by Sherry Ewing
Chapter 11
Katherine felt the slightest tug on her hair while Brianna wove a pretty yellow ribbon through her blondish-brown locks. Her sister of her heart was a marvel at such things as making ones hair look nice without even trying. She wished Riorden had let her keep her pocket mirror, but he had thought it might fall into the wrong hands. She took the metal one he had given her, but her image was distorted and only made her grimace when she tried to make out her reflection. She gave a big sigh. She knew her hair must look wonderful from the kiss Brianna gave her on her cheek.
“All done, Katie,” she said joyfully. “I know he’ll just love it.”
Katherine gave her hair a final pat. Reaching up, she could feel how Brie had braided some of her hair to form a crown of sorts, leaving the rest of her mane to fall loosely down her back in a lovely cascade of waves. She moved her head back and forth and felt its length sway right alongside her.
“Do you truly think so,” Katherine asked breathlessly. She had dressed carefully for the evening meal, hoping to keep her husband’s notice focused more on his wife than his father’s widow, who constantly begged to be the center of attention. Even Aiden, Nathaniel, and Ulrick were aware of that woman’s ploys, as they tried to stay clear of Marguerite whenever humanly possible. Her hands subconsciously smoothed the soft silk fabric of the yellow and earth toned gown, hoping against hope Riorden would approve of her choice this evening. She had chosen this gown in particular, since she had dressed to please him.
“Well, of course he will, silly! Besides, the color becomes you Katie and looks marvelous on you.”
Katherine blushed at the flattery and linked her arm through Brianna’s. “Have I mentioned lately just how good you are for my ego?”
Brianna laughed. “Just about every day, sissy!”
Katherine gave one last look about the chamber and noticed everything was in order and put away. Riorden, she had learned, liked everything to be in place, so she tried her best to pick up after herself. They left, closing the heavy wooden door behind them. Their soft shoes silently marked their way down the passageway until they made the short trek down a flight of stairs and entered the Great Hall. A miraculous change had overcome the hall in the past month, and she stood with pleasure, taking in the sight of it.
She never thought they would get it clean enough to suit Riorden’s determination to put his hall in order. She now understood how he had performed as Captain of the Guard under Dristan’s domain. Nothing went unnoticed by his eagle eyes as he went about inspecting every crevice that might hold any leftover refuse he did not care to step in. Everyone scurried to do his bidding, just to please him.
She had defied him only once during the cleaning process when she thought he was preoccupied elsewhere on the estate. At the time she had just wanted to be of some use instead of lounging around while everyone else was scrubbing away the grime of the keep. She had been standing on a chair, busily dusting the cobwebs from one of the wall sconces, when she had been suddenly scooped up into Riorden’s strong arms. He hadn’t been pleased to find her thusly and had set her near the hearth with needle and thread to do a bit of mending. With an order to stay put, he had kissed her soundly then promptly had ordered a serf to take up where his wife had left off.
Katherine smiled with the memory of how she had looked at the foreign object in her hand, wondering where to start. Sewing was something that had always escaped her, and she would have rather cleaned a toilet then sew a button that had fallen off one of her blouses. She couldn’t say she hadn’t given it a try, though she had failed miserably. Starting over several times had not improved her efforts and when she caught Riorden staring at her with a smirk of satisfaction plastered on his handsome face, she knew he had given her this task purposely. She had given a merry laugh then had blown him a kiss.
Bringing herself back to the present, she took a seat next to the hearth. It had almost become a place she could call her own. Trying to find a moment’s privacy anywhere besides their bedchamber was a chore with so many serfs milling about, either performing their duties, or asking how they could serve her. She welcomed the silence that descended in the hall, uncommon to be sure, but welcome all the same.
She heard Brianna saying she was going to check on her horse in the stable. Katherine waved her off and began staring off into the flames of the fire at her feet. The fireplace was a work of wonder with engraved figures of a lion’s head placed in both corners and looping vines of ivy making their way to the center piece. Another masterful work of art portrayed the face of a man who wore the head of a lion, almost like a cape of sorts. It was truly magnificent, and if she were to guess, she imagined the figure was of a relative of Riorden’s. Someone had been very talented to have carved something so detailed out of solid stone.
A shriek rent the air, and Katherine gave another heavy sigh, knowing Marguerite must have attempted to leave her chamber. At least she had the peace of mind that whatever, or whoever, continued to haunt the woman’s mind was doing a fine job making sure she rarely left her room. To be honest, she was glad her time was limited in Marguerite’s company. That woman gave her the creeps, truth be told, with her crazed eyes. There was no way on God’s green earth she would ever desire to be in Marguerite’s place with whatever demon’s plagued her. She must have done something very dreadful indeed to have a ghost haunt her from the afterworld.
She almost laughed aloud with the thought of ghosts. If someone had asked her, even a year ago, if she believed in them, she would have thought they were making a joke. But seeing as she had already lived the experience herself and had been thrown threw a time gate to find the love of her life, what was there not to believe?
