Her Rebellious Heart: A Scottish Historical Romance (10 page)

             
You couldn't see much of Sandy anyway, if you did stay. He is always very busy during the day and goes home in the early evening. You will have to make other arrangements to see him.”

             
Laying her hair brush on the dressing table, Bridget turned the lamp down very low and got into bed beside her cousin. Pulling the covers up under her chin and snuggling into the warm depths of the feather bed, she went on, “You still have all day here tomorrow, and if Sandy likes you, as you think he does, you will have ample opportunity to talk with him and make your plans. Don't get your hopes up too high though, I think Sandy has a young lady he goes out with, much as I hate to tell you that, but of course if he likes you better, that could change.”

             
Margaret didn't answer for a moment. When she did, her voice sounded as if she were close to tears. “You are so lucky, Bridget, everything good comes your way and nothing I want ever seems to happen. If only I could play beautiful music like you do, I would be happy.”

             
“You don't learn to play beautiful music by luck, cousin. That takes years of study and hard work, and you could do it as well as I if you would be willing to work for it.”

             
Bridget was irritated by her cousin's attitude and felt glad she would be leaving the following day.

             
Margaret's petulant voice broke in on her thoughts. “Well, you've got Aidan, and right in the same house with you. Wouldn't you call that luck?”

             
“Yes, if I wanted him for my man it would be, but I am not interested in him or any other man at the present time.”

             
“Maybe not, Bridget, but he wants you. I can tell the way he never takes his eyes off you.  You should jump at the chance of him. I would, if he'd only give me a second look.”

             
Bridget smiled to herself in the darkness and changed the subject to the happy time they had at the party, although she sensed Margaret was not in a very jovial mood. When she didn't answer a question put to her, Bridget realized her cousin had fallen asleep.

             
Poor lass
, she thought.
She's all tired out from too much excitement and will probably feel better in the morning.

             
Her mind turned to Aidan and how angry he had been when he left her a short time ago. She wondered now if she had been too hasty with him, but what was done was done and no recriminations or regrets could change a thing. Turning on her stomach and pushing her hands under the pillow, she sighed deeply and was soon asleep.

             
Sometime in the night, Bridget awoke with the frightening feeling she was suffocating. Her face was being pushed hard into the feather mattress,and there seemed to be a dead weight on top of her, pressing her down. Terrified, the thought flashed through her mind,
Oh God, someone is trying to do me in. If it is Aidan, I'll never get away from him, he's too strong, but Besse I might be able to dislodge.

She was losing consciousness, her lungs felt like they were bursting. She started thrashing madly around and kicking her feet in desperation. Suddenly, she felt the pressure lessen slightly, and in her wild flailing, rolled off the bed onto the floor, hitting her head against the nightstand as she fell.

              Her eyes flew open as she sucked in a large amount of air. Her head throbbed. She touched her hand to her head, checking for blood. It didn't feel wet. As she lay gasping for air, taking desperate gulps, she wondered if she'd blacked out for a moment. Suddenly remembering why she'd rolled off her bed in the first place, her eyes darted frantically from side to side. She expected to feel her assailant come at her again, but there was no further attack. After a few moments, she cautiously sat up and looked around in the dim light. No one was there, but the door to the hallway stood open as if someone had left in a hurry. She looked across to the side of the bed where her cousin was still asleep, curled up in the fetal position that she always slept in.

             
Bridget trembled. In her befuddled mind, she thought,
Could that really have been Besse or Aidan? Or was it a nightmare from the food Robert had cautioned against eating so late?

             
Frightened, she got up off the floor and closed the bedroom door, slipping the bolt into place.   Listening for any sound and feeling completely unnerved, she lay back down in bed, but no sleep came for the rest of the night.

             
As the light of day streaked across the sky, she heard the sounds of Robert getting the fire going in the downstairs parlor and Besse bustling around in the kitchen. Getting up slowly, still feeling shaken, she washed her face and hands in cold water from the pitcher on the nightstand that she had almost knocked over in the night.

             
She dressed hurriedly, and then awakened Margaret before going downstairs to help Besse with the breakfast.

             
Robert, reading by the fire, looked up as she came into the room.“Ah, good morning my dear. Did you have a good sleep?”

             
“Oh fairly good, Robert,” she began, “but had a bit of a nightmare, I think. I've never experienced anything like that before and can't imagine what happened. I actually felt someone was trying to suffocate me. I struggled and ended up on the floor.”

             
Her grandfather appeared incredulous, “You mean you feel out of bed, lass?”

             
“Yes, I actually did, and slammed against the nightstand as I fell. It's a wonder I didn't wake everybody up.”

             
Before they could have further discussion, the others came in for breakfast and Bridget busied herself helping Besse to serve. She scrutinized Besse closely but could see no sign of nervousness about her. She decided it wasn't Besse who had come into her room in the night, or else she was very good at hidings her feelings.

             
If it wasn't Besse, could it possibly have been Aidan?
He had been terribly angry with her when she turned him down the night before. But still, she didn't want to think this of him, although he did stand to lose a lot, if she became any more of a favorite with Robert MacDonald than she already was.  She would have to be extra careful from now on and make sure to bolt her door before going to bed,  something she had neglected to do while her cousin had been with her.

