Romance Fan Fiction / Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Hidden Away ❯ Trysts in the Rain ( Chapter 12 )

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Chapter 12

Trysts in the rain

 

 

 

 

“You know son…marrying her would keep her out of Cokrain's grasp,” Jake said casually as he sat across from Breagan in the study about a week later. Breagan was leaning back in his work chair and a had foot on his drawing desk, the other leg stretched out on the floor before him.

 

Breagan looked at his father knowingly, “That wouldn't stop Cokrain and you know it,” he replied, trying to appear serious with a curve to his lips. He left out the fact that he had every intention to marry her, if she would have him. Breagan turned to look out the window briefly before a thought struck him, “Maybe we could ask for Margaret's help with this? She's due to come here for a visit soon, we could simply tell her she needs to come early. Once she gets here, she could trade places with Naomi, and change clothes with her. Naomi could then leave as Margaret. That would work, right?” Breagan concluded, his father quickly and enthusiastically agreeing.

 

“That is an excellent idea, Breagan! Your sister and Naomi aren't too different in their size. Margaret's hair is far too dark to pass for Naomi's hair, though. We'll just have to inform Margaret to come wearing a hooded cloak, so we can put Naomi in her place convincingly when she leaves,” Jake said, referring to the jet black hair that Margaret had inherited from him.

 

“Yes father, you're right. But you know I am going with her in the case that this plan doesn't work. I suppose we'll act as if we're taking our family vacation,” Breagan agreed, “That's our plan, then. We switch Naomi for Margaret. The only problem I can see is that this plan would leave Margaret here by herself. She won't like that at all,” Breagan reasoned to his father.

 

“Yes, she always did like our summers out there. I'll talk to her. I'd bet I can convince her that it's for the better,” Jake concluded as he stood, heading out of the room to see if Minna had begun breakfast yet. He thought he knew just how he could make Margaret happier about the arrangements.

 

 

Dressed in the green gown and her hair down as per usual, Naomi came downstairs for breakfast and was met by Breagan closing the front door. He turned and headed toward the dining room with the slip of paper he had just gotten from his driver who was just at the door. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her standing there looking delicious as she possibly could. His body suddenly remembering the past few nights, it began insisting they skip breakfast.

 

“Must you look so appetizing all the time?” he grinned at her, looking quite appetizing himself. Today he was wearing a crisp white shirt with black pants and boots. Feeling playful this morning, she flirted back, “Likewise handsome. I've been looking for you all of my life. Is the handsome man going to escort me the way to the dining room?” She quipped, enjoying herself immensely. She stood holding out her hand with an expectant look on her face.

 

“It would be a pleasure, beautiful,” he said, his grin spreading into a huge smile. He took her hand in his elbow with a show and they broke out into laughter at their excessive flirting. And this is the sight that met Jake as he saw them entering the room. His eyes brightened.

 

“Well isn't that the warm sight? I do hope there is a reason for all of the joy,” he said, hope in his expression.

 

“We're just excited to get out into the open, aren't we, Naomi?” Breagan answered, giving Naomi's flushed face a look that bespoke of his thoughts of what they had shared the night before. She nodded at his question, though she didn't feel that it was the only reason she felt so lighthearted. She finally felt free. Inside this house or outside didn't matter because she was very much at home here. She hadn't truly felt this carefree since her parents had died.

 

“I get the return message back from Margaret, father. She said that she would be here tonight to see what we wanted, and that she would wear a hooded cloak as we requested. And I just sent off the notice with one of our drivers to Hamdell by horseback announcing our arrival tonight. They should get it in a few hours.” Jake nodded at Breagan's update.

 

“Won't the driver be followed by…” Naomi stumbled, “uh...those men?”

 

“No, the messengers are a normal occurrence here. I highly doubt they'll follow every messenger that leaves the house,” Jake reassured her.

