Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

B ernard looked out at the green spring grass all around him and smiled. The landscape reminded him of that around Castle Benlieth, where he had been born and raised and where he still lived. The hills there were gentler, but a feeling of peace rested upon him as he lay on the ground around the fire they had made to cook their evening meal. He knew he was with friends; indeed, he and William had been close since his mother had taken the position of cook at the castle when they were both only three years old.

In fact, they were, for all intents and purposes, brothers since William did not have a mother and Bernard did not have a father. Although Laird Ballantine and Moira Taggart were on different rungs of the social ladder, they were firm friends because of their children. This meant that in effect, Bernard and William had a family that was both fragmented but held together with bonds of friendship and love. It was all Bernard had ever known, and it suited him. As well as that, he had received a first-class education, even though he knew he would never be counted among the upper echelons of society, being merely a guard at the castle.

Now, as he watched the night creeping in, he sighed with contentment. He expected the next few days to be intensely exciting and entertaining. As well as that, he hoped that as a red-blooded male he would meet plenty of the kinds of young women who would give him some "carnal pleasure," as William had so delicately put it.

Initially, when Laird Ballantine had received the invitation, his son had been none too pleased. "Damn!" he said irritably as he crumpled up the parchment after reading it. "Andrew and Alasdair Stewart have invited us to be guests at their home for a week of festivities and competition between the brothers to decide who will inherit the lairdship of Howdenbrae."

Bernard picked up the invitation, straightened out the paper, and read it. "It sounds like a fine piece of entertainment," he observed. "Why are you unhappy about it?"

"Have you ever met Andrew and Alasdair Stewart?" William asked gloomily.

Bernard shook his head.

"How can I put this politely…" William stared into the sky as if for inspiration, then he made a moue of disgust as if something rotten had crossed his tongue. "They are…oh, to hell with politeness. I have heard from one of my good friends, Lady Georgina Bell, that they are both spoiled and stupid, and quite frankly, the world would be better off without them. She says she has never met two people she dislikes more, and she is not one to speak ill of people as a rule."

"So will your father refuse the invitation?" Bernard asked.

The two young men had been sitting eating their midday meal together, and he looked over at William while chewing a chicken leg.

"My father will go, and he will frog-march me there if he has to. And I will frog-march you." He grinned, then suddenly perked up. "There is one ray of sunshine, though."

Bernard raised his eyebrows in a question. "Please tell me," he ordered, grinning. "I have a feeling that this is going to be interesting."

"They have a sister. Her name is Janice, and she is said to be a beauty," he answered. "Not only that but she is said to be clever and knows how to handle people no matter who they are." He took a sip of ale. "I will wager you a sovereign that she has done everything to organize and host this event because the brothers can barely be bothered to do anything more strenuous than get out of bed in the morning." His voice was so scathing that Bernard was astonished.

"It sounds as if you would like Janice to be the laird," he observed.

"I would," Bernard answered, nodding. "She would make a much better one than either of those two wastrels."

"She sounds like quite a woman," Bernard remarked, sipping his ale. "But even if she could be a laird, we would not want her to be managing the estate because such a strong personality would not be easily influenced."

"True," William sighed. "What we need is a weak-natured simpleton."

"Which, according to your description, is exactly what we are going to get." Bernard grinned. "No matter which of them is chosen."

Now, as he looked into the darkening sky, Bernard found himself fidgeting with impatience. It had been a long time since his last conquest, a young chambermaid who worked in the castle. They had been watching each other for months, but when their opportunity finally came, it had not met his expectations, and he had spurned her other advances, much to his shame. It had caused such bad feelings between them that she had found employment elsewhere, making him feel wretched and guilty.

However, if he were going to be in Howdenbrae Castle for no more than a week, Bernard hoped that he could pursue a dalliance with a like-minded young lady with no commitment on either side. The very thought of it made him throb and caused his shaft to stiffen.

He looked across at William, who was also lying down, looking up at the sky with a slight smile on his face. In appearance, he and his friend were like night and day. William and his father were typically Scottish in height and build.

Bernard, in contrast, was exceptionally tall. In a country where most people were short, he stood at two inches above six feet, a height which made most people stare at him in amazement. Also, with his dark wavy hair and hazel eyes, he did not resemble the rest of his fellow Scots, making him a real object of curiosity.

William turned sideways and met Bernard's gaze. "Why are you looking so thoughtful?" he asked. "What evil notions are going through your head?"

Bernard sat up and put his head on his knees. "I was just thinking about Agnes Boyle," he replied sadly. "I did not treat her well."

William grimaced and shook his head. "Bad business, my friend," he remarked. "Put it out of your mind and resolve not to let it happen again."

"Do you think there will be any willing young ladies there?" Bernard asked thoughtfully.

William grinned. "I was just wondering the same thing," he mused. Then he grinned. "We can only wait and hope, my friend. Go to sleep."

