by Lynda Hurst
Producing yet another lie, Valerian admitted, “No, they have not, but it would please our queen if she would be allowed to plan our nuptials and have them take place in the palace.”
Jackson only nodded, conceding that a king’s cousin would have better connections to provide his sister the wedding she deserved. “Since we have not yet made provisions to travel at such late notice, we will join you eventually in Mont-Tremblant for the wedding.”
To deter the man from doing so especially when he knew there would be no wedding, Valerian smoothly lied, “That won’t be necessary as the trip home will be long and arduous with the thaw in the mountains, and with concession to Lady Mary, it may take longer. Besides, my cousin and his wife will gladly stand as witnesses to the wedding, and we will send word once the deed is done.”
Valerian could see the man wasn’t fooled by his reasoning, but Jackson surprised him by saying, “Well, the betrothal has you just as good as married and with my responsibilities here I cannot simply leave for too long a time.”
Not expecting Jackson’s acquiescence in missing his sister’s wedding, Valerian felt compelled to ask, “What sort of trouble is Lady Mary in that has you throwing her into my care?”
Sighing, Jackson admitted, “Our local magistrate, Mr. Nobley, presented a letter of complaint from a few parishioners to me this morning. I didn’t want my mother to know how dire things really were. You see, these people are accusing my sister of witchcraft.”
Dubious, Valerian repeated, “Witchcraft? If her skills are as you say, then these people should be singing her praises instead.” Recalling her threat if he ever touched her, Valerian appreciated that she even had the knowledge to make good on her threat.
“I have witnessed my sister’s skill, and she is very knowledgeable of herbal lore. However, there are two men in the parish who believe that her methods come from the very devil himself and have come up with a few witnesses to attempt to put her on trial.”
“A witch trial in this day and age? Your sister is no more a witch than I am a magician. With advances in technology happening so often, it is hard to believe that such superstitious belief still exists.” Mont-Tremblant prided itself in keeping up with such advances, and as a modern city-state, it had mostly eradicated old traditions to make way for new inventions.
“Unfortunately, I can do nothing to stop a mob if they were to appear at our doorstep. Mr. Nobley has been doing his best to use the law to keep Mary’s accusers at bay, but it wasn’t that long ago that England and the Colonies were condemning so many women for the sin of witchcraft,” Jackson said wearily.
Suddenly feeling guilty about breaking the betrothal to leave Mary defenseless, Valerian decided he would eventually come up with a plan that would see Mary safe. He wasn’t completely heartless, and he could never stomach seeing a woman hurt despite his feelings on marriage.
Speaking truthfully this time, Valerian vowed, “Lady Mary will be safe and protected with her under my care.”
Before Jackson could reply, a shout rang out from the front hall followed by the sound of angry voices filling the house, and Jackson leapt into action, recognizing his butler’s cry of dismay. Valerian followed after him, ready to be of assistance if he was needed.
In the front hall, both men found Chaucer trying unsuccessfully to hold back the group of about six men and women gathered there. All three Ellesmere women stood on the stairs, frozen at the sight of such a large group.
Lady Diana cried, “How dare you come to our door uninvited! You people are trespassing. Chaucer, call the footmen at once!”
Jackson stepped in front of the man who looked to be leading the charge and addressed him, “Mr. Coulton, what is the meaning of this? There is no cause for such disruption.”
Mr. Coulton looked about, spotted Mary on the stairs who paled at his stare, and smiled mockingly, “Beggin’ your pardon, my lord, but we have cause to believe that your sister attempted to poison my son and the Hull girl with her magic tricks. Since her last visit, they have coughing fits worse than before. It’s all a ploy to do the work of her master the devil.”
The others accompanying him murmured their agreement with Mr. Coulton, aiming hateful stares in Mary’s direction. Never before had Mary been treated to such malicious looks, and she grew anxious at what those looks meant. Mary inhaled a fortifying breath and stalked down the stairs to face the crowd assembled at the bottom.
Stopping behind Jackson and Valerian, she bravely pushed them apart to make room for her to face her accusers. “What is it exactly that you are accusing me of?” she asked steadily.
With an ugly sneer, Mr. Coulton declared, “We have seen you practicing your magic on us and our children, and we will not stand for it as God-fearing men and women. Our magistrate has done nothing to ease our minds that you will cease your wicked ways, so we demand that you be put on trial for your crimes as a witch!” He clapped a work-roughened hand around her upper arm and squeezed hard enough to draw out a wince from her.
Mary’s heart sank, recalling Kit’s warning about the so-called good people of Donnesbury. Looking at them now, not one of them had a shred of understanding or a desire to even understand her position. Remembering her promise to not harm and only do good, she boldly said, “I care little for what you may think of me but know this: my only goal was to help you and your children with what skills I have. I have done nothing wrong!”
Valerian looked down at the brave woman whose back was rigid and straight, but only he could see her hands trembling like leaves in a breeze. Shouting ensued all around, but he took that moment to marvel that this beautiful woman who stood no taller than his shoulders would have the bravery of a martyr in the face of her personal lion’s den. Her shaking hands spoke of her vulnerability, and he was suddenly filled with the compulsion to shield her with his own body.
