Chapter 18

18

Visiting The Market

T he carriage stopped with a slight lurch. The footman alighted and came to open the door. Dakota exited the coach first, followed by Daisy and then the maid. Cameron opened the door on the other side and got out that way.

As soon as the Laird had left, Dakota had felt alone. She needed some company, and her mind had fallen to her siblings. She did not want to invite Delilah over after the last time—she still did not know where she stood with her sister or if she had intentions toward the Laird.

Dominic would come in a heartbeat and cause as much trouble as he could, but their father was in the midst of turning him from a boy into a man so he could one day assume his position.

That left her with Daisy, which was welcome. Of all her siblings, she was closest to Daisy, despite the age difference. It was fun to give her youngest sibling a proper tour of the castle and now explore the town with her.

The maid had come along to accompany them, and Cameron had insisted on being close to Dakota now that William was miles away.

"All right," said Cameron with a smile. "I need to talk to some men about clan business. We'll be in the tavern if ye need me."

"Aye, the tavern?" asked Dakota with her eyebrow raised.

Cameron smiled in return.

"Let me tell ye a wee somethin' about men, Daisy," Dakota said. She smiled at her sister before returning Cameron's smile. "They like to talk a lot of business. And that business often happens at drinkin' establishments."

"I could always accompany ye and yer sister, but I'm sure ye want some time to yerselves. If anythin', I'm doin' ye a favor."

"Is that so?" Dakota folded her arms across her chest and wore a broad grin. "I think it would be delightful if ye accompanied us around the market. I would feel much safer."

Cameron twisted his lips as he smiled. "I can see what the Laird sees in ye. I'll attend to me business."

Dakota and Daisy giggled as Cameron walked off.

"I cannae believe ye talk to a man that way!" stated Daisy.

"I'm the lady of a castle now." Dakota held her head high as she walked toward the market.

Daisy burst out laughing again and quickly followed behind, with the maid quickening her step to keep up.

"So, what is it like?" asked Daisy.

"What is what like?"

"Marriage? Is it everythin' ye thought it would be?"

"It's nothin' like I thought it would be. And speakin' of that, has Delilah said why she ran off and then reappeared to visit the castle?"

"I havenae really spoken to her about it." Daisy hopped over a puddle on the dirt road.

"Aye, I havenae either. I kenned she was never really one for marriage, but I dinnae think she would ever run off as she did." Dakota slowed her step a little so her sister could draw up alongside—she took her arm. "Me marriage dinnae get off to the best start, and I daenae ken if me marriage is in any way traditional now."

"Will ye have bairns?" asked Daisy. "I would love to be an aunt."

"I suppose I will," replied Dakota. "Aye, of course I will. It's the thing to do."

"I think that's why Delilah dinnae do it. She dinnae do well with doin' what she is supposed to do."

"I dinnae think I did either, but here I am."

"Aye, but ye are like that in a different way. Ye both are nae ones to follow conventions, but ye are more resilient than she is, and ye can handle a lot more."

"Daisy, for a lass of only seventeen, ye sure have a good head on yer shoulders. Where did all of yer wisdom come from?"

"It must have skipped the three of ye, and I got it all," smiled Daisy.

"I daenae doubt it! Now, the Laird told me I could get anythin' I wanted, and I wanted to thank ye for comin' down and spendin' a few days with me while I'm alone, so I'd like to get ye somethin' too."

"Ye daenae have to do that!" claimed Daisy. "I dinnae come down here just to be rewarded, and ye already sent a dozen of the Laird's men to bring me here."

"The road can be dangerous."

"Well, there was no danger when we rode here."

"Aye, but all the same, I dinnae want ye to be befallen by anythin'. And, I daenae care about all of that. I want to treat me sister, and I ken what it's like to grow up without anythin'. So, what will ye have today? A new dress? Some flowers?"

"Flowers? Maybe, dependin' on the flower. Can I tell ye a secret?"

"Anythin'."

"I've been readin' some books about healin', and I think I understand them well. Did ye ken that there are medicines for almost anythin', and they mostly come from plants and flowers? It's like nature put everythin' in our lives for a reason."

"So, ye do want flowers?"

"Nay, nae flowers, but maybe some leaves or the like. This town is big enough that there must be an apothecary. I daenae ken what I'll do with them, but it would be good to see the ingredients I've been readin' about and get to ken them a wee bit better."