             
Margaret, face swollen with sleep, seemed rather sullen as she sat down at the table. Bridget presumed she hadn't gotten over her disappointment at not being able to stay at Ty-Runach any longer.

             
Bridget became aware of tension at the table when suddenly Robert said,“Did you ever fall out of bed before, Bridget?”

             
“Grandfather,” she exclaimed, “how could you? I didn't want anyone else to know about it.”

Much to her embarrassment Robert couldn't contain himself and laughed out loud.

              Aidan has a slight sneer on his face when he asked, “How could such a thing happen, Bridget? You never take a drink, so you couldn't have been tipsy. Come on tell us what it's all about.”

             
Margaret gave her a dull look. “Why didn't I hear you, Bridget? Must have been quite a bump when you landed on the floor. Or are you just making that up?”

             
Bridget, feeling very embarrassed by now, snapped, “Oh, let's forget the whole thing. I did roll out of bed but there wasn't any bump, Margaret, and I wasn't hurt. Like Robert said, we ate too much before going to bed, and it upset my stomach. I don't usually do that and wasn't used to it.”

             
She looked across the table at Aidan who seemed highly amused, and thought she had better get along with their joking, so they wouldn't make too much fun of her.

             
Grinning she said, “Anyone want some more tea or toast? I'll go get the teapot.”

             
Her grandfather answered her with,“You eat something yourself, Bridget, you've hardly touched your breakfast.” She thought he sounded concerned. 

             
“I'm really not hungry,  Robert.”

             
Aidan had finished by this time and gotten up from the table to go to work. As he passed her chair he ruffled her hair with his hand, laughing with amusement. 

             
Making a valiant effort not to show how infuriated she was, she called after him,“Aidan, can Margaret and I come see your animals today before she goes home?”  

             
“Of course, Bridget, I told you anytime. Think you can get there without falling down?”

             
She quickly knotted her serviette and threw it at him, missing him completely as he hurried away laughing heartily.

             
Almost in tears, she cried out, “Oh, that man, I'd like to try choking him sometime.”

             
“Now,  now, Bridget, that's no way to talk, Aidan is only joking with you,” said Robert

             
“Well, I don't like it and I don't have to listen to it.” Jumping up from the table, she ran upstairs to her room,  banging the door shut. She fell on the bed crying violently.

             
Besse came in from the kitchen upon hearing the loud voices and asked, “What's the matter wi' the lassie, sir? She doesn't seem to be herself today.”

             
“I don't know, Besse, but this may be more serious than I thought. Margaret, you stay down here, I must have a talk with Bridget. Help Besse with the cleaning up,” he said with authority, his eyes a cold steely blue.

             
Going upstairs, he knocked on Bridget's bedroom door before cautiously opening it. She was lying across the bed and sobbing softly. She looked up as he entered and sat on the bed beside her.

             
“Oh, it's you, Grandfather, I thought it was Margaret,” she said, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands. She sat up then, legs dangling over the side of the bed, her eyes red from weeping. He put his arm around her shoulders.

             
“Tell me now, lassie, what really happened last night? I can see it was a lot more serious than any of us realized.”

             
“Oh, Robert, I'm so ashamed I acted the way I did just now but in the night it really did feel like someone was trying to suffocate me. If I hadn't awakened when I did, I might have died. I didn't sleep all night afterward and was so out of sorts this morning I couldn't help being nasty when Aidan made fun of me. I'm so terribly sorry. Do you think he or Besse dislike me enough to try something like that?”

             
“Now,  now, lassie, that's utterly ridiculous. They have both grown to like you very much  in the few months you have been here. You are overwrought because we were laughing about it, and I'm sure it was just a bad dream.”

             
“I hope so, Grandfather, but it was very frightening and seemed so real. I hope it never happens again.”

             
“All right now, lass, let's see a smile on your bonny face. Come down when you are ready and we'll go for a stroll in the fresh air. It's a beautiful day and we should take advantage of it. We don't get too many of them, as you well know.”

             
“Robert, you are a dear man and always know the right thing to say. I love you so much.”

             
“I love you, too, my child, but hurry now. Wash your face and get dressed before the day is half done.”

             
Bridget laughed happily, much consoled now and decided it had been just a nightmarish experience she had in the night. Robert went down the stairs slowly, a worried look on his face. He thought to himself that certain people around the castle would bear close watching. He had never expected anything like this and didn't think Bridget would have made so much of it, if it were only a bad dream. He knew jealousy was a terrible thing and people had been driven to commit murder  because of it. He must protect Bridget at all costs without her being aware of it.

             
Going to the kitchen door, he said, “Besse, I'm going to the stables. Tell Miss Bridget to meet me there when she comes down.” Turning to Margaret, he asked,“Would you like to walk with your cousin and me?”

             
“Oh, sir, if you don't mind I'd rather go to the stables and see the work they do with the horses.” She smiled shyly. “I also want to talk to Sandy before I go home.”

             
“You may not find him with the animals, lass, I think he is due to take care of the machinery up in the lighthouse, but you suit yourself. I would like your time with us to be as happy as possible.”