The Highwayman of Tanglewood (3 page)

He was off again in a mad gallop across the meadow. Faris looked up into the purple curtains of night’s sky. The Highwayman of Tanglewood! It was as a dream! And such a kiss was the stuff of dreams too! Oh, what a blessed day it had been—deliverance from Tremeshton Manor and its arrogant young master and a chance, romantic rendezvous with the Highwayman of Tanglewood. Faris shook her head, knowing she would never again be the same girl she’d been before that moment—before that blissful, dream-borne moment in the meadow when the Highwayman of Tanglewood had stolen a kiss.

At Loch Loland Castle

Summer faded into autumn, and autumn slept through winter. Spring melted winter’s cold embrace, and once again the lilac and meadow flowers were abloom. As the Tanglewood Meadow was alive with early summer, so Loch Loland Castle was alive with merriment and grand anticipation. The young miss of the manor, Lillias Rockrimmon, was betrothed to the dashing Lord Gawain Kendrick. Furthermore, after an absence of near to two years, the young master of Loch Loland, Lochlan Rockrimmon, was expected to return for his sister and Lord Kendrick’s blessed event. Lord and Lady Rockrimmon were resplendent—joyous in expectancy at the return of their son as well as the marriage of their daughter. All others who labored and lived within Loch Loland’s strong walls were near to giddy for the beauty of summer and anticipation of the events pertaining to the Rockrimmon children.

Faris Shayhan had never known such happiness and contentment as she had come to know at Loch Loland. An honorable and just lord and a compassionate and kind lady were the Lord and Lady Rockrimmon. Though she did not know the young master—for he had been away since long before Faris’s arrival—the young mistress, Lillias, was as kind and as lovely as ever her mother was. The staff at Loch Loland Castle were likewise unusual in their good character. Faris had made fast friends of many of those with whom she labored.

Still, there was one circumstance, one detail of her coming to Loch Loland that she yet held high above all else—the Highwayman of Tanglewood. As Faris arranged lilac sprigs in a delicate crystal vase, the sun shone bright and warm through the window of the chamber in which she labored. Yet it was not the day filled with sunshine that owned her thoughts—but the memory of a purple-curtained sky in a fragrant summer meadow.

Drawing one large set of lilac florets to her face, Faris inhaled deeply the sweet scent of it. Closing her eyes, she could almost hear the rhythmic approach of the Highwayman’s mount—almost sense the cool of evening, see the amethyst of evening’s drapery being drawn over the Tanglewood Meadow.

It had been a year—an entire year since Faris had quit Tremeshton—an entire year since the Highwayman of Tanglewood had stolen a kiss under the cloak of darkness. Yet the cherished memory had lingered in Faris’s mind, heart, and soul every day since. Often she fancied she heard the Highwayman’s raspy brogue—fancied her lips still warm and tingling from his kiss. In leaving Tremeshton, in meeting the Highwayman of Tanglewood, it seemed Faris’s life had begun anew—her heart awakened.

Yet Faris had not set eyes on the Highwayman since the night she had traveled to Loch Loland Castle. Each night of the year’s passing, Faris’s head lay on her pillow, her eyes closed as she reminisced upon her chance meeting with the fascinating rogue. Over and over, she dreamt of his broad shoulders, strength of body, and tantalizing kiss. Many were the evenings she had ventured to the Tanglewood Meadow at night—hoping, praying for another chance meeting with the dashing Highwayman. In vain she had hoped and prayed for it: she had never seen him again. Though the Highwayman of Tanglewood continued to battle the corrupt noble and wealthy, though his legend thrived as fast and as strong as the ivy clinging to the outer walls of Loch Loland Castle, it seemed Faris was doomed never to see him again. At least twice a week the Highwayman of Tanglewood was seen riding over the countryside—seen by others, but never again by Faris. Having stopped a rich man’s carriage or waylaid a corrupt nobleman, the Highwayman of Tanglewood continued to strip greedy and dishonest men of undeserved gold and riches—gold and riches taken by means of inflated rent charged to struggling tenants or by other equally treacherous means. Such pompous men, dishonest or not, were outraged at the very existence of the Highwayman of Tanglewood—furious at being bested by a common thief. Many deserving victims had hired men of questionable character to track down and detain Tanglewood’s famed Highwayman. All failed. The Highwayman of Tanglewood remained free, roaming Tanglewood and the surrounding countryside, championing the bitterly oppressed and unfairly abused.

