Page 57 of A Matter of Time
Nick inclined his head in agreement. “Very well. We’d be happy to, m’lady.”
“Good. I will have baths drawn for you both, and Angelina, I will find a suitable gown for you to wear.” Lady Catherine exited the room in a gentle glide, much the way she had entered. Angelina was fascinated by the way she managed to walk across the room without appearing to take a step, almost as if she were being drawn on a hidden track. Angelina decided it must have taken her years of practice to perfect such a regal air.
Once Lady Catherine was safely out of earshot, Angelina turned to Nick. “Where do you think Richard could be?”
“I’m nae sure. I would’ve bet my life he was on his way back here. I hope he hasn’t run into any trouble.”
“We have to find him,” Angelina was suffering a rising sense of panic.
“We will, but some fine food and a good night’s sleep will do us both good.”
“Richard’s mother must think I’m odd, with the way I’m dressed.”
“Ye’d have no way of knowing this, but she is quite good with a sword herself. She felt if she were to be left here in the castle when her children were young, she wanted to be able to protect herself and her family. Richard’s father saw to it that she had the best instructor he could find. So I doubt she thinks yer too odd.”
A servant entered the room and bowed deeply before speaking. “Lady Catherine has asked me to show you to your baths. If you’ll follow me, my Lord and m’lady.”
As they made their way down the passageway leading to their rooms, Angelina couldn’t help but wonder once again where Richard was – and if he was all right.
Chapter 27
Lady Catherine, Angelina, Nick and Edward sat around the fireplace, sipping wine after enjoying a delicious dinner and lively conversation.
“Everything was delicious,” Angelina said, her gaze focused on the fire. The crackling and popping of the wood created nostalgic images of times when she was younger. She had loved to sit by the fireplace, staring into the flames as her mother sat nearby and read. Because of those precious memories, she’d always preferred an open fire.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Tell me, Angelina, how is it that you know my son and why hasn’t he mentioned you to me before now?”
“We haven’t known each other for very long. We met rather unexpectedly and found we had a lot in common.” Angelina didn’t want to lie to Lady Catherine, but wasn’t sure she’d understand the whole time traveling thing.
“Edward, would ye care to join me outside for a wee walk?” Nick gave Angelina a meaningful nod and rose to his feet.
“I would be happy to join you.” Edward stood up and the two men departed the room, leaving Catherine and Angelina alone.
“I’m glad they’ve gone,” Lady Catherine said. She moved to sit beside Angelina. “I sense there’s something you’re not sharing with me.”
Angelina’s cheeks heated. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You and Nick rode here with some urgency, based on the state of your clothing upon your arrival. Would you care to tell me about it?”
“Richard and I had a disagreement. I came here to talk to him.” Angelina lifted her eyes to meet Lady Catherine’s appraising gaze. “Richard asked me to come here with him, but I’ve found out some things about him that I found very disturbing. I told him I couldn’t be in a… uh… relationship with him because of what I’d learned and he left Breaghacraig the same day. After I’d had a little time to think, I decided I wanted to be sure he was alright.”
“What did you find out that has upset you?” Lady Catherine’s face expressed a keen interest in what Angelina had to say.
“I don’t know if I should say.”
“There’s nothing that I do not know, dear. Please continue.”
Angelina inhaled sharply before she spoke again. “We were at the MacKenzies and Richard had been acting very strangely. You see, he was so happy to have me with him and all of a sudden that changed and he started avoiding me. None of it made sense until I saw him apologizing to my friend Ashley for some unspeakable things that were done to her.”
“Ah, yes. I know all about those most unfortunate events. He was quite distraught the last time I saw him, and it was his intention to go to Breaghacraig to express his sincere sorrow for what he had done. He did not expect forgiveness, but rather sought to be able to live with himself and perhaps start his life anew here with us. He must have met you fairly recently, then.”
“Only a few weeks ago.” Angelina sighed heavily, turning her attention back to the flickering fire. “I’ve mistrusted men for most of my life and I had intended to remain a single woman, rather than get involved with an untrustworthy man. And most of the men I’ve met have been exactly that. Richard was so different. I didn’t intend to fall in love with him, but I did. I thought I’d surely be meeting you under very different circumstances. I just don’t know if I can pursue a relationship with him now.”
“Angelina, let me tell you some things you most probably don’t know about Richard. Perhaps they will help you to understand him better.” Lady Catherine took Angelina’s hand and gazed into her face. Her honesty and sincerity was evident to Angelina, who prepared herself for the worst. “Richard is my oldest son, Edward the youngest. I have two other sons and two daughters, none of whom lives here any longer. The boys left by choice and my daughters are now married and have homes of their own.” She squeezed Angelina’s fingers, her soft green eyes moist with unshed tears. “Richard’s father was a stern man and despite that, Richard admired and loved him so much. He wanted nothing more than to please his father no matter the cost. Matthew was not the easiest man to live with and I didn’t always agree with the way he handled our children, but I did my best to be a good wife and to stand by him. Because Richard was the oldest, it was he who would inherit everything that his father had worked so hard to gain. Richard was soft in his father’s eyes, so Matthew was very hard on him, always finding ways to make Richard prove he was worthy to be his heir. When Richard was about fifteen, he met a girl named Irene MacBayne. He fell instantly in love. She was a beauty and he was so young he didn’t realize what he was experiencing was merely infatuation. At any rate, Irene was already in love with Robert MacKenzie and while she was kind to Richard, she wanted nothing more than friendship from him. When he returned home and told Matthew of his disappointment, he was berated for losing this girl to another, for shaming the family name by letting a Scotsman have her. His father beat him soundly and Richard, ashamed of disappointing his father, spent the next few days sleeping in the stable. Matthew told him it was his duty to take what rightly belonged to him and that he should not rest until Irene was his. Richard, of course, wanting nothing more than to please his father, became an angry, jealous man whose only purpose in life was to retrieve Irene. The fact that she was married and had children never came into play. Nothing would stand in his way. He was determined to have her, no matter the cost. He was determined to show his father he was worthy of his approval and love. His father, even on his deathbed, reminded Richard of his continual disappointment in him. It was a cruel thing to do and unfortunately, there was little I could do to stop Matthew. I tried talking to Richard about it, but he left home shortly afterwards and… well, he was so young and impressionable and he loved his father and wanted his approval so much. It took years of abusive treatment, both mental and physical to create the angry, vindictive Richard you are so afraid of discovering. I’m sure you can understand that this treatment greatly changed my son from the warm, caring boy he had been to a man who was almost an exact replica of his father. I cannot excuse or condone his behavior and I cannot tell you what to do. I can only say that I fervently believe Richard is worth saving from a lonely life, filled with regret.”
With that, Lady Catherine left the room, leaving Angelina to stare into the fireplace and wonder what she should do. She knew what her heart was telling her, but the very last thing she wanted to do was put herself into a bad situation. If Lady Catherine had stayed, maybe Angelina could have explained why she was afraid. That she didn’t want to suffer through what she had seen her mother experience with her father. Her mother hadn’t been very wise when it came to choosing men, and Angelina’s father had been the worst. He had been an alcoholic, a chronic cheater, and any time her mother challenged him regarding those two issues, he would beat her. Angelina had seen enough of it to know she couldn’t tolerate that behavior in her own life and so, rather than get involved in a meaningful relationship, she had kept all her relationships casual and had never once let her heart fall into the hands of any man.
Because how would she know which one, if any, she could trust?
