Chapter 1
Jacob was sitting in the far corner of “Hawk” tavern. He used to staying at the tavern close-by on his way home or to London. The cramped tavern was overcrowded tonight. Twilight drove travellers to take a room as quickly as possible. Jacob saw several strangers having to agree on taking one room for two. Fortunately, he turned out to be smarter and, although he hurried home, he stopped here a few hours ago. For the past two and a half years, a clean bed and a hot breakfast were the only things he cared about.
Since he joined the United Royal Army, this has been the case. At first, his father was against it. However, he later resigned himself. Frequently, the army settled in the vicinity of London in between battles.
Everything was different this time. Not only had the search for a room for the night made him stay here. He had a desperate desire to get drunk for the first time in many years. He restrained himself while riding. Yet, as soon as his feet were on solid ground, he has moved to a table. And all this time he was drunk. Only a few times did he get up from the table to relieve himself. His mind was a little clouded by the drink. Still, that was not enough for him.
And he cried out again to the maid:
“Lassie, bring me more ale! And tell the master to pour the best he has!”
The busty maid slowly wagged her hips and put the mug on the table. Bending down so that her breasts almost dropped out of the corset, she muttered softly:
“Maybe, you wish to get something hotter, Milord?”
“Thanks, but not now,” he replied.
Hoping to drown out the emotions that overwhelmed him, Jacob pushed back the empty mug and took to the full one. Six months ago, he received a message that his father was very ill. So Jacob rushed home. His presence was absolutely necessary. For the first time in many years of service. He thought that his father’s illness would not affect his established order of life. But that’s when everything changed. And he had no strength to resist it.
Jacob drew out a diamond ring. Twisting it in his hands, he cursed with his thick tongue. The mind said that he needed to forget everything and move on. But the heart desperately fought against it and betrayed only pleasant memories.
Before his eyes appeared her image with eyes, as blue as the sea, and golden hair, a snow-white body with seductive curves…
“Come with me to Perthshire.”
With a seductive smile, Blanche slyly whispered, “But it is not decent. This may have a bad effect on my reputation.”
“On reputation?” Jacob hugged Blanche and rolled over with her, so that she was under him, “But now you are not too worried about the same reputation.”
“At the king’s court, it is accepted normally. But not outside of it.”
“So we will get married,” Jacob said firmly.
“Is it a proposal?” Blanche squinted, running his hair between her fingers.
“If that’s what you want. Anyway, I’m off to Perthshire. The outrunner said that the father was in a very bad condition. I need to hurry.” Jacob turned onto his side and rested his elbow on the pillow next to Blanche. “I don’t have time to wait for a marriage licence. If you don’t want to go now, you will in a few weeks. I will come back, and we will get married.”
Jacob leaned down and pressed his lips firmly against Blanche. The sweet kiss lingered. Reluctantly, Jacob finished it and leisurely dressed. Blanche just watched him. After kissing her at parting, Jacob left to set off as quickly as possible.
Maggie entered the tavern and looked around. She was afraid to meet someone familiar here. Of course, it was not possible. After all, she was riding for the second day. And they had to start looking for her only a few hours after her departure. And it is unlikely that any of the brothers will think that she went to Scotland. First, they will look for her at her only friend’s place. The heart sank with pity because of the conversation that awaited the faithful friend Thea. It’s a good thing she didn’t tell her friend about her plan to escape from an unwanted marriage. Still, extra caution isn’t excessive.
The tavern was full of travellers, drinking and talking merrily. It seemed that she did not wait several hours in vain. Here, everyone was already drunk enough and did not pay attention to the woman who was travelling alone. And although her appearance was not typical for an Englishwoman, Maggie was still afraid that she would attract attention because she did not look like a typical Scot. It seems that nature decided to play a joke on her and did not divide the ancestors, but only mixed their blood originally. And it could attract too much attention. Which was extremely unnecessary for her.
Maggie looked around for an empty seat. But to her chagrin, there were no such ones. The maid walking by with two mugs of ale looked at her in disbelief.
