy as usual with Sophie? Amelia looks around the crowd and also notices that Sophie isn't there. Both of them might be upstairs in his chambers. Curious about what she already knows, she makes her way up the stairs to Laird Clach’s chamber but stops in the hallway when she hears the sound coming from the study.
She skulks to the door which isn't fully closed, peeping in there, Sophie is on top of Clach, riding him. They are carried away with their actions; they wouldn't even notice if anyone walked into the room. Without being surprised by what she saw, she backs away from the door. She knew she would find them together.
It is probably the best time to tell and show Dunn what his wife has been doing; it should break their marriage apart, but most importantly, it will be Amelia's little revenge to Sophie of how she has treated her in the past. Happy about this, she walks downstairs, hoping to see Dunn and tell him of his wife. Just then, something struck her – this is the opportunity she has to escape from this castle!
Of course, it is! Everyone around is paying less attention to one another. The maids are all busy attending to the guests, and the men guarding the door are also having a good time, drinking themselves into a stupor. This evening is about merriment. And for anything in the world, this is way better than telling Dunn about his shameless, unfaithful wife!
Trying to leave unnoticed, Amelia quietly makes her way toward the castle's back door, which is at the corner across the big hall. Looking at the door, no guards were there, and this was her chance. As she walks toward it, her heart is racing faster, and she could faint from the combination of excitement and fear. Finally, she will be a free woman; finally, she will...
"Amelia." She stops immediately and turns when she hears her name. "There you are. I have been looking all over for you," Davina says, walking toward her, smiling.
She holds her by the shoulder, still smiling, "I'm sorry about how Laird Clach spoke of you. It's embarrassing, but you know Clach, he has a big mouth."
"Ahrr. It's nothing. He probably didn't mean it."
Davina nods, "Good thing you are getting used to him. And I want to ask you, are you both trying? It's been five years now. It has been difficult, right?"
Amelia is confused, "What is that?"
"A child. Trust me; I understand, I know your pain. When my husband and I were trying to conceive, I did everything possible. It's hard you know for the lady..."
A child! A child is something Amelia is grateful she didn't have, at least not with Clach. Having a child with that monster would be the worst thing that could happen to her. She can't watch her child see the way he treats his mother.
"...That was how I had my girls. The physician is good at his job. I can take you to him whenever you are ready."
"Sure, Davina," Amelia says quickly. If she lets her keep talking, all her plans will be ruined, or Clach will be downstairs by then. "I will inform you when I'm ready. Can you excuse me please, I need to attend to something…”
Davina nods and leaves to join the other women. Glancing around to see that no one is watching, Amelia walks to the back door, opens it, and leaves in the dark.
Freedom.
Chapter 4
Five months ago, after receiving the last letter from his father, Oliver never believed he would be riding home. Alas, not to see his father, but to bury him. As the one and only son of Alexandra Adair, this is a duty required of him. Putting all differences aside, he won't stay away while his father is laid to rest without him paying his last respects.
Sitting at the back of the carriage, he wonders if his decision has made him a good or a bad son. There, in Dunfermline, he was quite sure that he had made the best decision. But now, riding home to bury that one person he had left in the world, he finds himself questioning his actions. If his mother was alive to witness this day, he believes she would be disappointed in him.
No matter the differences he had with his father when he was alive concerning his choice of career, he never hated him. Instead, he was hoping that he would finally come to his side of the fence and realize that his passion is now respectable and has made him famous, just the way the merchandise business made his father famous.
He looks at the last letter he received indicating the death of his father and rereads the content.
Sunday Evening
April 20, 1792
Oliver Adair,
It's with great sadness that I announce the sudden death of your father, Alexandra Adair, who passed away on the night of Thursday 17, 1792. Your presence is required immediately at home for a proper burial ceremony.
Yours respectfully,
Dughall Ducat
Apart from the question of what could have killed his father, one thing wasn't clear. Why didn't his Uncle Elrick Adair write to him to himself instead, knowing well that this was a family issue? Indeed, they have their differences, but that was in the past. They needed to discuss what was happening now. And another unanswered question is why they took so long before writing to him. The letter says that his father died on Thursday 17 and he was informed on Sunday evening.
Is this letter his father's way of tricking him into coming back home because he has ignored his father’s letters in the past years? No, he knows his father too well. He would never engage in such deceit just to draw his attention. He would keep sending him direct messages to come back home at once, but not to fake his death. If his mother were alive, she would have been the one to send him a message pretending to be sick to have him come back but not his father.
If he knew he would die this soon, he would have been home; at least to sort their differences. Holding this letter and riding back home, he feels he has betrayed his parents, most notably his mother. Holding the letter, he wonders what everyone back home would think of him. 'The selfish son who cares nothing of his auld parents but on his own adventure.'
Will he have the nerve to go back to Dunfermline after his father's burial, or will he finally settle in Montrose and continue his father's business? Since he left Dunfermline this morning, he had been suppressing the thought of his next actions after the burial. Times like this were when he wished his parents had other children and not just him. If there were others, he would live his life the way he wanted to without looking back or having any regrets. All things aside, he will go home to bury his father and pay him his last respects, then he will ...
Their carriage comes to an abrupt halt, and immediately they are thrown into a commotion, which makes Oliver almost hit his head on a side iron of the carriage.
"Oh, fur fuck sake! Douglas, what are you riding?!"
He jumps out of the carriage only to see that some men have ambushed his rider. Douglas is kneeling and raising his hand while the men point a pistol at him.
"Well, well, I will be damned!" The man in charge says, "Look who we have here! Oliver Adair himself!"
Sensing he might be in danger, Oliver picks to his heel and runs, but one of the men shoots beside him, intentionally missing him. This brings Oliver to the ground. The man in charge went over to him and dragged him off the ground.