"All right, then the apothecary shall be our first stop."

"Thank ye, Dakota!"

Dakota looked back to the maid, and she gestured with her head toward a group of stone buildings. Dakota let her lead the way, and they were soon ushered into a room filled with potent aromas. Dakota had never smelled anything like it in her life.

She could not help but smile when she saw the way Daisy's face lit up at the shelves of ingredients. Daisy ran quickly to one of the shelves and stopped dead in front of it, studying all the names on the small bottles and containers.

There was one other man in the apothecary who looked annoyed to be sharing the room with three women. He was far better dressed than most people in town, and Dakota instantly assumed he was a noble in some respect. Still, he looked like he did not fit in.

"Good day," said the young man behind the counter. "Are ye women lookin' for herbs for childbirth?"

Daisy looked around, but she was too shy to speak.

"Nay," said Dakota. "Me sister will be an expert healer one day. She is looking for some general supplies to take back home."

"A healer? I daenae ken about that. The lass must not be fifteen."

"I'm seventeen," stated Daisy.

"You ought to be careful," said the well-dressed man, revealing himself to be English, "your little friend might be thought a witch, and you do not want that. I'm sure you know what happens to witches."

"That's all nonsense," stated Daisy.

The Englishman looked aghast to be spoken to in such a manner by someone so young.

"Daisy!" scolded Dakota. "That is nae the way to treat people, especially nobility."

"Someone has some sense," said the man. "You need to keep an eye on her."

"I will," replied Dakota.

She did not fear the man, but there was something about him that she did not trust, and she did not often meet Englishmen so far from home. From the way he was dressed, he was not from around here.

She might not know much, but from her time with the Laird, she understood that there was some animosity between their clans and the English at the border. If he had ventured this far north, it was for a reason.

"Sullivan!" scolded the older man as he came through from the back room. "Why are ye nae helpin' Lady Rottrich?"

"Lady Rottrich?" asked Sullivan, the young apprentice. "I dinnae ken she was the Laird's wife."

"Did ye ask?" asked the older man.

"Nay, but—"

"Lady Rottrich, please excuse me apprentice—he still has a long way to go. If ye need any help, I'll see to ye meself. Sullivan, will you please help the gentleman with his order."

"Aye," said Sullivan. He skulked off to bring the bottles that had been brought from the back to the English gent.

"Now," said the older man, "has the Laird sent ye to pick up some medicines to restock the castle? I could have had them sent over for ye."

"Nay," replied Dakota. "I'm here with me sister, and she would like to gather some supplies so she might treat someone if need be."

The pharmacist regarded Daisy apprehensively , and it took him a moment to decide what to do. "Of course. Allow me to show the young lady what might be used by a healer."

Dakota enjoyed the feeling of power that came with being wed to the Laird. She had not expected that she would not be able to take her sister shopping, but the world was more complicated than she knew.

"Lady Rottrich," said the Englishman when Dakota was alone. "I cannot believe my luck. I had been hoping to meet you someday. I am good friends with the Laird, and I hope you do not mind me making your acquaintance."

"I have not yet made your acquaintance," said Dakota.

"I must apologize for suggesting anything untoward about your sister, but you must be careful in some parts. Some people can be very barbaric. I do not subscribe to the notion that women are witches because they can do what a man can, but many do."

"Aye," said Dakota warily.

"Well, I shall not keep you—I believe your sister has found what she is looking for. I hope she has a fruitful and safe journey through life."

"Aye, thank ye," said Dakota.

The Englishman tipped his hat and took his leave. As soon as he was gone, Daisy skipped over with a bundle of ointments, tinctures, and salves in her arms, along with other ingredients.

"Thank ye, Dakota. I daenae ken how I can thank ye for this."

"There is nay need, Daisy. I am just happy to help ye."

"Ye dinnae like that man, did ye?"

"Nay, I dinnae. There was somethin' about him that I dinnae like, and I cannae quite put me finger on it."

"I couldnae help but notice the ingredients he was buyin'," said Daisy.

"What do ye mean?"

"They might have been for other reasons, but I saw him buyin' hemlock and foxglove, and they can be very dangerous if used in the wrong dose. I'm sure it was nothin', but I wouldnae want to be around a man like that."

"Then we must make sure we daenae run into him again."