The Lady and the Flame - part of the Hearts Through History Anthology - The Light of Love
Can
the flame of love survive in the midst of betrayal and lies?
When Lady Margaret Whitaker
falls in love with the rugged highlander Laird Duncan Gordon, she has no idea
of the dangerous past that threatens to tear them apart. Her own father was
involved in the death of Duncan’s father, a dark secret that has remained
hidden for fifteen long years.
Desperate to keep his daughter
from running off with Duncan during the Yule celebration, her father locks her
away in the abandoned castle dungeon.
But Duncan will not let the
flame of their love be extinguished by her father's lies and deceit. He devises
a daring plan to rescue his true love and spirit her away.
Will their passion overcome the secrets and lies that threaten to keep them apart? Or will the flames of love be snuffed out by the cold heart of betrayal?
Chapter One
December 14,
1560
Sommer-by-the-Sea
“Steady as she goes.” Laird Duncan
Gordon stood on the quarterdeck of his ship, The Golden Flame. His concentration set on the job at
hand. His heart pounded from the exhilaration of sailing to the next port and knowing
he would soon be with her. He loved sailing. The corner of his lips turned up. He
loved her more.
Duncan combed his thick, wavy hair
out of his face with his fingers. Shading his eyes, he peered at the top of the
mainmast and the red flag that whipped in the wind. It was their private signal.
Duncan had been trading with the
villages along the eastern shore of England for the last eight years, each year
expanding his business to new ports. Eighteen months ago, he added
Sommer-by-the-Sea, a small village nestled on the rugged northeastern English
coast, to his route. It was a day’s sail from Edinburgh.
“Stand by.” Jamie Murdock, his
quartermaster, readied the men. He’d bring the ship a quarter of a mile up the
River Sommer to the village port.
The captain’s disciplined crew,
skilled in the ways of the sea, executed the maneuver at hand. The Golden
Flame glided up the river and through the sea gate into the busy Sommer
Bay. With precision and efficiency, the crew lowered the sails and took to the
small boats to bring the vessel to the dock. Their seamless coordination and
deft skills were a testament to their years of experience at sea.
“Docking at Sommer-by-the-Sea is
like coming home.”
Duncan smiled at Jamie’s remark. He could
easily express the same sentiment.
Home. Like many villages in the wake
of the border wars, his home in Scotland was a shadow of what it once had been.
The attack fifteen years ago changed everything. Many of the survivors lost
everything and moved away, taking the traditions with them. Now it was
difficult to remember how fine his Scotland home had been.
“How long will we be here?” The
quartermaster kept an eye on the docking.
“Three days. One to unload. Another
to reload. And the third is to sit and do nothing.” Duncan liked that plan. “We’re
not in any rush.”
Duncan gently touched the small
parcel tucked in his doublet. The item, acquired at great cost, wasn’t overly
ornate but rather beautiful in its simplicity. Forged by a master Belgian
goldsmith, the piece was an intricate Celtic Love Knot, its center adorned with
a solitary sapphire Duncan had given the goldsmith to include in his creation.
The crew tossed the mooring lines to
the men on the dock, who fastened them to the cleats.
“You can see the villagers coming to
meet us.” Jamie gestured toward the shore. “With any luck, the proprietress of
The Maiden’s Blade Inn will be with them. I can help her with the barrels if
you like.”
Duncan watched as Jamie tried hard
not to laugh at his mock scowl. Instead, his quartermaster gave him a playful
slap on his back.
“On the other hand,” Jamie grabbed
his crotch. Everyone knew what the captain and the inn’s proprietress meant to
each other. “I’d rather keep all my body parts.”
“I wouldn’t worry if I were you. No
one would be interested in those little things.” Duncan sent them both
chuckling.
From where they stood, the village
layout was clear. The docks were splayed out in a wide crescent along the
natural harbor. Several warehouses and a tavern lined Water Street, the road
parallel to the pier. A wide street led from the docks to the town square.
Behind the warehouses was a network of lanes and byways surrounding the square.
Past that, on the promontory, was the church and the abandoned Sommer Castle, a
relic from four hundred years ago.
“From the size of the crowd, I hope
we brought enough beer.” Jamie licked his lips and avoided looking at Duncan.
“I agreed that you and the men should
sample our gift to the Inn but not drink the barrel dry.”
“We left some,” Jamie said half
seriously.
“But not much.”
“That’s why the crew went back and
commandeered more barrels. I made sure there were plenty of barrels for each of
the taverns. It’s Yule time. We should be generous.”
“At my expense. I suppose the beer
is my gift to them.” He shook his head.
Duncan brought the village more than
beer. On this trip, he brought precious spices, olive oil, silks to sell to the
villagers, and two special woven willow baskets made by the women in his
village. The Golden Flame was a floating tinker’s wagon as well as a bona
fide trading vessel.
Jamie was right. Sommer-by-the-Sea
was like home. Who didn’t bring gifts when you returned home, especially during
this time of year? His hand went to his doublet.
“The wee package is still there. You’ve
touched your doublet so many times, I’m surprised you haven’t worn the thread
thin.” Jamie pounded him on the back.
“Go see to the unloading.” Duncan
shook his head as Jamie began calling out the orders.
As the men secured the ship, he
scoured the crowd, looking for her. He had something important he wanted to
discuss. She was the reason he looked forward to returning here, to her, Lady
Margaret Whitaker. His Maggie.
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