The Highwayman of Tanglewood (26 page)

“She is lovely, of course,” Tannis said, as Lochlan opened his mouth to speak. “I can well see why Kade Tremeshton would fancy her.”

“May—may I take my leave, milady?” Faris asked. She wanted only to escape—to tidy her hair, press cool water to her tear-stained cheeks, and most of all flee the cruel, accusing glare of Lady Stringham.

“Are you certain you are unharmed, dear?” Lady Rockrimmon inquired. She brushed a strand of hair from Faris’s cheek almost lovingly.

“Yes, milady,” Faris mumbled.

“Then by all means, Faris. You may go—still, I want you to rest for the remainder of the day,” Lady Rockrimmon said. Her voice was soft, soothing—like that of a mother speaking to a child.

Faris ventured to meet her eyes, smiling with appreciation. Faris turned to go, but she paused as Tannis said, “What’s this? Not a word of gratitude and thanks to your champion, miss? How utterly ungrateful.”

“Thank you, Faris,” he said, still smiling at her. “And be certain to let her know I expect the circumstances of it to be the same as last evening.”

Faris was puzzled. Was he indeed implying she should meet him in the kitchen, share his pie with him as she had the previous day?

Of a sudden, she was quite overcome with fatigue. She knew she must look a fright as well. Her struggle with Kade Tremeshton could not possibly have left her any state other than dishevelment. Still, she smiled as she thought of the Highwayman—envisioned his rearing steed, his rapier drawn. He was indeed magnificent to behold! She wished she may have been closer to him, seen him more clearly. She wondered how he had come upon the parchments he had pinned to the tree with the dagger. No doubt the parchments were the documents of entitlement Lochlan had ridden out to obtain. Had Kade Tremeshton pinned them to a tree and then ridden to Loch Loland Castle, knowing no titled man or heir would be present to defend Faris? It seemed this was the case, and Faris shuddered at the realization of his lengths to find her alone and unprotected. Yet the Highwayman of Tanglewood would best him, no doubt! She would not be surprised to hear of Kade’s being returned to Tremeshton Manor further bloodied and as bare as the day he was born! She smiled at the thought of his humiliation—sighed with relief at the fact Lochlan Rockrimmon had not tasted the fruit of provocation after all. Indeed, Lochlan was safe, and the Highwayman of Tanglewood would ensure Kade Tremeshton would never think of crossing him or Lochlan again.

Lochlan—her thoughts lingered on him then. How could she meet him in the kitchen? How could she share a pie with him again when her heart, her loyalty, belonged to her Highwayman—her only desire was to be with him once more? Yet how could she decline after all he had done for her? Twice he had championed her against Kade Tremeshton. How could she refuse him the simple request of sharing pie? He asked nothing else of her—expected no thanks other than a simple gesture of sharing pastry.

Collapsing onto her bed, Faris sighed. Overwhelming relief rinsed her with fatigue. Lochlan was safe, and the Highwayman of Tanglewood was well. Yet the thought struck her then—where was Bainbridge? Likewise, where was Lord Kendrick? Ever Lord Kendrick was at Loch Loland Castle. Unless business kept him away, he was there, ever attentive to Lillias. Yet, today—today when so much had happened, he had not been there. Nor had Bainbridge.

Faris frowned as she turned to her back and stared at the ceiling above her. Was the Highwayman indeed Bainbridge? Bainbridge had not been present when the Highwayman had appeared. Indeed, to appear in the broad light of day—the Highwayman had only done so once before, and it had been Bainbridge Graybeau who had claimed to witness the event. Further, Lord Kendrick had been the sole person to whom Graybeau had confided the incident.

Closing her eyes, Faris called forth the recent vision of the Highwayman of Tanglewood. She could see him—in her mind’s eye, she could. There he sat astride his magnificent black, cloak billowing in the breeze. There, just beyond Loch Loland Castle’s front lawns, his mount reared as the Highwayman of Tanglewood drew his rapier. Could this have been Bainbridge Graybeau? Faris thought that it could.