 

 

“O's ready for me omelet breakfast?” Minna chimed from the doorway as she carried in two plates of perfect food, as usual. Watching Breagan help Naomi into her seat, Minna narrowed her eyes, and smiled a smug smile. She walked over to set the two plates she held down in front of Breagan and Naomi first, earning her a look. Seeing his look, Minna harped him.

 

“Ye c'n wait just a wee minute as I go an' get yer food, ya old goat,” she breezed past him through the door to the kitchen, and then came out with Jake's plate, and her own. When she sat, they all began to eat their last breakfast together before their departure to Hamdell.

 

Shortly after they all ate dinner that day, Naomi was in her room when she heard commotion downstairs. She knew that it meant Breagan's sister had arrived to see what her family needed of her. Anxious to meet her, Naomi left her room to go downstairs. When she topped the stairs, she caught sight of a tall, slender woman with jet black hair who much resembled the two men she had come to know in the past weeks. The woman, who could only be Margaret, looked up to see Naomi at the top of the stairs, and then looked at her brother with raised eyebrows and a grin.

 

“She is why we asked you here,” Breagan answered to Margaret's silent question, “She had a run-in with Caldwell Cokrain about 2 weeks ago, and so we are hiding her here. Problem is, we're pretty sure he knows that she's here,” he explained, “We want to try sneaking her out to Hamdell dressed as you, hence the hooded cloak.”

 

Naomi had made it down the stairs to meet Margaret with a smile on her face.

 

“Good heavens, hon! I'm sure glad you came here,” Margaret began when Naomi reached them, “We take good care of our own, and as long as you're here, you're our own. I'm Margaret Tyler, Breagan's older sister. But not by much, of course,” she quickly added, “My goodness, you are a stunning woman, dear. Your eyes are lovely.”

 

Naomi blushed, “It's a pleasure to meet you, Margaret. I am Naomi Foster.”

 

Noticing the gown Naomi was wearing, Margaret turned to her father, “Isn't that one of mother's old dresses?”

 

“Yes it is. Naomi showed up on our doorstep late at night with nothing but a dirty nightgown on,” Jake answered.

 

Turning back to Naomi, Margaret said to her, “You do my mother's gown justice, Naomi. That color looks fabulous on you. Of course, I'd bet any color would,” she complimented.

 

“Thank you, Margaret. I am glad that you don't mind my wearing your mother's gown,” Naomi said.

 

“They are your gowns now, Naomi. It joys me to see them in use again…Don't shake your head at me,” Jake scolded to Naomi when she began to refuse, “I will not let you give them back to me. I'm sure Colette would want you to have them, too,” he finished, looking into Naomi's teary eyes.

 

Now she just couldn't leave. She didn't think she would be able to take the pain were she to leave this family she had come to love. Turning to look at Breagan, Naomi admitted to herself that she loved him most of all.

 

“Well, Naomi. Why don't you go upstairs with Margaret and pack your gowns for the trip?” he suggested of her as she was looking at him, snapping her out of her revelations.

 

“How will we get luggage past the men watching the house?” Jake asked, struck by the thought.

“We'll have to chance that they are expecting luggage for our vacation. We have no extra gowns for her over there,” Breagan tried shrugging off the constant worry of being caught in the act of moving her by Cokrain.

 

Margaret suddenly realized that with her father and brother taking Naomi to Hamdell dressed as her, she would obviously have to stay here. She had hoped she would get more time to get to know her new soon to be sister-in-law at Hamdell.

 

Reading the look on Margaret's face, Jake acted fast, “Excuse us a moment,” Jake said to Naomi and Breagan as he ushered his daughter into the study, out of Breagan and Naomi's earshot where he would convince her it was for the better.

 

Once sure they were far enough away, Jake took no time explaining his plan, “I expect that Breagan will soon marry Naomi after this mess gets done. If he hasn't already, I'm sure he'll realize his love for her while we are at Hamdell. The sooner they get married and start to have my grandchildren…” Jake trailed off, letting Margaret understand that it would mean a reprieve from her father's relentless hounding for grandchildren.

