Chapter 15

Selina found herself laughing. Dai grinned a lopsided smile and sat himself under the tree Selina had chosen, his face shadowed by the trunk. She sat down next to him, and he produced a bag from inside a pocket of his jacket.

"Tobacco?" he offered, holding up a thick wad of foul-smelling brown substance.

Selina wrinkled her nose. "No, thank you. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. I don't remember much of my arrival at Valebridge. I have a vague memory of a light floating in the dark but…that's all until I awoke in the Castle."

Dai produced a clay pipe and stuffed the wad of tobacco into it, then produced a tin with a flint in it. He struck a spark and lit his pipe, drawing deeply on it to light its contents. Selina tried to ignore the odor that arose from it as he sighed contentedly.

"Aye, probably me that was. I was carrying a lantern see. I had been out checking my traps and got caught in the rain. The difference between us is that I was close to shelter. You…god knows where you was heading when I found you."

"I was trying to find Valebridge," Selina said.

"Well, you've found it now, haven't you? Unless you haven't. Unless you is out on these hills in the rain because you're running away again?"

Selina looked at him pointedly, about to make a remark about his prying manner. But he fixed her with a shrewd, coal-black stare and she found herself disarmed.

"How do you know I am running away?" she asked instead.

"Now as then, you is out in the worst of God's weather with nothing but the clothes on your back. Not even a mare this time. What are you running from this time then?"

"The Duke," Selina said.

She marveled at her candor with this man. This poacher. Probably a vagrant who slept in the woods.

Why am I telling him anything at all? I do not know him. He could be anybody!

One thing Dai certainly wasn't though, was a spy for the Dowager Countess or any other member of the ton. The very idea made Selina smile. Glancing at Dai, she saw round eyes and an offended expression.

"I was not laughing at you, Dai. Just thinking how unlikely it would be that you are allied with any of the people I or Arthur would consider an…enemy shall we say."

"Aye, it is unlikely. Arthur, is it? Well, he be the Duke to me. And why would you be running from him? Brute, is he?"

"No, he is the perfect gentleman. I am the brute, so to speak. My actions have forced him into proposing to me."

Dai burst into laughter as he inhaled on his pipe. The result was a choking, wheezing cough that had him doubled over. Selina helpfully patted his back. When he looked up, his eyes were wide and watering.

"Forced a man like him to propose, did you?" he spluttered, "put a gun to his head, did you?"

"Obviously not. But I left him no choice. My father was attempting to marry me to a man I did not wish to marry. By agreeing to marry me, Arthur will prevent that from happening."

"Good for you then. And for him too."

"I don't see what he stands to gain. That's the problem. I've forced his hand and now he resents me."

"Don't see what he stands to gain?! You're a beautiful gal! And unless he's gone blind since I last saw him, he knows it. Nothing to gain!"

Dai scoffed, raising his eyes heavenward. Selina looked at him askance. "I am not naive, Mr…."

She waited for him to give his name, but he just looked at her levelly. "Dai," he said, "just Dai."

"He is a Duke. He should be marrying a high-ranking member of the ton…"

"Ton? What that then? A weight? What's that to do with the price of sheep?" Dai interrupted.

"Our society," Selina tried to explain, "the nobility."

"Bugger them," Dai said, "you don't think the Dukes his own man? If he does something, it be because he wants it. He's a toff like all of them, on the surface at least. Tells himself he has to do somethings when actually he doesn't. But, underneath, he's a man. Just like me. So, I wouldn't wonder about him. If he wants to marry you it's because, deep down, he wants to be your husband."

Selina found herself strangely comforted by this rough, country logic. There was a kind of sense to it. She smiled and Dai chuckled.

"See, there's old Mr. Sun peeking through over there. All it took was a smile from you."

There was indeed a patch of blue in the distance, through which a ray of pale light was playing over the hillside. She remembered her conversation with Gracie then and looked at Dai quizzically.