The next day was damp and misty—not a day conducive to riding and certainly not for long distances. The little party still had a number of miles to go, and although the day was still dry, the mud from the rain of a few days before still clung to the earth. Although it had crusted over, looking deceptively dry, it was as slippery as oil underneath. The pack horses' hooves slid from underneath them, and they had to stop many times to pick up baggage that had fallen from their backs.

"This is a nightmare," William said, massaging his forehead. A headache was beginning just behind his eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to lie down and go to sleep.

His father looked at him, concerned. Laird Malcolm Ballantine had only one son, and he was glad of it at this moment. He would not have wanted to be in the same quandary as Laird Stewart, not being able to choose between two of them.

Now he looked at William in concern. "All right, Son?" he asked, frowning.

"I am fine, Father," William replied with a strained smile. "I have been in the saddle for too long, that is all. Are we close now?"

"Let me go ahead and see if I can find anything that might help us," Bernard offered. "We cannot be too far away now." With that, he urged his mount into a canter and rode on ahead, soon climbing to the top of a small hill in front of them.

From there, he looked over a shallow valley dotted with grazing sheep and the occasional clump of gorse bushes, over which the road curved into the distance until it reached a building on the horizon. He could not see it in detail yet, but it was clearly a massive structure, with many pointed towers reaching into the sky. Even though the mist hid its full imposing height, it was impressive. This, it seemed, was Howdenbrae Castle.

Bernard was about to turn his horse away and ride back the way he had come to break the good news, but presently he saw a rider coming toward him, moving at great speed. They were still at some distance, but he could tell that it was a woman by the fact that she was riding sidesaddle. He reflected that she must be an expert horsewoman to be able to ride at such speed with such a cumbersome and unwieldy seat.

After a few moments, Bernard realized that she was making straight for him, and he waited until she was a few hundred yards away before advancing to meet her.

My God, she's beautiful, he thought, as she drew up beside him and a pair of large, silver-grey eyes looked into his. Her hair, wavy and dark, was tangled about her wind-flushed face, but he could see that it fell all the way down her back to an extremely slender waist. His body stirred at once.

"Who are you?" she demanded, frowning.

It was not a polite request, but he bowed in the saddle nevertheless. "Bernard Taggart of Clan Ballantine, mistress," he replied. "Might I ask your name?"

"I am Janice Stewart," she replied proudly. "Mistress of Howdenbrae Castle."

"Ah!" Bernard smiled. "Are you the sister of Andrew and Alasdair Stewart?"

He saw a spasm of irritation cross her lovely face before it was quickly hidden.

"I am," she replied neutrally. "I assume you are coming for the festivities?"

"Indeed we are," Bernard confirmed. "I am one of the laird's men." It was the closest thing Bernard could think of to describe the strange relationship between himself and the family.

She nodded. "I thought so. I wrote your master's invitation out myself."

Bernard smiled even though the term master irritated him. However, this woman was not to know the unusual relationship that he enjoyed with William and the laird.

"I came to scout out the road ahead, and the rest of the party is following behind me."

"I see." Janice's voice was brittle. She did not feel like explaining to this stranger how desperately she needed to escape the confines of the castle for a while. "Then I will accompany you to the castle."

"Thank you, mistress," Bernard replied, smiling widely. He was truly delighted. This young woman was as lovely as he had been told, and he could not help but admire her. As well as that, the curvaceous lines of her body had awakened every one of his masculine urges, and he was suddenly finding his saddle very uncomfortable.

"I will wait here," she told him, turning her horse around to face the castle again.

Bernard turned around and retraced his horse's steps. He felt quite shaken by the encounter with the loveliest woman he had seen for a long while, and he knew that William would be too. He could not wait to see William's face when he unleashed his stupendous surprise.

"We are very close now," Bernard announced as soon as he emerged from the trees again. "There is a shallow glen beyond the trees and a castle on the hill about a mile after that. That is our destination."

"Thank God for that!" William rubbed his backside as he mounted up again. "This is killing me!"

Laird Ballantine grinned. "You cannot die yet, Son," he pointed out. "We have many, many ears to whisper into when we get to Howdenbrae."

He narrowed his eyes, then winked, and William sighed. The whole enterprise was beginning to sound like a mountain of very hard work.

"Indeed we have," Bernard agreed, winking at his friend. "And do not forget that we might also be the target of some who are making plans of their own."

William scowled at his friend. "If I looked like you, it would be much easier. The ladies swoon at your feet, and don't deny it."

"Thank you, William," he replied. He knew that he was handsome; there was no point in denying it, but he did not have William's exuberant, outgoing personality. Now he said, "Looks fade, but a warm personality and a good sense of humor last forever. Don't be so hard on yourself."

William had opened his mouth to answer when they emerged from under the trees and saw a woman sitting on a chestnut horse facing the castle. She turned at the sound of their approach, and William's mouth dropped open in astonishment.