Hidden Desires

Chapter II

The sun rays caressed their smooth cheeks. The morning promised to be pleasant. Still it was irritated by the incident with his cousin. Stephanie had to try to stay calm because one was approached lasts day. It had to do against Alfred and to Lord Richard with entirety. It inspired deeply promising to itself that one would not surrender. He wanted to conserve all that one reason why his father as much fought and needed to look for solutions… If haste did not occur would be forced to flee, or to marry more with its cousin, which was, than a madness, an aberration. To have to respond as it handcuffs similar monster would be the worse one of the punishments. The rejection was so much that felt towards him, who any other thing had been an acceptable exit. If that were the aim that they had assigned to him he would be preferable to die. Or to leave his loved Eilean Donan. While it was decided the future of her and the Clan, the leadership of its uncle as head of the same would only be provisional: the noble Council had to give his approval to a possible successor and due to the so anomalous situation that he considered, because the unique heiress was Stephanie, and she was a woman and in principle head of the MacRae Clan could not be appointed, the favorable things did not appear anything. Apparently, then the nobody was best one than Lord Richard to occupy this position, coverall because he was the unique direct relative, man, who accepted without remilgos the position. But as his good father said, the appearances are appearances, and the fear was not, without a doubt, the best advisor. Still it had time to look for a solution. Something was had to him to happen. And soon. The preparations for the appointment of the head of the Clan would still take three months. It was necessary to keep mourning and to make decisions that the Council could not do lightly. Not yet he was all lost one. If Stephanie found a husband before those dates… It and Eilean Donan had a possibility of being saved. If Lord Richard proposed its marriage with Alfred, the force that would have that union would be undeniable, which would cause that the noble of the Clan tried to dissuade to him of which this union would not be so crazy and although nobody could force to him, the things, doubtless, they would be complicarían, and much. And in addition it was the subject of how the dark murder of its father would be clarified. Because although it was certain that now if it were enjoyed a relative peace, the ambush to Sir Charles had trastocado all it. The farmers had returned to count old woman histories that towards time clouded the reputation of Lord Richard returned to comment that his uncle, when marrying in second nuptials with the mother of Alfred, was able to head, overnight, one of the richest clans of their times, and as well, also that union became related to them with the MacKinnon, possessors of a fort I exercise, which them towards the strongest candidates for the Council. And all had not forgotten whichever infortunios at that time happened. And although although it is certain that nobody could never prove nothing, ran, in those years, many hoaxes on the methods that Lord Richard used to be able to materialize its plans. It was gotten to speak until from strange circumstances in the death of his two spouses. But just as they began, those gadgets disappeared overnight, just when some farmers were found dead. During many years nobody dared to make neither a commentary the more. When Alfred began with its excursions the common people began to him to profess the same irrational fear that had their father. Nobody dared to refute to him. One commented that to watch to the eyes him to him the lost one of a member to which had cost quarrelsome other tall-boy. Suddenly they called to the door - Milady, she is wide-awake? - It was Martha. Stephanie hurried to separate the chair that blocked the door. -Dear Martha! Awoke already my uncle and my cousin? - Yes milady. They had breakfast hours ago and they left to mount to horse. Lord Richard wanted to teach earth to him to Alfred - making a pause the nursemaid dared to add: - Milady, I am worried about you. I could not avoid to hear what happened last night, when his cousin was telling it to Sir Richard during the breakfast. … I talk about the scratch of the cheek… - Martha - Stephanie sigh - nonsubjects. In fact it did not pass anything burdens this time. I could escape - it sighed - By this time, that if! But good… - My young beloved, is going to him to be difficult to be always fleeing from her cousin - worried Martha talked back - it doubles to Him in force and very good things of him are not said that way. It would have to speak with his uncle… - I know Already it, Martha - he settled uncomfortable But I cannot demonstrate to them how much I fear to them. I cannot resign to everything what my father and my ancestors took care of with as much care… and see it in the hands of resemblances ruffians… - watching fixedly his dear nursemaid it ended up saying - I stir the guts to only think that the title of Count of Kintail can fall in even hands… You do not let yourself make an impression by the modal ones of my uncle. He is still worse. - But, milady how it is going to obtain that they are not made yet? - My uncle is in a surpassed position… momentarily, you do not forget it… Well… I know that he thinks to fight by his dynastic rights, but what he does not know he is that some noble of the Council are not in agreement with which he occupies the place of my father. - Breathing deeply, almost maintaining the air in his lungs, it said - the truth is that I do not know I am going as it to obtain… but Eilean Donan never is his. I assure it to you. A silence became that Martha broke suggesting to him to Stephanie: - Already it is seventeen years old… I believe that it is a good age to marry. It does not seem to him? - Martha said mischievously while an excessively sober dress helped Steph to comply, that had chosen carefully, so that its beauty passed something more inadvertent. But even so, she was splendid. Martha smiled maternally. - I already know by where you go… I have thought It… Of sides it added with a severity improper of a girl of its age… But with whom? - It knows that his father wanted that he married with the young person William MacKay. All we wished that union before the terrible misfortune of its father. - Yes, Martha, but I do not know Sir William and I cannot marry to the desperate one. Everything what I know of him is that is a solitary man, wild, frecuentador of women of not very good reputation, although gorgeous, according to I have heard, of which it undoes without difficulty as soon as it gets tired of them. And although they admire it to the men by his bravery and by its skill in the combat, I do not believe that it has what I need for… and in addition he is the one of my father - Stephanie paused a little while surprised of the depth of its words. It inspired deeply to add more calmed -… Although, if there am of serte sincere, I do not understand how they can have something to see in the murder of my father… - Milady, I have to inform to him into that there is many we do not think that the Mackay assassinated their father. Only a few months ago The Peace was signed and anyone would realize of which does not have sense. His father considered to them sincerely… And everybody knows that Marquess de Sutherland and his Clan are not assassins… - Martha I create also it thus, but they were not, who? Everything aims at that those did that it were of that clan. And it is so obvious that it is not logical… I do not know what to think… -Oh! We must occur haste, my girl. It is better than when they arrive he is all ready one. - If, Martha, if - it responded mechanically lost in its thoughts. The information that Martha had given him, made him see that their thoughts were not so preposterous. Knowledge that was not the unique one that suspected made him feel less single.