Chapter 6
Keira was working in the kitchen a few mornings later, stringing bunches of herbs from the rafters to dry. It was tiring work, and she swiped the back of her hand over her forehead to wipe away the sheen of sweat that had gathered there. She paused when she heard sounds, then groaned when Edmund’s voice reached her. She was about to sneak out the back door when Mary came into the kitchen. “Your mother sent me to call you,” she said. “Master Hobbes is in the parlor.”
Keira nodded in resignation, and wiped her palms against her working kirtle as she headed to the parlor.
“Father and I snared some pheasants this morning, Madam Carver,” Edmund was saying. “I brought you a brace for your kitchen.”
“Thank you, Edmund,” Mother said with a smile. “You’re always so thoughtful.”
“You’ve been like a mother to me, ever since my own passed away,” Edmund said. “It is the least I can do for someone I already consider to be family.”
Keira resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she entered the room. Mother turned at her approach. “Edmund has come to call, Keira.”
Keira lifted her eyebrows. “So I see, Mother.”
Edmund passed his eyes over her form, taking in her homely appearance and rosy cheeks. “Keira,” he said, “you look as charming as always.”
Keira smoothed the colorless, homespun kirtle with her hands. “Thank you, Edmund. I’ll remember your appreciation of this gown, and be sure to wear it for you more often.”
“Keira!” Mother exclaimed.
“I take no offense, Madam Carver,” Edmund said. “I’ve known Keira for so long that I recognize her attempt at wit. She’ll learn what pleases me when she becomes my wife.” He turned to Keira. “I’m glad you’re home, Keira, as I especially wanted to speak with you. I’m afraid you misunderstood me the other day.”
Keira raised her eyebrows. “Did I misunderstand your raised hand?”
“I’d never hit you, Keira. Surely you know that!”
“You also said I should be whipped.”
“I was just funning.”
“Keira knows that, Edmund,” Mother said. She looked at her daughter. “I think you owe Edmund an apology, Keira.”
Keira’s gaze swung to her mother. “I owe Edmund an apology? I think not!”
Edmund laughed. “It’s all right, Keira. I’m quite prepared to forgive you for misconstruing my actions and allowing a stranger to step into our affairs. Although I do think you should know me better by now.”
“On the contrary, I believe we understand each other very well.” Keira stared at Edmund, and he turned away.
“I rue the day that man came to our village,” said Mother. “He’s nothing but trouble, mark my words.”
Edmund nodded. “Unfortunately, I must agree with you, Madam,” he said. “Keira’s lack of caution has already allowed her to be taken in by his lies and deceit.”
“Indeed,” said Mother. “He’s wasted no time in trying to drive a wedge between you two.”
“Edmund’s character is already well-known to me,” Keira said. “I need no-one else to influence my judgement.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” said Mother severely. “Then I trust you understand the great consideration Edmund shows you in desiring you for a wife.”
Keira turned to look at Edmund, meeting his upraised gaze. “Yes, Mother,” she said, “I understand Edmund’s consideration very well. Now if you’ll please excuse me, I must go finish hanging the herbs before they begin to wilt.” She nodded at Edmund, and escaped with a sigh of relief. He left soon after, and Mother came to find Keira in the kitchen.
“What is wrong with you?” she demanded. “Edmund’s patience will run out one of these days.”
“Then I long for that day, Mother.”
“You’re being a fool, Keira. Edmund can provide you a safe and secure future.”
Keira smiled wanly. “Then I think I prefer an insecure future to a secure one.”
“You’re just being stubborn. One of these days you’ll come to your senses, and you’ll be grateful for Edmund’s provision.”
Keira sighed. She knew from experience that argument was futile. “Yes, Mother,” she said.
Keira finished hanging the herbs an hour later. She washed her face and changed her gown, eager to get away from the house for a while. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but clouds were starting to gather on the horizon, promising a wet evening. Taking her basket, she headed out into the lane and towards the village. Within a short while she was walking along the cobbled street that ran between the stores of the high street. Turning into a covered entranceway, she pushed open the door to the haberdasher’s shop, causing the small bell above the door to tinkle. She smiled and nodded at the proprietor in response to his greeting, and headed over to the counter of colorful ribbons and laces.
