The Day After by Eliza Lloyd

Author:Eliza Lloyd
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: 0
Published: 2014-08-21T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Three

Laura took a deep breath as the carriage passed the border into Scotland. It didn’t seem possible Wallace had been gone over a year. Mourning had been a solitary experience but the travel had been rewarding and made time pass quickly.

When she’d arrived in London last year, she had cajoled her worldly second cousin Marcus to accompany her on the Continental tour. He’d been a dear, seeing her need, but provided little in the way of understanding since he knew neither Wallace nor Hamilton other than in passing. He’d been there to humor her and everyone around them.

Paris, Madrid, Venice, Rome—she’d submerged herself in history and culture, art and fashion. But no matter how busy she had kept herself she had to battle her conscience each night and every morning.

Marcus tried to entertain her but more often than not he was interested in the women they met. He was happy to entertain her during the day. He was even happier to entertain without her each evening.

At the end of summer, she’d arrived in Amsterdam and could no longer deny the need to return home. She’d been working her way toward that end but somehow she owed it to Wallace to wait for the full year. There was no way to make amends for what she had done, so she honored him with true mourning.

She’d persuaded anyone who would listen that her tour was about her bereavement and the difficulty bearing life at Griffard. Even she believed her story but this was just as much about Hamilton.

All these months later she still had trouble reconciling her actions. She could only attribute their improprieties to temporary madness.

Hamilton. My god, what had they done?

Other than the first letter, she’d written to him only once and that was about two weeks after leaving. She was less angry at herself by then, and maybe a little more forgiving.

The road to Griffard wound past Hamilton’s large estate.

With each turn of the road, they drew nearer. She saw the laborers in the field before she saw the large house in the distance. She craned her neck to see more closely.

Was he home? Had he forgotten her?

In the middle of the workers, she saw him. A head above the rest, his black hair looking longer than usual and glistening under the brightness of the sun. He wore a kilt, one long swath draped over his bare shoulder as he used a pitchfork to gather the hay in bundles.

“They’d best hurry if they wish to finish haying before the rain comes in.” Deidra, her lady’s maid, had been anxious to return home. She’d been dutiful and patient throughout.

“Mr. Hamilton undoubtedly has God’s ear in the matter. I think it will not rain today.”

Laura tapped the roof and the carriage slowed to a stop.

She peered out again, wanting to see her friend. Oh how she wished they had not ruined their companionship. She had missed him.

He propped his pitchfork in the ground and leaned against it as he turned to face the road and wiped his face with the edge of his kilt.

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