Lady Trent (7 page)

He looked away as if to avoid her seeing his
eyes. “Will you tell them about my proposal…that you declined
it?”

“No,” she had already decided. “But do not
worry, Jacob Trent, I will not create a fib in order to cover it.
There are plenty remnants of truth concerning this visit to ease
any curiosity as to why it occurred at all to begin with.”

He inhaled a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
“Having you here these past two days has been a pleasure,” he said.
“Truly an honor. It is a memory I shall cherish the rest of my
life, Rachel the Elder.”

“Thank you,” she said, then hesitated, but
leaned forward and dropped a simple kiss on his cheek. “Thank you
for understanding.” Had she ever kissed a man? Yes, but not under
any casual circumstance—usually only the ill or those close to
death; after saying a prayer for the soul or directly following the
eternal closing of the eyes.

He set his goblet on the table before him and
stood. “I dread to say I must be off into the countryside to settle
a matter.”

She frowned up at him a bit confused. “At
this hour?”

“Consideration of the hour can rarely be
noted with these matters that occupy my time. But this should not
keep me long. Meantime, enjoy yourself.” He glanced at the
troubadours with a grin. “The more they drink the merrier they
become, and all the more entertaining. And you are in good hands.”
He cast his eyes toward the guards. “You are safe I promise.”

“When will you return?”

“Later,” he told her. “But I will see you in
the morning before you depart.”

And with that he was gone.

******

That night she couldn’t sleep. Her thoughts
bounced back and forth between Jacob and home…furthermore her
obligations there. In another two weeks she would resume those
obligations, and see her friends and sisters which put a smile upon
her face.

The next day she prepared her things. Tilly
helped her. The clothing provided her was also packed. She hadn’t a
clue what she would do with these things once she got home. Such
garments and accessories would not apply to any situation she could
think of. But it was insisted she take every single item along. So
she had extra suitcases, seven altogether. With the closing of the
final one a knock sounded at the door. It opened and Jacob entered,
two guards following behind. Tilly would have scurried from the
room.

“You may stay,” Jacob said to her, and neared
Rachel with a grin that made her smile in return. She took his
hands with her own as he offered them. He planted a kiss on one
cheek and then the other. “I see you are prepared for your
journey.”

“I am.”

He stepped back, holding her at arm’s length.
“Even the beauty of nature could not compete with yours.”

“You are far too polite, milord. You shan’t
be a single man for long. Not speaking such flattering words as
these.”

“Unfortunately the hands of the available
itch more for gold and silver than do their ears for such
compliments.” He stepped back, raised a hand and snapped his
fingers. Percival entered with a box supported by a midsized
crimson pillow. “I have something for you,” Jacob said, and
motioned for Percival to hold it out before her.

“I couldn’t dare accept a gift. You have been
generous as it is.”

“Please,” he calmly pressed.

She raised hesitant hands to lift the lid,
pulling it up and back. The box was filled with coins—coins of both
gold and silver. She gave her head a light shake, glancing from the
small fortune to his penetrating gaze. “I don’t understand.”

“The request you made of me two years ago. It
is granted. Take it and give to your poor and your orphans and your
widows. Do with it as you wish. I know in my heart that you will do
just as you proposed. I could not say the same of anyone else. But
this I know will go every bit to these causes you are so passionate
about.”

She was so baffled she didn’t know what to do
or say. A smile came and went until she could not contain it, and
an urge to hug him could not be resisted. She put her arms around
him and they embraced.

“Thank you so much,” she praised, her cheek
pressed against his chest. “You are too gracious. The people will
be so very grateful, more so even than I.” She pulled away to look
at him. “You will receive many letters of appreciation. Please, I
only ask that you accept each of them by your own hand, and that
you read them with your own eyes. Under that condition only will I
accept. And just as you trust that I will do as I say, I will trust
you to do the same as well.”

