by Fiona Faris
Lorraine knew he fancied her but men like Glenn did not appeal to her. He thought himself the fairest of all men, and the strongest, but she was not drawn to such things. She just wished he would leave her be.
“Ye need to get to the horse owner Anton’s?” he asked her.
Lorraine ignored him and he knew to stop himself from prying into her personal life.
“Forgive me, again. I ken nae what to say to ye,” Glenn lied to save himself.
“Aye, I shall head to his home. What else might I do ye for this mornin’?” she asked him nonchalantly. Her hand still remained on the door waiting only for his grip to lessen, so she could slam the door shut.
“I must ask ye a question. Yer answer would tell the truth of whether ye have indeed forgiven me.”
Putting her tired arms on her waist, she asked him what he wanted.
“Would ye come with me to the Castle MacDougall as milady? I would like to attend the feast with ye. Yer presence is one that I enjoy.”
Lorraine blinked fast as though she hadn’t heard him. “I am sorry but I must kindly deny yer offer. I shall be busy,” she told him sternly.
Glenn looked in her eyes and knew she lied to him, but he took his defeat with his shoulders high and his chest puffed out.
“If ye do change yer mind, I shall still be waitin’,” Glenn said to her as his hand left the door.
“Thank ye for comin’ by,” she told him, and closed the door.
Lorraine did not move from the door until she heard Glenn ride away. She bolted the door and hurried to her bedroom. She knew she would have to tell Daividh the next time they met that Glenn wished to pursue her despite being his trusted friend.
Lorraine only realized how much she had missed him when she was so close to seeing him. Her heart ached and beat louder than it ever had. It had been easy to request to see Lady Kyla and it hadn’t gotten her nearly as many looks as requesting for Daividh would.
Despite her exhaustion, Lorraine was happy. Not only would she see Daividh soon, a miracle had happened.
“Come on now,” she had coaxed Ash, “Open up.”
Obediently, the sweet horse had allowed her to feed him.
Delighted, she had patted his large head and rubbed around his ears. It had been a shorter pat as he was yet to take in his drugs.
Lorraine had given him his medicine and reached for his head again. However, this time, the big horse had stood himself.
It had been laborious, slow, and obviously tiring for the horse, but he did.
Lorraine had shouted so much that Anton had rushed in. The man had cried out in joy, seeing his beloved horse stand.
The animal had balanced on three of his four limbs, holding up the infected one so that there was no weight on it.
Lorraine and Anton had jumped for joy like the happiest pair in the world while the beloved horse watched. After a while, he lay down again. But it had been progress – progress of the purest form and happiness had filled their hearts. When she was about to leave, Anton had insisted in paying her as he had promised. Lorraine had argued that Ash was not well yet but he had shaken his head and insisted. It had been a splendid day.
“Lorraine!” Kyla’s voice rang out as she stepped into the court. “Hey, ye,” she said to the guard, “Tell everyone else that if she comes here again, she should be taken straight to me or to Laird Daividh.”
“Aye, milady.”
Kyla hugged her warmly.
“’Tis so nice to see ye,” Lorraine said to her.
“I can say the same but I believe ’tis nae me ye are here to see,” Kyla teased.
“I-” Lorraine broke off, bashful.
“I will call him out for ye. The guards will take ye to our private receiving room.”
The guard who had replied to Kyla turned to Lorraine. “If ye will, milady.”
“Aye.” Lorraine followed the guard to a spacious room with several comfortable chairs and many paintings on the wall.
The room was obviously one used for receiving guests and Lorraine had to admit that she fancied the formality of it all. Suddenly, in her breeches once more, she felt uncomfortable in the room.
Daividh stepped in soon after.
“Lorraine!” There was pleasure in his voice. “’Tis nice to see ye.”
He walked to her, bent and whispered in her ears. “Say naught till we step out. I bet they are eavesdropping.”
Despite the seriousness of what she intended to tell him, it was easy to be happy around him. Daividh led her out and gladly, she followed. The stares and the looks didn’t matter to her. He was with her – it didn’t matter who looked.
“How have ye been?” she asked him.
“Busy. I meant to see ye yesterday but I had to make up for work.”
Lorraine nodded. She understood.
When they were outside, he looked at her. There was a teasing grin on his face.
“So tell me, why did ye come to see me? I ken yer longing for me would ne’er bring ye here.”
Lorraine rolled her eyes. “Yet, ye are prouder than I am.”
“If ye were this strong, no one would fault ye for pride,” he said, flexing his muscles.
“Daividh?” Lorraine called as they walked into the stable where her horse had been kept.
“Aye?”