Faris trembled slightly as the memory of Kade Tremeshton came to her then. This most recent episode—short though it may have been—had been utterly grueling. Faris fancied her legs ached—her arms as well. She knew, in those moments, she would not have been able to rebuff the monster. Kade Tremeshton may well have triumphed had Lochlan not arrived to her defense. Faris thought of her fear and terror at the hands of Kade Tremeshton—thought of her relief and joy at being gathered into Lochlan Rockrimmon’s powerful embrace. He had held her to him for a moment before aggressing on Kade, and Faris remembered scent of him. It had comforted her in a similarity to the manner in which the Highwayman’s scent comforted her. Instantly, Faris loathed herself for her comparing thoughts—for her disloyal, deceitful thoughts.

Again she wished she could find her Highwayman at that moment. She determined that if she had been in his presence at that moment, she would no less than beg him to take her away with him. She would pledge her heart, her life to him—to whatever road he was driven to take—to whomever he was. She would swear to follow him anywhere. She determined she would be wife to the Highwayman of Tanglewood or to Bainbridge Graybeau—whichever identity bested him. Yet, in the very same moment, she thought of never seeing Lochlan Rockrimmon. This thought caused an odd aching to take root in her heart, and she scolded her heart for feeling it.

Closing her eyes, Faris determined to find sleep. In sleep she would capture the Highwayman in her dreams. She would dream of him, yes—until the time came to meet Lochlan in the kitchen. Once Lochlan had his fill of pie and Faris was able to convey her gratitude for his chivalry in whatever regard presented itself, she would dream of her beloved Highwayman again.

Slowly she drifted to sleep—the sense of the summer breeze on her face—the sound of the Highwayman’s horse galloping across the meadow in her mind’s hearing.

❦

“Stripped as the day he was born!” Lillias whispered. “The Highwayman of Tanglewood left not a shred of cloth about Kade the Heinous. Furthermore, he tied his hands atop the pommel, lashed his feet in the stirrups, and bound his mouth!”

“And how came you by these delightful details of Lord Tremeshton’s return to Tremeshton Manor, Lillias? Do tell me! You must!” Faris giggled.

“Graybeau was in conversation with a stableman from Tremeshton just an hour ago!” Lillias exclaimed.

“Bainbridge?” Faris asked.

“Yes!” Lillias said. “It seems Bainbridge was out—exercising Jovan—shortly after the Highwayman appeared here. He was riding out on the meadow and came upon a stableman from Tremeshton Manor. It was the Tremeshton stableman who was present when Kade the Heinous’s mount returned him.”

“Bainbridge was exercising Jovan?” Faris asked.

“Yes,” Lillias said. “Why?”

Faris shrugged. “I-I was not sure I had heard you correctly is all.” Faris felt a flutter in her bosom. Jovan had been in the stables when Bainbridge was out. Faris had seen Jovan in the stables with her very own eyes—when first she’d gone in search of Bainbridge to inform him of Lochlan’s plan to meet Kade and provoke him. Bainbridge had lied! Yet, if he knew of Kade Tremeshton’s condition upon his return to Tremeshton Manor, Bainbridge Graybeau was the Highwayman of Tanglewood! He had slipped—made a slight error in his story—and only Faris knew the truth of it! Jovan had been safely stabled while Bainbridge was out riding—riding as the Highwayman of Tanglewood! At last! At last she had proof. Faris smiled, bit her lip attempting to conceal her delight in her own secret knowledge.

“And furthermore,” Lillias continued, “when Lochlan retrieved the parchments from the tree the Highwayman had nailed them to using his dagger, they were the documents of entitlement to the property Kade the Heinous had signed over to my father.”

“It is as we thought then,” Faris whispered.

“Exactly! Kade meant to lure Lochlan from Loch Loland Castle. No doubt so that you would be unguarded.”

Faris felt sickened, frightened, awash with anxiety at the affirmation Kade Tremeshton would go to such lengths to ensure her vulnerability.

“And you should have heard Lady Stringham and Miss Tannis at dinner!” Lillias continued. “On and on they went—on and on concerning their astonishment that Lochlan would so brutalize a titled man over the honor of a chambermaid. You do not think Lochlan truly intends to consider Tannis do you, Faris?”

