The Highwayman of Tanglewood (25 page)

“I look forward to it, Lillias dear,” Tannis said.

Faris knew she would need to tend to Lady and Tannis Stringham’s things immediately—air out their dresses and petticoats, tend to their vanity. Yet she must attempt to seek out Bainbridge once more. She must attempt to send assistance to Lochlan.

Hurrying through the kitchen, she left the house by way of the servants’ entrance door. Perhaps Bainbridge had returned to the stables by now. Perhaps she would find him at last! Her heart pounded with anxiety and worry for her young master’s welfare as she started toward the stables.

“I see you’ve met Lochlan’s intended.”

Faris gasped as none other than Lord Kade Tremeshton himself stepped from behind a large oak growing near the kitchen door.

Panic mingled with relief in Faris—panic at the sudden appearance of the abhorrent man, relief at realizing his presence at Loch Loland meant he was in no way besting Lochlan.

“E-excuse me, Lord Tremeshton,” Faris said. She must escape—not only for her own sake but for Lochlan’s. She must find Bainbridge. Making to move past him, she said, “I’ve—I’ve duties to attend to.”

“Duties, is it?” Kade asked, taking hold of her arm. “You had unfinished duties when you quit Tremeshton, did you not?”

“You will release me at once,” Faris told him.

She was frightened, for he was indeed a strong man, and there was no Lochlan Rockrimmon wielding a sword nearby this time. Yet, if he attempted to inconvenience her further, she would indeed give a good accounting of herself. She looked at him, studied his bruised and bloodied face, his swollen nose. It would be her mark. Should she need to defend herself from him, she would strike him where Lochlan Rockrimmon had already tenderized his flesh and bone.

“Do not presume to speak to me in such a manner, girl!” he growled. “I am Lord Tremeshton, and you will succumb!”

“Succumb? To you? Unhand me at once or I shall take to screaming!” Faris demanded.

In the next instant, however, Kade Tremeshton twisted her arm, turning her and holding her back against his body. Faris opened her mouth to scream but was silenced when he covered her mouth with his free hand.

“It was foolish—your coming here, leaving Tremeshton Manor,” he growled in her ear. “To think you could escape me by running to Maranda Rockrimmon and her pathetic son. Foolish!”

Determined to escape him, Faris reached back over her head with her free arm. Taking hold of his hair in one desperate fist, she pulled as hard as she could, simultaneously stomping on his foot with the heel of her shoe. It was enough to distract him into releasing her, and she ran.

“You will not run from me again, Faris!” he shouted as she pushed against the servants’ door and stumbled into the kitchen.

“Mary!” she cried. “Joseph! Help me!” Frantically she glanced about the room. It was empty, and fear gripped her tighter as Kade burst into the room.

“Do not make this so difficult, Faris,” he growled. “Do not vex me further. I warn you!”

He would catch her; she knew he would. Still, if she could just make her way back to the great hall, perhaps Lady Rockrimmon and the others would yet be there. Surely Kade would not assault her with Lady Rockrimmon present.

Faris felt the floor come up fast to meet her—felt Kade’s strong hand at her ankle. He had tripped her, and she was sent sprawling to the floor. Taking hold of the back of her dress, he pulled her to her feet, trying to grasp her arm. Faris fought him, slapping his hands and face, beating her fists against his solid chest. She managed to hit him square in one eye, and he winced, letting go of her for moment. A moment was all she needed, and she leapt from his grasp, dashing away once more.

“Milady!” she cried out as she ran. “Milady!” Surely she was close enough to the great hall to be heard. She felt her head jerk back painfully, the villain having caught hold of her hair. “Milady!” she cried as tears escaped her eyes. Instinct told her to remain still—not to struggle for the moment. Thus, she pretended to be completely powerless as Kade took hold of her chin. Surely someone had heard her calling! Surely Lady Rockrimmon had heard her. Old Joseph and the others would find her any moment. Surely they would.

“What a fuss, Faris,” Kade said glaring down at her. He released her hair, but held tightly to her chin. His breath reeked of spirits, and Faris thought she might vomit from the smell of it. “All this to avoid a man most woman endeavor to catch? All this to avoid a kiss?” Faris glared at him as he said, “That is correct, Faris—only a kiss. It is all I’ve ever wanted of you,” he lied. As his head descended toward hers, Faris spit at his eyes. He winced, and she managed to pull free of his grasp.

“I would rather die!” she cried out.

“That can well be arranged!” he growled, lunging at her.

Faris was quick and avoided his grasp, running toward the great hall once more. She could see the light streaming in from the large windows of the great hall. A few more steps and perhaps she would be safe. She could not believe she was running—running through the hall of Loch Loland Castle—running from persistent evil in the broad light of day.

“Milady!” she cried, her voice soft, lost with fear and the fatigue of eluding her predator.

She was stopped short of the great hall, however—stopped short of Lady Rockrimmon and rescue—stopped by the powerful arms of Lochlan Rockrimmon himself as he drew her against the security of his strong body. In that brief moment, Faris clung to him, clutching his shirt in her fists and inhaling the protecting scent of him, leather, cedar and mint.

“You bastard!” Lochlan shouted. “Have you no other wish than to die?”

“Lay out of this, Rockrimmon!” Kade growled. “I have unfinished business with this wench!”

Faris heard the gasps of Lady Rockrimmon, Lillias, Lady Stringham, and Tannis as they entered the hallway to find such a scene awaiting them.

