Highlander’s Trusted Traitor (Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance)

by Alisa Adams

  It was an impassioned plea and Keith could easily tell that it meant a lot to Sarina. He had to admit that having her and Emily, and latterly Catherine, around the clan had changed his opinion of the English. Exposure certainly seemed the best way to fight against ignorance and he liked the idea of being the first Highlander that many of these people would have met. He would amaze them by completing every task assigned to him faster and better than anyone. Then everyone would say that the most trusted servant in the house is a Highlander. He liked that thought. It was a good first step.

  “I’ll dae it Sarina. I will make ye proud.”

  Sarina beamed and clapped her hands together.

  “Oh Keith that’s wonderful. You won’t regret it at all, and I’ll make sure that everyone at home knows how brave you’re being. When you return you’ll always have a seat at our table.”

  The journey took the better part of the day. The road was long and winding. They passed near a few towns and Keith saw plumes of smoke rising into the air, disappearing into a fine mist.

  It was early in the evening when they finally approached Sarina’s estate.

  It was far different to the home he was used to. There was a nearby town and a thick cloud of smoke billowed up. The trees were arranged to form a neat guard against the gravel road, unlike how the Mackenzie keep was in the middle of wild nature. This estate looked as though everything had been pruned around it to provide the perfect picturesque scene. The high walls were white and the gates were open, made up of huge iron bars with gold-tipped sharp spikes. The house beyond was still a ways away, beyond a huge courtyard with a fountain in the middle and a variety of beautiful plants forming pleasing patterns and arrangements. The house was three stories high with wide and high windows. The evening sunlight glinted off them, making it seem as though the house was winking at him. People buzzed around at a great pace, each of them seeming as though they had somewhere desperate to be. The carriage pulled up and came to a halt. The door was opened and Keith allowed Sarina to leave first, and then he jumped down. The air tasted a little more bitter, and it smelled differently too, but the sounds, aside from the accent, were the same.

  “Let’s go and meet my brother,” Sarina said, shaking him from his stupor. He nodded at her and fell into step with her as hushed gasps and whispers rippled around the courtyard at Sarina’s appearance, for she was just as beloved here as she was in the Highlands.

  6

  Eventually Sarina got control of herself and she excused herself from the crowd, saying that she wanted to see her brother. As eager as the servants were to see her, they weren’t going to delay her in seeing her sibling, the lord of the estate. They instantly dissipated and went back to their chores, and Keith could breathe easily again.

  “They still have a great fondness for you even though you live in the Highlands,” Keith observed.

  “I have known many of them since I was a child and they’re all quite fond of me. They watched me grow up and in a way they took care of me. I made sure to take care of them when I grew up as well. I always treated them with respect. I have known some people to treat their servants as though they are lesser beings, but I refuse to be the same way. I think everybody is deserving of some basic respect. When you are kind to people that kindness is returned and the effects are there for you to see,” she said, gesturing to the spot behind them where everyone had clustered around her.

  She was visibly excited to be back home and Keith wondered if she missed this place as much as he would miss the Highlands. He hadn’t thought about how much of an ordeal it must have been for her to leave the only home she had ever known to go to a strange land and marry a strange man. Keith wouldn’t have immediately thought of Sarina as being brave. He associated that word with glorious battles and deeds of strength and vigor, but there were other, more subtle kinds of bravery, and they should be recognized as much as the more obvious displays.

  They walked quickly through the house and Keith barely had time to catch his breath as there was so much to see. The only time they paused was when they passed by the portraits of Sarina’s brothers and father. There was a striking family resemblance.

  “My apologies, but I always spend a few moments whenever I return here,” Sarina said, staring in reverence at the painting. “It’s good that they have these pictures so that people can remember them in their prime.” She lifted a hand and caressed one of the paintings, before quickly drawing it away and moving on. She strode through the halls as though she still lived there and Keith had to skip to keep up. The hallways branched away like a labyrinth and he was quite sure it would have been easy to get lost if he didn’t have Sarina as a guide.

  “I’m sure Charles will bring Harold along soon. He should have dinner ready in a little while,” Sarina said. They approached a set of double doors and entered a room that was being prepared for dinner. The servants turned and smiled with glee as Sarina entered, and she immediately went over to help them set the table. They all ushered her away and told her that a lady should not be doing such a thing, but Sarina told them not to fuss, and then she got Keith to help as well.

  He was used to taking matters in his own hands and it struck him as strange that the English would be content to sit in their chairs while other people waited on them. It seemed to be the height of arrogance and it didn’t feel as though they would get any sense of accomplishment from their lives. Keith pitched in and he was in the middle of laying out the plates when the doors opened and Harold entered.

  “Sarina!” he said, with a wide smile on his face and open arms. Sarina stopped what she was doing and ran over to him. Brother and sister embraced tightly and they hugged for a long time. “I didn’t expect to see you,” Harold said after they released each other.

  “I thought I’d surprise you. I’m not staying for long, and I’m sorry I couldn’t bring Donny with me. He really misses his uncle.”

