A Castle of Dreams (10 page)

“To foreign lands?”

“Yes, indeed!  And to see all those exotic places I dream of, but there is no good in dreaming.  Instead I have to travel down to London at the end of the week!”

Meg took a deep breath.

She knew something was bothering him, but would it be very forward to ask?

Surely they were good enough friends for him to be honest with her.

“Sometimes you seem so troubled about the future, David – ” she began.

Suddenly he put down his pencil and reached out to take her hand.

Meg gave a little gasp, but did not pull away.

“Meg, will you trust me?  It's very true, there is something most important I have to tell you, but I have promised Viola that – ”

She interrupted swiftly, an expression of irritation crossing her usually calm face.

“David, do you always have to do what your sister requests?  Sometimes it appears to me that she seems to control your life.”

The young Earl shook his head.

“That just isn't true.  I agree that, because of the odd way we have been brought up, we are very close and often like to do the same things, but in many other ways we are completely different.

“But on this occasion, my silence is because I made a promise and until I am released from it, I am, of course, honour bound not to speak.

“Come to this bench tomorrow morning, if you still wish to know and then I shall tell you everything!”

Meg felt her cheeks redden.

She knew so little of the real world and even less of men.  Should she give him any encouragement?  She had no idea what her brother would think of her behaviour.

She glanced at his hand holding hers and gasped.

Still entwined around his little finger was the cotton thread David had cut from her sleeve the day before!

Meg looked at him gravely, but a smile glimmered deep in her dark eyes.

“If you have a wife and children living in London, then I think it would be somewhat courteous if you told me
now
!  Otherwise, yes, I will wait until tomorrow, David.”

And she sat quietly, watching as his clever fingers sped over the page, sketching the scene he saw before him and dreaming all the time of tropical lands where brightly-coloured parrots flew in the sky instead of the seagulls that spiralled above the cliffs of Glentorran.

*

Back at the Castle, Viola had finished altering the primrose dress and wondered how to spend the rest of the morning.

She gazed wistfully out of the window, wondering about walking down to the beach.

The tide was out and she was keen to explore.

Then she smiled.

In the distance she could see David and Meg sitting side by side on a bench.

She decided to stay inside the Castle as she did not want to venture out in case she met up with them!

She felt a third party would be one too many in that situation.

It seemed odd to see her brother so comfortable in a young woman's presence.

He was not a man who made friends easily, much preferring his painting and sketching hobbies.

But Lady Margaret Glentorran had certainly found a way past his usual reserve.

‘But what hope is there for such a union?'

Viola was whispering to herself as she roamed the stone passageways of Glentorran Castle.

‘I fear that Meg has as much pride as her brother.  She will be worried that people will think she likes David just because he is now extremely rich.'

She found herself at the end of a straight corridor on the second floor of the tall tower at the North side of the Castle.

She pushed open a door and cried out in delight.

A large music room lay before her and although the carpet and curtains were old and shabby, the grand piano in the middle of the room shone from regular polishing and when Viola touched one of the keys, it sounded in tune.

She sat on the tartan covered piano stool and played a little lullaby she had learnt a long time ago.

“You have a good touch, Viola.”

She spun round –

The Duke of Glentorran had been sitting in a high- backed armchair on the far side of the room hidden from her view.

Now he stood up, a sheaf of papers in his hand, his dark hair tousled.

“Oh, you startled me!  I am so sorry.  Did I disturb you?  I thought this room was empty.”

“No need to apologise.  I am only too pleased to be diverted from reading these lists of figures over and over again.  They are poor fare for such a lovely day.”

He smiled at Viola, his serious face suddenly alight with warmth.

“The piano belongs to Meg by the way, not me.  She plays it very well, but she is so busy these days trying to cope with everything in the Castle with so few staff that she has no time to practise.”

He stood up, crossed to the piano and stood looking down at Viola.

“I confess I am surprised to find you indoors, Viola.  I just imagined that you would be out in our wild gardens or walking on the beach.”

Viola blushed.

There was no way she could tell him she had been trying not to disturb her brother and his sister!

“I intend to go for a walk soon,” she murmured.  “I want to explore the Castle this morning.  I have only seen a little of it so far and I would hate to leave Scotland without knowing all its beauty and surprises.”

He laughed, his normally stern face transformed.

“Och, Viola, I think you could explore Glentorran Castle for months and still not discover all its secrets.

“Why, only recently I was searching for a book up in the attic and discovered a cupboard full of old paintings.  Obviously they had been stored away many years ago and forgotten.”

“And do you like them?”

The Duke smiled.

“It's very hard to tell.  They are so dirty and dusty.  I imagine that they must have been collected by one of my ancestors.  I must show them to your brother one evening.  Perhaps he can tell me how old they are.”

Viola turned away from him so he could not see her face.

“So the Castle has its own mysteries.  What about you?  Do you have any secrets, Robert?”

“Me?”

The Duke sounded surprised.

“No, I don't believe in secrets.  They only cause trouble and grief.”

“But sometimes people will keep information and opinions from their friends and family because they might upset them or be hurtful in some way.”

The Duke shook his head.

“No, Viola.  I agree that at times people do things out of a misguided sense of caring.  But I have no time for such actions.  Tell the truth and shame the devil – that is my motto and always will be.”

Viola now stood up abruptly, her fingers hitting the keyboard with a loud harsh noise.

She winced.

“If you will excuse me, I must get myself ready for lunch and go for my walk,” she blurted out as she hurried towards the door.

The Duke stared after her frowning.

Whatever had he said to upset her, as her mood had certainly changed in the last few seconds.