Another wave of pure nausea washed over Faris at the thought of Lochlan Rockrimmon taking Tannis Stringham to wife.

“I like to think he would not consider her,” Faris said. “Yet, why then is she here? If not for the sake of expecting a proposal—why then?”

“Expecting a proposal is far different than receiving one, Faris,” Lillias said. Lillias frowned all of a sudden. “You look so tired, darling,” she said, placing a loving hand to Faris’s cheek. “And after all, why should you not? Such a day! You should retire with haste, Faris—for Lady and the Miss Stringham will arise early, no doubt, and be quite expectant of service.”

“I am tired, it is true,” Faris admitted. “Yet, I have one—one small attendance to meet before I am found drifting to slumber.”

“Then go, my darling friend,” Lillias said. She smiled then and whispered, “For I must beg one last kiss from Gawain before he takes his leave of Loch Loland.”

“Lord Kendrick is here?” Faris asked. She thought he had been absent from Loch Loland the entirety of the day.

“He arrived only just an hour after we witnessed the Highwayman,” Lillias explained. “You should have seen the disappointment of his countenance when we told him we had seen the Highwayman of Tanglewood with our very own eyes. My poor love. He looked just as a little boy disappointed at not receiving a new sword for his birthday.” Lillias giggled, quickly kissed Faris on the cheek, and turned to go. “Sleep well, darling! Dream enough dreams of the Highwayman of Tanglewood for us both!”

“Master Lochlan is on his way to the kitchen and requests that you meet him there momentarily,” Old Joseph said. He winked at her with understanding, and Faris blushed. She hoped the tittle-tattle at Loch Loland Castle did not involve their young master favoring his chambermaid.

“Thank you, Joseph,” Faris said. Quickly, she fell into step behind him—her heart hammering with something akin to anxiety mingled with excitement.

Following Old Joseph into the kitchen, Faris smiled when she saw a pie and two forks had been laid out on the servants’ table. Yet Lochlan was not yet present.

“I will leave you to your pie,” Old Joseph said. He nodded and took his leave of the kitchen, leaving Faris all alone with nothing but anticipation.

Faris glanced around the room. It was an inviting place when the day was over—when the bustle of busy cooks had been put to sleep for the day.

She startled when she heard a knock on the servants’ entrance door. Had it been locked? It remained ever free of bolting as far as Faris knew—for Old Joseph enjoyed roaming the castle and gardens at night. The kitchen servants’ entrance was kept unlocked with no bolt drawn that Old Joseph may enjoy his meanderings.

Going to the door, Faris placed a hand on the large latch. Inhaling a deep breath of courage—for her fear whispered that perhaps Kade Tremeshton had returned to assault her once again—she opened the door.

“Hello?” she called, seeing no one standing on the other side. “Is anyone there?”

“None—save he that would have ye far his own, lass.”

Faris was breathless with delight at the sound of his voice. Glancing over her shoulder to ensure no one had yet entered the kitchen, she stepped into the cover of darkness and directly into the waiting arms of the Highwayman of Tanglewood.

Act and Implication

His mouth was hot, moist, and ravenous for want of hers! This Faris knew by the passion of his kiss—the powerful embrace into which he gathered her. All her fear, every shred of anxiety, even the great fatigue she had felt a moment before—all ill feelings had vanished the moment the Highwayman of Tanglewood had taken her in his arms!

“You,” she breathed as he broke the seal of their lips for a moment.

“Aye,” he whispered. He wasted no more breath in speaking—simply pulled her more tightly against the strength of his body as he endeavored to drink passion from her lips.

Full darkness was upon them as they kissed—yet light and color as bright as any morning sunrise burst forth in Faris’s mind! To be held by him, to taste the warm flavor of his mouth—it was magic in quality—enchanting! The sense of his roughly shaven face against her own caused goose bumps to scatter over Faris’s entire body. The thought briefly crossed her mind that he donned no mustache and goatee—he was fair clean-shaven. Yet the passion burning between them was fiery and fierce, and the thought was lost to Faris almost as quickly as it had come to her.