Wooing Kate

Chapter: Fifteen

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The Lady Isobelle was not what Kate expected. She should be getting used to that by now. Little anymore was what she expected. Her lips twisted a little with humor. I should be expecting it by now.

The lady was small and thin and Kate did not see any of her son in those delicate features. Perhaps his looks and his height came from his father. Lady Isobelle was kind and courteous, the sort that reminded Kate greatly of Geoffrey Chaucer.

"How was your journey, Kate? Was it difficult?"

She watched the lady sewing, her own hands clasped in her lap. What should she reply? It was difficult, yes, in that she'd been captured. Would it help her to be completely honest with Lady Isobelle? If the woman didn't know the kind of man her son was by now, nothing Kate said would change that. "It was difficult, yes."

Lady Isobelle anchored her needle in her embroidery and sat back in her chair with a wracking cough, waving Kate back into her own chair when Kate rose to pat her back. "No, no. This cough has been with me awhile. Nothing to worry over. Now," she gave Kate her full attention. "Tell me how it was difficult. I know traveling with men is always a trial. They never take into account that most women do not like traveling at a break neck speed for days on end. Surely Alain did not do so?"

Kate bit her lower lip, glancing down at her hands. "At the end, he did, but I...." She sighed. "I may have pricked his temper a bit." An understatement to be sure.

A measuring stare ran over her, the lady's lips pursing a moment before she smiled. "You don't like my son very much do you?"

It was a candid query and one she hadn't anticipated. It was hard to think of an answer that wouldn't offend Adhemar's mother. "My lady," Kate began, attempting to be apologetic.

The woman shook her head. "It's fine, Kate. I know Alain isn't perfect. None of my children are. You may be honest with me. I've little honesty lately in my days. The surgeon lies to me about my health, telling me I'll be well any day. I know that I won't be. My ladies lie about having done their lessons, concerned about being punished. My servants lie about their altercations with Helene and my children lie to me about the state of their affairs. So please. Let there be honesty between you and I and we shall get along well together."

Slowly, Kate gave a nod. Honesty was something she could understand. Honest was something she could be. "Very well. No, I don't like him very much. He's arrogant and smug and infuriating."

"He's a man. They all are such things on occasion." The spark of good humor lit her eyes.

"Perhaps, but I've yet to see a time when he isn't all three."

Lady Isobelle sat forward, reaching for her needle. "Wait. You'll see. I promise."

Her next question was about Kate's work and Kate hastened to tell her everything.

~~~~~~~~~~

The girl Christiana was bruised, but not, in the opinion of the physician, seriously injured. The cut on her brow, though nasty to look at -- red and raw -- was not deep. She needed no stitches. He proclaimed her deep sleep to be from exhaustion of the journey.

Who am I to contradict, Lady Elizabeth thought, dragging the lone chair in the tiny chamber over to the side of the bed. I am but a woman. In his eyes that makes me dirt beneath his feet. Just like Vachel's opinion of me. She sat, crossing her arms and waiting for the just stirring woman to wake fully.

Her brother had certainly erred in taking the maid, Kate. Elizabeth relished that error. It made her brother human again; made him not so much of the uncaring, unfeeling beast she'd begun to think him as. Alain was only a man, with a man's weakness for a woman. It was good to see him that way again. Ever since he'd married her off to Vachel, she'd demonized him in her mind. He'd begun to take on aspects of a devil and that was not right, for he was a man. This put him back into perspective.

Elizabeth wondered how this Kate was faring. Alain didn't like his women to refuse him and it sounded like Kate was the sort of woman to yield him nothing, unless it was by her own choice. She'd almost like to be there watching. It would be entertaining to observe their clash.

She blinked, studying Christiana and turning her thoughts to that one.

Germaine called Christiana a brave woman. He'd mentioned how she'd set out after Kate all by herself, handling a wagon and ready to fight the world. He also explained that Roland and Christiana had a history together, but weren't quite ready to make up and work things out. Perhaps the two would make peace while here. Christiana looked like a nice woman. Her features were pleasant and Elizabeth hoped she was nice. Having a friendly woman to talk to besides Alice would be a blessing, even if it was for a short while.

Elizabeth hated conflict. She'd seen too much discord in her life to enjoy the thrill of verbal warfare, but it seemed that was all she was destined to have. Vachel delighted in sarcasm, his words leaving wounds that no one could see, wounds that felt raw and bloody. Such was life. She'd resigned herself to making the best of her life, constantly praying that Vachel would manage to get himself killed in battle. Hopefully some day her prayer would be answered.