 

She stood there for all of two seconds before replying, “I'll go and help Naomi pack. Don't you ever go and do anything like this to me, though,” she wagged her finger at him as she walked past him.

 

“Of course not,” Jake said, a little bit too fast for her comfort. Margaret eyed him suspiciously on her way to the foyer to join Naomi. They went up the stairs to Naomi's room, where Margaret noticed with contained glee that she had been put in the room next to Breagan's. That would be Minna's doing, Margaret thought, knowing that Minna was just as bad as Jake when it came to matchmaking, only sneakier. They went over to the armoire and began the task of choosing what Naomi would and wouldn't need at Hamdell. Margaret settled for getting acquainted with Naomi as best she could now, knowing for a fact that she'd have more time to after she was married to Breagan.

 

 

“Hey boss!” Hank yelled as he entered Caldwell's cavernous house. He ran into the dining room, where Caldwell was looking up from his dinner, “Some woman jus' showed up at th' Tyler house,” Hank informed him breathlessly.

 

“Some woman? We don't know who she was?” Caldwell asked him slowly as he put down his fork.

 

“We don't know, actually we couldn't really see a lot in the dark. She was wearing a peach dress and a brown cloak. That's all we could make out, but that's just because the cloak had a hood,” Hank answered him, excited about the new development.

 

“How long ago since she arrived?” Caldwell asked as he stood up and walked around the table, “The woman was probably his sister, Margaret.”

 

“She arrived there `bout an hour after their dinnertime. And earlier today, they sent out a message by horseback,” Hank said.

 

“Okay. It sounds like they are up to something. I'll come with you and see for myself. If Naomi comes into view, I'll recognize her better than any of you will,” he said with candid disdain as he calmly put on his long black suit coat and led the way out the massive doors of his house. Cokrain was almost certain that he only hadn't gotten Naomi back because of the poor help he had watching the house. It was difficult to find smart criminals in this town, he ruefully admitted. Hank followed him, relieved that he finally had some good news to bring to Caldwell.

 

Wearing the dress and cloak that Margaret had arrived in, Naomi was getting quite nervous about getting out in the open where she could be seen by the people they knew had been hired by Cokrain to watch the house for signs of her presence. It was dark and she was well enough covered, but her heart still refused to slow down its pace. She looked back at Breagan and Jake, who were still putting on their coats. Dinna worry, m'dear. If ana one c'n keep ye from th' man that ye ran from, Breagan Tyler can.” She calmed down a little at the memory of Minna's words, and realized that she hadn't seen Minna all afternoon. She went to the kitchen so that she could say a quick goodbye before they left. Minna was at the stove taking out the ham that she had prepared for the trip.

“I was wonderin' when ye'd come an' sey g'bye ta me,” Minna said to her when she saw her enter.

 

“I got caught up in the preparations for the trip we're making to this vacationing house tonight.”

 

“Ye are gunna love it there, dearie. Do ye ride `orses at all?” Minna asked as she packed the ham into a basket for them to take.

 

“Yes, I've ridden horses before,” Naomi said fondly thinking of her childhood years when her parents were still alive. She'd loved riding as a child.

 

“Come `ere Naomi, an' give ol' Minna a hug `afore ye leave. Ye be careful, now,” Minna said to Naomi, quite sure that she would see her again. The girl was a member of the family now, whether she wanted to be or not.

 

Minna handed off the prepared basket to Naomi with a quick peck on the cheek and returned with her to the foyer. A quick look around ensured that everyone was ready now that the men had finished loading the luggage onto the coach. The door was wide open and Naomi began to feel very nervous again. Breagan appeared in the doorway and held out his hand to her.

 

“Let's get you out of here,” he said lightly.

 

“Good idea,” she breathed softly.