“What would ye say if I was being courted by a relentless man?”
Daividh looked at her sharply. “Who has been courting yer affections?”
“Nay,” she fibbed, “Nae me.”
“A man I work for is courting the affections of this lady. Naught is official but he fancies her – I think. And she kens he fancies her too – I think.”
“Aye?”
“Well, his lovely lass is being pursued by another. He asks my advice on what to do.”
“Kill him,” Daividh said easily.
Lorraine gasped. “Daividh, be serious.”
“Kill him,” Daividh repeated, “Hire someone to do it too. He must nae be found.”
“Daividh,” she scolded, “I do wish ye would be serious.”
Without warning, he pulled her to him and tilted her head to his. Lorraine found it hard to concentrate on his words. “I am only telling yer dear friend what I would do if ye were courted. I will have him killed – of course, nae by me own hands. I do nae want it traced to me. It shall be an unfortunate accident. Glenn would be more than happy to arrange it for me.”
Glenn again! How am I to tell him that the friend he holds dearest has said such things to me?
“Lorraine?” Daividh called softly, a worried look entering his eyes. “Are ye alright?”
The care he always showed her melted her heart. She couldn’t be the source of bad news.
“Aye,” she said, “I am, weary, somewhat, but I am fine.”
“Why did ye come to see me?” he asked, stroking her cheek.
“I missed ye,” she said in a whisper, “I missed ye terribly.”
Daividh sighed. “I missed ye too. I planned to see ye today, I promise.”
“’Tis alright, I-”
A guard stepped into the stable cutting her short. “Milord, the laird has requested yer presence immediately. He says it will nae steer ye from yer duties too long.”
Daividh waited for the guard to leave before he cursed.
“’Tis alright,” Lorraine said.
“Nay, ’tis nae. I planned to speak to ye today. An urgent matter.”
“On the morrow, then,” she said, and he sighed.
“Aye.” He nodded. “Ride safely, me love.” And with that, Daividh hurried out from the barns.
Lorraine leaned against her horse with a large grin in her face. So what if he hadn’t told her he loved her? He had called her his love again!
“Ah, I knew I would meet ye here.”
Lorraine turned her head to Glenn who had an unreadable look on his face.
Although she told herself that it was silly to be afraid, she couldn’t help the fear that set
tled in her stomach.
“Yer face,” he said sadly, “it reads fear. Have me affections frightened ye?” A look of regret filled his face.
“Nae fear,” Lorraine said, “they have made me uncomfortable.”
“I am sorry,” Glenn said. “’Twas nae me intention. I will nae lie that I crave yer attention. I fear that I have become obsessed with ye,” he said with a sad sigh.
Lorraine felt pity for the man, but she couldn’t encourage. “Ye must nae speak to me like this.”
“Aye,” Glenn nodded, “While I may have come for ye to make me happy, ye should also ken that it was for yer good.”
Lorraine arched a brow. “What do ye mean?”
Glenn paced around the room as though undecided as to whether to speak.
“I do care about ye, Lorraine, I do nae want ye unhappy.”
“What do ye mean?” she asked again.
Glenn paced and stopped in front of her. “Daividh didnae speak to ye because he wanted to. It was a wager. He made a bet that he would get ye to fall for him in two weeks!”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lorraine sat alone in the stable. At her request, Glenn had left. He had left her alone with her thoughts and pain. Pain. It cut through her chest like a hot knife and she was powerless to stop it.
Was it true? Had it really been only a game to him? Had he approached her on a dare? Spoken to her on a dare? No, all of that was forgivable. But not what followed. He had spent time with her as though he enjoyed it when it was all a dare. He had made her fall in love with him for his stupid dare. He had touched her body and taken her maidenhead away – all for a dare.
Lorraine choked on a sob in her chest. What would she do? How would she live knowing that?
No, she said to herself and stood up. It couldn’t be – he couldn’t have. She had seen his eyes when he made love to her body. She had seen his eyes when he spoke to her. It couldn’t have been a game.
Hope filled her chest and she clutched at it desperately. Nay, it couldnae be, she chanted.
But he ne’er said he loved ye.
The door opened and the stable boy stepped in.
“Milady,” he greeted, “Shall I summon milord for ye?”
“Nay,” she said even though her voice shook, “He is with the laird.”
“Nae any longer,” the boy informed her, “I passed him in the castle. Shall I summon him?”
“Aye,” she said with fear in her heart, “Aye.”
The boy nodded and stepped out.
The minutes that passed seemed like hours. Lorraine’s mind was blank. She could think of nothing without torturing herself. Finally, when she was about to lose control of her person, Daividh stepped in.