~~~~~~~~~~

She was alive. Christiana prayed a silent and quick prayer of thanks that she was still living, then opened her eyes. She was on a narrow bed; the bed of a servant she surmised by the tiny size of the room. There was space for the bed, a trunk, a chair and a small table. It was similar to the room off of Jocelyn's chambers where she'd lived for years. The size, the slits for windows high on the wall. The difference though, was in the details.

This room was drab and dull. There were no pretty cloths of rich fabric like those Jocelyn had graciously shared with Christiana over the years. This room was stark and cold in ambiance as well as practical details.

I would die if I had to live here, she decided, very glad that Jocelyn adored pretty things and had always let Christiana indulge herself.

She studied the woman that sat in the chair. Long dark hair, pale, thin features and body. She could not be older than Christiana. Something in the set of the eyes was familiar, but Christiana was certain she'd never seen this woman before today. The carriage of the shoulders was proud, yet slightly hunched, as though her spirit was half broken and she was clinging to herself by a thin thread.

"My lady," Christiana ventured. This woman was not a servant. Her bearing told that plainly.

"Germaine has fretted over you, Christiana." Thin lips quirked up in a tight mirthless smile. "He's been most un-servant-like, ordering the physician when the man called your injuries mild. Not that I blame him. Cluny is infuriating and far too condescending to all but my husband. As though none but he can comprehend a diagnosis." Clasping her hands, she leaned forward, resting her forearms on her knees. "I'm Elizabeth," she said slowly and clearly. "Alain Adhemar's youngest sister."

Alarm was her first emotion, followed quickly by a sense of calm. She'd said Germaine ordered the physician. That meant Adhemar was not here as yet. Germaine would not be free were he here. Then, there was how she'd said Adhemar's name. Scornful. Christiana carefully kept her expression neutral, trying to ignore the pain on her brow. She nodded. "My lady."

"Germaine has told me of what's happened, but I'd like to hear your story. I'd like to know how you ended up setting out to save a woman from my brother. I know you're the Lady Jocelyn's maid and that this Kate was a friend of Sir Thatcher. Will you fill in the rest so that we might begin to decide how you should proceed in your plan?"

The next hours were spent deep in conversation.

~~~~~~~~~~

Christiana made her way towards the chamber where Roland lay abed. His leg had been splinted and though Germaine had been to see him many times these past days, Christiana had held back. She and Lady Elizabeth had decided what must be done and Christiana was wary of telling Roland. He wasn't going to approve. She paused outside the door, leaning against the wall.

She loved him. That's what made this difficult. It wasn't just a simple infatuation, not on her part. She honestly loved Roland with all of her heart. Too bad their lives had taken the turn they had. She was still upset with him for his words, but with action begun towards rescuing Kate, she found her heart could see past the words and to the man himself. She herself had said things in the past that she regretted with the same fervor he regretted his words. How could she withhold forgiveness?

Should she tell him, or should she wait? Was one fight enough for a day? The news she had to give him would surely bring on a fight.

With a deep breath, she entered the room and went to sit beside him. The last look she'd had of him had been right before he'd woken, when his features were pallid and sweaty. Now, there was a spot of color livening his face. He no longer looked like a corpse stretched out in the bed. Christiana reached out her hands, gently taking one of Roland's between them. Her thumbs stroked the back of his hand and she gave him a small smile. "You're looking better."

"I feel like shite," he said bluntly.

"Well you don't look it. Your color is good."

He snorted, rolling his eyes. "I'm to work for her, she says. I can't afford to. Not with Kate out there alone."

Christiana licked her lips. She could imagine Roland getting himself up out of this bed and going after Kate with a broken leg just to prove he was stubborn enough to do it. "Lady Elizabeth is rather nice. We've had occasion to talk much these past few days and I think she's lonely. The only place she travels is to see her family and her husband rarely approves visits. She has no control over her home at all. A steward runs everything, decides everything, even her monthly allowance." She sighed. "I'm sorry for her."

"It'll be weeks before I can work, Christiana, then weeks to pay off my debt to her. By then, who knows what will have happened to Kate." His frustration showed clearly in the angry words.

"That's actually why I came today."

He looked away. "Of course. I shouldn't think you'd want my company, should I?" A bitter tone on bitter words.

She didn't answer. Perhaps after this was all over, they could begin to mend their relationship, but it couldn't be now. Not when the plan she'd outlined to him and Germaine on the road had been set into motion. Lady Elizabeth had written to both her mother and brother. The gist of the letters were that she'd engaged a new maid recently, a well-trained woman who'd left her last posting . She thought her mother would like to try her as a companion. The letters had gone out the day before. Lady Elizabeth was sure quick replies would be forthcoming. Adhemar hated his dear mother not having a companion to spend the days with.

"Well," he prodded, returning a suspiciously moist gaze to her. "Have you news of Kate, then?"

"No, not news. Not exactly."

"Then what?"

"My plan," she started. "The one Jocelyn and I decided. Lady Elizabeth had lent her full support to it --"

"God's blood, girl! She's his sister!" He wrenched his hand free of hers. "You think she'll not turn on us in a second?"

"Listen!" Christiana pleaded, leaning forward. "He's hurt her. She hates him, despises him and wants him to get his comeuppance. She's improved the plan, given me a six month out, writing her proposal so that she can send for me in six months if I've not returned with Kate by then."

"That fall broke your skull."

"Oh!" She jerked back as Roland struggled to sit. "Men."

'Women," he retorted. "She's still his sister. Now listen to me on this. She's an Adhemar. Deceit is thick in that blood, as you well know from watching his actions. That's flesh and blood connection girl. What's to say she isn't planning something like he does?"

"Girl?" She crossed her arms with a snort. "I'm no more a girl than Jocelyn is. I'm a woman and you well know it, Roland." Regarding him with narrowed eyes, she continued. "Germaine says she won't betray us."

"Since when does Germaine know everything?"

"He knows this family. He grew up with them."

"Fine." Roland ran an irritated hand along his jaw. "You'll do what you want regardless of what I say. Just...don't go alone into that house, Christiana. I can't go and neither can Germaine for obvious reasons. I don't..." He gave a frustrated sigh. "I don't like it. Send for Wat. Have him go with you."

Protective men. It seemed she was surrounded by them. Roland and Germaine both. They behaved as though she hadn't an ounce of sense in her brain, which was beyond maddening. "I can't. There's no one to spare. I'll have an escort there and that's all. besides, it'll be awhile before there is an answer. We may need to find a different course of action anyway."

It didn't pacify him, nor did she expect it to. The rest of her visit was strained and she was glad to leave.