An hour had sped past by the time Keira emerged from the small shop into the sunlight with bright hanks of ribbons spilling color from her basket. She walked more slowly than before, reluctant to head home now that her afternoon errand was complete. The clouds on the horizon were looming closer, tall stacks of fluffiness, like puffs of seeds on a tall reed. The sun still shone brightly, as though determined to keep the upper hand against the impending rain, but Keira knew it was fighting a losing battle. Soon the clouds would block the warmth and light, replacing them with gloom and damp. Lost in her thoughts, Keira didn’t hear the approaching footsteps that fell in with hers until a soft voice spoke in her ear.
“You look like you’re a thousand miles away, my sweet. What lands are you busy traversing?” At the sound of his voice, Keira jumped, before looking up at Aaron sheepishly.
“I didn’t even see you.”
“You should be more vigilant,” he warned. “The dragon will drop from the clouds and have you in its grasp before you even know it’s there, if you continue to walk so heedless of potential danger.”
“I’m not worried about the dragon, but my head was in the clouds,” Keira said with a laugh.
“It was?” He looked up at the sky dubiously, before turning his gaze back to Keira. “How could your head be in the clouds, when you are clearly here on this narrow street?”
“You know perfectly well what I mean by that, Aaron Drake,” she responded pertly.
Aaron laughed and moved a little closer, allowing his arm to brush against hers. Keira shivered at the touch, all thoughts suddenly chased from her mind as his gaze caught hers. He crooked his elbow, inviting her to rest her hand on his arm, then placed his hand over hers when she did so. He leaned a little closer, his warm breath brushing her ear.
“Tell me what you were daydreaming.” His face was so close to hers, Keira was sure that their lips would meet if she just turned a little more towards him. Instead, she looked away, drawing in a deep breath as she marshaled her thoughts. It took a moment, but when she replied, her voice was steady.
“I was imagining what it would be like to ride atop one of those clouds,” she said. “The entire world lying below you as you slowly drifted through the sky. I wonder what the world looks like from up there.” Keira glanced at Aaron, wondering if he was laughing at her, but his face wore a curious smile. As she spoke, the light of the sun was suddenly cloaked for a brief moment before displaying its full glory once more. Keira turned her face up to the sky again as Aaron watched. “Look how fast the clouds are moving,” she said. “In just a single day they travel over villages and fields, across the mountains and past the city on the other side. Wouldn’t it be incredible to travel with them?” She turned back to Aaron, her face aglow with delight. “Maybe there are faeries in the clouds that are watching us right now.”
“Faeries?” Aaron said in surprise.
“Yes, faeries,” she repeated. “Master Rutlidge, our tutor, always scoffed at the idea of faeries. He used to say that educated people don’t believe in faeries anymore. Is that what you think?”
“Well,” Aa
ron replied, picking his words carefully. “I’ve never seen a faerie before.”
“Just because you haven’t seen one doesn’t mean they don’t exist,” she retorted. “Dragons exist, so why not faeries?”
“Well, you know dragons exist because you’ve seen them,” Aaron pointed out.
“Yes, that’s true,” she responded thoughtfully. “But until one moved into the mountains I’d never seen a dragon, and I still believed dragons existed.”
“That’s because others could attest to the existence of dragons,” he said. “After all, everyone in the village knows the stories of the dragon who was here before.”
Keira looked at Aaron with a grin as she delivered her coup de grace. “And Dame Lamb can attest to the existence of faeries. She has spoken with them, you know.” She smiled shamelessly as Aaron rolled his eyes in defeat.
The pair walked along in silence for a few minutes as the clouds continued to gather, their fluffy white puffs turning more grey and ominous. Aaron pulled Keira’s hand further over his arm, closing the small distance between them. Keira turned to him with a smile, then frowned when she saw his solemn, intense gaze.
“What is it, Aaron? You look so serious.”
“Keira, there’s something I need to tell you.” No sooner had the words left his mouth than a large drop of rain fell to the ground, quickly followed by a second and a third. Keira put her head down as the skies opened, releasing a gushing waterfall onto the land below. Pulling her arm from Aaron’s, she quickly turned to him with a rueful expression.
“Goodbye, Aaron,” she said, and before he had a chance to respond, she dashed away through the torrent in the direction of home, clutching her basket to her chest in an attempt to keep the contents dry. If she had turned around, she would have seen Aaron watching her, oblivious to the rain soaking through his clothes, before he turned around and headed in the opposite direction.