Hearing her, he grinned deeply, and with eyes
so soft and gentle, he raised her hands dropping a light kiss on
each of them. He patted them between his and nodded. “Agreed.”

With that, he stepped back. “I know the time
is now for you to go. It has been a pleasure. I hope to hear word
of your safe return.”

“You will,” she promised. He slightly bowed.
She bowed her head with a smile that faded as he turned and
departed the room.

******

A short time later she was on her way,
travelling from the palace toward home. She twisted in her seat,
searching every inch of the place she was leaving behind, hoping to
spot him somewhere in the distance; perhaps standing on a balcony
or atop a tower…in a window someplace. She held a hand in the air,
ready to wave.

She didn’t see him anywhere.

The carriage jostled along. She felt as if
she was smothering. Holding on to her seat, she gazed back and then
forward again and again until she could no longer stand it. She
opened her mouth and called out, “driver!” and then a second time
when she perceived she had not been heard.

The carriage came to a halt. The driver’s
expression was one of concern when he swung open the door.
“Milady?” He anxiously answered. “Is something wrong?”

“No. Yes. I mean…no. Nothing.” She twisted in
her seat, looking back. “Nothing terribly wrong.” She swung her
attention back to him. “We must go back.”

“Go back?”

“Yes, I…we must turn around. Take me
back.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed. “Yes.” And the door
closed again.

CHAPTER FOUR

Dearest Agatha

I write this message as I remain in the
Great City. In the nearest future you may expect a second letter
explaining the goings-on here and the cause of my delay. All is
well. I have come upon a most unusual encounter which I will later
explain. Do be at peace for I am well and certain that my life is
being led toward a direction that will benefit us all. I will write
again soon. Until then tell my dear friends and my sisters how I
miss them and that I love them dearly always as myself.

Truly, Rachel.

She sealed the letter and handed it to Aaron,
a page who’d been assigned to her to attend such duties as this—the
delivering of letters. He would in turn pass the message on to
Jacob’s secretary, Darius, who was in charge of overseeing all
letters distributed from the palace grounds. She afterward
proceeded to dress herself for the evening.

Two weeks had passed since she’d ordered the
driver to turn around, since she’d returned to the palace and to
Jacob, agreeing to become his wife and making him what appeared to
be the happiest man in all the world. Since then they’d spent
nearly every waking hour together: dining and being entertained,
with rides about the city and the country-side, strolling about the
gardens from time to time and along the sandy shore. They were
never completely alone, but always watched over by guards in the
distance, an occasional page and squire. Perhaps they stood in as
witnesses to the innocence of the relationship. Not that the palace
staff would talk or spread rumors. They treated her with the utmost
respect. She was, after all, their soon-to-be mistress…the future
Lady Trent.

They’d spent a great deal of hours
effortlessly getting to know one another—dining alone or with
guests chosen from citizens of the city, playing card games or
those with boards and pieces. She sat with him during court, which
was held the third day of each week, and listened in while he
judged disputes amongst both the commoners and of the noblest in
his realm; giving verdicts pertaining to any and all prisoners when
it became time to do so. He was a wise man, she came to realize,
not that she’d doubted, but hearing him resolve the various matters
so, well, wisely, she found herself charmed by him all the
more.

Preparations for an official wedding
announcement had been so quickly arranged. Invitations were
immediately dispersed, mostly to what was referred to as the class
of Higher Nobles. Now, two weeks later, she examined both the outer
and inner yards which were decorated and prepared for whatever
guests would attend. She imagined there would be many. While the
outer yard would be occupied by the citizens of the immediate
realm, the inner yard was prepared for the more noble citizens:
nobles in general—specifically the class of Higher Nobles such as
the duke and duchess of Tarot. While some members of nobility who
could travel the distance in the short time allotted agreed to the
invitation, others sent their kind regards. Message after message
poured in including one from the emperor who congratulated and
wished him well saying, “The news was ever refreshing” and “I look
forward to meeting this lady whom fate must have persuaded you to
pursue”.