 

“Be sure not to look toward the streets,” he cautioned her as he lifted the hood of her cloak over her head, “Even though it's dark, a clear face shot may give us away.”

 

“Yes,” Naomi said with a quick nod. Breagan led her out of the house and waved goodbye to Minna and Margaret, who was staying hidden from the street. Distant thunder rolled as they walked slowly to the waiting coach, needing to appear as if they were going on vacation, and not in a hurry. Naomi kept her eyes trained on her feet, trusting Breagan to lead her to the coach safely. Looking down as she was, she didn't see the plain coach Breagan was keeping an eye on across the street as it had been for the past week. Breagan was keeping a sharp eye, but still couldn't see what was making him feel more edgy by the second.

 

“Ahh,” he growled softly, “Naomi, keep your eyes on the ground. We're almost there.”

 

After walking what felt like half a mile, they finally reached the coach and they stepped inside. She let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding during their walk to the coach. So far so good, she thought. Breagan quickly got in next to Naomi, slamming the door.

 

“Go!” he shouted, startling both Naomi and Jake to look at him. They started moving, and Breagan looked out his window, now seeing what had made him so uneasy. Jake leaned over to see for himself what had made Breagan so worried.

 

“Ah, damn. Why is he watching the house himself?” Jake asked when he saw a man, also wearing a hooded cloak, mounting himself on a horse to follow them.

 

Naomi's heart, which was racing already, fair jumped out of her chest when she heard what Jake said. `No' she thought frantically. `No-no-no-no-no.'

 

Breagan shouted at the driver to speed up when he saw Cokrain's intention. There was no way they could outrun a man on a horse. Naomi held in her breath to avoid screaming when the coach lurched forward. She could hear horses' hooves hitting the ground. She wasn't sure if they were from the coach's horses, or Cokrain's horse getting closer.

 

“The watch must have alerted him of the activity at our house today, so he came to see for himself,” Breagan reasoned as he sat back in his seat.

 

“What do we do?” Naomi asked the men, feeling panicked, “He's going to follow us all the way there!” Naomi fought to hold back the tears. She wouldn't be afraid, she wasn't alone this time.

 

Breagan thought to himself for a moment, and then looked at Naomi, whose face he could see from the passing lamplights outside, “I am going to get up there and talk to the driver. Are you okay?” Breagan asked her.

 

Feeling as if she would scream if she opened her mouth, Naomi nodded to him as lightning hit close by, briefly illuminating them all in a daylight glow. Breagan nodded back to her then nodded at his father before he crawled up to the driver's seat.

 

A number of minutes had gone by when the rain that had been threatening to fall all night started pouring down. Jake looked over at Naomi to see that she was on the verge of tears. He stood up in the racing coach, being thrown into the wall a couple of times to pull down the window cloths, enclosing them in darkness. Then he sat down next to Naomi and pulled her shaking body into his side.

 

“We won't let him take you, Naomi,” he solidly reassured her. She started to calm down in the encompassed warmth of Breagan's father as the coach periodically lurched in a pothole. He sat there with Naomi, holding her to his side long enough for the storm outside to eventually die sown to a steady rain. He wasn't sure how long they had been sitting there, but he could tell that it had been long enough for Naomi to calm into a restless sleep. He could feel her even breathing next to him in the coach's seat. He relaxed a little more then only to notice that the road had also changed under them. And they had slowed down considerably.

 

Jake carefully let go of Naomi temporarily to look out the window of the coach and discovered that they had gone off the main road; there was decidedly obvious absence of lamplights. He couldn't hear Cokrain's horse anywhere anymore. Had they lost him in the rain, maybe?

 

“What's going on?” Naomi asked of him sleepily when he ducked back in. Right after she said it, the coach shook violently. Then it stopped abruptly right before it creaked and suddenly tilted to one side as if a wheel had simply fallen off. Naomi sat there in the dark silence, unsure if she was awake or still dreaming. She shook her head to clear it and that's when she remembered they were been chased. Afraid that they'd been caught, she moved closer to find Jake in the darkness.