Almost as if she wished it, she blinked her eyes several times to ensure she was really seeing what she was seeing. Was it a vapor, or just her overly active imagination, since it appeared as if smoke was beginning to take shape before her eyes? Maybe she was asleep and dreaming the whole thing. But no, she was awake, and she felt goose bumps race up her spine as the unmistakable form of a middle aged man came to at last stand in front of her. She rubbed at her eyes on the off chance she was really dreaming she was awake, or if maybe someone had snuck up on her. Yet she just had the strangest feeling that another ghost had come to pay her a visit. Sunlight from one of the upper windows almost made him sparkle as its glowing rays went through his transparent form that became more and more solid by the second.
Katherine continued to keep her seat and waited while this ghostly apparition looked her up and down. His brows drew together when they lingered on her stomach, and she blushed, thinking he could see inside her to determine if she would birth Warkworth’s next heir. It did not take long for his perplexed expression to change to one of pure pleasure. At last he looked her right in the eye before performing a most courtly bow.
“Lady Katherine,” he voiced inside her head, “’tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She made to rise, but he lifted his hand to cease her motion. “Nay, there is no need.”
Katherine relaxed back into her chair and watched in amazement as he conjured up one of his own with a clap of his hands. There was no mistaking who now sat across from her, and she now knew where Riorden had received his striking good looks.
“My Lord Everard, the honor is mine. May I be so bold as to ask why you have appeared afore me?” she declared honestly, trying to remember to speak as though she belonged here and not eight hundred years in the future. He chuckled, more to himself, she thought, than for her benefit as he continued to stare at her. She began to wonder if he knew what was going on inside her head.
Everard sat back in his imaginary chair before he at last answered her question. “Thought it time I met my daughter-in-law. You have come a long way to be with my son.”
Her smile surely must have reached her eyes. “You do not know the half of it.”
He returned her grin with one of his own, leaning forward, as if sharing a deep dark secret with her. “W
ell, dear lady, as a matter of fact, I do. I suppose that comes with my current state of being. But please, you do not need to try and have your speech be anything other than from where you come from. ’Tis not as though I would give such information away. You are, after all, family.”
“You are too kind, my lord. I’m sorry we weren’t able to meet under different circumstances,” Katherine said sadly, reverting back to her modern day pattern of speech.
“Yes, under different situations would have indeed been more preferable and accommodating, but I fear Riorden would not have brought you afore me if I yet lived.”
“I’m sorry for the disagreement between the two of you,” Katherine answered. “However, I can’t in all honestly say I’m not pleased it was you who married Marguerite, and not Riorden, despite his feelings for her at one time. If not for you, I would never have had the chance to find him, since he would have already been married.”
“He was better off without her,” he muttered with frustration, “not that he ever gave me the chance to explain.”
“Sometimes, when your heart has been betrayed, it’s hard to see anything other than the hurt and anger that overtakes all else. It’s been my experience that even the voice of reason tends to take a back seat when your feelings have been crushed.”
“You have no reason to be jealous of her, my dear. Anyone can see how much my son cares for you,” he said, as if reading her thoughts. He stood, and his chair disappeared with his standing. “She poisoned me, by the way.”
“What?” Katherine exclaimed, rising shakily from her own chair that wobbled in place until she reached out a hand to steady it.
“’Tis nasty business, poison. ’Tis easily hidden in food and wine. One day you are fine in the prime of your life, and the next thing you know, you are slumped over dead at your evening meal,” he murmured in disgust. He must have noticed her frightened expression, since he began shaking his head. “My apologies. ’Twas not my intent to frighten you but only to warn you to beware of her. She is not to be trusted.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“See that you do.”
Katherine heard the keep door shut and from her peripheral vision, she saw Riorden had entered, along with several others who followed behind him. She took another look at his father who began to disappear again.
Lord Everard gave her another cocky smile of encouragement, so reminiscent of his son, she returned it with ease while he bowed to her again. “I should be on my way. I must needs go make my wife’s life as miserable as possible whenever I get the chance. ’Tis one of the few pleasures I allow myself.”
Katherine dropped down into a deep curtsey. “It’s been a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord de Deveraux. I hope we shall see you again soon,” she murmured politely.
She watched him turn to stare at his eldest son, and her breath left her when she saw so much regret visible in his eyes. He turned once more to face her. “As do I, Lady Katherine,” he said in sorrow, and, in the instant of a heartbeat, he disappeared from her view in a wispy, vague bit of smoke intermingled with the haze of the hall. He disappeared so quickly, she almost wondered if she had really seen him at all.
Chapter 12
Riorden stopped dead still in his tracks whilst he watched Katherine sink into a curtsey to an empty room. What is she doing, he thought to himself? He stood dumbfounded when she continued a conversation with no one but herself...or so it appeared.
“Who is she talking to?” Riorden questioned Gavin hesitantly.
“’Tis father, of course. Do you not see him?” he replied with knitted brows.
Riorden looked about his hall but saw no one other than Katherine. “Nay. I do not.”
Patrick began jumping up and down. “Aiden,” he called. “’Tis a ghostie! Do you see him?”
Aiden exchanged glances with his brother. “I am afraid not, Patrick.”