So, he wrenched Mary from Coulton’s grasp and shoved her close behind him to act as her human shield. Her breath on his neck sent pleasant shivers shimmying down his back, and he wondered at how her nearness affected him.
Jackson silenced everyone with a shrill whistle to get their attention. Loudly enough for everyone in the hall to hear, he stated, “As lord of this parish, I cannot condone your actions or your sentiments here tonight. You are accusing my sister of wrongdoing, and by default you are accusing a member of the peerage, and that cannot be borne. However, I have a solution.”
Whipping her head in Jackson’s direction, Mary gave him a look of horror. Shaking her head at him in negation of whatever he was about to suggest, Jackson instead reached for her hand and squeezed it in reassurance.
“I propose that my sister leave the parish, never to return. Does that satisfy you?” he directed at the angry mob. Lady Diana gave out a choked cry as Mary stood immobile at the thought of being ejected out of the only home she had ever known. Lady Diana fell into Margaret’s arms, weeping at the thought of her daughter never to return home again.
Murmurs among the crowd sounded agreeable to the suggestion, but Coulton was stubborn to his rotten core. “Is that truly enough to absolve the witch of her crimes? She must be put to trial!”
One man, disgusted with Coulton’s bloodthirst, reproached, “Come now, there’s no need if she leaves us well enough alone. She is still a lady after all, and it’s punishment enough to put her out of the warmth of house and home.”
Mary could not speak for fear she would begin screaming like a banshee in front of everyone present. Driven inward, she was barely aware of the others who demolished Coulton’s bigoted protests with protests of their own. Soon enough, the Ellesmere footmen arrived with Chaucer leading the way to evict the unruly crowd from the premises, and the front hall was quiet once more.
Lamely, Mary turned to Jackson who drew her into his embrace, but not before she saw the tears in his own eyes. “I’m sorry, Mary. It was the only way. I will speak to Nobley before they see to another scheme to harm you. But you must leave with Valerian. You will pack tonight
to leave tomorrow. He will see you safe.” Valerian looked on helplessly as the siblings clung to each other, feeling a little bereft at first at being left out of his protective role. But now he was thrust back into it again, this time to keep Mary far from her family home.
Lady Diana rushed to her daughter, tearing Mary from Jackson’s arms, and wrapped her tight within her arms. Looking at Valerian over Mary’s shoulder with tears clouding her hazel eyes, she pleaded, “You must promise me to look after my daughter and keep her far away from here, where these narrow-minded people cannot find her. If I hear that she is being mistreated, be warned that I will personally come for retribution.”
After witnessing the horrendous display of malice with intent to harm being directed at Mary, Valerian’s protective instincts had come galloping to the fore. “Of course, I will,” he assured her. He could not recall a time when he was so angry on someone else’s behalf, and that it was his own betrothed, he did not care to examine that too closely. Once they were on their way to Mont-Tremblant, he would have time enough to come up with a plan for Mary’s future after they must part ways.
While cupping her daughter’s face in her hands, Lady Diana’s eyes held Mary’s wet ones, and she promised, “Once you are settled in Mont-Tremblant, we will come visit. You may be banned from coming home but we will never fully part, my darling. You must write the moment you arrive at the palace.”
Tearfully, Mary nodded. “All right, Mama.” Lady Diana hiccupped a sob at the endearment Mary hadn’t used since she was a child and fiercely enfolded her daughter in a tight hold.
Jackson gently pried his mother and sister apart and solemnly said, “Mother, Mary needs to finish packing tonight if she is to leave early tomorrow.”
Sniffling, Lady Diana reluctantly released Mary and nodded. “You’re right, Jackson. We haven’t any time to waste if Mary is to leave soon. Margaret, will you come and help?”
“Of course,” Margaret said kindly. She threw her husband a morose look before leaving with her mother-in-law and sister-in-law.
Valerian reached out and grasped Mary’s arm, compelled to offer her comfort in her obvious distress. “A moment, Lady Mary, if you will,” he said. When she didn’t answer, he turned her to fully face him, noting the tears still tracking down her cheeks, and said, “I promise that you will be safe with me, Lady Mary. We may not know each other well, but I will devote myself to your well-being.”
In a small voice, she replied with eyes downcast, “Thank you. I will go see to packing my things for the trip.” She turned to follow after her Lady Diana and Margaret without a further glance at him.
Both Jackson and Valerian watched as the three women exited the hall to escort Mary to her bedchamber, and both let out collective breaths they must have been holding during the entire intense episode with Coulton.
Facing Valerian, Jackson reached out to grab the other man’s shoulder and squeezed it. “Now you see why I had concerns. That was the biggest display of bigotry I had ever witnessed, and from my own people, no less. Mary meant well, but even the simplest minds can misconstrue good intentions, I suppose.”
“Yes,” Valerian agreed. “I didn’t care for that Coulton fellow and Mary would be better off far away from the likes of him. You have my word that I will see her far from here and that she will be happy in Mont-Tremblant.” Just not with him, he said silently to himself.
