Gossip

by Cay Templeton

  “She is,” the Queen shouted with a waver in her voice that made her sound uncertain.

  “Your Fairy Godmother told you that she would appear the next time you really needed her,” Claire recalled back to the Countess's story.

  “How could you know that?”

  “Remember this?” Claire asked the Queen as she pulled out the broken glass slipper.

  Claire held it out so that the Queen could see the priceless item, and then turned to show the whole court. A unified gasp exhaled from the crowd.

  “It is famous for its uniqueness. But where did the Queen get it from?” she asked the court.

  “Her Fairy Godmother!” shouted someone from the crowd.

  “That is right. Her Fairy Godmother,” repeated Claire. “And Your Highness, how many women did you have try this tiny shoe on before you found your Queen?”

  “Hundreds,” the King confirmed.

  “Hundreds. And did anyone besides the Queen’s foot fit into this shoe?”

  “Not one.”

  “Intriguing,” Claire said with a knowing smirk on her face. She walked over to the Countess De Leon and removed her shoe and slipped the glass slipper perfectly onto her tiny foot.

  The whole crowd gasped again.

  Claire turned to the room, “She is not as evil as you were made to believe.”

  “I have had enough!” screamed the Queen, overcome by her anger.

  In a fit of rage, the Queen barreled towards Claire, with the cane still tightly clenched in her hand. Claire raised her arms in front of her face to protect herself, but before she could attack, Victor took hold of the Queen’s arm and pulled her backwards. The King jumped in to help restrain her, keeping her just out of reach of Claire.

  “That would not be very becoming of a lady,” Victor said in his usual humored tone.

  “Grah!” the Queen roared.

  “Isabella!” the King said sternly, “You need to take your leave.”

  The Queen stopped struggling with the King and Victor, yanking both of her hands free from their grips.

  “Fine,” she shouted, throwing the cane down at the Countess's feet. Then she huffed out of the room through a side door.

  Looking back at the King, Claire said, “Your Highness, I am not asking you to welcome the Countess with open arms, but I am asking you to simply let her go home and live the rest of her life in peace.”

  “Are you always this determined in making your point?” the King asked.

  “She sure is,” Victor whispered to the King.

  “You are no better,” the King pointed out to Victor. “I could have you severely whipped for putting your hands on the Queen like that. But, I would do no less if I were protecting my wife.”

  Victor’s eyes settled on Claire, who was kneeling next to the Countess and Josephine, and said with an amused grin, “She is not my wife.”

  “Hm, pity.” the King grunted and then turned his attention back to the room. “Let the Countess and her daughters go! As for you, Captain, I think you have been in charge of the royal guard for long enough.”

  “Your Highness?”

  “I have a vineyard on the countryside that would be more suited for you,” the King said with a smile, and then looked over at Genevieve. “Perhaps you can take up with a wife who will keep you company.”

  “Yes, Your Highness,” said the Captain with a bow just before Genevieve came and took his arm.

  “As for you,” the King stepped closer to Claire. “I think I knew who you were when I first saw you. I would like to think this will not be the last time we see each other.”

  He took Claire’s hand and kissed it. Claire blushed and admitted, “I should hope not.”

  “You are always welcome here in France.”

  Claire bowed.

  “Might I ask one thing?”

  “Please.”

  “What will become of the Countess? I know the Queen truly despises her.”

  “The Countess will live the rest of her days out in peace. I will make sure of it personally.”

  The King kissed Claire’s hand before returning to his place on his throne.

  “Please tell the Baron Dupree, next time he wants a good story to unearth, find another country to do it in.”

  “Yes, Your Highness,” Claire and Victor said in unison.

  “Now, you are all free to go.”

  The group bowed. Botley grabbed Josephine and they all made their way out of the room.

  Chapter 22

  “Happy Endings”

  Two carriages waited for the group in front of the castle. One was the Countess's carriage and the other was bound for to Germany.

  “That was not how I wanted my story to be told,” the Countess scolded Claire. “Still, thank you for saving me, if for no other reason than to be with my daughters.”

