by D. J. Holmes
Jon found his mother giving last minute instructions to the staff for dinner.
“I want dinner served on time, and make sure that the plates and silverware are clean.”
“Yes, Madame….”
“Mother, did you call me?”
“Yes, Jon, I called you several times. I do wish that you would come when I call rather than mumbling. I could barely hear you.”
The head maid announced, “Dinner is ready, and will be served in the dining room as soon as you are seated.”
“Thank you for the wonderful meal that you have all prepared. We’re ready now,” I said.
Mother and I walked into the dining room. Sitting down, Mother continued “Son, what were you saying each time that I called you?”
“I was concentrating so hard on my shot that I said, I’ll be up in just a minute.”
“It just seemed like you were mumbling…. The reason that I want you practicing by my window is so that I can keep an eye on you, and so that I can hear you.”
“I’m sorry, Mother. I was just concentrating so hard on hitting the target. I thought that you would understand.”
“I’ve noticed that you don’t stand the same way and you aren’t shooting as well as you use to shoot.” She looks up with a concerned expression.
“That’s why I’m concerned. For some reason I just can’t get the feel of my stance anymore and that affects my shooting. I’m really worried because when father comes home I want him to be as proud of me as he has been in the past.”
“I’m glad that you take archery so seriously, my Son.
You know that it is very important to be a good shot in the type of work that your father does. He wants you to follow in his footsteps.”
“Yes. Mother, I know. It’s very important to me also.”
“You know, Jon, your father has very close ties with the King and that could be very advantageous to you.”
“I know. Father is a very important man in the eyes of the King.”
“Speaking of your father, I got word today that he is on his way home. He should be here within a week or two.”
“…Within a week or two?” That would mean that my father is coming home almost a month earlier than he had said he would when he first left. Realizing what I said and how I said it and I can only imagine what my face looked like...I know that my eyes must have been huge. “I mean it will be good to see him won’t it, Mother?” I added, trying not to sound disappointed while concentrating on putting a smile on my face.
“Yes, it will be good to see him. I always love having your father home, I love being around him. Everything is so much harder to accomplish when he’s away.”
“It’s good that we have so many servants to help us while he’s gone isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is, Jon. Another thing I wanted to tell you is that the Duchess of Devonshire and her lovely daughters, Hortence, and Genola, are coming and will stay here for a week. I need you to entertain her daughters while they are here.”
“You mean those little girls that would always follow me around, asking questions all day long? …Jon, what’s this for? Why are you doing that, Jon? My goodness, Jon, your muscles sure are big. Jon this, and Jon that. They were in the middle of everything I did. I got so tired of hearing my name and trying to answer all of their questions. And their voices drove me crazy! Have you ever listened to their squeaky, nasal voices, Mother?”
“I never really thought anything about it. Their voices sounded alright to me, son.”
“That’s because you didn’t have to listen to them all day. You and the Duchess were off shopping and I was left to entertain the two little ones.”
“I thought that you liked each other.”
“I have never enjoyed their company. I’m not trying to be cruel….well, maybe I am. Have you ever noticed how sour the ‘Duchess’ personality is? I don’t think that she ever smiles. And her daughters look and act just like their mother’s sour temperament.”
“Jon, how could you say something like that? Their family has been good to our family throughout all the years that your father and I have been married.”
“Mother, I can’t stand being with them. Please don’t make me.”
“I need you to be pleasant to all of them. And yes, I still need you to entertain her daughters,” she said as a command.
I was not very happy with this turn of events. Father was coming home earlier than expected, and now I had to entertain two selfish, inconsiderate girls. I knew that I wouldn’t have as much freedom as I had had the last few weeks. I began to wonder how, and when would I be able to see, Mary?
“When are they arriving?” I asked.
“They are expected at the end of the week.”
“That’s just two days away!” My voice raised and I choked on my food.
“Mother, please. I would rather practice my archery. Isn’t there some way that I could have time to myself to practice uninterrupted? I can’t shoot my arrows when someone is watching me.”
“Jon, I don’t think that a short break in your practicing will hurt you at all. We have a lot happening this week. Go to bed, my son. I will need your help preparing for everyone.”
The next day came with great anticipation. I decided that I would like to do something special for Mary, so I arrived at our meeting place a little early. Today I would be her King, and Mary would be my Queen. Picking some red roses I made crowns for both of us to wear. I then arranged a piece of wood on top of two large rocks, with red rose petals on the ground in front of it, in order to make a royal throne. I finished putting the rose petals on the ground just as Mary walked up.
“Matthew, what’s all this?”
“I thought that we could be a King and Queen for today.”
“What a wonderful idea.”
“King Matthew and Queen Mary….”
“How many subjects do we have?”
“How many do you want?”
“Why don’t we just make this village our kingdom?” she said as her arm swept from left to right.
“That’s good, because our throne is right over here.”
“…Our throne?”
“Yes. You saw me putting the rose petals on the ground, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“At the end of the rose petals is our throne.”
“Oh, I see it now. What’s on top of the throne?”
“…Our crowns.”
