CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOUR
The wind
blew wildly as the unforeseen blizzard continued to rage blanketing the full of northern England and most of Scotland with deep and harsh snows. Tor continued to move forward trudging through the high drifts as the frigid winds cut through him as the wintry mix blinded his progress.
It was nearing
the evening on the fifth day since he had left his Scottish Highlands as the darkness began to descend upon the lands around him. He had not slept for nearly three of those days for the weather had turned cold and intensified and he was concerned that if he stopped to fall asleep, that he may not awaken. To keep himself alert Tor chose to walk through the blinding snows as he led his horse behind, only hoping he traveled in the appropriate direction.
He bent his head down
further with his chin nearly resting upon his chest as he pulled his cloak tightly around his body. The incessant howling of the winds consumed him and as he moved slowly forward, he would see Kaye's soft and beautiful face appear before him. He forever thought of her gentle smile warming his heart as it captivated his mind. It was the thought of her and only this that kept him moving as he trudged towards the completion of his appointed mission.
*****
Kaye sat alone next to the blazing hearth in the hall in the late evening as the fire warmed her while she embroidered and listened to the wind blowing furiously about outside the great stone keep. As had been her routine as of late, she sat in the hall each night far into the evening alone after all had retired to their beds as she waited for the exhaustion to finally consume her. When she reached that end, she would go up to her chamber where she would finally be able to successfully claim at least a few hours of the much needed sleep.
As she sat near the fire, Kaye
thought she heard a noise come from the courtyard below and heard it above the howling winds. Knowing that it was probably her imagination or the storm that was blowing fiercely about, she simply brushed the feeling aside as she continued to concentrate on her stitchery. When she heard what she thought this time could perhaps be a horse, she rose quickly and wrapped her cloak tightly around her. With a strange curiosity about her, she moved swiftly to the great chamber's doors. For who would be foolishly traveling about on a night such as this?
Bracing herself for the certain chill she would experienc
e, she opened the door slightly and peered silently into the darkened and blustery courtyard below. She strained her eyes as she looked about, attempting to ascertain where the strange noise had come. Just when she was going to close the door on her folly, she heard the soft whinny of a horse over the howling winds. As the storm settled momentarily, she could see the beast's outline near the bottom of the steps below as the massive creature stood boldly before her.
Kaye
looked back into the deserted hall knowing she was the only one that was about and all alone to ascertain the situation. Without hesitation, she stepped through the great doors of the keep and into the storm for she now heard what she thought may be a small groan coming from the base of the stairs. She looked down and in fear she saw upon the courtyard below and next to the great snow covered beast a still form. It was a large figure and most likely that of a man.
Imme
diately and with a startled cry she left the warmth and security of the great hall and ran down the stairs, her slippered feet falling deeply into the snow as the fierce winds whipped her cloak around her. Her skirts moved severely about her legs and the blowing snow was stinging upon her face. The angry storm was delivering its full wrath upon the land but there was but one thing upon her mind and that was to rescue the poor soul who was laying upon the ground.
She reached
the large man's side, the snow now fully covering him and bent over to grasp at his arm. As she did so, she brushed away the snow from his head as she pulled the hood of his cloak slightly back. She stared in horror as she caught a glimpse of the side of his face and the long and very white blonde hair of her Scottish warrior.
Kaye
grasped at his arm as she gently shook him in an attempt to wake him. She shouted his name but confessed rather sadly that he could hardly hear her over the raging winds. The tears began to fall downwards as she continued to prod him as she desperately attempted to make him stir. She took his long arm and lifted it over her shoulders as she tried to lift him from where he lay.
She heard Tor
moan faintly as his lids began to flutter as they opened slightly. He looked up at Kaye and into her eyes as a sure smile crossed his lips. With his arm over her shoulders she attempted to rise as she tried to move the large man up the keep's stairs. He groaned and slowly he began to move with her as he gradually moved his legs and pushed himself upwards.
After several minutes
of slow progress they were able to gain the hall. Tor's wet and nearly frozen body was now leaning heavily upon her for support as they made their way across the hall where she was able to place him heavily within the chair that she had just vacated. He leaned back as he closed his eyes and began to shiver as the snow began to melt from his cold and sodden clothing.
Kaye
pulled Tor's dampened cloak from around his neck and stretched it out over a chair in front of the hearth where it would be allowed to warm and dry. She returned immediately back to him and pulled his wet shirt from his body as she exposed his very cold and hardened chest. Kaye reached over to a nearby chair that was flanking the hearth and grabbed a blanket that was neatly folded upon the seat. Quickly, she pulled the cloth that already was full of the warmth and wrapped it around his frigid body rubbing his arms and his shoulders as she attempted to restore his heat.
Leaving him unattended briefly,
Kaye made her way to the kitchens to find something that could warm his insides and returned shortly with a tankard full of warmed soup that had been left over from that night's sup. She quickly moved before him and gently placed it to his mouth as she encouraged him to drink. He raised his hands to hers and together they held the mug as they tipped it to his lips where he could sip the hot liquid slowly. As he drank of its warmth, he looked over the rim and into her eyes as his heart thundered within his chest for the woman standing before him.
