Chapter Three
Alastair sat in his carriage and looked outside the window, not seeing the scenery. Instead, he saw Scarlett’s face, her lips swollen and her face flushed with desire. He hadn’t wanted to leave her like that but he hadn’t had time to speak to her.
Alastair heard a shout and his carriage stopped, making him wonder what was going on. He leaned out the window and looked around, seeing another carriage stopped alongside them. His driver Peter jumped down and walked to the window, taking off his hat and looking up at Alastair.
“Your Grace, the driver of that carriage says there is a letter on that coach for you. It needs to be handled especially by you and delivered to her highness, Queen Scarlett,” he said, looking back at the coachman and waving.
“Did he sound honest, Peter? Not one to deceive?” he asked him.
Peter nodded. “Yes, sir, Your Grace. He told me he works for one of the Keepers of the White and that he is not to let anyone but you open the box he has.”
Alastair sighed and said, “Very well. Send two guards ahead with him to make sure they get safely to the castle. Send word with Jacob to the hospital that I have been delayed. If they must have me there, I will come there as soon as I am able.”
Peter nodded. “I will make sure that gets taken care of, My Lord.”
They set back off and headed back to the castle, Alastair now very curious. He didn’t know many Keepers of the White and he was also very curious as to why Scarlett would know any of them. Especially ones who sent letters in locked boxes.
He sighed and rubbed his face with his hand, feeling frustration settling in at the back of his neck. He at least hoped the letter held some good news. They could always use some right now.
They arrived back at the castle thirty minutes later and Alastair sighed, stepping out of the carriage when Peter opened the door. The other carriage driver opened the door and reached in, pulling out a locked box and turning to bring it inside.
“My Lord, would you like us to go in your study?” he asked.
Alastair nodded and headed up the stairs to enter the castle.
He led the way but couldn’t help but glance through the open door of the parlor, hoping to at least see Scarlett. When he saw no sign of anyone, he kept walking.
Bard came to his study door just as he got there and opened it for him, his face showing his worry. Alastair smiled at him to reassure the old man.
“It is nothing to worry about. Just a letter for the queen.”
Bard looked relieved and Alastair had to hold back his chuckle. Ever since Alastair was a boy, Bard had been unable to hide his emotions, no matter how hard he tried.
Alastair’s mother and father had always joked with him about it, but Bard had always taken it with grace.
Alastair smiled inwardly when he thought about his parents. He should go see them soon.
Bard returned his attention to the men standing in his study and closed the door, walking over to Alastair’s desk.
“So, is there a key to open the lock?” he asked, looking at the driver and passenger of the carriage.
“I have it, Your Grace. My name is Ragan. This here next to me is Ronald,” Ragan said, pulling the key from underneath his shirt. He slid the cord that held it from around his neck and handed the key to Alastair.
Alastair studied the key for a few brief moments and then slipped it into the keyhole and unlocked it. He opened the box and saw a small card in the box as well as the letter. He picked up the card and read it, then simply slipped it into his pants pocket. Picking up the letter, he handed it to Bard.
“Bard, I’d like you to deliver this letter to Her Highness, Queen Scarlett,” he said, laying it carefully into the butler’s hands.
“Ragan, if you’d accompany Bard to ensure that the letter gets delivered to your employer’s satisfaction?” he asked.
“Yes, Your Grace,” he said, heading out the door to accompany Bard.
“Please sit, Ronald, while we await your companion’s return,” he said, pointing to a chair.
Ronald sat and Alastair took a seat at his desk.
“Your Grace, my employer wished to know if you needed anything from him while we are here. We were to ask to make sure,” Ronald said, looking at Alastair.
“I… I do have something. Thank you for reminding me,” Alastair said.
He pulled out a piece of paper and wrote something down, signing it and sealing it with wax, putting it back in the box and locking it.
Pulling the key out, he went to hand it to Ronald but he refused.
“That is yours to keep. Each box has two keys, one with our employer and one with the contact. To ensure that the box can’t be opened in travel. It was moved only this one time to bring it to you and now the key will stay here.”
“I see. Thank you for that information. I’ll make sure it stays secure,” Alastair said, putting the key in the secret compartment he had in the top drawer of his desk.
A few minutes later, Bard and Ragan appeared at the door, Ragan leading the way.
“That young lady who answered the door was very nice,” Ragan said, making Bard smile.
“Miss Melody is a very lovely young woman and has been with Ms. Scarlett as long as she has needed a lady’s maid. Melody is Elinor’s daughter. Elinor is Lady Babette Kensington’s lady maid. Lady Babette is Scarlett’s mother who is married to Lord Graham, Scarlett’s father.”
Ragan nodded as Bard spoke, his eyes rolling as Bard started to tell him a story he’d heard about Melody from Scarlett.
“Bard, was the note delivered?” Alastair asked, interrupting him.
Bard looked at him as if he was just noticing they had returned from their errand.
“Yes, Your Grace, I delivered it to Ms. Melody so that she can give it to the queen.”
“Wonderful. Would you like to wait for the queen to read it? I’m sure our cook has some lunch left over,” Alastair offered to Ragan and Ronald.