Adjusting one fragrant sprig of lilac, Faris sighed, pleased with the results of her labors. Miss Lillias would find her chamber sweet-scented and brightened by the arrangement of lavender loveliness. Faris was happy in knowing she had contributed to the young woman’s being comfortable. Satisfied she had adequately finished with Miss Lillias’s chambers, Faris made her way down the hall to the abandoned, yet ever maintained, chambers of Miss Lillias’s brother, Lochlan.

Upon arriving at Loch Loland, Faris had been charged with the maintenance of three sets of chambers, as well as various other duties pertaining to the efficient running of the household. She had been flattered as well as humbled when Lady Rockrimmon had charged her with the bedchambers of both her children, and Faris maintained them well. The third chamber in her charge was the empty rooms across the hall from Miss Lillias. Having finished the empty chamber and then Miss Lillias’s, Faris opened the door and stepped into the large rooms of the absent Rockrimmon heir.

It was understood that Lochlan Rockrimmon—sole heir to the Rockrimmon titles and fortune—had been laboring far away managing his father’s affairs. It was nigh unto two years since the young heir had quit Loch Loland at his father’s bidding, yet Lady Rockrimmon begged his chambers be kept in readiness of his eventual return. At times, Faris thought her efforts to keep the young master’s room futile. Yet each time Lady Rockrimmon would thank Faris for her efforts, Faris’s heart would swell with contentment at having pleased her lovely benefactress.

“Shall I tidy your chambers today, young master of the manor?” Faris said aloud to herself as she looked about the lifeless chamber. “Has yesterday’s dust settled as yet?” Running one index finger across the water basin table nearby, she smiled. “Ah!” she said. “I see dusting is, indeed, in order.”

“Faris! Faris!”

Faris startled only slightly at the sound of Lillias calling her name. It was quite a common thing—Miss Lillias scurrying through Loch Loland Castle in search of Faris. Faris smiled, happy in knowing the young miss often sought her advice and assistance.

“Oh, there you are, darling!” Lillias exclaimed, bursting into the chamber, eyes bright with excitement.

“Yes, Lady Kendrick,” Faris greeted, sending Lillias’s eyes to even brighter illumination.

“Oh, how I love that you call me that, Faris!” Lillias giggled, green eyes lit pure with delight. “But you must not let father hear it. It does upset him so.”

“Because he loves his only daughter and is already missing her,” Faris said. She smiled.

Lillias Rockrimmon was the perfect image of youthful beauty. Eyes like soft green opal, hair as nut-brown as any chestnut, rosied cheeks, rubied lips. In short, Lillias Rockrimmon was the loveliest young woman Faris had ever seen. Her heart was good and kind as well. Lord Kendrick could count himself very fortunate indeed. Faris’s smile faded slightly—a wish flitting through her mind that she were such a beauty.

“Hush, Faris,” Lillias said. “You’ll well my eyes with tears, and I shall look a fright.” Lillias paused, looking about the room. “I do not know why mother insists you keep Lochlan’s rooms at the ready. It is yet two months before the wedding. He will not return until the very last possible moment.” Lillias smiled at Faris, reached out, and clasped her hands in her own. “But it is not Lochlan’s room that concerns we two at this moment.” Lillias looked about the room as if expectant upon finding they were not alone. Lowering her voice, she said, “The Highwayman of Tanglewood has been seen! Only an hour ago—in the broad light of day!”

“What?” Faris exclaimed in a whisper. Her heart increased the pace of its rhythm, for indeed it was an unprecedented event. “Surely not, miss!” Faris added. “He has never been seen in daylight before! Surely it would be too perilous for him to appear so!”

“Indeed! Yet it is true! Graybeau saw the Highwayman himself, as did two of Lord Tremeshton’s stablemen,” Lillias explained in an excited whisper.

“Lord Tremeshton’s men?” Faris asked.

Lillias laughed, her opal-green eyes flashing. “Yes! He’s done it again, Faris! Our beloved Highwayman has bested Lord Tremeshton once more. And in the bright light of day.”

Faris giggled, covering her mouth with one hand to stifle the delighted sound.

The arrogant Kade Tremeshton had fallen prey to the tricks of the Highwayman of Tanglewood once before. Bested at swords and fists, Kade Tremeshton had known the humiliation of being beaten by the Highwayman some months earlier. Lord Tremeshton had fallen ill and died only months after Faris had left Tremeshton Manor. His arrogant son, Kade, had inherited his title and wealth, as well as his greed. In his ravenous gluttony, Kade had more than doubled the rent he demanded from his tenants and had even begun to tax their livestock. How Faris had delighted in listening to the telling of the Highwayman of Tanglewood’s besting Kade Tremeshton. Now it seemed she was to enjoy another tale of Lord Kade Tremeshton’s humiliation at the Highwayman’s hand.

