Dark Passions

66.

Meredith woke early, the room still a little dim, feeling a slight twinge of nausea again. Derek was still sleeping, his dark hair in disarray against the snowy white pillows. One arm was flung over her, and she eased away from him carefully. He mumbled something unintelligible and buried his head deeper into the down pillow. Meredith smiled softly and slipped on her dressing gown, and tiptoed away. The nausea seemed to ease and she breathed a sigh of relief. Today she needed to feel good, for Kate, and for the ceremony. She peeked out the window, seeing the sun just coming up. Maybe fresh air would help even further - a little walk in the garden before anyone else was around.

Dressing quickly, and pinning her hair up loosely, she left a little note for Derek and kissed him on the cheek, before heading into the silent corridor. A few servants scurried to their duties, but otherwise it was deserted. As she passed by the nursery, Rose happened to peek out.

"M'lady..." Rose whispered in surprise.

"Good morning, Rose. I'm just going to a walk to clear my head," Meredith said quietly.

"Ah, the morning sickness still plaguing you...shall I accompany you, ma'am?" Rose asked knowingly.

Meredith shook her head. "I'm perfectly fine, Rose. I'll be back soon to see Michael."

"Of course, Lady Meredith," Rose nodded. "Just watch out for that Lady Edwina - she's a right bossy one, she is. Tried to come in and tell us how to take care of the children..."

Meredith bit her lip to keep from smiling too much. She could just imagine how well that went over with her outspoken maid. "I'll be careful," she vowed.

Outside, she inhaled the sweet scent of the late blooming roses, and listened to the trilling melodies of the songbirds. The air was still cool and damp, with mists rising from the ground. She hugged her shawl around her a little more snugly, enjoying the calm and solitude. The rest of the day would be busy and loud, that was certain. She wondered how to assist Kate with Alex's aunt, without hurting the older woman's feelings over much. Thank goodness Eleanor was here as well, together they would find some way to fix things. Kate deserved to be happy and have the wedding she wanted.

Meredith found a small stone bench tucked in among the rose bushes, and she sat down to rest for a moment. She rubbed the growing mound of her belly, thinking that twins would be quite a handful. Did Edwina really have a gift for knowing that? Derek had seemed quite taken with the idea of twins, but then he didn't have to give birth to them, she mused with a smile. She picked up a few rose petals that had drifted to the grass, playing with the soft velvet idly while her thoughts centered on the baby.

The silence was broken by the sound of a branch snapping, and Meredith turned around with a start. Her pulse jumped when she realized she wasn't alone out here after all, and she took a shaky breath. "Hello?" she called out, looking around carefully.

"Ah, good morning, Lady Meredith..." Rory said quietly, emerging from the thicket of bushes edging the pathway. He was dressed casually in a loose, open white shirt, with dusty trousers tucked into mud-spattered boots. His long blond hair was disheveled, and his dark, hooded eyes seemed to gleam with undisguised pleasure at finding her alone. He bowed a little, giving her a smile. "So verra lovely to find you here," he murmured.

Meredith hugged her shawl tighter, and stood up quickly, the rose petals crushed in her fingers. "I'm just heading back inside now, Mr. MacLeod. If you will excuse me..." She tried to get past him, but he took her arm, holding her back.

"Don't be scared," he told her, but her knees started to shake nonetheless. "I'm a good man, not an ogre..."

"I'm sure you are," Meredith hastened to assure him. "But I must go..."

"Och, m'lady, you can sit for a moment with me, canna you? I promise to behave." He grinned engagingly. "I know Lord Shepherd would pummel me into tiny pieces if I were to be too bold with you."

Meredith had to smile at that thought. "Indeed, he would," she commented, tugging her arm free of his hand.

"Aye, he is a very possessive man, and I can understand why. You are verra sweet." His eyes seemed to slide over her far too audaciously, despite his words. "Perhaps I will walk you back to the manor, then, Lady Meredith? You wouldna want someone to accost you now, would you?"

Meredith gulped. "I'll be fine, thank you." Meredith turned to leave, keeping her spine straight, and her head up. There was no way she would let him know he was intimidating her.

"Ah, verra well then. I shall see you later on, at the wedding," Rory told her, his voice low. "Perhaps you can save a dance for me later as well, then."

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Meredith said. "Good day, Mr. MacLeod."

Rory chuckled suggestively as she hurried away, making her feel decidedly uncomfortable. Hoping that he wasn't following her, she hurried along the pathway, her heart pounding madly. At the terrace, she found Derek heading towards her, and she rushed into his arms thankfully. "Oh, thank god, Derek..." she whispered, and he held her tightly.

"What is it, love?" he asked, his gaze sweeping the gardens behind her, finding it all serene and tranquil. "I talked to Rose and she said you were out here. Are you all right?" He could feel her shaking against him, and his mouth tightened.

Meredith raised her face to look at him. "It's just silly. Mr. MacLeod was there, and he makes me a little nervous."

"What did he do?" Derek demanded, gripping her arms. "Did he touch you?"

Meredith shook her head. "No, no...nothing like that. He just seems, well, ill-mannered, somehow. It was unsettling."

Derek lifted his hand to catch her cheek against his palm, rubbing his thumb along her mouth. "It's all right, you're safe. I'll speak to him, and to Alex." He kissed her softly, taking away her trembling fears, and making her relax. She kissed him back eagerly, before he swung her easily up into his arms, and carried her back inside. "Come, let me take you back to bed for awhile, and I will deal with him later..."