The Lady's Highlands

Part 3

Where I am right now, I can't post, but I can write. And I've finished a chapter. It's short, but the next one should be longer.

Anyway, this story is not goig to be very long. I'm not going for any kind of realistic amount of time for Evrett and Scarlette's romance, so don't be surprised at how fast it transitions. Anyway, maybe 5 parts left. Maybe.

EDIT

Here it is, guys, enjoy :) 

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“Oh Scarlette, it is so beautiful here, is it not?” Lillia beamed in referral to the garden that she and her older sister walked through. Or perhaps she was referring to the keep in general. “I wonder if I would be allowed to add some lilies to the garden. You know that they have always been my favorite of all flowers!” She clasped her hands before her and continued her mindless chatter, “How lucky I am to have such a wonderful new home and future husband! I simply cannot wait until he calls me wife for the very first time.”

Scarlette sighed inwardly, though she used the many lessons her mother taught her in self control to keep the distaste from her expression. She did not trust that man as far as she could throw him, but Lillia was not in need of that knowledge.

Lillia did not take Scarlette’s silence for dissent. She didn’t even notice it, as a matter of fact, and kept on jabbering about her hopes and dreams related to Duke Lozen Undart. Scarlette’s skin crawled at the mere thought of his name.

Much to her dismay, and Lillia’s equal pleasure, the aforementioned man joined the sisters in the garden.

“How do you bide this morning, my love?” He asked sweetly as he took Lillia’s hand and kissed the back of it. His eyes never leaving her.

“Well, My Lord Duke. I trust your own morning has been enjoyable?” She asked, the devotion in her eyes bleeding into the surrounding air, a trait that any man would be lucky to find in a wife. How unfair that it was this man who found it first.

Scarlette’s anger spiked as she beheld the spark of mischief in his eyes. A spark that only one who did something they knew to be wrong simply for the thrill of the danger in it. It took not a fool to tell what that spark meant, though it seemed that Lillia may have been that fool. Her expression never changed. She viewed her intended through rose colored lenses as she did the rest of the world. How foolish. But Scarlette remailed hopeful that Lillia would stay a fool, for it was simply childlike innocence in adulthood that was considered foolish. What could be wrong with being a pretty fool if it saved one from heartache?

“I did My Lady. I had a very enjoyable morning indeed, though the exertion has made me as fatigued as I was when I laid down my head last night.”

Scarlette’s anger quickly made her sick to her stomach, and she knew that she had to leave his and Lillia’s presence or she would blurt out the curses that came to mind. He was so crass, so disgusting. He flaunted his infidelity before her as if she meant nothing to him, not even enough to hide it. Had Lillia been any less sheltered she would have recognized what he spoke of, but as it was she had not an idea.

“I’ll be on my way now. I have more explorin’ to get done.” She piped before Lillia could reply and continue that conversation any longer than it already lasted.

“Where have you been exploring, may I ask?” The Duke’s eyes sent a warning that Scarlette understood all too well. He knew that she was perfectly aware of his ministrations with his mistress, if there is only one.

“The highlands.” She answered shortly.

“My Lady, I must protest. It is dangerous to wander around the lands where those barbarians reside. Please, at least allow an escort to accompany you. You have not met the Laird of those lands, so I do not fault you for your ignorance. He is a brute of a man, one who would take you as soon as look at you with no assent of yours. He barely speaks the natural tongue, and he wears a necklace of human bones and teeth. He is a dangerous man, Lady.”

Scarlette thought of the Laird Evrett that she met the day before as compared to the description of the man provided then. There was no comparison. Truthfully, it was complete fabrication unless the man she met was not indeed the Laird, which was a possibility. But she would not believe the word of an adulterer over the word of a man who had not yet had a chance to prove himself.

“M’lord Duke, understand that I’m perfectly well capable of takin’ care of m’self. I’ll be off now.”

“You are making a very dangerous mistake, Lady Scarlette. You will most likely be killed at the hands of Laird Evrett Hogarth if you venture out alone on this day.”

Lillia gasped, “Scarlette, please do not go! At least take a guard! The Duke only wants to protect you, sister, please allow him too.”

Scarlette sighed. His intentions were not to protect her, they were to cage and control her. The less time she had to herself, the less time she had to collect proof of the Duke’s own disloyalty. Little did he know, Scarlette planned on letting Lillia find out for herself. There was nothing she could do to either stop the wedding, his adultery, or convince Lillia of his untruthfulness. She would have to find out for herself and learn to handle it on her own time.

“I’ll change my plans and go inta town if tha’ makes ya feel better. But I donna want an escort, I’m perfectly able to look after myself.” She glared at the Duke and turned on her heel. She distinctly heard Lilla’s giggle from behind her as she danced away.

Of course, she was ordered to be followed in secret, but she quickly lost the guards and made her way beyond the castle grounds in the opposite direction of town. She was going back to the highlands. She wanted to be among the trees, the grass, the heather, and the unrestrained wind yet again.

It was not until an hour had passed that she heard the voice call out to her.

“So yer back, then.”

She turned and smiled at the large man before her, “M’laird, how pleasant to see ya again. I’ve heard the most interesting stories about ya since yesterday and I’m quite disappointed that yer no’ wearin’ the necklace of human bones and teeth I was promised.”

Evrett raided an incredulous eyebrow, “What’er ya talkin about, lassie?”

She laughed, a sound that was more musical than the birds in the summer breeze, “Have you no’ heard what they say about ya?”

Evertt boomed a laugh of his own, “Of course I have! I was just surprised ye’d bring it up to my face.”

She shrugged, “How else would I find the truth?”

“Ah, there’s the rub.” Evrett extended his hand, “Would ya like ta come see my village?”

Without a second thought, Scarlette extended her hand and placed her within his. He was special, and she wanted to be around him. Scarlette always believed that fate would knock her askew when she was meant to be, and she felt in the very depths of her soul that this man was her fate. Even the wind seemed to agree, it blew her towards him as he pulled her to his side to lead her to his village.