“My favorite red rose, you made our crowns out of my favorite rose!”
“Yes, I remembered. Come over here Mary…” After she sat on her throne I pronounced, “Mary, I crown you Queen of this village,” and put the red rose crown on her head.
Looking as beautiful as a Queen should be, Mary stood up and turned toward my throne. Picking up the other crown, Mary says, “Matthew would you please sit on the throne so that I can put this crown on your head?”
“Sure.”
“Matthew, I crown you King of this village.” And then she sat down on her throne once again.
“Since you are a Queen, what would you like for your people?” I asked.
“I would like everyone to have enough food to eat. I would like everyone to have their own plot of land, and a home to live in that no one could ever take from them. What would you do if you were a King?”
“I would like everyone to have the opportunity to be educated in math and the sciences and to know how to read. There would be no taxes, because as King and Queen we would also work so that our people wouldn’t have to take care of us. All laws that are passed for the people to live by would also have to be lived by us. And, as a community, we would all help our neighbors when they are in need.”
“Matthew, why don’t all Kings work for the good of their people like you just said that you would?”
“Maybe they’re so busy in their own lives that they don’t see the plight of their people?”
“Maybe they should live among their people so that everything that they decide will affec
t them also, rather than living in their large palaces away from their people. You would be a great King, Matthew.”
“With you as my Queen, our people would be very happy.”
“All I know, Matthew, is that I would be very happy to be by your side. Are we going to have a dance?”
“…A dance?”
“Yes. Our coronation, you know.”
“My Queen, may I have this dance?” I said as I bowed.
Mary made a deep curtsey, “My King, I would love to dance with you.”
After we danced for a while I asked, “Where did you learn how to dance my Queen?”
“I would watch, my Mistress. Where did you learn to dance my King?”
“I would watch my Master.”
“What are we going to do with the war that is going on in France, my King?”
“I say that we call a truce. There have been so many families that have been broken up because many English and French have intermarried. How can we ask them to take sides against their own family members?”
“What a wise King. Now I have another idea my King. Let’s pretend that I have done something to offend you, or someone is telling lies about me, or maybe I’m not able to give birth to a baby boy…you are angry and you have decided to have me beheaded, just like the Kings latest wife, Anne Boleyn.”
“I could never do that, Mary.”
“Matthew, we’re just pretending.”
“Well, at this point, Mary, I’d rather be the knight that saves you, rather than the King that beheads you.”
“That is why I enjoy your company so much, Matthew. I know that I am safe because you will always protect me.”
“I will always be there for you, Mary, but it is getting late and I need to go home. Shall we meet again tomorrow?”
“Yes, my King. Tomorrow….”
The last day of my freedom came with a nice warm sun. But a cold blast of wind was also coming down from the North. The warm days of summer were starting to give way to winter. I got up earlier than usual and ran out to the stable.
“James! James! You’ve got to help me,” I said desperately. “I don’t know how we are going to do this, but the Duchess of Devonshire and her daughters are coming today, and I’ve still got to see, Mary.”
“…Mary, who is Mary?” James inquires. With his mind full of questions, he opens his mouth to ask them, but is cut short.
“I’ll tell you later. I’ve got to go. If the Duchess arrives before I get back, have Timothy make an excuse for me, please? And be careful of Hortence, and Genola. They get into everyone’s business.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t let them see you in my clothes. And, don’t tell them anything. If anyone can find out what we have been doing, it will be those girls. …Watch your every move!”
James heard the earnestness in my voice. I quickly took off my clothes so that I could change into his, while he got my horse ready, shivering in his underclothes.
After I left, James was changing into my clothes, precisely at the moment that Timothy walks into the stable.
“What are you doing, James?”
“Pretend that you don’t see anything, stable boy, just do your job.” Under his breath, James continues to say, “I know that we are going to get caught. I just know it.”
I rode up to the meadow and saw Mary, flying some type of contraption in the sky. She was busy concentrating on trying to catch each drift of wind, keeping it in the air. I rode up closer and got off of my horse. “What is that, Mary?”
“It’s called a kite. My lady received it from Asia and said that I could fly it today.” Looking behind me she asks, “Where did you get that horse? It’s beautiful.”
“Sir has sent me on an errand and said that I could use his horse.” I had usually tied my horse to a tree by a stream, and walked to where I would meet, Mary. This was the first time she had seen me with my horse.
“Does that mean that we can’t spend anytime together today?” Mary asks.
“That’s why I came earlier. I’ll have to leave before the sun gets high in the sky.”
“Would you like to fly the kite?” Mary asks with excitement in her voice.
“Yes. Show me how to fly it. I’ve never even seen one of these before.”
Mary showed me how to hold the string tightly so that the wind is blowing from behind making sure that the kite gets the necessary lift, as the air flows over and under its wings.
“How am I doing, Mary?”
“Matthew, you are a natural. For your first time you are doing really quite well.”
In truth, this was the first time for both of them to fly a kite. The only advantage, Mary had, was that she had been flying it and getting use to maneuvering it for about a half an hour before Matthew arrived.