  Claire bowed her head with acceptance.

  The Countess took a step towards the carriage when Claire began rummaging through her satchel.

  “Countess,” she said, pulling her closed hand out of her bag.

  The Countess turned towards her. Claire put her hand into the Countess's and released the emerald ring.

  “I do believe this belongs to you.”

  The Countess eyed the ring before sliding it onto her ring finger. “Count Daughtry would be happy to know it is back where it belongs. Thank you for everything, Claire.”

  Claire smiled at her, though the sternness on the woman’s face never wavered.

  The Countess got into the back of her carriage, leaving the door open for the rest of the party to join her.

  Botley came up alongside Claire.

  “Do you think she is angry with me for explaining about Josephine?” Claire asked him.

  “She has been angry ever since I have known her,” Botley said simply. “I guess that happens when you lose two husbands during your lifetime.”

  Claire looked up at him with understanding.

  “But for what it is worth,” Botley continued. “I think you just made her life a little bit easier. I honestly think the rumors will stop and people will leave her be.”

  A contented smile crossed Claire’s face. “I truly hope so . . . Botley?”

  Botley slowly turned to her.

  “How did you know?” she asked him. He looked away for just a moment.

  “Know what?” he replied in such a tone that sounded like he understood exactly what she meant.

  “In the note from the Countess that you gave me, she mentioned that you knew something that I needed to know. At first I thought it might have been the pumpkin carriage, but now I believe it is something else entirely. So I ask you, how did you know I was the King’s sister?”

  “Well, you look just like him for a start, and . . .”

  “And?” Claire asked softly.

  Botley paused, then continued.

  “The Baron Cortland Dupree.” Claire’s mouth fell agape. “That was the character name I made up for myself anytime I told my daughter stories when she was a child. Naturally, she must have used that name with her own daughter.”

  Botley scooped Claire’s hand into his and squeezed it. Claire’s eyes started to tear as the answer to her long-awaited question became clear.

  “I will never forgive myself for putting your mother out of my home. She was so headstrong and stubborn, much like you. When I heard she was pregnant with the King’s child, I knew that she would never be married properly. She would disgrace our household and our name. A hard year passed. I tried to search for her but never found her. I had almost lost hope. You see, I had lost everything else.”

  “Then how did you become the butler for the Countess?”

  “Actually, it was Count Daughtry who found me in a tavern in Marseille. I blubbered on about losing my daughter, and having a daughter of his own, he took pity on me and brought me into his home. I was thankful.

  “As for you . . . when I learned your identity, I went to the Countess to make a pact with her. I to
ld her that I knew who you really were and if she brought you here so I could meet you, you would tell the true tale of what happened with Isabella.”

  “I am so thankful you did,” Claire whispered before wrapping her arms around her grandfather and pulling him tightly to her.

  “I have missed you so much, my girl,” he said. “You are like your mother in so many wonderful ways.”

  Victor stepped next to them as the two broke from the embrace.

  “Why do I get the feeling we will be back here soon?” asked Victor, looking at the two of them.

  “I hope you will,” Botley said. “You are a good man, Monsieur Krouse. Please take care of my Claire for me.”

  “What a chore you ask of me, Sir,” Victor laughed. “I have done it this long, what is a few more years?”

  Botley glanced from Victor to Claire with a knowing look. “I believe you are up for the task.”

  Botley hugged Claire once more and hopped into the carriage with Josephine and the Countess.

  Genevieve and the Captain approached them. “Thank you for finding him for me. I think with the status of Captain and the King’s blessing, Mother will allow me to marry Michael now,” Genevieve said, tightly squeezing the hand of her newfound prize.

  “We do what we can,” said Victor, dashingly.

  Claire shook her head in disbelief of her friend’s ridiculousness and then leaned forwards, hugging Genevieve. “I wish you both the utmost happiness.”

  “Thank you,” said Genevieve, before the Captain helped her into the back of the carriage, closing the door behind her.