“Don’t you look like a local?”
“Yes, I travel.”
“Alone? Without men? It is not good for a young woman to leave without an escort!”
Trying not to turn herself in, Maggie blurted out the first thing that came to mind, “The brothers left to have some fun.”
The maid cursed barely audibly.
“A-a-a-a. However, they acted recklessly. One of them should have accompanied you. You understand yourself.”
“They left me a few miles from here. They said it was the best tavern in the neighbourhood. And that I was unlikely to be threatened by anything or anyone here.
“Have they been here before?”
Maggie nodded her head in the affirmative while looking closely at the maid’s face and noticed that she was beginning to frown. She was sure that adding a little flattery would help.
“Well, I will not chase you into the night. And it looks like the brothers will be looking for you here in the morning. Go sit there, next to that giant,” the maid smiled and pointed to the farthest corner with a nod of her head, “He drank a little, but he won’t do any harm. At the same time, no one will even think of harming you.”
Maggie looked at the table in the recess of the hall. A broad-shouldered warrior sat bent over a mug of ale. He was turning something round in his hands, very similar to a wedding ring, and muttering something quietly. Taking a closer look, Maggie heard the words, “Damn, Blanche…”
Maggie smiled. The ability to read lips often amused her. It also helped to blackmail the brothers to get her way. This was once taught to her by her grandfather, who had fought a lot. Grandfather said that he could sit near the enemy for hours. Over time, he learned to distinguish words by mouth movements. This saved him more than once. However, after one of the successful campaigns, the king granted him lands and a title. So a common knight became baron Maud. He decided not to fight any more. And he lived too long for a man. Maggie had already turned seven when he was gone. Before that, the baron taught the girl everything he knew. At first, it was like a game. But it turned out that she is quite capable. But this knowledge had to be kept secret. After all, this was not a pursuit for a young lady. And her twin brothers were several years elder and would definitely not be happy with this craft. Moreover, they were not interested in it, and they did not want to learn it. As they said, “One won’t need it at the ball.”
Now Maggie is not seven years old, she is twenty. She is an adult woman. However, the brothers still decide what is good and what is not. That time, they decided it was time for her to get married. And they found a groom for her. However, without asking her. Baron Fatherland. His name only made her distressed. There were many rumours about him. He was rich. But this wealth did not justify his cruelty and debauchery. He was married twice. And twice his wives died before the first anniversary of their marriage. However, her brothers did not consider that. Moreover, they did not tell Maggie the groom’s name. She had to follow them for several days to “read” the name. It took a few more days to organize a secret escape. She knew them well. She also knew that they would hardly think that she had gone to Scotland.
However, she did not travel far enough into the country. Only two days of riding. There is still the risk of meeting someone who knows her brothers. And therefore, he could tell them that he had seen her. That is why she needed all skills to disguise herself. She barely recognized herself in the mirror. The hat fully covered the bright hair. A semi-transparent veil covered a face that was so different from the other faces. A dress of too bright colour with a deep neckline, worn by maids in such taverns. No one will notice the lady. They would rather mix her up with of these girls. All that remained to do was to make sure that no one wanted her the way these girls are wanted. For this, a man must be nearby. And it seems she found this man. According to the maid, the warrior in the corner is unlikely to disgrace her. And no one dare approach him — he looks too menacing. So she will be able to rest for a few hours without unnecessary suspicions.
Maggie strode confidently into the corner and, stopping at the table, quietly said, “May I sit down?”
Jacob kept his eyes on the ring and muttered something like an agreement. Maggie sat in front of him.
The maid brought her a mug of ale and bread with cheese and meat.
“I’m Annie, call me if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Annie. The problem with room remained unresolved. It is obvious that today, there is not even a free bed to be found.”
The maid thought for a moment. She knew that there were no free rooms. But she also wanted to help. Looking at Jacob, she had a great idea, “I think that this mountaineer will not need a room any more. So you will take it. First on the left by stairs.”
“Thank you, Annie.”