As early morning became mid-morning, the strength of the breeze began to die down, and the kite showed signs of losing its ability to stay in the sky.
“Mary, it looks like the kite doesn’t want to stay in the sky any more. Would you like to go horseback riding?”
“Yes. I love horses.”
“Let me get on first, and then I will pull you up.”
“What should I do with the kite?”
“Just bring it with you. I wouldn’t want you to leave it behind and get in trouble.
“I’ve never taken a kite on a horse before.”
“I haven’t either. I guess we’ll see what will happen soon enough.”
As the horse begins to gallop, the currents of wind begin to grab hold of the kite. “Matthew, Matthew! The speed of the horse has created a current of air. The kite is being pulled from my arms.
“What are you saying, Mary?”
Mary talked louder and directly into my ear, as she allowed the kite to float back into the sky. “Look in the air behind us, Matthew. The kite is in the air following us,” she giggles.
We began to laugh while we were both riding the horse and looking back to watch the kite. “Let’s see what happens when I slow down?”
“Matthew, it’s falling. Hurry, Matthew. Make the horse go faster. Let’s see what happens then.”
I began to allow the horse to have its full stride, galloping once again.
“It’s going back up, Matthew. It’s rising back to its original height.”
“Wow, Mary, look at that. If we slow down, the kite starts falling because there isn’t enough air current. And then, when we go faster, our speed creates a current of air, keeping the kite in the sky.”
“You are so smart, Matthew.”
“I am, aren’t I?” I said with a mischievous smile.
“Let’s see if it makes any difference if we ride up on that small hill over there.”
“Let’s go.” The horse begins to gallop, “Look, Matthew, the kite is still following us.”
“Now that’s a smart kite!”
Arriving at the top of the small hill, Mary, says, “It doesn’t look like it makes any difference if we are higher.”
While admiring the kite as it continued to float in the high currents of air, I took in the surrounding countryside. Suddenly, a coach appears, coming in our direction.
“Oh no,” muttering to myself. “That must be the Duchess of Devonshire and her daughters. No one around here would have a coach that looks like that one does. Darn, I thought that they would arrive a lot later today!”
At the same time that Jon spots the coach, the kite has been spotted by one of the daughters as she looks out the window of the coach.
“Look, Mother. What is that contraption?” Genola says with a questioning expression.
“Why, I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” her mother responds in amazement.
“Mother, let’s go over there and ask them directions to the Easton Palace. Let’s also ask them where we can get a contraption like that.”
The Duchess yells, “Driver, go toward that flying contraption.”
“Mary, someone is coming. I don’t want them to see me,
or I’ll get in trouble.”
“There’s a gully over there,” she points forward and down to our right. “We can hide in the large group of bushes behind that tree.”
“Good idea, Mary. Let’s go!”
Arriving at the gully, I looked back to see Mary, and noticed the kite still following us. “Let go of the kite, Mary. It’s attracting the coach.”
Mary responds quickly, and with a great deal of concern. “I’m trying to, but it’s tangled in the tree.”
Alarmed, and not wanting to be found, I firmly requested, “Mary, climb up on my shoulders and try to set it free.”
In the blink of an eye, Mary stands up on the horse and climbs up onto my shoulders.
“I got it, Matthew, there it goes.” A renewed gust of wind gently sweeps the kite away at the exact moment the coach arrives on the road, just above the gully where we had hidden.
“Driver, get down and find the people that own that flying contraption. Ask them how we get to Easton Palace from here,” the Duchess commands.
“But, my Lady,” the driver replies.
“Don’t argue with me. Just get down, walk over and ask them,” she commands.
The driver gets down, along with the two coachmen from the back. Afraid of the repercussions, they discuss among themselves just how they are going to tell the Duchess, and her daughters, that there is no flying contraption in this tree.
“Am I crazy? Or is she crazy? Do either of you see anything in this tree?” the driver asks the two coachmen.
“I don’t see anything”
“Neither do I.”
“Then who is going to tell her that there’s nothing in the tree?”
“Edward, you’re the driver you tell her, we only hold onto the back of the coach.”
From inside the coach, the Duchess yells, “What is taking so long? You know that I don’t want to come out side with my fair skin!”
Finally, the driver gets up enough courage and says in a nervous voice, “My Lady, there is no flying contraption anywhere near this tree. Are you sure that this is the right tree?”
Without looking out of the coach, she yells, “Of course I’m sure!”
The two coachmen respond in unison, “But, my Lady, are you really sure?”
“For goodness sake, do I always have to do everything?” the Duchess yells back. As soon as the coach door begins to open, the coachmen and driver sprint to help her down the outside steps, as she climbs out of the coach.
“It’s right here at the top of the tree, just like my daughter Genola, saw it,” she states, looking at the driver and two coachmen as they are looking at the tree. Finally, she raises her hand to shade her eyes and takes the time to look at the top of the tree also, and sees nothing. “Where did it go?” she says looking surprised.
Looking back at the coach the Duchess yells, “Genola, come out of the coach and tell me where you saw the flying contraption. If you really want to marry Sir Jon, you had better find the flying contraption that you said you saw. We need to find someone, so that we can ask directions to Easton Palace.”