“Before you leave me, I meant to ask you, Viola.  Tonight the fisherfolk are holding a ceilidh in Glentorran village.  I am just wondering if you would be interested in attending?”

Viola turned to look at him.

“A ceilidh?”

Robert smiled.

“An evening of Scottish songs and dancing.  It will not be like any dance you have ever attended before!  The music will be loud and exciting, but I am certain you will enjoy it.

“I would, of course, ask your brother as well, but Meg tells me that he is not strong enough yet for a night of such wild entertainment and she has agreed to stay behind and keep him company.”

“Do you always attend the village affairs?”

“Well, I consider it is my duty to show an interest in everything that happens on the Glentorran estate, but, to tell you the truth, I would go anyway!”

He laughed.

“I used to love going to the ceilidhs when I was a young boy.  Staying here with my grandfather for weeks at a time was enjoyable, but there was never much chance of excitement.  Our evenings would be often spent with him reading to me or relating lurid tales of wicked ancestors and what my duties would be when I inherited the estate.”

“Heavy fare for a small boy,” said Viola gently, her blue eyes sympathetic.

“Indeed!  Except that I always enjoyed the tales of the bad ancestors!”

The Duke's dark eyes gleamed.

“My grandfather's youngest brother was banished abroad because his behaviour was so scandalous!

“But those talks didn't take up too many hours.  As you can so easily imagine, when I could, I escaped to the fishing village to spend time with my friend Fergus.

“The many nights when the villagers held a ceilidh are still clear in my memory.  We used to sit on the floor and wonder at the flying feet, drinking in all the noise, the colour and the excitement.

“Of course, as I grew up, I was taught the Scottish dances.  They are very different from the sedate affairs you have attended in London!”

He smiled at Viola and her heart turned over at the warmth in his eyes.

“I would like you to experience a ceilidh before you leave Scotland.  The dances are extremely easy.  
Strip the Willow, the
Gay Gordon's
and
the Eightsome Reel
.  And, if we are very lucky, the men might perform a sword dance for us.”

Viola hesitated.

She knew that she should refuse.

Every time she was in the Duke's company and did not confess to the fortune she and David now possessed, she was making the whole situation worse.

And she still had not decided what to do about the thorny problem of the brooch she was sure his friend had stolen from the wreckage of the ship.

Captain Howard had been so certain that there were wreckers at work on this Scottish coastline.

And Fergus could well be the ringleader.

How could she possibly get involved in uncovering such an appalling plot when it was one of Robert's friends involved?

Although how could she stand back and perhaps let it happen again?

But oh, it would be wonderful to spend the evening with the Duke, to see another little glimpse of the world he loved so much, a world she was now beginning to realise was one she, too, could happily live in.

But, after tonight, she knew that she would tell him the truth and their friendship would abruptly end.

But she wanted this one last memory to treasure for the rest of her life – she and the Duke dancing together as they had done that faraway night in London.

“If you think my presence would be welcome – ”

She began.

The Duke broke in swiftly.

“I know my people will be only too delighted if you are there.”

He held out his hand.

“
As would I
!”

A shiver of sheer delight ran through Viola's body and she reached out to briefly place her hand in his.

The warm strong fingers closed around hers for a few seconds, but in that brief time, Viola knew that she had lost her heart for ever.

She was falling in love with Robert, the Duke of
Glentorran
!

A gentleman of honour who seemed to like her.

But even as their hands dropped apart, Viola knew that this love was doomed.

As soon as the Duke was told the whole truth, he would despise her and long for the day when she and her brother would leave his home for ever.

By eight o'clock that evening, the clouds had rolled in from the mountains, covering the moon and stars.

Viola could smell rain in the air as she made her way slowly down the stone steps from the Great Hall of the Castle to where the Duke was waiting for her.

He looked incredibly distinguished in his heavy kilt and dark green jacket, the buckles on his shoes gleaming, the ruffles on his white shirt ironed to perfection.

He held out his hand to Viola and smiled, his dark eyes softening as she approached.

“You look wonderful!  I was wondering what you would wear.  I had forgotten that dress of Meg's.”

Viola laughed a little nervously.

The lovely white dress with a plaid draped across one shoulder was a little tight on her and she realised that every inch of her figure was now outlined by the soft white material.

“It is so very beautiful.  The most beautiful dress I have ever worn!”

The Duke shook his head.

“No, that would undoubtedly be the blue gown you were wearing that evening so long ago now at Charlotte Brent's ball.  You looked just like an ice Princess.”

“That sounds very chilly!”

“Just – untouchable!” came the swift reply.

Viola was aware of the hot colour flooding up into her cheeks and turned her attention to the little pony cart.

Stuart McAndrew was standing holding the bridle of a fat grey pony who peered round curiously as if to see what the delay was all about.

“Is this our transport for the ceilidh?” Viola asked with a smile.

“Aye.  It is a little far to walk – going down to the village is fine, but coming back here late at night could be wearying.  You will be tired from dancing, I expect.”

The Duke patted the grey pony.

“Bolster will trundle us down slowly to Glentorran with perfect ease, as long as he is allowed to walk at his own pace!”

The Duke helped Viola into the cart, sprang up to sit next to her, took the reins from the groom and slapped them against the broad grey back in front of him.

Bolster hesitated for a second and then reluctantly ambled forward.

Viola jolted sharply sideways as the wheels rocked over the cobbled pathway and the Duke's arm shot out to encircle her shoulders, holding her fast against his side as the little cart made its way down the steep slope towards the fishing village.

She gave a little sigh of sheer contentment and, for a brief moment, allowed her head to just touch the Duke's shoulder.