InsaneJournal

He'd heard plenty of rumors, but Marcus felt that he needed to seek out the word of his beloved. Surely, she could demolish these rumors with but a single word. Rayne loved him, not some wandering gypsy-man. This made Tom nothing more than a pebble in his boot. But if this was true, then why did he worry so much? Was it because he really wasn't sure if their bond was as unbreakable as he imagined it to be? Marcus pushed through the door of his home with a broad smile, expecting to find his loving wife rushing into his arms.

The maid Lissy, who was actually a cousin of Marcus' that they'd taken in to shelter from the war, moved away from the dining table where she'd been clearing away the remnants of her lady's dinner. "She's not here, Marcus," she tucked loose strands of her dark hair back up into her bun as she spoke to her cousin and employer.

Marcus raised an eyebrow as he watched the young woman clear a table clearly set for two, "And just where might the lady of the house be?" He removed his hat and coat before turning back to the young woman. Surely his bride was only outside or with the young Mister Garrett? There was no way she would be out and about this late in the evening.

Lissy had her back to the man as she finished clearing the table, "I believe she has taken an evening walk with Tom." She smiled as she left the room for the kitchen out back. If Tom was going to deny she existed when Marcus wasn't home, he would soon cease to exist.

Marcus' anger burned hot like one of his forges and he grabbed a pistol from the mantle. The man loaded it before heading out to the stables to saddle his horse once more. He was quite tired of dealing with this gypsy and either he would leave his family be or Tom was going to meet the devil himself.

Rayne didn't fool with riding side-saddle as she hopped up onto her horse. Smoky just snorted and stamped before she got him moving. Marcus was angry and, on top of it all, Lissy had lied to him. She hadn't been out with the gypsy-man when he'd returned home. She had been, in fact, upstairs preparing for her husband's arrival. The man had headed off on the main road in search of where Tom may have bedded down for the evening, but she knew better. He would be somewhere close, but not too close and not on the main road. She'd had enough conversations with him to understand him somewhat now. They were only friends, not the lovers that Lissy painted them to be even though she would've been more than happy to be so if it weren’t for her devotion to Marcus.

The gypsy-man was leaning against a tree, smoking and eyeing the estate that belonged to his lady friend. He had witnessed Marcus’ return home and knew he would have to lay low for a while because the man had absolutely no trust in him, especially with as much as he hung around the estate when the lord of the house was out and about. It seemed that, tonight, Lissy had opened her big mouth and Tom figured Marcus wasn't going hunting for his dinner when he walked out the stables with his pistol in hand. Fortunately, he knew the forest better than the blacksmith and had been hiding in plain sight ever since.

He jumped from his place at the tree when he heard horse hooves trotting through the forest, but that quiet voice calmed any anxieties he might have. It was Rayne, of course, and he grinned as he pulled his pipe from his lips. The gypsy stepped around from his hiding place in the shadows and couldn’t help but laugh at this pretty civilian woman as she fought with the stirrups of her steed. He grinned and stepped around from his hiding place. "Need help, Sweetheart?"

"Yes..." Rayne tugged hard on her dress, ripping most of the very bottom to shreds. She didn't care now. She just didn't want to see him hurt for something he hadn't done... yet. "Well, I suppose I don’t need it now," she mumbled to herself as she turned away from her horse and moved closer to her companion. "You really shouldn't be here." She shook her head a bit. No, that wasn't true. She shouldn’t be there, but she didn't want to say that. "Lissy just--. And Marcus is--." It was hard to say the words. She'd never felt this nervous about what might happen to Tom. He was her friend, merely an acquaintance she chose to spend her time with. Or was there something more she just didn't want to admit?

Tom watched as Rayne began to fidget with her hands. She always seemed to do that when she was nervous. It never failed and he always gave her that same devious smile as if he could almost read her mind. They were a strange pair. It seemed as if he knew more about her, and she about him, than they really understood even though they’d never truly met until he had spooked her horse. Granted, he had done that intentionally as he’d had his eyes on her, but she didn’t have to know that. Sometimes the less Rayne knew, the better because she really was a very aggressive woman. Not that he minded all too much, but it was rather odd for ladies this day and age. “Ya trying to say,” Tom wrapped his hands about her’s to stop the fidgeting, “that your dearly beloved wants to fill my gut full of lead for something of which he clearly has no proof. Aye?”

The woman felt herself flush all over and took a step back, “I suppose you could say such things. Though I would never be so bold.” Her heart was racing both from fear and excitement. She was terribly afraid Marcus really would take this man’s life, but she was also excited that Tom wanted to be so close to her. She knew Marcus loved her, but there was something strange and exotic about Tom that made her wonder about him. How many more markings and scars did he hide beneath his clothes? She’d seen only the few that he’d brandished her way, but she wanted to know more. Where had he gone and where was he going now? Why did he want to stick so close to her home when he could go anywhere? All these things and more buzzed about her brain whenever she was near him.

The gypsy tapped his pipe out on the heel of his boot and stashed it back into his belt while he contemplated what he was to do next. Marcus would find them both sooner or later, that much was for sure, but what would he find? He was a man of action so, of course, a brash approach was to be expected. He crossed the space she’d created between them and wrapped his arms about the woman. Knowing her, she’d be too shocked to struggle and fight. Tom tilted her chin up toward his and gave her that sly smile once more. “If I’m gonna die then it might was well be for somethin’ I’ve actually done, aye?” His voice was quiet, seductive. It was a tone he’d only used when he’d teased her though now it meant more.

Rayne tried to speak, to protest, but he had her as she had wanted to be for too long. The years she had spent as Marcus’ wife were wonderful, but they were safe. Tom was far from safe. He pressed his lips against hers and slid his hands down the length of her body even though he knew he couldn’t feel much of her beneath those many layers of gown and undergarment. The whole thing seemed like it went on forever, but Rayne pulled away quickly when she heard the sound of a horse’s hooves coming from the opposite direction. Her own horse stamped its foot impatiently and she pressed her hands against Tom’s chest as hard as she could, “You need to go.” Her face was still so flushed and she almost felt faint. “Please.”

She struggled against his grip, but he continued to hold her there. One way or another, this was going to end with the death of either man so he might as well get what he wanted before Marcus decided to hunt him down like a wild animal. “Nah,” He could hear the sound drawing closer yet still he smiled. “Why don’t we let the lad catch us in the act? Give him a real reason to want to kill me…”

He pulled on her once more, but she twisted and tried to break his hold, “No, Tom. You need to leave. Now.” It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to hold her and kiss her. She did want that. She wanted it badly, but she also wanted to make sure her husband didn’t put a hole in his head.

“Yes, Tom,” Marcus slid from his horse and brought his gun up to point it at the gypsy, “You need to go.” He’d heard enough and it was time to set things straight. Really, this all might have been his fault for leaving his darling wife alone for so long, but this wasn’t about casting blame his way. She was the one who was being unfaithful so she was the one to blame.

“Marcus,” Rayne tried to explain even though she knew this looked exactly like what he thought, “You don’t understand.” He thought she was an adulteress and she hadn’t been until this moment in time. It was his insecurity that had even driven her to go to Tom. She wanted to find him and keep him from being slaughtered by someone for something he hadn’t ever done. She tried to position herself between the two men in hopes that maybe he wouldn’t shoot her just yet.

“You think I don’t understand?” He was ready to fire, ready to usher this man into the other realm just to make his little family perfect again. “How can I not understand what is going on when I see this vagabond with his arms wrapped about you as if he was your husband? Did you ever think of me, Rayne? Or were you too wrapped up in your own sinful lust to even remember the sanctity of marriage?”