“Mother, why is it, that when you can’t find anyone else to do something, you always ask me?” she responds as a snobbish brat.
“I never ask you to do anything, Genola. You are the one that can’t get your hands dirty, because you are going to marry Sir Jon. And when that happens, we will all live happily ever after,” she said, predicting her families future.
As the Duchess and Genola stand outside the coach, yelling back and forth at each other, the coachmen and the driver look at each other, wondering what to do. Looking in the sky, desperate to find something, they detect movement in the sky. Looking toward that movement they detect something floating to the East of where they are, “It’s the flying contraption!”
“Ladies, look!” the coachman yells pointing toward the movement in the sky.
Genola turns and looks in the direction he is pointing. “I see it Mother!”
She runs, and quickly jumps, onto the coach, climbing into the driver’s seat. In a self centered manner, she yells, “I’m going to drive this thing over there to the flying contraption.”
The surprised driver quickly responds. “But, my Lady, there’s no road in that direction.”
“I’ll make a road!” she says, unconcerned with what it might do to the coach, or to anyone else. “If any of you want a ride, you had better get in the coach, because I’m leaving now!”
Knowing that Genola always does what she says she will do, everyone runs for the coach, barely getting into their places before the horses are whipped into a healthy gallop. Because Genola is in his seat the driver grabs onto the back with the coachmen.
Matthew and Mary breathe a sigh of relief as the coach swiftly leaves. The coach itself is now swaying from side to side, rocking back and forth, moving up and down and barely making its way over the rolling hills.
“I don’t care where I have to go, but I’m going to follow that contraption because I have a feeling about it!” Genola states as she continues to whip the horses into a swift gallop.
The kite continues to float in confused directions, depending on the drifts of the wind, and the coach persists, innocently blazing its own trail.
“Hang on as tight as you can or we’re going to be left to forage for ourselves in this primitive country side,” the driver discretely says to the coach men.
Screams are coming from inside the coach. “Genola, what are you doing? Slow down!”
“I can’t, Mother. I have to keep up with the flying contraption!”
Following the direction of the kite, Genola makes a sharp turn, and the two coachmen’s feet fly out to the side while they, with all their might, are hanging on for dear life. “Hold on, Edward. That was a sharp one.”
“Yea, well, you should be used to holding on to the back of this coach. I’m use to driving, how does one hold on when your feet are knocked out from under you?”
“Just do it. Do you want to be left out here?”
“No.”
“Well, remember what you told us to do? Hold on with all your strength!”
Genola continues driving on the uneven terrain, and the driver and coachmen remain in place as best they can, helping each other when their feet fall off the step scraping the ground until they are helped back to the step. From the yells and screams that can be heard from the Duchess and Hortence, one can only imagine what is happening inside the coach.
Finally with the coach out of sight, Mary and Matthew look at each other trying to catch their breath from laughing so hard at the antics that they have just witnessed.
“In my whole life, I’ve never seen anything as funny as that.”
“Me neither. I’m glad that I’m not in that coach.”
“I’m glad that I’m not trying to hang on to the outside. Her coachmen and driver are barely able to hold onto the coach.”
“It was so funny, Matthew. Hopefully, they’ll be able to hold on until they arrive at their destination. By the way, who is Sir Jon?”
“I don’t know. Whoever he is, I really feel sorry for what’s in store for him with that girl as his wife. That poor fellow! I hope for his sake that they never marry.” I looked up at the sky, silently sending out messages. “Please, oh, please, not me!”
I finally realized that the sun was high in the sky. “Mary, I’ve got to go if I’m going to be able to finish this errand that I was sent on. I want you to know that you are the most beautiful girl that I have ever seen. I’m really sad to have to say this, but I can’t see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll die if I don’t see you, Matthew,” Mary, says with a look of shock on her face as tears start to come to her eyes.
“I feel the same way about you Mary, but it can’t be helped. If I don’t take care of this business then I’ll never be able to see you again.” Looking into her eyes, Mary’s tears continue to stream down her cheeks. “Mary, your tears are breaking my heart.”
“I
’ll wait for you, Matthew. Know that my love goes with you,” she quietly says, as she puts her arms around my neck.
“And mine with you, Mary.”
Finally, we let go of each other and I got up on my horse, sadly waving to Mary and rode toward my home.
As I approached my home I noticed a lot of commotion by the South Gate. I got off of my horse before anyone saw me, and hid behind a nearby tree. All of the servants are surrounding the coach that Mary and I had seen on the road. Looking up to the spire that everyone is looking at, I saw the kite.
“…The kite. How did that get here?”
I finally saw James, hiding by the corner of the palace, out of sight.
“James,” I whispered, frantically waving to him, trying to get his attention from behind the tree. “James, come over here. Quickly, let’s change clothes.”
“I thought that you’d never get here, Jon. I began thinking that someone would find me, when all of this commotion started and everyone was running around. They kept calling my name, wondering where I was.”