  “I’m sure that’s not true,” Harold said.

  “No, it is. I make sure to tell you about it all the time. When he’s older I’m going to bring him around regularly. Anyway, one of the reasons why I’m down here is because there’s someone I’d like you to meet.” She gestured for Keith to join her. He cleared his throat and walked up to them.

  “This is Keith, one of Seamus’s cousins,” Sarina said.

  “It’s a pleasure tae meet ye sir,” Keith said, holding out his hand. Harold tilted his head to the side and took Keith’s hand. The grip wasn’t as strong as Keith was expecting. Sarina led Harold over to the table and got him to sit down. Keith, unsure of what to do, followed and stood behind Sarina. She described in detail her plan to bring together the English and the Highlanders. Harold listened intently, although it was clear he wasn’t convinced.

  “You’ve certainly got ambition Sarina, but I don’t know that many people are going to go for this,” he said, tapping his fingers against the polished wooden surface of the table.

  “I’m not claiming it will be easy or quick, but it’s something that has to be started soon, otherwise it will never happen at all.”

  “Well, you know I find it difficult to resist you and it would be a shame for Keith to have come all this way for nothing, so I suppose he can stay for a little while and we’ll see how it goes. I can always use a little more help, especially now actually. I’m hosting a wedding proposal.”

  “Oh really?” Sarina said. Harold raised his eyebrows and leaned forward. It was clear that it wasn’t going well.

  “Indeed, and it’s one of the most tiring things I have ever done. I was sitting here all afternoon listening to them go back and forth, neither of them budging at all. They’re actually going to be down for dinner soon so you’ll have a chance to meet them.”

  “I’m sure that they’ll have a little more sense over dinner. People tend to be more sensible after they’ve gotten to know each other. Do you mind if Keith joins us? Tomorrow you can send him to Charles so that he can learn his duties.” Harold arched an eyebrow. K
eith knew as well as anyone that it was highly irregular for a servant to share the dinner table with the lord of the house and his guests.

  “Remember that he is family. And he is doing this as a favor to me.” Sarina was incredibly smart. Sharing the table would set him apart from other servants. Keith was excited!

  Harold did not want to say no to his beloved sister. “Of course he can stay,” he said with a smile.

  He did not seem that bad. For an Englishman.

  It was an agonizing wait, but shortly three people came into the room and were introduced as the Drake family. Keith rose. They seemed surprised at his appearance and the reaction he got wasn’t very welcoming. Sarina, on the other hand, was given kisses and hugs as though she was some kind of celebrity.

  “You’ve taken a break from the wild to come and spend some time with us civilized people,” William Drake said. Keith’s cheeks burned at this and Sarina glanced at him, but she kept her cool and deflected the insult.

  “Actually it’s far more civilized than you might think, but not every man is brave enough to venture that far north.”

  Harold stifled a laugh. William and Edward looked suitably chagrined and were about to respond, but Sarina kept the conversation flowing swiftly so she didn’t get bogged down in an argument about the merits of living in the Highlands compared to England. “I understand you’re here to arrange a marriage,” Sarina said, looking more at Edward than William, although it was William who responded.

  “Yes indeed, although they’re not being very cooperative. I’m sure we’ll come to some arrangement.”

  “Father, remember what I said earlier. I would like you to do everything you can to make this happen.”

  “Yes, yes,” William said. His wife, Ethel, gave him a look and Keith wasn’t entirely sure where he fit in with this group of people, so he thought it best to remain quiet.

  “It sounds like you’re quite taken with your prospective bride?” Sarina asked.

  “She is very beautiful and I’m sure she’ll make a fine wife,” Edward said. “She has a good pedigree and I think she will serve me well.”

  “Why Edward, if I had just come into the middle of this conversation I might think that you were talking about a horse rather than a woman!” Sarina said. Her good humor defused the tension, although Edward didn’t seem to take kindly to the joke. He hid his enmity well though and forced a laugh, but Keith watched him closely and saw his eyes narrow. There was something about him that set Keith on edge. There seemed to be an edge of malice about him, lurking in his eyes. Keith made sure to watch him carefully.

  The other family arrived moments later.

  “Here they are, late again,” William grumbled, and was met with an icy stare from his wife. Keith turned and as soon as he did so his breath was taken away.

  He had never seen such beauty before.

  She was the loveliest thing he had ever seen and it was as though she had been blessed by nature herself. The dress she wore clung to her like raindrops, accentuating every perfect curve of her body, and her smile lit up the room. She shared the same kind of beauty as Sarina, radiant and unattainable.

  He instantly cursed himself as it became apparent that this was the woman intended for Edward Drake.

  Once everyone was sitting down Harold took the first bite, and then everyone followed. The meal was cooked a little differently than how Keith was used to, so it took him a little while to get used to the new textures and flavors. He would otherwise have eaten with great pleasure but he found that his appetite was almost gone. He felt anxious being in the same room with Rose and he thought that was really stupid of him.