“Thank you,” Jackson said simply. “It does my heart good that you will be looking after her in our stead.”
Valerian didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, but he wisely kept silent.
9
On a Ship Bound for France Across the English Channel
Eager to be returning to Mont-Tremblant, Valerian had called for an impromptu conference with his men, to discuss their travel plans while temporarily camped within the captain’s own office. Aboard the Dauphin, the quarters were cramped with the extra passengers awaiting their destination in Calais. And it was fortunate that Mary, as he began calling her in his mind, was lucky to have a room to herself, as the only female passenger onboard.
He and his men agreed that their route south must be the straightest line possible to Mont-Tremblant from Paris, where they would gather most of their supplies and provisions. Traveling light and out of sight of the main roads was imperative if they were to travel through France unheeded by anyone who might mistake Valerian for the Mont-Tremblant king. With his retinue of guards being none the wiser, it was of utmost importance to Valerian to hasten the journey, especially since he was eager to be rid of a betrothal that felt very much like a noose tightening agonizingly slowly about his neck.
But thoughts of the betrothal eventually led to the person to whom he was betrothed. And to say that he had even the slightest aversion to her was an outright lie to himself. During their journey from Donnesbury to Dover, he had found himself hoping they could talk about lighter matters, but she had refused to contribute anything more than closed-ended answers. His eyes sought her form more than once on the journey, her figure being very pleasing to his experienced eye, but she did not give him the chance to try and pursue a civil conversation.
He had presumed that Mary’s reserve was due to her mourning her involuntary ousting from her childhood home, and for the most part, he let her be. She had refused the offer of a closed carriage for her comfort, and she had surprised him by taking her own mount whom she rode in silence, ignoring both him and his men. Her maid, however, had hovered nearby, keeping her seat in the wagon, so that even a semi-private moment to talk was prevented.
Their one night in an inn would have been the perfect opportunity to have a moment alone with her to talk, except that she had refused his company at the doorstep of her hotel door, claiming she only wanted sleep. Frustration mounted within him largely due to not ever having encountered a woman like Mary who didn’t fall at his feet, and he was damned if the feeling didn’t sit well with him.
Having the time alone with mostly his thoughts to keep him company brought him to a startling thought: If he had to choose a bride, and he would have to eventually for his required heir, who better than someone he was actually attracted to? Her allure mightily agreed with him on a level that struck him to his core, thrumming through him with a need to continue drinking in her presence. Never one to deny himself something he wanted, no matter how remote the desire, he relished the thought of binding Mary to him and fully acknowledged that he had reversed his stance on obtaining a bride after all. Seeing the betrothal through to its inevitable finality in marriage, he found he wasn’t as averse to the concept as he originally thought.
Now with Calais in sight in the far-off distance, Valerian thought it was high time he found the evasive woman to have their long-awaited talk before they set foot on dry land. Fresh from meeting with his men, he stepped out onto the main deck and was relieved he didn’t have to venture far to find her. Observing her from a distance, he watched as she tended a sailor whose arm she was currently bandaging.
Feeling, rather than seeing him approach, Mary’s whole being tingled in awareness and she hurried to knot the sailor’s bandage as she guessed Valerian was finally going to get his moment alone with her. Or as alone as they possibly could be on this ship. She glanced at him only once then returned her attention to the man she was tending only to dismiss the hapless sailor who mumbled his thanks before stalking away.
“Good day, Mary,” Valerian greeted. “I’m glad to see you are faring well. A few of my traveling companions haven’t been as lucky. The rolling waves clearly don’t agree with them.”
Mary inhaled a sharp breath at Valerian’s devastating smile just as much as she did at the use of her given name falling easily from this man’s lips. If she wasn’t careful, she could be easily swayed into doing anything or saying anything just for a smile from him.
“Good day, Valerian. I’m sorry to hear they aren’t well. I can offer them my seasickness remedy in a moment. Oh, and I hope you don’t mind me using your
given name as well,” she said with a faint smile.
“Ah, there it is,” he murmured, smiling back at her. “Your smile, I mean. I was beginning to think I might never see it. And as we are betrothed, for the time being, I believe the use of our given names between the two of us is a necessity, non?”
Mary nodded. “I also think it necessary that I offer an apology for my behavior of late.”
“There’s none necessary, Mary. Not when we struck a bargain, and despite what you may think of me, I am a man of my word. Once Bastien and Ana meet you, I will arrange for your travel to anywhere you wish.”
“Just not to England, correct?”
Valerian stayed silent for a heartbeat until he could come up with a better answer. “No, but I will see you are well taken care of.” What he failed to mention was that he had only now decided to see her taken care of as his wife. But he had to convince her first.
“And just what do you propose to do with me after I have met your royal cousins? Am I to be dependent upon you as though I was a kept woman without any benefit to you?” she asked in a manner that mocked anything he was going to say in response. The woman was unpredictable in temperament, and he had to wonder how often she displayed such volatile moods.