“I’m sorry, James. Time got away from me. What’s happening?”
James responds, “I’ll describe what happened, Jon. About ten minutes ago, this flying contraption flies by the tower and gets caught on the top spire. The first one to see it was Timothy.
Wanting to know what the flying contraption was, James asked, “What is that thing anyway?”
“It’s called a kite. The currents of the wind help it to fly in the sky,” Jon explained.
“So, where did it come from?”
“Mary was flying it when I saw her today.”
“Mary huh, well anyway, it got caught on the spire and everyone was looking at it, wondering what it was. Then, suddenly someone was yelling from outside the gate, ‘Hello, in there. We need help.’”
“Timothy ran to the gate. I was hiding so that no one could see me. Then he was followed by the kitchen maids. Finally all of the rest of the staff ran through the South Gate, to see who was yelling.”
“Looking from my position,” James pointed to where he was at that moment, “I could see a coach with a girl driving it, and the original driver and two coachmen barely hanging on, with their feet dragging on the ground. I watched as an older woman gets out of the coach and throws up. And another girl just falls out of the coach. The girl who is driving the coach asks, “We’re looking for the Easton Palace. Would you give us directions?”
Timothy said, “This is Easton Palace, my Lady.”
“The daughter who was driving the coach says, “See, Mother, I told you that this flying contraption would show us the way!”
James continues the story and notices the smile on my face. I was remembering how, Mary and I had laughed and laughed until we could hardly stand up, watching the coach as it was driven away, trying to catch up to the kite.
“Jon....” I was brought back to the present as, James, said, “Your mother came out and helped them to their rooms. Apparently, they are the Duchess of Devonshire and her daughters.”
“I guess I had better go in and see if there isn’t anything I can help my mother with,” I said, and handed the horse’s reins to James as I walked over to the palace.
Opening the palace door, my mother called, “Jon, is that you?”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Come here. I want you to see someone. Jon, this is the Duchess of Devonshire and her two beautiful daughters. Do you remember them?”
I politely said, “Hello, nice to see you.”
Mother turns to the Duchess, and says, “This is my son, Jon.”
“My, he has grown into a handsome young man,” the Duchess comments, as she blushes. “This is Genola and Hortence. Do you remember when we visited your family when they were a lot younger?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Now that you are all grown, your mother and I are hoping that during this week, while we’re here, that you could get to know them and pick one of them for your wife.”
“Thank you for thinking of me, my lady. I would be glad to entertain your daughters, but I am not ready to marry yet.”
“Maybe by the end of the week, you will change your mind,” she says with a smile.
“Time will tell, my Lady,” I said, more as a rejection. For me, morning came too quickly. But, apparently it didn’t come quickly enough for, Genola.
Hearing footsteps in my bedroom, I opened my eyes, “What are you doing in my room, Genola?”
“Why serving you breakfast, Sir,” she says, with a curtsy and a smile, holding a small tray of fruit.
“I would much rather eat my breakfast on a table down stairs.”
Walking closer to my bed, Genola persistently states “Let me feed you this beautiful strawberry.”
Snapping back and looking directly at Genola, I quipped, “Genola, I do not wish to hurt your feelings, but I would rather eat with everyone else at the table downstairs. Please leave my room.”
Genola relinquishes in words, “As you wish. But remember that our time is short. Think of all that we could be to each other.” She continued to stand next to my bed hoping that I would change my mind. Looking directly at her eyes I commanded, “I’ll see you downstairs, my Lady.” With that she finally turned and walked toward the door and down the stairs.
Muttering under my breath, I said, “Who does she think she is? Coming into my room without being invited? I never wanted to see those girls ever again, and here they are! This is going to be my worst nightmare. It’s going to be very hard, but I’ll be kind to them for the sake of my mother.”
Taking my time, I descended the staircase, slowly walking to the dining room to eat breakfast. Stirring my food around, eating slowly, all I could think of was Mary. I couldn’t stand the thought of entertaining these ugly, egotistical, self-indulgent women.
Trying to be pleasant, I asked, “Duchess, how did you sleep last night?”
“Well, first of all,” she said, “I love your palace. The rooms are decorated beyond belief, and the bed in my room is extremely comfortable. It’s so comfortable, in fact that I just wanted to lay in it forever and ever, but your darn rooster started to crow. I couldn’t sleep with all the noise that he was making.”
“Oh, the rooster woke you up?”
“Yes. I tried putting the pillows over my ears, but he was so loud, that I thought that he was in my room. So, I got up to make sure he wasn’t, and then because I couldn’t get back to sleep I decided to stay up. Does your rooster always wake up that early?”
“Yes. Every morning, same rooster, same crowing sound, same place. Say… I’ve got an idea maybe we could tie his beak shut so that you could sleep longer?”
“Jon, be polite,” mother responded, her face red with embarrassment.
“Another thought I just had was that we could ask our neighbors if they would take care of him while you are here. It’s only a half days ride to their place. Our servants might sleep in waiting for the magical crowing of our Rooster, and your breakfast might be late. But, we could do that if you would like, Duchess.”