 

“Where are we? Jake?” she quietly pleaded with worry filling her voice.

 

“It's alright," he answered to her obvious fear, "We lost him some time ago in the storm,” Jake reassured her.

 

Naomi felt the coach shake as Breagan and the driver jumped out of the driver's seat. The door to the coach opened and the smell of rain flooded in.

 

“Naomi, Jake. Are you two okay?” Naomi sighed when she heard Breagan's strained voice ask from the dark. Jake stood and patted his son's shoulder in answer as he got out of the coach.

 

“Naomi?” Breagan anxiously asked.

 

“Yes, I'm alright. What happened?” she said, thankful for the hood on her loaned cloak when she stepped out of the coach after Jake and into the rain.

 

“We lost a wheel, nothing terribly serious. It probably fell off because of that chase Cokrain gave us; the coach wasn't meant for that," he supplied dryly, "We lost him a little bit after the storm hit. Not quite sure how we lost him, unless the rain confused his horse. He could have caught us,” Breagan said to everyone there. After a quiet moment he continued, “The only problem we have now is the wheel. We have what we need to fix it, but it could take a while without adequate light, unless we want to burn something to use as a torch.”

 

Naomi couldn't see a thing; it was pitch black. She could tell that they were standing in some tall grass because she could feel it brushing her hands at her sides.

 

“Breagan?” she asked experimentally.

 

“I'm here, Naomi,” he answered immediately from a few feet in front of her. She cautiously stepped forward until she ran into hard, wet man. He felt fantastic to her and she melted into his chest. His arms wrapped around her to squeeze her tight, enveloping her with his familiar scent. She could have stood there like that in the rain forever.

 

Cokrain stepped out of his washroom wearing one towel around his trim, muscular waist and using another to dry his blonde hair.

 

“Some damn bad luck that your horse would break `is leg, man,” Hank said. Cokrain glared darkly at him from under the towel now draped over his head on his way to the armoire for his robe. He had left that miserable horse where it was after it had fallen down, throwing him off.

 

He'd seen her. He had seen her face under that brown cloak even when she had been trying to hide it from him. Even if he hadn't seen her face, he could tell it was her because of the way she walked. He'd almost had her, and then his horse had to run into a ditch and break his leg. Cokrain had sat on the side of the road in the storm with his arms propped on his knees for some time until Hank picked him up in the coach.

 

They were only able to see him there on the side of the road because of the lamp fixed to the coach, it was so dark. He knew then it would be pointless trying to follow Naomi that night. The rain would hide any signs of them, and there wasn't any light to see them by, anyway. He knew he would get her back, so he went to his estate to wash off the mud that was coating him from his fall. Hank didn't know how close he was to a bloody nose for reminding him of it.

 

As if he'd heard the thought, Hank started backing up, “I'm sorry, boss. I wasn't thinking. I only meant…,” Hank realized nauseously that he was groveling, something Cokrain hated, and reset himself, “What are your orders for tonight, sir?”

 

Cokrain looked aver at him coolly for a moment before turning back to his closet and replying, “I am going to the Tyler house tomorrow and we'll see what they say to me. I'll decide from there what to do. Meanwhile,” he said, finding the robe and taking it out of the closet, “You and your trusty men find that coach.”

 

“I already have somebody on it,” Hank replied proudly.

 

“Right,” he said, closing the door on the armoire and turning around to his bed, “Now you go out to where we last saw Tyler's coach and find her,” he said firmly. Hank left the room to do as he was told.

 

Cokrain stood there with the robe in his hands as he looked at the spot where Hank had been standing, cowering a moment ago. Shaking his head, he took the towel off from around his waist exposing his entire well formed body. He dropped the robe to the floor and lay down in his bed nude. He didn't get any sleep that night. Again.