  The Captain turned towards Claire, “You lost the bet, but you already knew that long before you ever came to France.”

  Claire smiled.

  “Do not forget what I said to you,” the Captain said, pointing to Victor.

  “I will keep it in the back of my mind.”

  “You do that,” said the Captain, before mounting his horse. The carriage rolled off down the country road with the. Captain riding alongside headed back to the Countess's estate.

  When Claire turned her attention back to Victor, he stood perfectly with his ever-present smirk.

  “What bet?” he asked.

  Claire waved him off as if it were nothing and started for their carriage. Before she could make it two steps, Victor grabbed her by the frills of her dress and pulled her back to him. He looked deep into her eyes with his head cocked to one side. “What bet?” he urged a little more.

  Claire shook her head. “What did the Captain want you to remember?”

  Victor released Claire from his hold and stepped towards the carriage.

  “Nothing.”

  “Hmm,” she grunted and then ran after him. “You are so stubborn, Victor Krouse.”

  Just as she said his name he stopped, causing her to collide into him, knocking the two of them over.

  Victor brushed the hair away from Claire’s face and leaned in. His warm breath washed over her.

  “The Captain thought you liked me,” Claire confessed. “I assured him we were just friends, but he decided to make a wager on it.”

  “And?” Victor said with a smile.

  “I guess I lost.” Claire half smiled at him. “Now tell me. What did the Captain say to you?”

  “He said I should give you something.”

  “Anything in particular?” Claire inquired.

  But before she could get any farther, Victor slid out from underneath her and rose to his feet, dumping her on the ground.

  “We should get going before we wear out our welcome around here.” he said and helped Claire to her feet.

  “You are really not going to tell me what you are supposed to give me?”

  “I do not see any point; it is a long ride home and it will just get you all excitable. And once you get excitable, you get all these crazy ideas.”

  “I really hate you, Victor Krouse.”

  “No, you do not.” He pulled Claire tightly to him and kissed her passionately, taking her breath away.

  The loving embrace lasted several moments before they broke. He took a step backwards and straightened up his jacket. “Are you happy now?”

  “Very,” she said with a giddy chuckle.

  “See?”

  “What?” Claire scoffed.

  “There you go, getting excitable,” Victor pointed out.

  “What is wrong with that? We have been friends our entire life and now . . .”

  “Crazy ideas forming in your head,” Victor said resignedly.

  “Marriage is far from a crazy id-” but before she could finish her thought, he thrust his lips forward, kissing her again and hopefully this time leaving her speechless.

  About The Author

  Cay Templeton grew up in the small, country town of Middletown, Maryland. The quiet gave her time to think, to listen, and to wander. Between the woods she would trek through with her brother and the town she would explore with her family, Cay developed a sense for things under the surface.

  As she grew up, she learned to recognize the different sides people take: rich versus poor, liberal versus conservative, and - after she moved out to Los Angeles - city versus country. Through her own investigation, and an ear for careful listening, she learned that there’s never one side that has the full story. As people take sides, they miss out on other perspectives, and even lose track of things that could help them.

  Cay played many different sports, and to this day is a fiery competitor full of strong opinions. The sports also taught her to focus and be disciplined, which help her get her wild imaginings down on the page.

  These same qualities allowed her to first earn two BAs in Film and in Theatre from Towson University that resides in Baltimore, MD. Then she got accepted to Wilkes University, where she earned a MA in creative writing. Towards the end of her time there, her mentor helped her find the courage to move out to Los Angeles.

  A month after she graduated, she found herself working in the D.C. Production Office on the film National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets. Once the film completed there, she packed up her things and began her biggest journey yet – across the country to Hollywood.

  To this day, Cay continues to work in film and television alongside her work as a novelist. The theme of missing perspectives runs through her signature twisted fairy tale series: Reversal of Beauty, Gossip: The Evil Step Mother’s Tale, and Stalked: The Conti Rose. In each story, she takes a classic fairy tale and tells it from an unheard perspective.

  Cay always keeps a look out for the next tale that has a second side to its story.

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