“Tell me, Miss Lillias!” Faris whispered. “Tell me the tale—in its entirety! Do not leave one word of it to be missing!”

Giggling with excitement, Lillias turned and closed the door to her brother’s chambers. Taking Faris’s hand, she led her to the massive bed before them, promptly sitting down on the sapphire velvet coverlet and pulling Faris to sit beside her.

“The tale was told to me thus,” Lillias began. “Lord Tremeshton—Kade the Heinous, as I prefer to refer to him—”

Faris could not help but giggle at Lillias’s favorite title for Lord Kade Tremeshton.

Lillias smiled and continued. “Kade the Heinous was out with two of his stablemen. It seems he has acquired a new mount and wished to try it—poor, miserable animal. Kade the Heinous, being the coward that he is, demanded two stablemen accompany him—in case the new mount was not to his satisfaction, so he said.”

Faris breathed a sigh of exasperation, rolling her eyes as well.

“Just what I feel,” Lillias continued. “To continue, they were there, the three of them, riding through the Tanglewood Forest. It is true, for Graybeau saw them, having been riding at the same time in exercising Jovan.”

Jovan was Lord Rockrimmon’s favorite mount. The magnificent bay was aging, however, and Lord Rockrimmon had lessened the frequency of riding the animal. Therefore, it was often Bainbridge Graybeau, Lord Rockrimmon’s favored stablemaster, who was asked to provide mild exercise for the beloved horse when Lord Rockrimmon himself did not have the time to do so. Bainbridge Graybeau was a strikingly handsome man, perhaps ten years Faris’s senior. A man to be admired—a man of honor. If Bainbridge Graybeau had seen the Highwayman of Tanglewood take Lord Kade Tremeshton to task, then it was the truth.

“There they were—Kade the Heinous, his two stablemen, and Graybeau just a ways beyond them, when from the direction of the meadow he rode, the Highwayman of Tanglewood—his black cape rippling in the breeze, the heated breath of his black steed bearing down upon them all.”

Faris smiled, delighted with the light of exhilaration in Lillias’s eyes. Lillias loved the tales of the Highwayman almost as much as Faris did. It was one of their secrets together—Lillias and Faris’s—their love for the tales of the Highwayman of Tanglewood.

“Oh, do go on, Miss Lillias!” Faris pleaded. “I am desperate to hear the whole of it!”

Lillias Rockrimmon smiled. How she adored Faris Shayhan! How thankful she was her mother had stolen her away from Tremeshton Manor to become her daughter’s friend. Lillias giggled, delighted by the luminous light of excitement flashing in Faris’s dark eyes. How plain Lillias felt in Faris’s presence. Faris’s dark hair, dark eyes, and long, dark lashes gave her the look of some magic being—as if she could gaze into the very depths of a soul, read each person’s thoughts and feelings. How glad she was Faris had come to Loch Loland Castle.

Faris seemed to love the tales of the Highwayman of Tanglewood even more than Lillias herself did. To Lillias this was nearly inconceivable—that someone could be more intrigued by the local rogue than she was—for the Highwayman was Lillias’s greatest intrigue. It was often Lillias dreamt of meeting the Highwayman, of pulling the infamous black mask from his face in revealing his true identity.

“Oh, isn’t this delicious, Faris?” Lillias squealed.

“Delicious!” Faris agreed.

“His steed reared up before Kade the Heinous’s new mount, frightening the poor beast into throwing his new master,” Lillias continued.

“Wonderful!” Faris exclaimed, clasping her hands with delight.

“Kade the Heinous fell flat on his backside, shouting at his stablemen to defend him from the Highwayman,” Lillias said. “They dismounted, drew swords—what lord provides his stablemen with swords for a daylight ride, I ask you?” Lillias said.

“The Highwayman did not dismount, however,” Lillias explained. “Rather his boot met with the chin of one stableman, who then found himself fairly sprawling as he fell to the ground, rendered entirely unconscious.”

“The Highwayman’s boot is not to be taken lightly,” Faris said, smiling so broadly her face began to ache.

“No indeed,” Lillias agreed. “Nor his rapier—for drawing it quickly, he disarmed the second stableman from astride his mount! Disarmed him, then met his chin with the same boot and sent him sprawling next to the first!”