Debra Kay Leland (18 page)

“…I—I love ye, Wil
liam...”

“…M-Miranda…”
  Her name was spoken on the soft breath that left his body, not to be gifted with another…  Her eyes swept over his thin handsome face as her hand tentatively reached for him, coming to rest over his heart that now had grown still and silent within him.  She bent her face to his and kissed his cool parted lips, lips that had once smiled brightly, lips that had murmured his love, lips that would never kiss her again…

“G—good bye, my love—”
She choked back sob,
“…I—I shall miss, ye— W-William…”
  She laid her cheek against his forehead and cradled him in her arms, willing for him to come back to her, when yet no hope remained…

Phillip went into the narrow house whose door was ajar, his heart failing at what met him there, the fire had not been tended, nor was there a pot was hanging from the hook above the flames—fear gripped him as he ran outside again…  Then he heard it, the soft heart wrenching sobs that threading through the soft spring breeze.  He paused as he saw the lass by the tall oak in the meadow, and heard the heartbreaking sound in her faint voice.  He raced towards the girl, and then dropped down beside her, his worst fears now lay before his eyes.  The young girl looked up at him with sorrowful eyes.  “
…He—he’s gone, Phillip…  He—he’s gone…”

The man bit back the emotion that swept through him at the sight of his young friend cradled so lovingly in her frail arms.  He dropped his head and swallowed hard, yet he could not control the emotion in his own voice
as he wept.  “…
I’m—I’m sorry, lass…”

She looked at him with sad lost eyes, and then lowered them to her husband’s restful face. 
“…Don’t—don’t take him from me yet...”
  She fought the shuttering sob that shook her and clutched him tighter to herself…

T
he Earl of Whittington sat as he had sat each day, alone in his solar waiting word of his son…  His son and the only heir had left, and the only one worthy of such a thing…  He bit back a curse; for he would have gladly given his title and lands, and all he owned to have William at his side, but the legacy he built for his sons had only aided in their demise…!  The knock on his solar door brought his thoughts back again.  His heart seethed within him at the sound.   A guard stood at the door a missive in his hand.  “M’lord, Phillip Dewalt, William’s squire came and told me to give this to ye, he waits in the bailey for a word from thee.”

He took the missive wordlessly and opened it with a trembling hand…  He hung his head, a low sorrowful cry went from his lip—
it was done…  His son was dead
…  His name was spoken on a whisper, “…
William…”
’

Phillip waited in the
bailey not able to meet the gazes of those around him as the young servant came to him again.  “He—he is too distraught to talk to thee…”

Phillip clenched his jaw against the emotion that shook his own voice, knowing how much the man had loved his son.  “I—shall go then, I must send word to of what has happened to those in Chadwick.  If he asks—tell him, that he wen
t quickly.”

The servan
t nodded solemnly.  “I shall.”

He left then and headed to Chadwick. 
Though, he knew that no amount of kind words or selfless deeds from anyone would console the lass for what she had lost, yet he and Thomas were sure she needed her family at her side now…

Alden, his wife Rae, and Turin came back with Phillip that same day with a cart and their heart heavy from the word that they had just received. 
“Ye say he was taken ill?”

Phillip nodded. 
“Aye, ‘twas from a head wound he received the night they took Glenton Moor.”

Alden drew a deep sigh; he worried after his daughter and the sorrow he had caused her by giving her to a man who had left her a widow so soon.
“The lass, how is she?”

“She—she hardly eats…hardly sleeps…we hear her crying in the night…”
  He bit back the emotion in his voice. 
“I fear she cannot go on without him…”

Alden and his wife exchanged concerned glances at the man’s words; Miranda was young, a mere child, and was too young to cope with the sorrows of being a widow.

“…and she—she is with child…”

They both frowned at Phillip’s quiet words…

Alden placed a hand on his wife’s arm as the cart slowed.  “Let me go speak with the lass, first.”  He said and climbed down then walked towards the dark silent house.

Thomas came out of the barn and looked at h
im.  “She is inside, Alden…”

He nodded and stopped at the door, then knocked softly before he lifted the latch. 
“Miranda?”

She lay on the narrow cot staring into the shadows, her red rimmed eyes hardly blinked.  He opened the door and walked in, stopping to glance around the quiet dim room; he could almost feel the hopeless sorrow that rested in the place. 
“Miranda?”
  He saw her there, curled up like a small child, clutching William’s pillow in her thin arms.  He walked over and touched her wet cheek gently. 
“…Oh lass…”
  He lifted her up into his strong arms and held her to his chest, feeling her shake with the silent sobs that shook her thin frame.  He sat down and held her till the tears eased, wishing with all his heart that he could somehow make everything alright again.

“…He’s—he’s gone, da…”

He bit back the emotion in his voice. 
“…I know…  Oh lass, he loved ye, but he would not want ye and the child to be alone.  Come back to Chadwick with me?”

She shook her head slowly not meet his eyes. 
“…I—I can’t.  I want to stay here with him…”

He drew a long sigh. 
“Miranda… lass, things are different now for ye, I—I cannot allow ye to be unprotected… for yur sake and the child’s I will have to make arrangements for ye; for—for ye are my responsibility now, lass.”

She pushed away from him slowly and stood up on shakily legs. 
“Phillip and Thomas will look out after us.”

He knew she didn’t understand and he wasn’t sure he could make her understand either.  But he wouldn’t allow her to be taken advantage of by the men around those parts, nor go hungry for there was no one to provide for her now!

“Turin and yur ma are outside.  Would ye like then to come in?”

She nodded, but in her heart all she wanted was for William to come back…

Her family had gone back to Chadwick though she knew that they would be back for her da had not been happy with leavin
g her behind as she had wanted.

