Chapter 33

Bash urged his horse into gallop, as he had reached half the distance. He could hardly wait to see Kenna again. So many weeks had passed since they had seen each other the last time. And there had not been one night, where he had not thought about her. He wondered how he could live three years without her and now had difficulties to be apart from her for a month.

He forced his horse to slow down and reached into his uniform jacket. He pulled an object out of his pocket and looked at it smiling. It was meant as a surprise for Kenna.

A wedding ring. Made of pure gold, with a beautiful opal, which sparkled in the colors blue, green and yellow and was specially handcrafted by a blacksmith. The ring would match perfectly with her chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes. He could hardly wait to put the ring on her finger, after he had asked her to marry him. And of course, he hoped she would accept his proposal of marriage.

In his head, everything was already well planned. He would kneel down before her, would tell her how much he loved her, and then would make the proposal. And he would make the offer, to build their own house. He enjoyed to live in the Castle. But now it was time to settle down somewhere else. He would continue his business as Mary's deputy, but he needed his own place. He was sure that Kenna would appreciate his offer as well.

He rode over a hill top and felt his heart beating faster, when he caught sight of the turrets of the Castle. His reunion with Kenna was just about to happen.

But when he entered the Castle, after he had handed his horse over to a stable boy, it was not Kenna, who welcomed him, but Lola. He didn't know why he felt an ominous anticipation, all of a sudden. He had known that Lola was going to move back to the Castle. But her unspoken concern hung in the air.

"Nice to see you again, Lola!" he greeted her. "For how long have you been at the Castle?"

"For a week."

He noticed that she avoided to look at him. "How are you?"

"I'm perfectly well. Thank you."

"I'm glad." He forced a smile.

The conversation was odd. Lola wasn't usually a taciturn person. She was liveley and had a good way with words. Something was wrong.

"What are you doing here?" she suddenly blurted out.

He frowned. "What an odd question. I live here."

"No, I mean, what are you doing here, now? Shouldn't you be in Scotland?"

"You know. So Kenna did get my letter?"

"She got it and was not particularly happy about it." Lola rolled her eyes. "In fact, she was furious."

"Yes, I figured that." He sighed. "That's why I'm here. Mary wanted to stay in Scotland until next week. But I told her, that I couldn't stay away any longer."

"She let you go?"

"Why should she not?" Bash frowned. "I'm not her villein."

"Only a day earlier..." Lola muttered.

"What?"

"If you only would have come back one day earlier." Lola sighed deeply. "I would have tried to stop her."

His instinct had been right. Lola's behavior was indeed strange. "What are you talking about?" he asked confused.

"Kenna... she... she left for Scotland this morning." Lola confessed after several attempts. "She was tired of waiting. She wanted to surprise you."

A shiver ran down his spine. He thought of the dead bodies in the streets, who he had seen during his ride from Scotland to France, plundered houses and empty carriages, slashed and destroyed. The aftermath of the plague. Pillagers mugged the rich, killed them and took everything valuable from them.

"Did she... take a horse?" Bash had trouble to finish the sentence. The images of the dead bodies were still too vivid in his mind.

"No, she took one of the carriages. "She refused to ride, because..." She stopped abruptly.

"Because?"

"Because she preferred the comfort of a carriage."

"When did she leave?"

"After breakfast. I wanted to stop her. But you know, how stubborn she can be sometimes."

Bash looked out of the window. Dusk was approaching. Not long, until it was completey dark outside. He could no longer wait. To be out in the dark was dangerous. "I'm following her and trying to find her!" he said determined.

"You just got here. Won't you make refresh yourself and eat something before you leave?"

He slowly turned to Lola. He could not withhold what he knew. "Have you heard about the plunderings?" he asked hesitantly.

Lola shook her head. "No. What is that?"

"Since the beginning of the plague, some gangs had joined forces, to prey the belongings of people in good standing. They destroy everything, abuse and rape those, who try to defend themselves." He took a deep breath and continued. "On my way back to France, I saw awful things."

"Oh my God! I had no idea!" Lola looked at him horrified. "And Kenna is out there, all alone!"

Bash nodded. "Do you understand now, why I have to find her? She is in grave danger."

"Go and find her, and both of you come back unharmed!" Lola touched his arm and sighed. "This is all my fault! I shouldn't have let her go."

Bash shook his head. "Don't blame yourself! You couldn't have held her back. If Kenna sets her mind on doing something, she is doing it."

"I hope you find her. Be safe!"

Bash nodded and walked out. At the stables, he switched his horse and mounted. Only when he was sitting in the saddle, he noticed that his body was trembling. He had to find her! He couldn't lose her! It was the only thought that controlled him, as he urged his horse forward.