After he had consumed a small amount, Kaye
placed the cup upon the table and moved before him. She sat down upon the floor and began the task of removing his boots and then the sodden stockings beneath. His skin and feet were freezing but as she moved her hands over him, the sensations felt as if it were burning her.
When his legs and feet were bare, she took another blanket that had been warming by the hearth and wrap
ped it securely around the lower half of his body as she once again began rubbing his skin in an attempt to warm him. Throughout her ministrations, she did not look up she simply continued to work to ensure he was warmed and that he was safe.
After
a very long time and when the threat had finally passed and when the chills had begun to subside, he reached down for her as she sat upon the floor administering to his cooled body. He grasped her arms firmly as he guided her upwards and helped her rise so she now stood next to him. He settled his large hands upon her waist and held on to her slight body as she stood beside his chair.
His hands remained
about her, Kaye intensely satisfied for the feel of his fingers through her gown. His touch radiated a sure fire and warmth throughout her as strange and heated sensations emanated from where his hands laid. She looked deeply into his darkened eyes as her breath hitched within her throat for the feelings he invoked within her. Slowly he moved his head towards hers…
"Kaye?"
The voice of her father could be heard across the hall as he began to descend the stairs. She could feel the movement as Tor immediately removed his hands from her body, the spell quickly broken and a coolness now settling where his heated hands had once lain.
"My dear, what has happened?"
"Father, I heard a noise outside and found Tor collapsed upon the steps of the keep. I was able to bring him indoors and set him by the fire."
By this time
Lord Devon had made his way completely across the hall and was now standing before his new guest with a grave concern upon his face.
"Dear, sir! Are you a
lright?"
Tor had yet to speak, his body finally warm
ing under Kaye's watchful eye and could only choke out, "Yes, thank you to your daughter. I am not sure what would have happened to me if I had laid out there the full of the night."
"But my dear son, w
hat made you travel in such bad weather? Could you not wait until spring or when the threat of the storms had passed?"
A fear suddenly crossed
Lord Devon's features as he pressed on. "Or is there something amiss? Has something happened to your lord or to our dear Bridget? The battle…"
Tor shook his head as he attempted
once again to gain his voice. "No, milord, 'tis nothing like that. I came because I had an important missive to deliver. And it could not wait."
Kaye looked
from Tor to her father and back once again. Not understanding what could be so important for any man to risk life during a winter storm such as this. Nonsense…
Kaye implored, "Pray tell, milord, what possibly could have been so important that it could not wait?"
Tor moved his deep blue eyes to Kaye with a knowing smile appearing upon his face as he reached within his pocket and extracted a flat parcel wrapped with a string in a small deer hide. He removed it and handed it over to the Lord Devon.
Kaye's father took the
missive and carefully opened it as he removed the hide surrounding the parchment within. He tilted the papers towards the light of the fire so he could study them further. He stood for several moments quite deep in thought as he read the contents thoroughly. With a slight smile, he folded the papers and returned them to the animal hide that had been covering it.
He now turned his
gaze back to his daughter with a slight smile upon his face and a full relief upon his heart.
"Dear
est, Kaye. This is what we have been waiting for! This is the communication from the church that provides the documentation for your annulment from the Lord Hann!"
Kaye st
ared blankly back at her father as sudden distressing memories surfaced from her short and treacherous marriage. As the nightmares began to plague her mind of the misguided union and of Lord Hann and the young Lord Alden, her breath began to quicken and a fear began to consume her. Harsh memories of the dark men and the beating that she took at the young lord's hands all had clearly returned in full force.
But what bit at her heart the most was that
full realization that she was now entirely and completely alone once again. Her earlier fate and sure loneliness was now realized for there still was no one to love her and certainly no one to claim her. Even with all of Matthew's spoken promises, there was clearly no good end in sight.
For all of the preparing she had done
for herself in the previous weeks, thinking of the happiness this news would surely bring and all the promises Matthew had provided, she was completely surprised by the reaction and panic that ran through her. For she thought she would be happy to be free but instead a sure despair was actually consuming her. Perhaps it was in embarrassment for all the poor decisions she had made and being completely reminded of it, or perhaps it was because she was now in the same place she was prior to her sister Marie's wedding. She now recognized completely that she was truly unloved and unclaimed and quite all alone. The tears began to well within her eyes as her breath began to quicken and all she could think of was escaping to her room so that she could bear her pain and humiliation alone and in secret.
With a sure sadness, she bowed her head and sai
d lowly, "If you will excuse me kind sirs, I must retire to my room…"
With
out waiting for any sort of acknowledgment or reply, Kaye turned quickly and exited the hall as she left the two men silently gaping after her.
*****
Tor watched sadly as the pain and misery crossed her features as Kaye hastily retreated from the room. His own heart was now breaking for the misery that was obviously consuming her. How he wished he could take away her pain. But with a saddened heart he realized it was obvious that she would not or could not even allow him to try. Most likely could not ever. And for that understanding, he was truly wounded.
When he had
brought her up from the floor to stand before him and prior to her father entering the room, how he had hoped he could have wrapped his arms about her and prove to her that he was there for her. He thought she had reacted to his touch for he believed he saw something within her eyes if only for a brief moment. But when her father had appeared within the room the spell had been broken and she had turned cold.