“You have unfinished business with
me
!” Lochlan shouted. As gently as was possible in his current state of rage, Lochlan pushed Faris aside, aggressing toward Kade.

“Lochlan!” Lady Rockrimmon cried out the moment her son’s powerful fist met with Kade Tremeshton’s jaw. “Beat him to a pulp, and throw him out of Loch Loland! Throw him out!” she cried.

Faris stumbled back until she stood against the wall. She could not believe what was transpiring before her! Kade stooped and lunged at Lochlan, catching him around the waist and forcing him backward. Still, Lochlan’s fist came down hard several times in the middle of Kade’s back, until the villain was forced to release Lochlan and take several steps back. Lochlan, however, was not satisfied. With brutal force, Lochlan took hold of Kade’s hair, bringing the blackguard’s head down to meet his raised knee. Kade fell to the floor, writhing in pain, nose bleeding.

“Your life was spared once for trespassing against me and mine!” Lochlan shouted. “And yet I have given my father my word I will not kill you—at least, not this day. Therefore, leave out of my father’s house, Tremeshton! And if you ever step foot in it again, I promise your life will not be spared thrice!”

“She is a chambermaid!” Kade panted, pointing to Faris.

“She is
my
chambermaid!” Lochlan growled, violently kicking Kade in the midsection. “And far beyond that,” Lochlan said, taking Kade by the collar of his shirt and pulling him to his feet, “she is a woman!”

His final blow to Kade’s jaw appeared nearly lethal, and Faris gasped as Lochlan dropped Kade’s unconscious body to the floor. Old Joseph and several other male servants arrived. They stood, jaws agape as they looked on.

“Throw him out, Joseph,” Lochlan growled. “Literally, throw him out.”

“Yes, sire,” Old Joseph said. “However, he is unconscious. Shall I leave him on the steps or have someone escort him home?”

“Find his mount and tie him to it. Slap its hind quarters—no doubt the beast will know the path to its filthy home!” Lochlan shouted.

“I-I do not understand his presence here, Loch,” Lady Rockrimmon said. “Were you not to meet him in the Tanglewood to receive the papers of entitlement?”

“Indeed,” Lochlan said. “And I rode out. Yet he was not there, nor did he arrive in a reasonable amount of time.”

“Do you mean to tell us—do you mean to imply it was a farce, Loch? Did he draw you away from Loch Loland for some reason?” Lillias asked. “Did he draw you away for—for this?” she asked, looking to Faris.

“It is long I have heard of your Highwayman of Tanglewood,” Tannis said. “I will see him for myself before I believe any more of your tales of Tanglewood’s thief!”

Faris stood paralyzed with awed astonishment as she watched every other soul present hasten toward the grand doors. Yet she—she who already knew of certain he was genuine—she could not move.

Instantly, Faris’s need to see her beloved Highwayman overcame her distress at being assaulted by Kade Tremeshton. She rushed toward the open doors of Loch Loland Castle, followed the others down the massive steps and onto the front walkway.

At the mere sight of him in the distance, her heart leapt! Astride his midnight steed, black cloak billowing in the breeze he shouted, “Lochlan Rockrimmon! ’Twas pinned to a tree in the Tanglewood Forest that I found these parchments!”

Faris smiled. She had never heard his voice raised above a raspy low speech. His angry shouting deepened the intonation of it—strong, demanding, and triumphant was its tone.

Drawing a dagger from his boot, the Highwayman of Tanglewood drove the blade through a set of parchments and into a nearby tree. “They be meant for ye, Rockrimmon!”

At that instant, Kade Tremeshton’s mount appeared at a trot—the limp body of Kade Tremeshton draped over the saddle. Old Joseph had not delayed in obeying his young master’s orders. Of a sudden, something seemed to startle the horse, and it hastened its pace.

Faris watched, breathless with delight and wonderment as the Highwayman drew his rapier, rearing his steed for a long moment.

“And I thank ye for sendin’ the blackguard me way,” the Highwayman shouted as he rode out after Kade Tremeshton.

Faris watched the Highwayman ride until she could no longer see him for the thickness of the trees. Her heart was lightened as she thought of their pending rendezvous. Only three days’ time and she would be with him again! She smiled, knowing it would be so—knowing Lochlan had returned unscathed—knowing Kade Tremeshton would return to Tremeshton Manor quite thoroughly thwarted.

“Well, I can see you’re not at a loss for excitement here at Loch Loland Castle, Maranda,” Lady Stringham said.

Faris looked to Lady Stringham and her daughter. Both stood glaring at Faris as if the entire incident were her fault.

“Forgive me, Lady Stringham—Tannis,” Lochlan began, running one hand through his hair in an effort to straighten its tousled appearance. “Kade Tremeshton and I have been building toward blows for a very long time. I’m sorry the fact gained summit at the very moment of your arrival.”

“Not at all, Lochlan,” Tannis said. An entirely bewitching smile spread across her lovely face as she took hold of his arm. “I think it quite chivalrous—your championing your little chambermaid.”

“As fate would have it, Kade has harbored an odd obsession with Faris for some time now,” Lady Rockrimmon explained.

“I cannot fathom why,” Lady Stringham said. “She’s a plain enough girl.”

Faris took no offense at Lady Stringham’s belittling. The woman had earlier made it clear she thought Faris capable of distracting Lochlan and therefore only further endeavored to banish the fact.