There Your Heart Will Be Also

218 Pages·2016·0.88 MB·English

by  Rogers Felicia

There Your Heart Will Be Also
by Felicia Rogers
Published by Astraea Press www.astraeapress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and events are fictitious in
every regard. Any similarities to actual events and persons, living or dead, are
purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names, or named
features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used
only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if any of these terms are
used. Except for review purposes, the reproduction of this book in whole or part,
electronically or mechanically, constitutes a copyright violation.
THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO
Copyright © 2011 FELICIA ROGERS
ISBN 978-1-936852-62-8
Cover Art Designed by Elaina Lee
Edited by Audrey Jamison
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:21 or Luke 12:34
Prologue
Wilt Hotham stood behind the chair, fingers drumming upon the wood.
“Do you have news to report?”
“I’m afraid so, my lord,” answered the messenger, eyes shifting.
“What is this news?”
“Remember, I am but the messenger.”
“Of course, I understand. Now get on with it. Give me the news of my
brother. Was he successful?”
The messenger trembled as he answered, “Nay.”
“Nay?” Wilt widened his eyes. Anger caused sweat to bead upon his brow.
Hands clenched by his sides, he waited for more.
“Nay, sir. Unsuccessful, I’m afraid. The mistress of Greenbriar wasn’t to
his… liking.”
Wilt flung his arms into the air, stomping his feet. His hands flipped the
table, sending decanters full of whiskey against the wall. Amber-colored ink
trailed downward, pooling silently on the white rug. Wilt’s eyes narrowed into
tiny slits as he saw the servant shy away.
Good. At least someone recognized his power.
After the tirade passed, Wilt jerked his waistcoat down, placed thumbs
against his ribcage and asked the servant to continue with the news.
Straightening from a cowering position, the servant began again with a
trembling voice. “Your brother returned home and, well, he…”
“Aye? What happened? Let me guess. Spent the whole week in the
bedroom weeping like a child! Our family is in ruins. Our wealth completely
disappeared because of his ‘habits.’ Our one chance to rectify the situation and
he finds the bride unsatisfactory.” Taking a deep breath to calm his wildly
beating heart, Wilt stared at the servant. “You will travel to see my brother. You
will tell him he must go back and marry the mistress, claim the land for his own,
and sell it. I don’t care whether the woman is to his liking or not! I will not lose
everything because my brother is unwilling to experience the least amount of
discomfort!”
The servant shuffled his feet.
“Do stop your fidgeting, and do as I say!”
“But, my lord—”
“What is it now?”
“I am afraid—”
“Aye? What is it? Come out with it then?”
“I’m afraid your brother is dead.”
Chapter One
England 1551
Cedric knelt awaiting the announcement of the English king. Some would
say this was an unusual position for a Scot, but others would take the
opportunity to remind the uninformed that the man wasn’t truly a Scot. In his
experience, educating those people on his heritage and explaining the situation
did little good. It was best to stay focused on the here and now, like the shininess
of the floor, not the sounds of a crowd snickering at his back. These wayward
thoughts ended when the sound of the young King Edward’s voice boomed.
“Cedric MacNeil of Scotland, it is an honor to have you in my court.”
Cedric’s head raised a fraction. His eyes shifted, looking around and
noticing how the King’s minions were nodding their heads in agreement.
“You came to this court and offered your sword as a service to the English
crown. In the beginning, it was our opinion perhaps you should be denied this
privilege. But, after much thought and consideration the opportunity was
extended to you. Not because of you, of course, but because of your mother,
Elinor. Father was fond of her. She was a member of his court and held a
prominent position in our English society.”
Heads around the room nodded once again, as the King gleefully added, “I
can also say, agreeing to send you to compete in the tourney on behalf of my
crown has brought me much reward.”
Here, the King paused and beckoned a man forward. He whispered
unintelligible words, causing the servant to nod. The King continued his speech.
“In order to reward you, as you have rewarded this court with your service, I
wish to offer you not only the gold you’ve earned, but also a worthy piece of
land.”
At the word “land,” Cedric’s head popped up. The faces around the room
were wide with peculiar smiles.
The King motioned his secretary forward. In a businesslike fashion, the
man spoke. The information concerned the location and the dimensions of the
land. At the end, the king’s assistant added one more detail. “In order to secure
the property as your own, there is one stipulation.”
Cedric stared at the shiny floor, which reflected back to him his
expressions of honest interest. With renewed focus, Cedric listened to the
attendant’s continuing speech. “In order to acquire this piece of property
permanently, you must marry the previous land owner’s daughter.”
At the pronouncement, the whole court burst out in riotous laughter. In a
flourish, the King dismissed everyone in the room, leaving in a flurry of robes
himself. On bended knee, Cedric was left alone in the vast room wondering
about his future. What could have been so amusing to the crowd?
****
A month after his experiences in the King’s court, Cedric stood atop a