"Okay, I don't know who sent you, but I promise I will pay you double of what the ..."
"Haud yer wheesht! Ye don't make the bargain here, I do."
The man searches Oliver’s pockets for valuable items. He finds some money, a gold watch and chain, his expensive art pencil, and the letter he was reading previously. Oliver is confused. Are these petty thieves, kidnappers, or assassins? He knew his father had many enemies because of the business that he does, but he didn't know which of the rivals sent his men to kill him. Just to be sure, he asks them...
"Which of my father's rival sent you? If I’m going to die, I need to know who ordered or put a coin for my life."
The man didn't reply to him; instead, he keeps dragging him and Logan to their horses.
"There is no honor in killing a harmless man and, at the same time, not telling him what he is dying for."
"Shut your geggie! One more word from ye, I'm gaunnae shut it fur ye!"
Respecting the order of a man with a pistol, Oliver shuts his mouth and complies as a captive.
Chapter 5
"You care to share some wine or water with a traveler?" Amelia asks one of the men she encounters drinking and resting by the roadside.
They are probably passersby as they are not carrying any goods on their horses. She climbs down from her horse and walks towards them; they are sweltering some meat, she notices.
The man looks at her for a second with shallow eyes, then turns away. He has a scar at the corner of his eye, which makes him scary looking and means he has probably seen lots of danger and still lives to tell the story.
"I'm thirsty. I will pay." Hearing this, the man turns to look at her again.
"How much ye got"? he asks.
"A tuppence with some food."
"Four."
"Three."
The man looks at her closely for a second, then turns and signals to one of the men who stand up and gives Amelia a small bag of wine.
"You'll wait, the meat isnae done yet," the man with scar says.
"Sure, I've got time." She sits down on an edgy stone.
Five months ago, Amelia wouldn't have been this brave. Brave enough to talk to male strangers, let alone asking for food. After her sudden escape from her abusive husband, who held her captive for five years, she has become a vagrant; wandering in the forest and villages looking for a livable place.
Thus, her new way of life and all she has encountered from it has toughened her up. Therefore, even if she looks at the scary face of the man with scars, who offers her wine and food, she isn't afraid of him. She has her scar too, one which has embedded deep into her soul. Therefore, she believes she has tasted her own bitter part of life.
She remembers the night she left the castle without thought or a definite plan. On that cold night, she almost froze to death. Wearing only her evening gown and without having a coat, an erasaid, or even a horse. She never imagined that she would be a free woman the next morning. Thankful for the sudden privilege she had, she kept walking, knowing it was her only way of staying alive.
That night, she had thought of places to run to. Running home was not an option for her. She knew her home was the first place Laird Clach would go looking. He would do anything to her family just to make sure he gets her. And it was of no use putting her family in that danger. Her mother wouldn't let her leave again if she had seen her, even if it meant Clach killing her in the process.
The one place she could think of that night was going to Isla's home. Isla had been her childhood friend, but their friendship was cut off when Amelia got married. Two years later, Isla had written to her, telling her that she was finally getting married to Lewis, the farm boy who has been her sweetheart since childhood, and they were moving to East Neuk. Although Amelia didn't attend their wedding ceremony, she knew Isla would understand, considering she knew how restricted she was in her husband’s castle.
Remembering the address on that letter, Amelia went to East Neuk by foot to seek for her. She could remember the excitement and tears that filled her friend's eyes upon seeing her. They had missed each other dearly, and in her hands, Amelia poured out the tears she had learned to stack up over the years in Laird Clach's home.
Lewis was also happy to see her; after all, they had all been friends since childhood. However, Amelia could see the fear in his eyes when she told them that she had escaped from Laird Clach’s castle.
"Ah, dinnae ken, Amelia. That's a dangerous thing you did," he said, "I've got ma wife and daughter to protect, and Laird Clach will do anything if he knows you are here."
Spitting out his fear, his wife was quick to calm him down. She told him that the last place Clach will look for her is at their home. Lewis was calm for a few days but began panicking again after getting a notification that a bounty had been placed on Amelia. This time, he was not panicking because of his wife and daughter, but because of the money.
As a farmer, Amelia understands that some money would help boost his farm for more profit. Isla notifies Amelia of her husband's plan to claim the bounty. He wants to inform Laird Clach about her. Her friend, Isla, gave her some money, clothes, and food, then told her to flee. That was how her journey
began again just when she thought she had found peace …
"You seem not to be the talkative type. Where are you heading to?" the man with the scars above the eye says, bringing Amelia to the present.
"The next village," she replied, trying not to be specific. "Done?" she asks, referring to the meat on the open fire.
"Aye." He cut out some part of the meat and then stopped. "Ah umnae, stupid, ma money?"
Amelia brought out a small bag of coins fixed to her waist on her renaissance under her plaid. The man looks at her closely, while Amelia returns the look. She gives him the 'Don't even think about it' look, and he seems to understand correctly. She brings out twenty-five cents and gives it to him.
"You are a trader?" he asks. He cut out some meat and gives her.
"No," biting on the meat in hunger, "You?"
"Aye," he replies.
She looks around them. "What do ye trade?"
"Humans," he replies with a straight face. Amelia almost stops chewing in surprise at his response. Then the man burst out laughing with his other two men.
"Ye scared?"
"Nah, I'm not. I've seen worse." Whether the man was joking or not, she knows there is a bit of truth in what he said.
"You're trading those men you tied up there?" she asks him, pointing at Oliver and his rider who look like they have been beaten. They appear weary and hungry.
Highlander's Killer Beauty: A Short Read Highlander Romance (The Alpha Highlander Book 1) Page 2