The maid hastily left. Other visitors called her, and the owner of the tavern looked at her with displeasure. The warrior drank from the mug without paying attention to her, and Maggie began to eat dinner while thinking about today’s events. Having spent the night in the forest, she firmly decided to spend the next one under a roof. And although she knew what was waiting for her, she could not protect herself enough from cold and vigilance. Because of this, she did not sleep properly and in the morning she was too tired to ride quickly.
Maggie rode, avoiding the roads but still staying close to them not to get lost. Maggie was happy when she came across the tavern. However, when it happened, it was still quite early. She knew there were travellers here. That’s why she waited for several hours, so that they would be sufficiently drunk, not pay attention to her and not remember her appearance. Still, she did not expect that the tavern would be so crowded. Maggie looked around. Fortunately, no one paid attention to her. And the corner was quite dark. Her plan was perfect. All that was left was to finish eating quickly and sneak into the room inconspicuously. And to disappear in the morning before anyone wakes up. Maggie looked at the warrior sitting in front of her. He did not pay attention to what was happening around, and only the ring was at his sight. He must have got very drunk, because it seems that he is about to fall asleep sitting at this table. It seems Annie was right: he won’t need the room today.
Satisfying her hunger, Maggie allowed herself to examine him carefully. In candlelight, he looked like a real giant. Her brothers were tall, just over five feet. But he is obviously taller than they by at least twenty inches. Strong, broad shoulders and strong arms, which muscles were visible through the shirt. Black, like the night, his hair fell freely to the shoulders. The eyes were the colour of a ripe walnut. And the gaze wandered somewhere far, far away. And although she had nothing to do with him, she still wanted to understand the reason for his condition. Apparently, he was sad. She wondered if he would notice if she kissed him. Her hand involuntarily rose to stroke his face. But Maggie came to her senses in time and took her hand away. What happened to her? She is going into hiding. And she almost put down and exposed herself.
Having collected the remains of food in a bag, Maggie hastily left the table and went to the room. Having gone up the stairs, she once again looked back at the warrior. He sat with his eyes closed. With a sigh of relief, she entered the room. Annie was right, as the warrior will not need a room.
The fireplace was burning in the room, and the light from the fire was enough to look around. Based upon the large hall, the tavern was not designed for overly rich visitors. So the rooms here should not be luxurious. But it’s not about this room. Undoubtedly, it was intended only for the best guests. A wide bed, clean linens and a straw mattress. A round table with a couple of chairs next to it. And next to the fireplace, a warm pelt was spread.
Maggie was blanketed in warmth, and she felt sleepy. She took out a dagger from a secret pocket and hid it under the pillow. Lips stretched in a slight smile. Another gift from grandfather. Thank God he bothered to teach her how to fight with it. Grandfather believed that a girl should have been able to stand up for herself. And she will succeed. Having undressed, Maggie lay down on the bed and covered herself. She checked the dagger with her hand once more. It lay as comfortably as possible for sudden use. As in the past few years. Fortunately, it was not needed on the way. Hoping that it would continue like this, Maggie fell asleep.
The door creak woke Maggie up. The fireplace barely smouldered. Looking out the window, she saw complete darkness. The sun didn’t even think to rise. Judging by this, not much time has passed since she fell asleep. It’s a pity that the moon decided to hide this night. It would be easier for her if she could see who was chasing her. If she was caught up, she had no desire to kill her brothers. Even though they wanted to forcibly marry her off. But if one of the guests noticed that she was alone and wanted easy prey, then he should be punished.
While Maggie was deciding what to do, the door opened fully and a tall shadow slowly approached the bed. Huddled in the corner, Maggie asked God to give her the strength to get out of here alive and unharmed.
Because of a slight rustling, Maggie understood that this “someone” was undressing. But something else was surprising. “Shadow” was still silent. As if it did not notice her. And suddenly the “shadow” shook, an inexplicable trampling was heard. And in the end, this “someone” plopped down right in the middle of the bed.