“Jon.” Mother looks at me hoping I will stop.
“Or, what about this one,” I was laughing so hard, I could barely get the words out. “Maybe, James, Timothy, and I could round him up and we could eat him for dinner tonight.”
“Jon is something wrong with you?” mother asked. The kitchen staff had come to the kitchen door to see what was going on and tried to muffle their laughter.
“Sorry, Mother. This morning has really been unusual.” Taking a couple of breaths, I tried to calm down. “Let me start over, Duchess. Would that be alright?”
“Yes, Sir Jon. Let’s both start over, alright?”
“Let me begin, if that’s alright with you, Duchess?”
“That would be fine, Sir Jon.”
“How was your night, Duchess?”
“I slept quite well, Sir Jon. How was your night?”
“I had a good nights sleep and couldn’t wait
to eat breakfast with everyone this morning.”
“Our staff always makes a great breakfast,” my mother added.
“This is really delicious.” Genola said as she and Hortence began wondering what was going on.
The head maid came in. “Is there anything else that anyone needs?”
“No, thank you. It was delicious though. Hortence and Genola, would you like to walk around the Palace and the surrounding grounds?”
“Yes, Sir Jon. We’d love to,” they said in unison, quickly finishing their breakfast.
“Every time I look at these girls, I get sick to my stomach. Somehow I’ve got to keep a smile on my face. In my position, I need to be polite to everyone I meet.” Because of this I began to say over and over again in my mind, “Smile, smile, smile.”
Aware of my guests, I finally said, “Are you both ready to go?”
“We are,” they both said.
After walking outside on the palace grounds for thirty minutes, I asked myself. “My Ladies, will you excuse me for a moment so that I can make arrangements for our day.”
“We’ll wait here for you, Sir Jon.”
Walking into the stable, I grabbed Timothy, my stable boy, and quietly said, “Please, please, please show them around. I can’t stand being around them, even for a moment longer.”
“Yes, Sir….” Timothy calmly walks to Hortence and Genola. “Hello my ladies my name is Timothy and I’ll show you around until Sir Jon is able to join you again.”
“How long is he going to be gone?” Hortence asks. “It shouldn’t be long. Shall we go this way?” Genola watched me until I was out of sight.
Walking away from them, and around the corner, I ran into James.
“James, will you go to the market place and buy something for Mary? Buy her something that no one else has. Perhaps some type of pendant or ring. Bring it to me later today, because I want to see her tomorrow.”
“…The Mary that you spoke about the other day?”
“Yes that Mary, my blessed, Mary.”
“I would be more than glad to do that for you, Jon.” Feeling a sense of calmness, knowing that I would see Mary, the following day, I took a couple of breaths and then walked over to Timothy, and the girls, with a fake smile on my face. “Timothy, I’ll show them the rest of the grounds. Thank you for your help. I’m sorry that it took me so long. Would you like to see the rest of the grounds?”
“Wherever you take us will be fine, Sir Jon,” Genola softly says as she takes my arm. Shocked, Hortence almost yells, “What makes you think that you can hold his arm, Genola?”
“I was a little uneasy on my feet and needed some balance, Hortence.”
“…Really?” Running to the opposite side and grabbing his other arm, “I am feeling a little off balance also, Genola.”
“Look, ladies. You’re making me unbalanced! I think that both of you can walk on your own. Please, let go of my arms.” They quickly let go, and I tried to change the subject.
“Look, over there, my favorite place to think. Let’s sit for a while ladies.”
Running to the bench, both girls quickly sit down. “I’m glad that you beat me to the bench. I was wondering if there would be enough room for all of us. Clearly there isn’t, so I’ll stand.”
Genola quickly stands up and says, “I’ll stand up then, Sir Jon.”
Hortence quickly takes her opportunity. “Now there’s enough room for you to sit next to me, Sir Jon.”
Not wanting to get caught in their game I thoughtfully said, “Ah, I don’t think so. I think that I’d have more room standing here. You sit as long as you would like though, Hortence.”
“Well, I don’t want to sit here if you aren’t going to sit by me.”
“Genola, why don’t you sit by your sister?”
“I’d rather stand by you, Sir Jon.”
“Well, if you’re both going to stand, then I’m going to stand,” Hortence retorts.
“If we’re all going to stand, then why don’t we just continue walking around the grounds, ladies?”
“…Whatever you want to do, Sir Jon.”
“Fine then…. This is the trough that I use to sail boats in when I was young.”
“Isn’t that what your horses drink from?” Genola asks.
“Yes.”
“How could you sail your boats in that dirty water?”
“It looks dirty to you?”
“It’s just the fact that the horses slobber in it when they drink the water.”
“Yes… horses slobber. What do you think of everything that you have seen today?”
“It’s beautiful,” Hortence says.
“…There are so many rooms in your palace. How do you fill them all?” Genola questions with a sparkle in her eyes.
“Part of the rooms will be filled with my children when I marry,” he says thinking of Mary.
“Oh, my goodness, how many children do you want?” Genola questions with a smile.
“I would like six children,” I immediately replied trying to discourage these girls.
