Enraptured by the Highlander

Her maid rested the tray on the table. “May I see?”

It was not proper for a servant to touch their master’s letters much less read them but Adelaine did not care and nearly thrust the paper into Martha’s hands. Even though it was not done for a servant to know how to read but Adelaine had taught Martha years ago. Both of them kept it a secret.

Touching the rough grain suddenly felt repugnant to her. She looked at the food Martha had brought and felt her hunger from before dry up. She stood and went to the window, looking at the dark keep.

How can I keep this from him?

“Oh dear,” Martha said, and Adelaine turned, her grim expression meeting a worried one.

“The man is innocent, Martha,” she said, swallo

wing over a tight throat. “I did what you said and tested him about Peter and not once, not once, he changed his story. If you hear him talk about his love for protecting life and saw the emotions in his eyes, you’d realize that he is the farthest thing from a cold-hearted murderer.”

She sank to the seat again and framed her face with her hands. “I don’t know what to do now.”

“I cannot say, My Lady,” Martha said regrettably.

“There must be something—someone who can—wait…”

“It does because yer faither doesnae ken the truth of the matter. Dae ye ken of a man named Robert Duglas?”

She launched up and ran to her desk and began rummaging for pen and paper. “There is a way! Caelan told me himself. I just need to find Robert Duglas and get him to come home and testify that Caelan is innocent.”

This is the only way.

“My Lady,” Martha said. “Please, stop and think about this! If you do summon Sir Duglas, your father will know that you went to speak with him. He would have never allowed you to do so in his presence. What do you think he’ll do when he knows you’ve gone to see this man without him being there?”

Adelaine stopped cold. Martha was as prudent as ever. She would be in trouble if this was traced back to her. Her father would not be forgiving that she had taken away any chance to prove Caelan innocent. He would not understand or care but then…she remembered the lashes on the man’s back and her heart hardened.

“I don’t have to state that directly,” Adelaine said. “I can write a congratulatory letter and mention that my father is seeking to kill the prisoner for his crimes. If that does not have him coming back to defend his honor and set things right, then nothing else will.”

“I do hope you’re right,” Martha said. “Let me bring a lamp to you so you’ll have more light.”

When her lamp was set before her, Adaline determinedly wrote the letter to the knight. She had to believe that what Caelan said was true. She could not allow any doubt to filter in. When she had finished it, her food was cold, and Martha had to take it back the kitchen to reheat it. She quickly looked to the almost-invisible keep, as shrouded in black as it was, and breathed out deeply.

This is the best I can to do help you, Caelan. I don’t know if there is anything more in my power.

Martha came back with her reheated stew and with her now-consoled state of mind, her appetite had come back. She ate heartily and took a bath before bed. The letter was sealed and ready to be sent off in the morning. Hopefully, Robert would come back before her father did. That night was the first in almost five nights that she slept soundly.

The morning mist had not even lifted completely from the ground when Adelaine saw the back of the messenger riding away with her message in hand. Robert might be at the capital with the King but she had worded the letter superbly. The man would prove his salt when he decoded what the really meant and came to rescue an innocent soul.

Happy, she turned back to the inside and went to her rooms for her morning meal. There and looking out, she spotted the short, squat body of Mrs. Hertha hurrying to the keep with Caelan’s food. That brought another smile from her. As God was her witness, she was going to see this man free.

Another maid, Anne came in with her repast. “Good morning, My Lady. Please pardon Martha, she is at the washhouse taking care of your clothing.”

“That’s fine, Anne,” she nodded as the tray was placed on her table. “How do you do?”

“Not bad this morning, My Lady,” Anne nodded. “Not bad at all. Thank you for asking. And you?”

“Honestly,” Adelaine said as she sipped the milk. “I am still sad about Peter. I don’t think I will ever get over his death. He was so dear to me…to us all.”

“My sympathies, My Lady, Viscount Daffield was beloved by all of us,” Anne said. “He treated us very kindly.”

“I know he did,” Adelaine sighed while looking at her plate which was covered with brown crusty bread and baked apple slices. “Thank you, Anne.”

She used the honey spoon to drizzle the sweet fluid over the bread and apples and then began to eat. Her morning had been off to a good start but the mention of Peter had her feeling a little remorseful. But looking out at Mrs. Hertha coming away from the keep tugged her lips into a smile.

God may judge me for dishonoring my father but he won’t charge me for saving the life of another man.