Miranda sat at her husband’s grave, fresh flowers she had dug from the meadow beyond now planted around a small wooden cross where he lay; she did not know how to read the words Phillip had carved into the hard wood, but she knew what they said. 
William Sheridan of Glenton Moor
.  She leaned back and touched the child that moved softly within her again. 
“…Oh William…  I miss ye.  Come back…  Please come back to me…”

She closed her eyes against the hot tears that spilled down her pale cheeks at her selfish words.  “
I—I don’t know how to go on without ye….”
  She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, then slumped back against the tree where she had once held him, somehow trying to remember how he felt in her arms and afraid she’d somehow forget…

Phillip and Thomas had done as their friend wished and helped her, providing protection for her and the villagers, but yet she worried for their safety
now that William was gone.  He was their protection here…  He had always said so, that as long as he had breath in his body they were safe…  But now he was gone and she was alone and afraid…  She bit her lips to keep from crying.  ...
How she missed him…and ached to hold him but again…

She looked up at the sound of a rider approaching.  She didn’t recognize the man until he drew closer… 
It was Egan...
  Her heart clenched with numbing fear at the sight of him and she closed her eyes teary and drew back as she held herself tightly, too afraid to face him now.  For this time it would be alone…

He rode towards her and stopped, then he stared down at her silently for a long moment before he dismounted and walked forward
slowly.  She remained where she was, pressed against the old oak at William’s side, her arms around the knees that were drawn up beneath her chin; she lifted her eyes but not her head at the sound of his approach, not sure of what he wanted this time.

He knelt down on one knee but did not meet her gaze. 
“I—I have come to offer my sympathy, lass.”

She didn’t blink as she stared at him weakly.

“I know how ye feel about me, but I am truly sorry for yur loss.  Though I was jealous of the man, I shall not speak ill of him now that he is gone.”

She dropped
teary eyes again at his words.  “What do ye want here, Egan?”

He stiffened
but kept his gaze averted. 
“I would offer for yur hand…  I still love ye, lass.  And I have yur da’s blessing now.”

She closed her eyes
tightly and shook her head slowly.  It all made sense now, her father’s tense words when he had left telling her that she was his responsibility now and that he would see her safe… 
“I am with child, William’s child!  Do ye think I could belong to another?”

“The child does not matter—”

“It matters to me!  Nay, Egan I shall not marry ye or anyone else for that matter!”

He looked at her then, his eyes
filled with regret but not anger. 
“Do ye know what ye are saying?  Ye are alone, with no man to protect ye or yur child!”

“William did not leave me without means and he swore his men’s allegiance to protect me!”

He drew a long breath. 
“I still love ye…  And I mean to have ye, but I shall give ye time to grieve him, and then I shall come back at the new moon.”

She watched him
turn and wished he would never come back again, but if he had her father’s blessing she was as good as his, she knew it—and so did he…! 
“I do not want ye here, Egan Wallace!”
  She screamed, but he didn’t even turn as he mounted his horse calmly and rode off again.

…
She missed him… 
Miranda slumped back into the chair, the same chair William had made for her, tears already streaming down her cheeks as she ran a trembling hand over the wood he had so carefully crafted...  Her heart was heavy with sorrow, William was gone, and her father had given Egan permission to wed her when all she wanted was to rend the curtain that lay between them and see him one last time.  Her unsteady voice lifted in a tearful prayer
for herself and his child…
 
She covered her face with her trembling hands, as a heart wrenching sob shook her thin frame, as she screamed his name… 
“William!”

Phillip burst through the door and grabbed her arms pulling her into his tight embrace. 
“Shhh, lass.  ‘Tis alright.”

He didn’t know what more to say, she was hurting and no words of comfort would bring back the only man that she
had loved.  He worried for her, she was but child herself, a mere six and ten summers, and too young to know the pain and loss of a widow. 
“Oh lass… have ye eaten?”

She looked at him with red rimmed eyes and sho
ok her head.

“Sit here.  I shall bring thee something...”

She slumped down into the chair again, a trembling hand ran over the smooth study wood longingly as she whispered,
“’Tis—’tis like he vanished…  I—I see the things he made, the places he stood, but it is as if he was never here… as if it were but a cruel dream.”

He knelt down beside her and took her hand. 
“Oh, lass…  He was here…  And he loved ye.  And ye made him happy, but he would not want thee to cry so.”

She dropped her head. 
“I—I don’t think I shall ever be happy again…”

He reached out tentatively and stroked her soft hair, the heartbreak in
her so real he could feel it…

Chapter Ten

T
he sound of horses and riders made her sit up, she had been weary and nauseas that day from the stress she had endured and taken to her bed shortly after she had finished her morning chores.  She ran a thin trembling hand through her tussled hair keeping her eyes on the door and the sounds coming from without hoping that Phillip or Thomas were close enough to see to any visitors for her; but even as she sat there no voice sounded from without the building.  She stood unsteadily, and swallowed back the dizzying nausea and grief that weighed so heavily upon her soul as she held herself tightly.  A firm knock sounded on the old wooden door, she jumped, then closed her teary eyes almost able to hear William’s voice as if he were still there with her…
‘I shall see to it, lass…’ 
But it sounded again, and she bit back tears knowing she was alone as walked forward and went to the door.  She paused for a moment, swallowing back her fears unsure of who it might be or what they wanted of her, then she laid a trembling hand on the old wooden latch and opened it slowly, peering up into the regal face before her that so reminded her of her husband’s that it took her very breath away…  She choked back a sob and slowly opened the door the rest of the way as she stood there gazing up at him dumbly.