Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

T he next morning was rather bright and peaceful.

There were bruises here and there, but nothing much to be bothered about. The best thing about the day was her lifelong dream would be coming to fruition.

She would finally be getting married to the only man she had ever loved, and surprisingly to her, he had feelings for her too. He must have, to have taken her as his own.

Since last night, she was completely his.

A tall mirror leaned on the wall in front of her. Her teeth flashed white as an eager smile curled her lips. She swiveled in admiration of the green fitted bodice, which was the same color as the skirts she was wearing. The middle of the gown was snow white and embroidered with green leaves. A maidservant strapped a sash that was the blue color of the MacNeil clan atop it, draping it from her left shoulder to her right before clipping it with a brooch. Sophia's smile broadened.

Perhaps, dreams do come true.

She imagined how proud her father and mother would be when they arrived at the castle to see her in the dress. She recalled she was yet to give Kendrick the love brooch she had gotten for him days before, as was tradition. She opened her wooden trunk, picked up the brooch, and was about to scurry away from the chamber when she heard a voice.

"Mistress, ye cannae wear yer wedding dress out!"

Sophia ceased; she turned to the maid. "Why?"

"Ye should nae be seen in yer wedding gown before the wedding."

Sophia sighed. It was a very common belief that was regarded sacred in the Highlands. A groom should never see his bride in her gown before the ceremony began. "True—please, help me out of it."

The maidservant helped Sophia remove the dress and fitted her into one of her day gowns. As soon as she was done, she left the room and made her way to Kendrick's chamber.

She knocked on his door. She reasoned that he might be in the great hall, so she decided to go in, drop the brooch off, and leave.

When she opened the door and peered into his chambers, her eyes were drawn to something unexpected, and her mouth gaped. The brooch slipped from her grasp and landed hard and loudly on the stone floor. Her heart almost stopped beating, and she could feel cold sweat trickling down her back.

She picked up the brooch, closed her eyes, and shut the door as if it could change what she had seen. Then she took deep breaths and opened it again.

The candles had completely burned out, only wax remained on their holders. The dark walls of the room were just as she had known them to be when they were children. His fur chair was still at the furthest end of the room across from the bed. Kendrick's plaid was on it.

Morning sunlight filtered through the blue curtains and fell on his face. A woman sat on his chest, wrapping her arms around him. Her shoulders were bare, indicating that she was naked beneath the patterned blue blanket.

"Catherine?!" she whispered.

Suddenly, Sophia felt weak. Her eyes popped open, and she slapped a hand over her mouth. She tried to breathe, throwing her other free hand over her neck.

Catherine yawned dramatically. Sophia was certain she had heard her enter. Her eyes were bright and sharp. There was not a single hint of sleepiness in them. Still, no excuses were to be made—she was lying beside a sleeping Kendrick, under the same blanket as him, completely bare.

"Mistress!" Catherine slowly lifted herself from Kendrick's chest. She took the plaid that was on the fur chair and wrapped herself with it. "Is there a thing I can help ye with?"

It was unbelievable, utterly unacceptable. Her nerve. The lass had just been lying next to Kendrick on the morning before their wedding. And now, she was speaking to Sophia like it was nothing!

" Why ?" Sophia muttered. "Why are ye in the Laird's bed?"

Catherine smiled an evil smile. "Mistress, I did nae ken ye would be up so early."

"What're ye doing in the Laird's chamber?" Sophia asked again, authoritatively.

"We should go outside," Catherine suggested. "Ye'll wake the Laird."

"Why does it concern ye if he awakens?" Sophia's voice graveled. "I need to ken what in heaven's name is going on here!"

"I will explain," Catherine interjected, holding Sophia's arms. "I'll tell ye everything."

"I dinnae need yer explanation," Sophia whispered, sending Catherine's arms away. "The Laird is here—he will be the one explaining."

Kendrick turned in his sleep. Catherine dragged Sophia out of the room by the hand.

"Did he nae tell ye?" Catherine asked Sophia, letting go of her hand. "I am carrying his bairn ."

The revelation pierced like a sword, breaking every bone, and tearing her flesh apart as it traveled through Sophia's chest. "Yer lying. Ye cannae be carrying his child…"

"I'm nae lying," Catherine argued. "The Laird himself kens. ‘Tis the truth."

"'Tis a lie! He would've told me. The Laird would nae keep such from me."

"Yet, he did nae tell ye I'm his lover. Mayhap, he does nae care about ye as much as ye think."

"He may have had reason."

"A reason?" Catherine choked a laugh. "Aye, perhaps he did, but it does nae change the fact that ye'll always be second to me."

"I won't be a second option to my own husband," Sophia countered.

"Ye will. I am carrying his first bairn. He may nae marry me, but I'll always be his mistress. Ye can accept that or leave."

"The Laird wouldn't dare keep a mistress while married to me."

"Pitiful lass… ye ken naething about the Laird nor his wild desires. He's nae as gentle as ye think him to be."

Sophia felt her blood boiling, and without thinking, she landed a slap on Catherine's cheek. "Ye must nae speak so arrogantly of him, and ye shall talk to me with respect!"

Catherine's face reddened. She had merely managed to avoid staggering as Sophia slapped her. "That night… under the oak tree." Catherine smirked. "I saw yer anguish, ye tried so dearly to hold back yer cries."

"Ye saw me that night?"

"Aye, how sad ye must've been." The maid lowered her voice in mock-pity. "The man ye love with his maid."