“What if they are all girls?” Genola questions him. “Then, I would need more than six children. I need a boy to carry on my family name.”
“I suppose that could be arranged, Jon, given enough time,” Genola says.
Pushing, Genola, to the side, Hortence, takes my arm again. Looking closely into my eyes, Hortence says, “I don’t mind that horses slobber, Sir Jon.”
“Oh, we’re back to the horses again?”
Jealousy over takes Genola; quickly getting a hand full of dirt she throws it into her sister’s face.
“HOW DARE YOU!” Hortence yells, as she spits out the dirt.
“Oh, I’m sorry, sister. I didn’t mean to get the dirt on you. I was just throwing it up in the air. Here, let me help you get clean.”
Trusting her sister, she closed her eyes, “Thank you sister.”
Getting a hand full of water, Genola throws it into her face. Shocked, Hortence opens her eyes, “HOW COULD YOU HAVE DONE THIS TO ME, YOUR OWN SISTER?”
“I was just helping you to get clean,” Genola says innocently.
“Do you really think that you are helping me to get clean?”
“Yes.”
“Really…let me help you, dear sister, in the same way that you have helped me.”
Dirt is now flying all around, as the girls are wrestling on the ground. Watching the girls fighting next to the water trough, I motioned to Timothy to back the horses up. Suddenly, the water trough falls over, and both Genola and Hortence are in a puddle of mud.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, my Ladies, the horses backed up,” Timothy apologizes.
Looking over at Timothy, it was extremely hard for me to keep my composure, “Ladies, you should look at yourselves.”
Their fighting stops. Looking at each other, they begin to scream, as they get up and run into the palace.
Suddenly, I heard, “Jon!”
“What do you want, Mother?”
“Lunch is ready.”
“Just in time, Mother, I think that Hortence and Genola are all ready inside and I’ll be in there in a minute.”
The smile on my face explained how I felt.
“That was so funny, Timothy. Thank you sooooo much. That helped me for a minute, but I don’t know how much more I can take of this. Everywhere I go, there is at least one of them by my side, I never get a moment to myself. Say, have you seen James? I asked him to go on an errand for me.”
“No, Sir, I haven’t seen him.”
Just then the latch of the South Gate turned. “Maybe that’s him.”
James comes through the gate running toward the stable. “What are you doing out here, Jon?”
Hearing James calling “Sir”, by his first name, Timothy, reacts. “How dare you call him, Jon, we are to address him as, ‘Sir’.”
Looking at Timothy, with a dismissive look James says, “I’ll talk to you about that in a minute, Timothy.”
Running over to me he says, “I found it Jon, the perfect thing for Mary.”
“Mary? Who is Mary?” Timothy asks.
James looks at Timothy again with warning eyes. “Don’t interrupt us again, Timothy. I’ll tell you later.”
“Jon, here it is. Look!” James’ eyes are as wide as they can be, and his smile is very broad.
“Wow!” I couldn’t believe my eyes. “It’s perfect.” Looking on the inside of the band an idea came to mind. “James I’ve seen you carve metal before. Do you think that you could carve a small boat on the inside of the band, by the word Destiny that is already there? The first day we met, we sailed a boat that I had made from the paper that was in your pocket.”
“I can do that, Jon.”
“Great. Then I’ll take it to her tomorrow, which means that tonight, right after dinner we have to create a plan so that I can get out of here without being noticed by Hortence and Genola.”
“I’ll be carving while you are eating.”
“Thank you, James. See you shortly.”
Dinner is a celebration tonight, because of the Duchess and her two daughters. Mother has invited other guests and arranged for some entertainment, along with an evening of dancing.
All evening long I had to keep a smile on my face. But my heart was exploding with excitement, with the thought that I would see Mary the next day.
After dinner, as the music begins to play, the Duchess walked over to me and asked, “Would you ask Genola to dance?”
“I would be glad to ask her, my Lady.”
Walking over to Genola, I had to walk past Hortence. Fighting back the urge to vomit, and swallowing as hard as I could, I asked, “Genola, would you dance with me?”
“Yes, I would love to.”
As we danced, moving around on the floor, Genola is busy talking about herself and her many accomplishments; of which dancing is one. Already having been stepped on twice, I decide her other accomplishments must not be too outstanding, either. As we pass by Hortence, Genola falls onto the floor, face first. From the corner of my eye, I see Hortence pull the foot that she had stuck out onto the dance floor back to its place, while pretending to look in another direction.
“Genola, are you alright?” I asked, but before I even had the chance to bend over to reached her, Hortence was in my face, ready to dance.
“I would like to dance with you, Jon.”
“Let me help, Genola, first.”
“She’s fine. I want to dance with you right now!”
Genola finally stands up, as Hortence is talking and dancing with Jon. Walking toward them, she yells, “HORTENCE, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?” and grabs her hair.
“LISTEN, GENOLA. JON WOULD HAVE ASKED ME TO DANCE FIRST, BECAUSE HE PASSED RIGHT BY ME. BUT, MOTHER ASKED HIM TO ASK YOU!” Hortence yells as she rips off the shoulder lace on Genola’s dress.
