Chapter 3
It was a new day, one that was fresh with no mistakes as Lara's mother would say if she was here and the thought brought her some comfort as she braided Alice's dark blonde hair with delicate precision and pinned it to the crown of her head. The night before Lara had been waking every other hour, her mind and body unsettled after losing her rag with Marie. She had to keep reminding herself it was the pot calling the kettle black and she had not done anything wrong. Not really.
"Lara, please don't spare my feelings on my account but have I done something to upset Marie?" Alice asked, her tone a little nervous as she twisted around in her chair. She had always been a sweet girl with a kind temperament, but not as naive as Lara had once suspected. She was a perceptive one.
"No it's not that - " Lara hesitated as Alice watched her. " - the truth of it is - well with your Father's position out here, Cora will be expected to attend many engagements in the coming weeks - " It was half true to an extent but it wasn't the whole truth. " - and Marie is more experienced with that sort of - thing."
"... so you don't mind that you are here with me?" Alice pressed and Lara wondered where this was coming from.
"Why would I mind when I like you very much?" Lara offered the younger Munro girl a closed mouth smile and Alice's sweet laugh carried through the air as she turned around to look at herself in the mirror. "I hear you have a picnic planned for today, therefore you will need your sun hat and parasol."
"The picnic was a surprise from Duncan. Do you know it's been almost been a whole year since I last saw him?" Alice exclaimed. "Have you met Duncan before Lara?"
"By God, you've grown up" Major Heyward exclaimed as he clasped Alice's hand tightly as she met him at the foot of the staircase.
"Duncan, this my friend Miss Donaghue" Alice beamed at him and Duncan looked upwards on the staircase, suddenly tensing as he recognized the other woman from their encounter the other day. " - but you can call her Lara" she whispered playfully and the Major forced a quick smile.
"How do you do?" Lara nodded to the Major and he looked confused at her lack of acknowledgement that they had already met but seemed to catch on quickly.
"Miss Donaghue, I'm happy to make your acquaintance" he returned with little feeling but it seemed to please Alice very much as she grinned at them both. Duncan gaze fixed behind Lara, his mouth agape a little and as she turned, she saw Cora dressed in the very dress she had tried on the day before. Lara's cheeks flushed red as she quickly made her way down the staircase and just as she thought she was out of ear-shot, she heard Duncan exclaim rather loudly.
"What a beautiful gown."
Lara briskly walked through the kitchen and out of the side entrance that led to a private courtyard, her face burning with embarrassment but came to an abrupt stop as she came face to face with a black eyed stranger. His hair was shaved into a Mohawk and various rings, beads & feathers pierced his ears. He wore a blanket as a shawl that was draped over his left shoulder exposing his right arm that was heavily tattooed. He didn't speak as Lara's eyes rested on the long tomahawk that sat in the belt of his breech cloth. Both parties didn't move for several moments and the silence in the courtyard was deafening.
"Water" he raised his canteen towards Lara and then pointed at the well behind him.
"You need water - "
"Yes!" he demanded which rattled her ever more. She walked over to the pump and he watched her as she retrieved a fresh bucket of water for him. He seemed satisfied with her work as he filled up this canteen and gulped down mouthfuls of water before refilling the canteen to the brim for a second time. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, she summoned enough courage to go back into the kitchen where she saw Mr Brown hauling a large sack of potatoes through the other door.
"There is a strange man out there" she hissed between gritted teeth and the cook glanced over at the courtyard.
"What's got you so spooked? He's 'ere with the Major" Mr Brown said. "He's one of ... och what do you call 'em - Mohawk guides. I thought you liked his sort."
Before Lara could respond, she felt a presence behind her and turned around to see the man standing in the doorway to the courtyard, his tall muscular build filling the frame as he stared at them both. It was as if he could read her thoughts and she felt a chill run through the full length of her body.
"Are you alright lass?" Mr Brown asked as Lara shivered.
"I think someone just walked over my grave."
Lara closed the window in her room, and hurried back into the warm bed, burying herself under the covers. The days were humid here but the nights were freezing cold. She lay there for a little while watching as the shadows the tree outside cast upon her ceiling and at some point drifted off to sleep. Rough calloused fingers stroked her face and she mumbled in her sleep state, her eyes slowly flickering opening as sunlight streamed through the window. She could hear the cows over in the next field and saw Peter was already awake, his black hair flopped over his eyes as it always was.
"Mo chloride" he murmured into her hair.
"Please stay" she covered his hand with her own.
"Raidhfil Fada ag fanacht leat."
"Lara, are you awake?" a woman's voice spoke over Peter's and she looked down as Cora settled down on the bottom of the bed, gently reaching her hand out shaking Lara's leg from over the bed-cover. "Lara - "
"Mistress!" Lara awoke for real this time with a start as her eyes adjusted in the early morning light. Cora was sat at the edge of her bed, still in her nightdress, her long dark hair plaited to one side as she raised a finger to her lips and Lara listened as footsteps passed by the door, then faded.
"Are they gone?" Cora whispered as both women listened hard.
"I think so, it will be Marie as she is the only other soul on this floor."
"I'm sorry to wake you so early but I need to speak with you. Something has happened. Something I was not prepared for" Cora started to explain as Lara pushed herself up into a sitting position. "You see - Duncan proposed yesterday, at the picnic, we were alone and he told me he is in love with me - "
"Oh - " Lara feigned surprise.
" - but I do not care for him in that way. My feelings do not go beyond friendship. He asked me to think about it and I agreed foolishly even though I already know what my answer is. I have barely slept Lara. I do not wish to hurt him but I cannot marry him, despite what my Father will undoubtedly say or anyone else - "
"Can I speak plainly Miss Cora?"
"Please do."
"It does not matter what anyone else thinks. It is your life and if you do not feel anything for the Major, then it is settled. You do not need to marry him."
Both women sat in silence for a few moments until Cora reached forward and squeezed Lara's hand, a gesture of friendship and mutual respect. There was always a sense of formality between them as there should be given their roles but there was closeness there as Lara had a window into Cora's world that not many people saw.
"That's what I needed someone to tell me. That I am doing the right thing."
"You are. There is someone out there Miss Cora that is meant for you and you must trust that" Lara affirmed and Cora's lips pursed into a closed smile.
"I meant to say, Duncan received word that our Father wishes to see myself and Alice earlier than we anticipated. We are leaving tomorrow and Marie was supposed to accompany us but I'd much prefer if you would come instead? It would make me feel better having someone on my side" Cora said.
"Of course Mistress."
"So I've to remain here with Mr Brown while you get to have the adventure of actually seeing some of the Americas. It should be me, not you" Marie complained as she watched Lara pack away her possessions. Lara glanced at her sometimes friend, sometimes foe with pity as stray tears landed like droplets on Marie's cheeks.
"Cora asked for me personally. Listen here, it's only for a few days and there's no fancy engagements planned, only a long horseback ride in this heat and staying in a dusty fort no doubt surrounded by all sorts of unpleasant smells. Count yourself lucky."
"Well I hope you fall into some pig shit."
"I'll treasure that sentiment" Lara rolled her eyes as she fastened the latch closed on her case.
"Well good then and tomorrow when you leave, don't wake me up so early like you did this morning. I heard you stomping around like a horse, no regard for me whatsoever - " Marie said bitterly as she left and Lara turned around, her eyebrows knotted together confused.