Maggie tensed, expecting the worst. But everything calmed down. Leaning slightly forward, Maggie tried to look at the person lying on the bed. And to make matters worse, she leaned so that the dagger removed from the scabbard injured her hand. Biting her lip, Maggie mentally cursed her own clumsiness. How could she be so careless and get hurt with her own dagger?! Cursing, Maggie grabbed the bedsheet and squeezed the wound tightly. After waiting for some time, she threw back the bedsheet and moved back to the corner of the bed. Feeling foolish, Maggie waited for the “shadow” to attack her after all. Waiting like that, imperceptibly for herself, she fell asleep.
Jacob woke up with a heavy head. The first rays of the sun barely lit up in the sky. He once again cursed the long-established habit of waking up at the first glimpse of the sun. Unfortunately, neither hard battles, nor long marches, nor amorous pleasures for the whole night prevented this. Remembering the pleasures of love, the nights spent with Blanche echoed with bitterness. Closing his eyes, Jacob was carried away for several months before. Blanche stretched out on the bed and flaunted her ample forms seductively. Her straw-coloured hair gently covered her full breasts. Ample hips and seductive bosom invited him to get the joy of love. Jacob was always amazed that Blanche removed hair on her pubis and remained smooth all the time. She said that she did not like the colour of her hair. But only over time did Jacob realized the real reason for that.
For a moment, Jacob felt again all the passion he had given to this woman. But behind all her charms, a hard heart lies. How can such bust hide it?! If he had seen that that heart was capable of betrayal, he would never have opened up to it. After all, all he wanted was love and family comfort. He wanted an heir. Was he really asking for so much?
Trying to dispel the delusion, Jacob swung his hand and hit something soft with it. Rather, someone. Was his imagination not an imagination at all, and everything happened again in reality?
The sharp steel touched his neck just where it was most vulnerable. Jacob knew that if the assailant had pressed harder, or if he had jerked violently, so much blood would have flowed out of the cut that it was unlikely that anyone would have been able to save him. He was convinced that the one who threatened him also knew about it and decided not to risk it. Carefully turning his head, he looked at his killer. To his surprise, instead of the expected eyes of the calm sea, eyes of the mountain moss colour were looking at him. He saw those eyes. Yesterday. Before the ale finally got the better of him. But how did this girl get into his bed, and why is she only in a nightgown?!
As calmly as possible, Jacob called out to the girl, “Remove the dagger, and I won’t hurt you.”
The girl only smiled sceptically and shook her head firmly. At that very moment, Jacob deftly twisted and snatched the dagger from Maggie’s hands. Jacob looked down at the dagger. It was quite large for a lady. But at the same time it was light and comfortable. A stone of deep red colour was set on the handle of the dagger. It seems that the girl is not from the poor, if she could afford such a decoration. Well, or she stole it. Her eyes widened in surprise. At that very moment, the warrior deftly jumped out of bed.
“What are you doing here, and why did you want to kill me?”
“I wasn’t going to kill you, I was just defending myself.”
“And what were you defending?”
“My honour,” with the last words, Maggie blushed.
While the verbal altercation continued, she tried to examine her “offender”. He was the same mountaineer with whom she had dinner yesterday. He looked even better in the daylight than in candlelight. He really was as tall as she imagined. Maggie reached just above his chest. Thinking about height, she took an appraising look at the mountaineer’s body. It was tightened and covered with several scars. As soon as she remembered the honour, her gaze slipped down. Maggie felt herself being blushed. The beautiful warrior was truly beautiful. In everything. And he stood in front of her completely naked. Maggie couldn’t take her eyes off his blade, which was at readiness and impressive in size.
The mountaineer, catching her gaze, smiled and immediately frowned. “This is what all women are really interested in,” he thought bitterly. And he was just ready to sneer. But then his gaze fell on the bedsheet. It was covered with blood. As it was dry, it was several hours old. He looked at the girl. She was wearing only a nightgown and slept sitting up with a dagger. Blood began to pulse in the temples. It seems that he got drunk as he wanted, until he lost his memory. He remembered how Annie had seated the girl at the table. Then – darkness. And now she is in his room. And obviously – no longer a girl.