“I DON’T CARE HOW IT HAPPENED. I WAS DANCING WITH HIM, AND YOU TRIPPED ME!”
“I DIDN’T TRIP YOU. YOUR DRESS GOT IN YOUR WAY!”
“YOU ARE A LIAR!”
“DON’T EVER CALL ME A LIAR. YOU’RE A TRAMP!”
“…A TRAMP?”
“YES. YOU GO TO HIS BEDROOM BY YOURSELF IN THE MORNING!”
As the girls continue to yell and push each other around, finally falling and wrestling on the floor, all of the guests are watching wide eyed and my Mother is horrified.
Walking over to the kitchen door where my friend James was standing I asked, “James, who do you think will win?”
“I don’t know. Apparently, I missed the fight this afternoon. But I think that Genola has more determination.”
“I’ll wager you one week’s pay that Hortence will win this one, James.”
“You’re on.”
Watching the girls continue their fighting, Mother, after scouting the room, finally sees me by the kitchen door. Her look lets me know what she wants me to do.
“Sorry James, I guess the bet is off. I have to go and stop the fight.”
Slowly, very slowly, I made my way through our guests. I bent down grabbing their arms.
“Ladies, ladies, I’ll dance with both of you if you will just stop this fighting. Please, get up off the floor so that our party can continue,” I quietly requested.
“I’ll stop Jon, if you will dance with me.”
“He is going to dance with me!”
“…What about if I dance with both of you at the same time?”
“You’ll do that, Jon?”
“I will. Just get up off the floor.”
Standing up, dusting off their dresses and straightening their hair, the girls are ready to dance.
“I’m going to dance with him first, Hortence, because I was dancing with him when you tripped me.”
“I didn’t trip you.”
“…Now, Ladies, remember that our deal was that I would dance with both of you at the same time.”
Everyone at our party breathes a sigh of relief. The music starts and the party begins once again, as I danced on the floor smothered by Genola, and Hortence. I looked over at James, pleading with my eyes. After several long minutes, other young men begin asking Genola, and Hortence, to dance, after being paid by James. Finally I was free.
“I am indebted to you, James.”
“Yes…you are,” he said with a smile.
Between conversations with the other guests, ideas of how I could sneak off the palace grounds kept going through my head. Would the final plans that, James and I prepared work? All I could continually think of was spending time with Mary. How was I going to be able to accomplish that with Hortence, and Genola, here?
Finally, the festivities are over and the last guests have left. After seeing all of my mother’s guests to the door, she says, “Jon, Duchess, Hortence and Genola, I’m exhausted. I’m going to bed. I’ll see you all in the morning.”
“Good night, my Lady,” they all reply.
The Duchess, her daughters and I continued sitting in front of the fire in the great room, talking of the day that they arrived.
“Don’t ever be in a coach when Genola, is driving it,” Hortence, laughs.
“I agree with that one.” The Duchess adds, “But, wasn’t it amazing that a flying contraption actually led us to our destination?”
“It must be a sign,” Genola says.
“Whether it is a sign or not, is still something that we need to find out,” responds the Duchess with a yawn. “I’m going to bed.”
“Jon, will you take us horseback riding tomorrow?” Hortence asks.
“We’ll see how the day goes my lady. But aren’t you tired tonight? Why don’t all of you go to bed, it’s late and there will be a lot to do tomorrow.”
Genola could sense that I was trying to get rid of them, so she replied, “Yes. I think that Jon is right. Let’s go to bed.”
After watching the two sisters reach the top of the stairs, I slipped out of the palace, running to the stable. “I’m finally here. Were you able to carve a boat, James?”
“Yes, Jon. Here’s the ring. What do you think?”
“WOW, it’s perfect! Thank you so very much. You’re such a great friend, James. Do you have time to help me create a plan for tomorrow so that I can get out of here discretely?”
“I’ll stay up as long as you need me to, Jon.”
“You know that I couldn’t do this without you, don’t you, James?”
“Just as long as we don’t get caught, Jon, that’s the only thing that I’m concerned about.”
“No one has caught on yet have they, James?”
“No, Jon.”
“Don’t worry my friend. Everything will turn out as it should. Let’s get to our plan.”
“Actually Jon, rumor has it that they are all going to go shopping tomorrow.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“From the kitchen staff, apparently they heard my Lady ask the Duchess earlier today.”
“That should make it a lo
t easier. Hopefully that’s the case, but do you mind if we make a plan, just in case that’s really just a rumor?”
“I don’t mind, but the kitchen staff usually knows what’s going on.”
“Really, we’ve known each other for all these years. This is the first time that you’ve told me that.”
“Well, we keep some things to ourselves, Jon,” James says with a smile. “Don’t worry. You won’t have any trouble going to see, Mary, tomorrow. I promise you, Jon.”
“I’ll count on that, but just in case, let’s make an alternative plan. I want to make sure that I give her this ring tomorrow, James.”
“You will, Jon. You will.”
CHAPTER 4