~~~~~~~~~~

He was courting her. For some reason, that amused Kate to no end. He'd apparently decided pursue her slowly. He had clothes made for her, a drawn out process made more so when she refused to show up for fittings, necessitating in him tossing her over his shoulder and carrying her into the room while she beat her hands against his back. He'd then stood guard outside the room until fittings were completed.

She refused to wear the clothes, making sure all could hear her screaming that she'd not let him keep her like a whore. He could keep his clothes and let her go. Helene had pouted for days and reiterated that she thought Kate wanted him and Kate had better leave her dear Alain alone.

He tried to entice her with exotic fruits and delicacies from his kitchens. Kate declared herself missing good home cooking, despite her mouth watering from the taste of the chocolate he'd managed to cram in her mouth when she'd opened it in protest. Helene asked for a taste also and was disappointed when told there was no more. She then told Kate privately to stop throwing herself at Alain.

Alain this and Alain that. Some days Kate wished the woman would make good on her threats of violence and actually do something. It was wearying to have the woman constantly threatening and never acting.

She finally met the girls she'd seen her first day there. They were Adhemar's daughters. She must have been blind not to see the family resemblance. They were, respectively and from oldest to youngest, Olivia, Lisette, and Mary. Their nurse was May. Kate liked to spend time with the girls. Olivia declared her 'grand fun' to play with and she played many games of chase and hide and seek with them during the day. What else did she have to do? Nothing. She had nothing to fill her days and end the tedium.

It was distressing to realize that the longer she didn't work, the harder it would be to return to it once Adhemar released her. Kate sighed, watching the flames in the fire and giving only half an ear to the stories the men told at the table behind her. When would he release her? She doubted it was going to be soon. In fact, she was beginning to doubt she was ever going to leave this home.

A laugh caught her attention and she looked over her shoulder. Adhemar was laughing, his head thrown back with humor. It suited him. A pensive sigh left her. He was different here, not as cold or as cruel. He was still arrogant and spiteful, but there was a softness she'd not noticed during tournament. Her gaze lingered on his handsome features, a tiny frown crossing her brow when Helene's hand got in the way.

The blond had taken to staying downstairs after the evening meal, though it had been her custom to retire to her room and she made it plain she disliked the coarse talk the men engaged in. Kate didn't mind the talk. It made her comfortable, reminded her of the friends she'd left behind. Occasionally, she'd ventured to make a comment or two and been surprised when they seemed to enjoy her efforts at conversation. Even Alain.

Kate blinked, realizing that his gaze had met hers and he was giving her a puzzled look. Quickly, she turned away. Alain? She meant Adhemar of course. Always Adhemar. Nothing more.

Never more than that.