The announcement of their engagement would be
made tonight thus sealing it in stone; making it inevitable. She’d
had no idea the emphasis that would be placed upon it. Jacob’s
noble friends and peers were very happy for him, more than happy to
be a part of the announcement get-together.

Despite the sudden change of events, Rachel
was very content. The past two weeks had proven quite satisfying.
She and Jacob got along so well, and she found herself liking him
very much.

Since her return from that very brief
departure, two guards had specifically been assigned to her—one by
the name of Nicholas the other, Caleb. They took their job of
guarding her very seriously. Her door was never left unattended,
and if she dared venture about the premises, one or the other or
both would follow from a distance. This would certainly take some
time adjusting to.

Three chambermaids had also been assigned to
her: Tilly, Roselyn, and Zaria,

Tilly was the most zealous of the three,
hopping from task to task, be it cleaning the room, delivering
meals and messages, arranging the wardrobe, preparing the bath. She
saw to it these tasks were accomplished in a timely, precise
fashion. Her small but speedy frame was always moving about, which
made it understandable that she was so tiny to begin with. She
rarely stood idle or sat for that matter.

Roselyn was just the opposite, and usually
volunteered for the more trivial errands. She was less energetic,
more withdrawn, and quite the peculiar one all around. Rachel
occasionally caught her spying from the corners of her eyes as if
suspicious or uncertain, or as if to target some sort of
shortcoming. She didn’t seem particularly pleased to tend to
anything at all—quite the contrary. She often hesitated when any
deed was required as if awaiting it be done by one of the other
two. But she didn’t say anything out of the way; rather hardly ever
spoke at all.

Now, Zaria was the most interesting of the
three by far. Unhurried like Roselyn, but dedicated like Tilly, she
pampered Rachel…not with a fuss. She was sociable, but not overly
so, and quite the clever one. Rachel realized she was likely the
smarter of the two, and sometimes felt as if she could read her
mind.

Zaria spoke with a slow, seductive-like voice
and she had the most wicked-looking eyes. It was just appearance,
for there was absolutely nothing wicked about her, although she
was, Rachel perceived, capable of seducing guards and even visitors
of choice. She did not seem at all ignorant when it came to matters
of the heart; which she insisted Rachel was about to get her first
true glimpse of. Understandable since for the first time in her
life she cared about a man enough to marry him.

Now, Zaria stood beside her early the evening
of the engagement announcement. From a secluded balcony overlooking
the front lawns she and Rachel observed the throngs of guests who’d
gathered for the event. The violinist was already playing, and the
servants distributing drinks amongst them.

“I’ve never seen so many beautiful people in
one place at one time,” Rachel commented.

“Have you
ever
seen so many people in
one place at one time?

The outer yard was crowded with the attending
citizens of the city—a mixture of well-to-do, middleclass and some
poor. Nobles who’d travelled from both short and not-so-short
distances, mingled in the inner yard. She spotted the duke and
duchess of Tarot who’d just shortly arrived, which gave her a sense
of comfort. Others she did not recognize or know, but judging by
their tranquil behavior she felt at ease and looked forward to
being introduced to them.

“I see mostly wealthy and arrogant men,”
whispered Zaria, “most of whom would gladly trade their wife for a
single night in the arms of a young, voluptuous maiden. As for
beautiful,” Zaria began, “You’ll have a closer look in a short
while and see otherwise. The garments may be striking, milady, but
the faces of these…one may understand exactly why they vie to outdo
one another with use of fine apparel.” ”

“Outward beauty is not all that matters.”

“Tis simple for you to say, milady, as age
and nature have been kind to you. Some of these, well, even I have
a heart that goes out to them.”

Rachel’s eyes continued to skim over the
people. She wondered who they all were. As if reading her mind,
Zaria began pointing them out to her; couple by couple, man by man,
woman by woman.