When North Meets South

Chapter 2: Dinners and Dates are a must

Helen couldn't fight the rush of air that left her as she closed the chamber doors.

Who was that handsome Scotsman? She wondered, heart beating a rapid staccato in her chest.

She had barely looked at him when he had stopped Gretchen to inquire her identity only sneaking a glance when she had heard his playful voice but then she had only seen the back of his head.

Now that she had fallen under the full intensity of his shocking blue eyes, she couldn't get it out of her head.

She shuddered when she remembered how enjoyable it had been when his large hands had gripped her small frame and shook her head to get rid of the memory.

All the while she busied herself with helping Gretchen undress and bathe, her mind flooded with image of the handsome Scotsman and his charming smile causing another wave of shivers to pass through her. One she hoped went unnoticed by Gretchen that listed all the changes she wanted made to the castle before she came down for dinner.

She was tasked with unpacking her things when the maids the Scotsman had provided busied themselves with readying thee castle to Gretchen's standards, the task helping her forget the handsome man in a bid to remember all Gretchen said.

She looked around the chambers as she finished, proud of her handwork as she had successfully transformed the once supremely masculine chambers into a chamber fit for a lady of Gretchen's calibre.

Just as thoughts of the handsome man started creeping into her mind again, Gretchen's voice cut in, listing out her orders for the evening meal.

Once again, she had to step out to relay the message to the kitchen staff and maids determined to complete her task as efficiently as possible, although with a secret hope to bump into him once again.

Stop it Helen! Her subconscious scolded, Have you forgotten that men are no more than conniving, sneaky, lying...

"Okay. Okay I get it." She sighed distraught as memories of her first love, Keith, made its way into her mind once again.

God had she been stupid to believe she had meant as much to him as he did to her.

She had been but 16 summers and he had been a few years older almost 20 to be exact and was the third son of some minor noble with almost all the other maids in the castle falling over themselves to please him. She had only heard rumours of how handsome he was and had never met him until one fateful day that she had tripped and he had been there to catch her, although she hadn't known his identity then, thinking he was some page boy.

They had bonded over a few weeks, going out for late night walks and swims, him stealing kisses until she had finally given in and given her maiden head to him.

A few days later, she had heard news of his betrothal to the noble Lady Mabel and had seen him on a stroll in the gardens with the dainty Lady dressed in noble garb. It was then she had realized her folly and for a few days she had cried but regained herself after Gretchen helped her get revenge by bankrupting his family.

She had sworn to herself then, to never let any man get under her skin again but here she was denying her vows and...

Ugh!

She successfully fought off all thoughts of the Scotsman and by the evening meal, her new found obsession had died down. Instead, she spent her time busying herself with observing the merry Scots folk as they dined.

Music played by happy looking minstrels filled the room and women and men danced gaily in the middle of the grand hall, bearing testament to their lack of decorum. Not that she quite minded anyway. Anything was better than stuffy noble customs of polite small talk lined with daggers that could pierce ones heart if you weren't careful.