“But how can you miss him? He’s right there, or he was,” Patrick said with his eyes eagerly darting around the room. “Aw, he is gone now.”
Brianna rumpled Patrick’s hair and waited until the youngster offered his arm. “Come on, Patrick. Let’s go see what Cook has in the kitchen.”
Typical! Even a ten and three boy could see his sire, and yet he was too cowardly to appear afore the one man he should be making amends with. Riorden barely recognized that everyone had left him standing there, staring at his wife ’til she finally turned to him with a small smile. He could hardly move, knowing the ghost of his father had been having a conversation with his wife, if his brother’s words were to be believed. What was there to doubt, given he too had seen an apparition afore.
He finally came out of his daze and, with an angry stride, came to his wife, grabbing her arm roughly. ’Twas not what he had intended, and her eyes narrowed on his hold of her ’til he loosened his grip. He had not meant to hurt her, but his emotions were raging inside him. Though that really had nothing to do with her, but more with a situation he could not control.
“Why are you so angry with me?” she cried out, almost knowing where his thoughts had wandered. He supposed his face was not that hard to read.
“I do not want you talking to him,” Riorden demanded as he began pulling her from the hall towards the vestibule.
“Are you telling me who I can or can’t talk to? And where are we going?”
“Anywhere! I need to breathe!” he all but shouted at her as he led her outside towards the stable. He slowed his pace when he became aware she was all but running to keep up with him.
“But what about dinner?” Katherine asked.
He slammed his fist into the stable door afore yanking it open and entering the dimly lit room. With an angry stride, he began grabbing Beast’s gear so he could get the hell out of the boundaries of Warkworth. He needed to clear his head of these troubled thoughts that were getting the best of him.
“About what?” he asked with a furrowed brow. He became irritated with himself for not understanding her future words.
“You know...dinner...the evening meal,” she said carefully, afore placing a comforting hand on his tense arm. It had the desired effect when he stopped his movements and finally turned to look at her. “I had something special planned,” she continued quietly.
“You did?” he replied and noticed for the first time the extra care she had given with her appearance this day. She was always beautiful in his eyes, but the yellow tones of the dress seemed to truly compliment her. It reminded him of autumn and the brilliant colors of the fall foliage. ’Twas no wonder he had chosen a golden fabric for her wedding gown, for the color favored her.
“Yes, for just the two of us.”
Riorden watched her gaze upon him with such hopeful eyes and could only imagine how she had felt of late, knowing that Marguerite still resided at Warkworth. He had learned that her Dower House was nowhere near prepared for the coming winter, but neither was Warkworth. How could he send the woman there, despite his feelings for her, knowing the castle was not ready for her to dwell therein? Still, ’twas not a good excuse for ignoring his wife. He had been so busy trying to manage the estate that he had not spent much time alone with her in the past two fortnights. And now his father was appearing afore his Katherine, making him furious with uncontrolled anger.
He took her hand and pulled her into his arms. He felt her own tighten around his waist as if she never planned on letting him go. He kissed the top of her head and lifted her chin to look at her.
“I have been a most neglectful husband of late,” he whispered.
Katherine shrugged and attempted to hide the hurt that flashed momentarily in her beautiful blue-green eyes. “You’ve been busy.”
“Aye! Apparently too busy to ensure you are comfortable as can be expected under the circumstance in your new home,” he muttered, almost embarrassed that he put her in such a position. “I am sorry my father has bothered you. I hope he will not burden you so again.”
“He didn’t bother me, and
he certainly wasn’t a burden.”
He ignored her comment, entered the stall, and began saddling Beast. He was yanking so hard on the bridle, it caused Beast to snort his displeasure at the rough handling from his master. He watched as Katherine went to the horse and began caressing his neck. Not only could her gentle touch cause his own anger to lessen, but it appeared she now had a way with Beast, as well. Apparently, she had come to some unspoken understanding with the animal.
“Where are you riding to?” she asked quietly. ’Twas obvious she could no longer disguise her disappointment he would not stay.
Riorden led Beast from the stall and out into the courtyard whilst she followed meekly behind. “Come with me. Let us away to the shore,” he suggested, “and perchance ’twill do us both some good to put our moods at ease.”
Her gaze swept her gown ’til her fingers touched at the material in indecision. “I’m hardly dressed for a ride right now, Riorden.”
He pulled his cloak from off his shoulders and swept the garment around his wife. She pulled the edges of the collar together. He smiled seeing her contented look as she smelled the cloak and felt the warmth from his own body surround her.
“Will you ride with me, Katherine?”
“You know I will. To the ends of the earth if need be,” she breathed.
He settled himself in the saddle ’til he reached for Katherine and made her comfortable in front of him. “Ready?” he asked and watched in delight as her whole face lit up with excitement.
“Absolutely!” she exclaimed. “Let’s see if we can try to catch the wind today, Riorden.”
He laughed and kicked Beast into motion. ’Twas as if even his horse was in need of a brief respite from the rigors of staying stagnant in one place. He tossed his luxurious black mane and gave a snort, as if to hasten their departure.