Ronald looked at Ragan and Ragan laughed.
“We sure could use a good bite. Travel food is not as filling as one would like.” He watched Ronald bound out of the study towards the kitchen.
The other three men headed to the dining room after him, laughing along the way.
Scarlett read the letter and looked up at Melody in confusion.
“Is something wrong?” Melody asked.
“I am not sure. I received a letter from a man named Everett Dormhnall. He said that he is looking into Catriona’s disappearance and he wanted to let me know what he had so far. It wasn’t much but he said he had a few leads he was working on.”
Melody’s frown broke into a smile. “That means he has information about the abduction!” she said, standing and going over to where Scarlett sat. She grabbed Scarlett’s hands in hers and said, “You’ll be able to see Catriona again.”
Scarlett only half-heartedly smiled. “He said he had leads, no more. It is not a definite that he can find her.”
Melody squeezed her hands once more before letting go. “Have faith, friend. I do,” she said, giving Scarlett a hug.
She turned to leave but was halted when Scarlett called her name.
“Melody, please excuse me from lunch and dinner. I’m not quite ready to face him just yet.”
Melody smiled knowingly and said, “I will.”
“Thank you, Melody.”
Alastair looked at Melody with shock on his face. She had just announced that Scarlett would not be coming down for dinner or lunch because she was feeling unwell. Alastair scoffed into his napkin when Bard told Melody that he hoped she would feel better soon.
Scarlett felt as sick as he did and he was perfectly fine.
Coward. Can’t even come and face me.
“My Lord, did you need anything more to drink?” the cook’s aide Alyssa asked, drawing his attention to her.
He saw Alyssa holding a tray with Scarlett’s lunch on it and smiled.
“I’m fine actually,” he said, taking a sip of his still full glass.
When Melody looked at him and winked, he felt his face heat. The little snitch had told her about the kiss in the courtyard. He leaned his head toward her and she curtsied, leaving the room with the tray. Alastair sighed and looked around the room, his mind going back to the scene in the courtyard for the second time today.
He couldn’t shake this attraction to her and it bothered him somewhat. If she was going to stay here, then Alastair was about to get infinitely more uncomfortable.
He growled in frustration.
“Are you all right, My Lord?” Bard asked, reminding Alastair he was not alone.
“I am, Bard. Just a little frustration about the whole situation.”
Bard nodded.
“It is quite distressing that the queen has been taken and there is no information about her at all. Suspicion is everywhere, and no one knows who to trust anymore.”
“Well, Bard, don’t worry. You can trust me. So, can Scarlett,” Alastair said, a smile coming to Bard’s face.
“Of course, I can, sir,” he said matter-of-factly.
Alastair laughed.
“My Lord, the hospital sent a messenger over to inform us they are in need of your assistance still. Should I ready the carriage for you?” Bard asked, walking over to him and handing him the missive.
Alastair read it and stood, his smile turning into a frown. “Yes, please. I must go as soon as it’s ready.”
Bard went to leave and Alastair stopped him.
“Bard, would you check on the queen please? I don’t want to have to take her to the hospital with me.”
“Absolutely, My Lord. I will check on her after I make sure the carriage is ready.”
“Thank you, Bard.”
With a small bow, he walked out the double doors of the dining room to ready the carriage.
Scarlett looked out the windows facing both the side and front of the castle as Alastair left, enabling her to see out both sides. She stepped back when he looked up at the window, knowing she was watching him as he left. She wondered where he was going for a split second and then decided it was better if she didn’t know.
Noticing that his carriage had left, she walked away from the window, going to sit on the bed next to her lunch tray. She wasn’t all that hungry, but she supposed she would eat something, when a knock came at the door. She walked to the door and opened it, finding Bard standing behind it.
“Bard, how can I help you?” she asked.
“My Lord Alastair asked me to come up and check on you to make sure you were not in dire need of medical attention. Melody was not specific in what was ailing you so he wanted to make sure you were all right.”
Scarlett blushed a deep red, guilt filling her heart.
“I am fine, Bard. My stomach is not feeling well right now,” she said, resting her hands on top of his. “I am not in dire need of medical attention, just a little bit of rest.”
Bard looked relieved.
“If you need anything, My Lady, please just let me know and I will personally see to getting it done,” he said.
She nodded. “Thank you, Bard, I will let you know at once if I need anything.”
He bowed slightly and headed back down the hall, Scarlett closing the door behind him.
He was such a sweet man, and Scarlett felt a little guilty about deceiving him. She was certain that Alastair had sent him up here to guilt her because she was hiding in her room instead of coming to face him.
Scarlett knew she would have to face him so she resolved to do it tomorrow since she had already excused herself from lunch and dinner. She looked back at her lunch tray and smiled, suddenly hungry. With a small humph sound, she walked back over to the bed and sat down to eat.
A few hours later, Scarlett watched as a carriage pulled up and Alastair got out, the look on his face one of exhaustion. He disappeared when he walked into the castle Scarlett headed out her bedroom door and down the stairs to meet him.
She had decided during the hours he was gone, that she was not going to run away, that she would face him no matter how embarrassing it was to her.