  Conversation flowed easily between the English. There was a handmaid who had entered with Rose, but she stayed towards the rear of the room with other servants. Her eyes were fixed on the table, and Keith assumed she was filled with jealousy about the fact that she couldn’t partake in the delicious meal.

  Everyone was eager to hear stories of the Highlands, and Sarina was eager to tell them. She spoke about Seamus and Angus, and all the difficulties they had endured during their time together, but also the happiness as well. She spoke fondly of her son and everyone was quite shocked to hear that she was happy. It was as though they assumed she had been forced there against her will.

  She told them the entire story of the recent newcomers to their clan: Bryan and Catherine. William nodded and raised a fork.

  “I heard about that. The Lord threw his brother into shackles. It was quite a scandal and I always thought it was shocking that brothers could treat each other that way, but I suppose it was necessary given what he’d done. To think a man like that could call himself a gentleman…it gives the rest of us a bad name!” he guffawed and Edward joined in the humor. A tittering laugh followed from everyone else, aside from Harold, who looked pensive. William collected himself and seemed to realize his error.

  “My apologies, I did not want to bring up bad memories of your brothers.”

  A wan smile appeared on Harold’s face and he sipped some wine.

  “If you would like to hear some more stories of the Highlands I’m sure Keith could oblige you more than I could. After all, he’s lived there all his life,” Sarina said, changing the subject. Keith was fully aware that now all the attention was on him, although the only person he could look at was Rose. He started sweating. He would rather fight someone right now than be doing this.

  Edward broke the silence. “Are you as wild as they say, Highlander? What’s the biggest thing you’ve killed?”

  Keith shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

  “Actually, I haven’t killed more than deer,” he admitted.

  “No, I suppose not. You are only a boy after all,” Edward said, although Keith suspected there weren’t too many years between them. “I went hunting a few months ago and I was on the trail…” Edward told a hunting story that showed his prowess and Keith couldn’t help but feel a battle had been lost, although he wasn’t sure how.

  7

  “I don’t mean to be rude,” Rose said, turning towards the maid following her, “but would you mind returning to the estate for a little while?”

  Rose had been waiting for this moment all day. The dinner was done and she finally had some time alone with Edward. She could not wait to talk with him and see who he actually was without the courtesy that surrounded them when other people were around.

  “I don’t think I shall need your services out here.” Rose continued. She did not want to insult the girl but she made her feel uncomfortable.

  If the maid was offended she didn’t show any sign of it. “I’m sorry, but I have been told to accompany you everywhere you go and make sure you have everything you need. I don’t wish to disobey my superiors.”

  “I’m sure I can have a word with them and make sure you are not punished. Couldn’t you go and prepare my chambers for me? My outfits will need to be unpacked from the chest.”

  “I’m sorry my lady, but what if you do find you need something out here and I am not on hand to provide you with it? I take my role here seriously. I want to be at your disposal. I promise you will not notice I’m here.”

  “Don’t worry about her Rose. I’m sure it’ll be fine. It’s her job to take care of you,” Edward said. That seemed to settle the matter.

  She turned back to Edward and tried to focus her attention on him.

  “It’s so beautiful out here,” Edward remarked. “I’ve always had an admiration for nature. It can seem so wild and yet so beautiful at the same time.”

  “I’ve often thought the same,” Rose said. She had always been taught it was best to agree with a man even if you thought the opposite of him, although in this case she did genuinely agree with him.

  “Have you ever wondered what it would be like to run away from all these trappings and live in nature?”

  “I can’t say that I have. I prefer to have walls around me, with food on the table, surrounded by the warmth of a family.”
<
br />   “Oh yes, of course, but sometimes it’s wonderful to be taken away by a flight of fancy and think of living a life that you’ll never be allowed to live. Still, I suppose it wouldn’t be as good as I imagine. I tend to think only the best about situations. My father often says I romanticize things too much, but I prefer to focus on the good things in life.”

  “I think that’s a good attitude to have,” Rose said. “Too many people seem to think only the worst of the world. I’ve only ever wanted the best for myself and I know exactly what I want from life.”

  “As do I,” he said. Rose’s eyes flicked up to him and widened in excitement for she appreciated the fact that he seemed to be just as forward-thinking as she was. Her heart beat quickly, wondering if he had been dreaming of meeting someone like her as much as she had been dreaming of meeting someone like him. It would be so wonderful if their souls had been searching for one another before they had even met.

  “Please, tell me what you have been thinking. It may align with what I have been thinking.”

  “I suppose we should talk about these things to decide if we’re suited for each other,” Edward said. They walked along a path away from the house. The flowers took hold and there were areas separated by thick green hedges. Stone ornaments stood proudly, and each area had different flowers. There were benches at regular intervals and the air was alive with the fragrant smell of flowers. Insects buzzed around as well, but they were more interested in the plants than with Rose. Their soft hum was comforting, and it almost felt as though she and Edward were in a world of their own, if she wasn’t aware of the maid at every turn. She was like a shadow, and even though Rose did everything she could to put her out of her mind it just wouldn’t work.