He was alone and she was glad for it.
Weakly, she looked at him. She wanted to stand but found that she was too weak to do so.
“Lorraine,” he said in alarm, “I thought ye had gone home. Are ye alright? Ye look pale and weak.”
Daividh approached her but she put out a hand to stop him.
“Lorraine?” he asked worried, “What is wrong? Are ye crying?” Anger filled him. Who had hurt her? Who had dared to anger her?
“Daividh,” she said and her voice broke, “Ye would tell me the truth, would ye nae? Ye would nae lie to me?”
“Lorraine-”
“Answer me,” she pleaded, even as tears dropped from her eyes.
Fear, confusion, and dread filled Daividh, but he nodded. “Aye, aye.”
“Were ye dared to make me fall for ye?” she whispered the question.
There was silence and Lorraine felt her heart shatter into a million pieces.
“Who told ye this?” Daividh asked.
“Answer me.”
“Lor-”
“Answer me!”
“Aye,” he nodded. “But ye have to listen,” he begged.
But it was futile, her tears had began to pool down. He reached for her arm but she shrugged him away.
“Do nae touch me,” she said in a deathly quiet voice, “The bet was to make me fall for ye. Why did ye take it a step further and bed me? Was the love nae enough?”
He panicked and reached for her again, but she swatted his hands away. “Ye must listen. ’Twas nae the bet. It was real, I swear, Lorraine.”
“Liar!” she cried, even as tears rolled down her face.
“I swear, Lorraine,” Daividh said, “I swear on me ma’s grave, I did nae bed ye for the bet.”
“Nae, ye did nae. Ye did that for yer own selfish pleasures. Ye did that because the control pleased ye. When were ye going to tell me what ye’ve been telling everyone? That I mean naught to ye.”
“I did nae say-”
“Ye lie! Stop!”
“How will ye understand if ye do nae listen?” he begged.
“Understand what? That I have been played? Lied to? By the one person I loved?” Lorraine wiped at the tears. How could he stand to look at her? Had he no shame?
Lorraine, with a swift move, mounted her horse.
Daividh reached for her reins.
“Let them go!” she ordered.
“Lorraine,” he begged, “Please, forgive me. Ye are angry, come down and let us talk.”
Lorraine laughed. It was a bitter one.
Daividh let go of the reins of her horse. His eyes were pleading but he feared she had locked him out and his words would mean nothing.
“Nay, ye are wrong. I was angry when ye spoke to Glenn about me. I was angry when ye would nae leave me be. But now, I am nae angry. I am hurt, Daividh, broken. Yer apology will ne’er fix it. Leave me be!”
And with that, she rode her horse out of the stable, leaving him behind.
Chapter Twenty-Five
It had been six days but it had felt like more. Daividh found the days that had gone by since he had last seen Lorraine restless. He lacked appetite for food and only ate so his stepmother and sister would not worry for him.
Early in the mornings, he stayed in the balcony of the castle and watched the gates, checking the people who walked into the castle, expecting Lorraine to come with them, but she was never present in the crowd. She wasn’t in the morning crowd, neither was she in the afternoon. She had not stepped foot on the castle grounds since she had ridden away from him.
That morning again, Daividh stood in the balcony staring at the gate in the distance. He knew she would not come to him and he had stopped hoping. He stood in the balcony, watching the gate, because he could think of nothing else to do.
“One would think that ye are homesick with the way ye stare at the gate all day, but this is yer home, so what is the matter with ye, Brother?”
Daividh heard the familiar jovial voice of his sister. While he did not share her good natured humor, her presence was a breath of pleasure to him though he said nothing of the gratitude in his chest to her.
“I am nae homesick. If ye come only to make jokes about me, then ye are free to leave me be,” he snapped at his younger sister.
“Nay, I would nae make jokes of ye, Brother-” Kyla came closer until she was next to him, “-I have been watchin’ ye for days now and ye worry me.”
Daividh took a deep breath and stared back towards the gate.
“I have nae seen nor heard ye speak of Lorraine in days. Has she become one of the forgotten?” she asked him.
Daividh did not want to speak of the subject with his sister but he knew he had no one else to speak about it with. She had known about Lorraine from the very beginning and seemed the only one that would understand him without mocking him.
“She is mad at me.”
“What did ye do?” Kyla asked him promptly. It was the usual response whenever a woman was mad at her brother. Despite the damper to Daividh’s arrogant nature since coming to know Lorraine, she still thought him in the wrong whenever a woman was involved.
“She came to ken of the bet and now, she will nae speak to me. She will nae come to the castle and it has been six days; six day
s that I have waited on her,” he told her.
