“Seems like you had a lovely relationship with your brother,” Islington said.
“I did,” Adelaine shook her head slowly. “Every day I miss him.”
“I wish I could relate as I’m an only child but I have cousins that sound like your brother…” And just like that, the conversation went back to him. Adelaine listened closely but her attention began to stray along the way.
“And then he drove his chariot right into the River Thames, standing on top of it clad his jester costume and cocker spaniel on his head as a hat,” Islington said.
“Uh-huh,” Adelaine agreed before his laughter snapped her out of her daze.
He had a knowing smile on his face. “I’ve bored you.”
Shame stained her face red and she tried to defend herself. “No, you have not!”
“Clearly, I have, because I was speaking nonsense for over five minutes and you were only smiling,” Islington said. “Don’t worry about it, My Lady. I am charmed that you gave me any attention in the first place.” He looked around. “This is an enchanting room. I’m surprised we were not supervised.”
“Oh, we are,” Adelaine pointed up the second floor where a balcony was. “My maid and housekeeper are there. Just secretly observing on behalf of my father.”
Islington’s head snapped up where the dark-clad forms of Martha and the housekeeper sat. He bowed to them, rather gallantly. “Good day, my ladies. Have I passed your tests?”
Adelaine rolled her eyes, “I’m sure you have.”
She accompanied him to the front room where a footman opened the door. Islington ignored him but took her hand. This time, without the barrier of her glove, she felt his touch, his soft touch. Not a single part of his large hand was rough, but that was the case for the higher born. She yearned for Caelan’s rougher, stronger hands on hers instead of Islington’s.
He kissed the back of her hand and smiled. “My father is having a New Year’s celebration in a few days. Will we dance twice more then?”
“We’ll see on that day,” Adelaine replied. “If what you said about me garnering admiration is true, you might have some competition.”
She had said the words in jest but his fleetingly-narrowed eyes told her he did not think it was humorous. But his expression cleared and his non-failing smile had not faltered. “We shall certainly see. Good day, Lady Adelaine.”
Curtsying, she stood as his carriage, sent for by a footman, came around and he, after another bow to her, went in. Adelaine stood and watched as the dirt kicked up from the carriage wheels settled. Islington was clever, a bit self-assured and pompous, and if what she had just seen, could be a bit jealous and perhaps a bit of a philanderer. Not traits she really desired but they were all understandable; he was a bachelor after all.
She felt more than saw Martha come to her side. “How was it, My Lady?”
“I’d say it was…fair. He has good points and bad, just like all of us.” she mused on the way to her room.
Pausing to allow Martha to help her with her dress, Adelaine briefly looked at the black jut of the keep and swallowing hard, turned away from it, deciding to keep her eyes away from it and the man held captive inside of it.
“Martha, please, prepare a bath for me,” she said. “And send for warm broth from the kitchen. My stomach needs something warm without the heaviness of soup.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Any connection she might have considered with Caelan was now shattered. Islington and men of his class were her future, not a handsome Scot with soulful eyes and a tender touch that set her body on fire.
Chapter 22
His men were nearby.
Caelan paced the length and breadth of his cell with a renewed strength. If he had never been hungry for freedom before, it was renewed and doubled now.
His men had not forgotten about him.
Where were they? In the forest most likely. If his men thought as he did, with the mind of a soldier, they would be in the forest, not too far from the Earl’s massive estate but far enough to avoid detection. They must have had some surveillance on him before he had gotten the note because that was the only way they could have found where he was.
His people still needed him.
There was no other reason why his men would have sought him out and found him. His mind ran to his mother and prayed that she was still in some sort of good health. He needed to go back to her. He needed to go back to his clan, see the villagers and make sure they were doing well. He ached to see the loch and dive into it, run over the wide plains with his stallion and lie in soft grass in the meadows.
All is not lost.