rock-covered hill with the wind sweeping behind him, staring with longing at the
castle nestled in the valley below. This was to be home? It was not the Scottish
highlands with purple fields of heather, which he envisioned at night. But it was
close enough.
So close, in fact, nearby Scottish clans had been known to kidnap local village
wenches, as well as plunder the sheep from the surrounding hillsides.
This was no doubt one of the reasons the King had graced a Scot with a chance
at claiming this particular parcel.
Cedric surveyed all before him. The desire of his heart was coming to pass. Soon
this would be home. Land to call his own. Land to grow crops. Land to raise
sheep. Land to raise a family.
After the King’s pronouncement, Cedric discovered he’d not been the first
choice for Lord of Greenbriar. In truth, he’d not been the second or third choice
either. From rumors passed in the King’s court, Cedric learned many individuals
of noble quality and birth had been chosen as potential lords of this fair land.
Many had traveled far and wide to claim their prize, but none had succeeded. It
was said some had taken one look at the main hall falling in on itself, and spoken
with the mistress of the keep, who would become his wife, and high-tailed it
back to the city without elaborating on an excuse for their return. Others returned
posthaste, refusing the land offered. Some came with legitimate reasons. They
claimed the repairs needed required funds beyond their means. Others returned
with peculiar reasons such as mythical maladies that denied them the ability to
maintain this specific parcel and its inhabitants. Rumors abounded as to the
“real” reason these nobles had departed the grounds. But no facts seemed to be
had.
Cedric assumed some of the English Lords who had come north to the border
castle were no doubt terrified of the local Scots living nearby. As he investigated
the rumors further, Cedric heard such tidbits of information like, “the castle was
in complete disarray,” with mention of everything from sagging walls to
crumbing village homes. He’d also heard spirits frequented the castle even in the
daylight hours, and anyone who stayed longer than a fortnight was struck with a
disease of the bowels. One of the most interesting rumors overheard was about
the mistress of the keep. She was said to be an ugly, witchy character who
wielded a tongue of fire.
In his opinion, the nearby Scots would be easy enough to control once they
learned of the new Lord’s lineage. As soon as Cedric took control, the rowdy
neighboring Scots would step back. At least that was his theory. The castle walls
and sagging village huts could easily be repaired with hard work and time. The
ghosts were not a concern, since they didn’t exist. And he would prepare his own
food or keep a close eye on what was to be consumed to keep his bowels in
check. Which left only one concern—the mistress. A nagging wife was worse
than constant dripping, or so he’d heard.
Although Cedric worried about his future spouse, nothing would deter his goal.
After his mother’s passing, Father only lived a short time. His father’s death had
caused the MacNeil clan to erupt. They refused to have a half-breed and an
Englishman rule. Rather than fight to hold only a tenuous grasp on his land, and
perhaps destroy his own family from within, Cedric voluntarily handed control
to his uncle and headed to court to serve the English King. This was his chance
at redemption. There was no way he would give up an opportunity to have land;
and no ugly, witchy woman would stand in the way.
Scanning the road, Cedric thought he saw what he was looking for. Indeed, he
had. Warmth filled his heart as Cedric approached the castle. Stopping in the
nearby woods, he noticed the drawbridge was down. This allowed villagers to
come and go freely.
With just his sporran, claymore, and the sparse clothing in his sack, he felt
exposed. The few gold pieces sewn into his kilt were the only other items
carried. All else had been left behind. He preferred to live off the land. What else
did one need?
Cedric had not purchased a horse for the journey because there was no reason to
hasten his arrival, nor did he wish to feed the beast. Besides, Cedric needed the
extra time foot travel provided to consider a strategy for conquering this foe.
Without knowing her name or what she looked like, how was Cedric to find the
woman he sought? The King’s court said the mistress was young but old.
Beautiful, yet wrinkled and witchy. No two descriptions ever matched.
On the long walk from court to Greenbriar land, Cedric rolled many options
about in his mind. Of course he’d considered the direct approach. Introduce
himself as a suitor and attempt to gain the lady of Greenbriar’s favor in a
forthright manner.
The idea of taking the castle by force had also crossed Cedric’s mind. The act of
doing this would make him no better off than if he’d stayed on MacNeil land.
No, he needed a plan. Something sneaky and well thought out. The idea of
asking the villagers where to find the mistress was another option. Perhaps he
would see this lady of Greenbriar without revealing himself and then decide
whether pursuing her favor was worth the effort.
As Cedric waited, there was a sound of movement behind him. Within seconds
Cedric held the intruder against the tree, a dagger to his throat.
“Calm yeself me Lord, it is I.”
Cedric released the servant and backed away. They grasped hands in greeting
and Cedric said, “Thank ye, Barney, for coming.”
Barney nodded. “I left Duncan and the others in town just like ye said and I’m
here to do yer bidding.”
“Good. Now let’s discuss what I need ye to do.”