She stopped at the top of the stairs and just watched as he came in the large wooden double doors, Bard divesting him of his coat. She heard Bard ask Alastair something, but she didn’t hear what it was and did not hear the reply. Her heart stopped when Alastair went to go towards the stairs and looked up and saw her.
“My Lady, are you all right?” Bard asked, handing Alastair’s coat to the maid who appeared to put it away.
“I am, Bard. I need to speak with Prince Alastair about something,” she said, descending the stairs.
Alastair walked the rest of the way to the bottom of the stairs and helped her down the last couple of steps, the hand that held hers very warm. Scarlett had to hide the shiver that went down her spine at the contact of their hands. Alastair was not as able to hide his shiver, his hand clenching as he released hers.
“The queen and I will speak in the parlor,” he said, leading the way.
“Would you rather speak in the study?” she asked.
He shook his head. He did not need to be reminded of their kiss there too, although he suspected he might be thinking of it everywhere he went.
Scarlett shrugged and followed him into the parlor, her elbow brushing his stomach as she walked in the door he held open for her.
He stiffened and she knew that he had thought about her kiss as much as she had been.
She gracefully sat down and arranged her skirts around her, a sudden power surge filling her as she realized that he had felt something in the courtyard too. She wasn’t alone in feeling this chemistry they somehow had.
Scarlett had to hold back a chuckle when Alastair stayed by the door for a moment, looking out in the hallway away from her.
Unable to help herself she asked, “My Lord? Are you all right? Are you now feeling the unfortunate unpleasantness I felt earlier this afternoon?”
His head snapped back in her direction and his face flushed a deep red.
She sat stiffly on the couch, her arms crossed with a smug smile on her face.
“Not to worry, My Queen. I am well. I don’t need to retire to my room,” he said, his lips lifting at the corner as he took her barb and threw it right back at her.
Her face paled and the smirk was wiped from her face.
“Are you insinuating that my reason for missing lunch was a lie?” she asked, standing up.
If they were going to fight, she was going to stand since he still was.
“Not at all, My Lady. Why would I do that? Are you saying that your reason was not why you missed lunch?” he said, crossing his arms as a smug smile came to his face.
Scarlett bit the inside of her cheek hard to keep from saying anything.
He knew exactly what the reason was for hiding out in her room at lunch. If she told him the real reason, not only would it prove he was right and she had lied, but that the kiss had affected her more than she cared to admit.
She took a deep breath and let it out, her calm veneer settling over her and instantly chilling her to the bone as she had been taught by her mother. She taught her to be cold and not let anything affect her. Her mother had made sure to teach her not to let her emotions show when need be.
Scarlett had never been very good at it, but she was going to try it now.
Alastair saw the visible change in her face and demeanor and was stopped short by the calm that settled over her, replacing the fiery woman who had been almost at his throat a moment ago.
“I would not afflict Bard with such distress for my wellbeing. With some rest, I am now feeling much better.”
She sat back down, resting her hands in her lap after neatly arranging her skirts around her on the sofa.
“The reason I want to speak to you is the letter,” she said, looking up at him with veiled eyes. The amber gold was so cold Alastair felt a chill slide down his spine. This was the reserved, almost cold Scarlett he had met. She had not been like this in the courtyard, and Alastair was finding out there were some different sides to Scarlett; some he liked, and some he didn’t.
He cleared his throat when he realized she was staring at him.
“Please excuse me. The letter. You were saying?” he asked, coming to sit down across from her.
“A man named Everett Dormhnall sent me a letter telling me that he is looking into my cousin’s disappearance. He said he had a few leads but he wouldn’t know anything until he investigated them.”
Alastair saw the cold unfamiliar Scarlett slip away as she spoke.
“Is he reliable? Can I trust him to find Catriona and not hurt her?” she asked him.
Alastair smiled at her. “Yes, you can. I don’t know Everett personally, but I know of him. He was in the Keepers of the White for a long time, but was removed from active public service a few years ago for the private sector. They say he is now part of a secret branch and that he is the one to call should anything need to be fixed. I and all the other island leaders know about him. We try however to keep him a secret, but people are not stupid. Stories are told and secrets get out, so Everett is known and feared by many. It helps his reputation, but I am told that is a contradiction, as he is actually quite nice.”
Scarlett smiled and Alastair felt relief fill his heart as they slipped back into how they were before this morning.
“That is wonderful. As long as you trust him, I will too.”
“I appreciate that. Would you like to write him something back? Perhaps ask him to come here and speak with you? Ronald and Ragan are still here and waiting if you want them to take anything for you,” he said, leaning forward and resting his hands on his knees.
Scarlett stared at his beautiful green eyes for a brief moment and then quickly stood.
“I think a meeting is a wonderful idea. I will go upstairs right now and ready my request.”
Alastair stood and bowed slightly as she curtsied.
“Will I see you at dinner?” he asked.
“You will. I will bring the response down with me so Ronald and Ragan can be on their way.”
“I will see you at dinner then.”
She smiled once more and left the room, Alastair coming to the parlor door and watching her go.