"Did you know the old Duke, Dai?"

Dai bit his lip before almost bursting into a fit of laughter. "Know him? I knew who he was. Man like me doesn't get to know toffs like him."

"You know Arthur though," Selina pointed out.

"Knew him when he was a boy, didn't I. Taught him to track and to hunt until the old bastard that was pleased to call himself the boy's father had me driven off the land."

"I wondered why Arthur let go of all his father's household staff," Selina said.

"Have to ask him, won't you?" Dai said, puffing on his pipe, "must have had a good reason."

"I can't think what it would be," Selina said wonderingly.

"Maybe he didn't trust them. I wouldn't."

"Trust them with what?"

"Have to ask him, won't you?"

"I knew Arthur when he was a boy," Selina said.

Dai looked at her, pipe halfway to his mouth. "Aye, I remember you."

"Really? I don't remember you. Not at all."

"Well, I remember you. Good at hiding when I want to," Dai said with an air of smugness, "that's how the old Duke didn't catch me when he tried to. Now then, the sun's out but the rain will be back within the hour, you mark. So, you better be getting along back to Valebridge. And no more nonsense about running away, see?"

Dai hauled himself to his feet and offered a grimy hand to Selina. She took it, unconcerned, and let him pull her up.

"Where are you headed, Dai? Would you like to join me for lunch at the Castle?" Selina said.

Dai almost choked on his pipe again. "No, no, no. I've had my fill of that place. Wouldn't dare cross the threshold. I'll walk with you aways. Then my path and yours are in different directions see. But I can show you a shortcut so you beat the rain."

"Why won't you cross the threshold? I think it must be a much better place under Arthur than his father."

But Dai had already set off through the long, wet grass, muttering to himself and shaking his head. Selina stood for a moment, confounded by this strange little man. Except, he wasn't little. He was old and moved with a stoop which concealed above average height. His shabby, baggy clothes further added to the illusion of a lack of height.

He knows about Valebridge and about Arthur. How odd that I knew Arthur as a boy and yet never saw this man in all that time. Why are there so many gaps in my memory?

"Come on then, slow coach!" Dai bellowed over his shoulder.

With a giggle, Selina ran to catch up with him, not bothering to hold up her skirts out of the soaking grass. As they walked, he began to tell her stories of the surrounding landscape. He pointed out a formation of rock and spun a yarn about their origin, involving giants and pagan gods. The hills themselves all had names and characters. The streams and pools had a tale too. He began to seem more like a bard than a poacher. As he spoke, his voice became deeper, more mellifluous, the voice of an orator or a poet.

Soon, Valebridge came into sight below them. Dai stopped, pointing along the ridge they had just crested.

"That be my path. All the way down towards Wilmington. Got an old friend in Wilmington, so I have. Always keeps a fire burning for me."

Impulsively, Selina kissed the old man's cheek.

"You're a good man, Dai, and I'm glad you have a warm fire to go to. I was beginning to worry."

Dai actually blushed and immediately began to shuffle away, raising a hand above his head without turning around. Selina headed down to the Castle. The surreal interlude had made her more resolved. Dai was right, while Arthur spoke of acting out of duty, he had never been the kind to bow before the expectations of others. Not if he disagreed.

Arthur would not be marrying me unless he wanted to. My actions may have forced the pace, but he would not even consider this action unless it was something he wanted.

It made her feel better. But it did nothing to assuage her concerns. Arthur's behavior was odd. Her erroneous memories were odd. Before coming to Valebridge, she would have said that her memories of her time with Arthur were as close to perfect as could be. But she didn't remember the scar. Didn't remember Dai. Something was afoot and she wanted to know what.

Nearing the castle, she saw a coach pulling up. A man was alighting, and servants were coming out of the house to unload cases and chests. This must be the modiste that Arthur had requested. Selina lifted her chin, put on her best smile, and strode forward to meet the person who would make her wedding dress.