That moment, Sophia had to hold herself back from crying. She resolved to not let Catherine see how hurt she was, yet she felt her heart ripping apart. "That day in the chamber… ye told Lorena that Reed called for her. It was a lie, wasn't it?"

Catherine's lips tightened, and she turned away from Sophia without answering.

"I feel sorry for ye. Yer nae worth the pain and anger. Ye can have him, ye both deserve each other," Sophia said. "See how grand it will be to love a liar."

"Yer giving up so easily?"

"Nae, I am nae. Some things are nae worth the fight. Yer nae worth fighting with, Catherine."

"Because I am a maid? Ye pretend to be kind. Yet, I ken how much ye look down on people like me."

"Ye get looked down on because of yer wickedness, Catherine. Ye hurt other people, yet ye wallow in self-pity blaming everyone but yerself. Aye, I look down on ye. Nae because of yer status… because ye act like a lowly cow."

Sophia did not wait for Catherine to say anything else; she had already had her fill. Her energy had been drained, and she had no strength for further arguments. Her legs were too heavy to move but she ignored them, forcing herself forward until she reached her room, where her maid was waiting.

"Tell them to have my horse ready. I will be leaving the keep today."

The maidservant's face darkened in worry. "Are ye alright, mistress?"

"I am fine. Just have them ready my horse."

When the maid left, Sophia crumpled to the floor, alone in her chamber, trying to bury the sound of her desperate cries.

Catherine returned to Kendrick's chamber. She hurried into her gown and dashed toSophia's room just in time to see her packing her belongings.

"When the Laird awakens," Sophia told a maid while still arranging her items, "Tell him the wedding is cancelled."

"I am afraid, mistress," the servant answered, "I cannae deliver such important news to the Laird."

Sophia tossed one last garment into her trunk.

The chest was made of fine wood. The lock was adorned with a heart-shaped brooch which must have been the one herparents' exchanged when they married. Catherine realized she was envious of the cursed chest. She hadn't owned anything as elegant as that since she was a small child and her mother died.

She had a new reason to abhor Sophia.

The lass has more than I could never have or even dream of having.

After packing her last things, Sophia requested ink from one of the waiting maidservants, and scribbled a few words on a piece of paper.

"If ye cannae tell him, then he'll read it here when he awakens." Sophia dropped the note on the table at the center of the room, leaving the brooch on it.

Mrs. Brown, a plump and tall middle-aged woman entered the chamber. Her brown hair was hidden under her bonnet, her hands diligently folder over her apron. Well, not before giving Catherine a look first. Catherine had an immeasurable dislike for her, and she could tell Mrs. Brown had the same opinion of her as well.

"Mistress," Mrs. Brown called out to Sophia. "Ye called for me."

"Aye, I did," Sophia answered while trying to shut her chest. "Ye can tell the kitchen to stop cooking now. There will be nae wedding."

" Nae wedding ? Is this a jest, milady?"

"Do I look like I am jesting?" Sophia managed to shut the trunk. She turned to Mrs. Brown, panting heavily. "Suspend the cooking. The Laird and I are nae getting married anymore."

Mrs. Brown reached up to her throat and let out a small cough. "Oh dear… have ye spoken to the Laird about this?"

"Nae, and I will ask you to nae say a thing to him either until I leave the keep."

"Are ye sure?"

"Aye, I am," Sophia answered then gave Mrs. Brown a hug. "I'll miss ye Mrs. Brown—yer warmness reached my soul."

"Tis yer warmness that reached mine, bairn." She held Sophia back by the shoulder. "Are ye sure yer making the right decision?"

"I dinnae ken." Sophia shook her head from left to right. "It feels right at the moment."

"I want ye to reconsider it…" Mrs. Brown held onto her hands. "Ye should give it one final thought when yer away."

How dare the old wench try to ruin my plans!

Catherine resisted the urge to walk over and push the cook out of the window.

Sophia looked towards Catherine's position, and a strange spark of determination lit her eyes. "There is naething to think about. This is the best decision I can make."

"Tis fine then… we will miss ye."

"I will miss ye so terribly, too."

One of the stable boys walked into Sophia's chamber. "Yer mount is ready, mistress."

"Wait for me below. I'll join ye shortly."

The boy nodded and walked away, past the maid who had been caring for Sophia during her stay in the keep. She was sobbing uncontrollably, her nose dripping. Catherine thought she was revolting. She remembered the maid having gone out of the keep with Sophia once.

This one definitely likes the brazen lass.

Catherine grew even more concerned as she observed Sophia attempting to calm the young lady. She concluded shewould not have made a good Lady to begin with.

What sort of Lady would be kind to a dribbling maid? Definitely not a worthy one.

The laughable scene came to an end. The servants helped carry the chest out of the chamber, and Sophia followed behind without looking once at Catherine.

Mrs. Brown was the last to leave. She had enough time to spare Catherine another deathly stare. "I ken ye've something to do with this," she said. "I will find out what it is ye've done to make the lass leave her new home. I will expose ye to the Laird," Mrs. Brown added before exiting the room, leaving Catherine standing outside, facing the empty chamber.

She walked into the room, picked up the note on the center of the table, and threw herself down to the large bed. She chortled loudly, rolling from side to side, disturbing the white, silky sheet atop it. She attempted to read the scribbles on the note, but she hissed as it seemed like nonsense to her.

She raised herself to watch Sophia mount her horse from the window, before returning to place the note back on the table.

She picked the brooch up.

I'll keep this one, as a souvenir.

Filled with joy at her victory, she rubbed her hands over her belly.

Ye don't even exist yet… but yer quite useful.