“I've never met them,” Jerrico admitted. “But from what I understand, they are a very kind couple. They have several daughters, also unmarried, and live a quiet life in the country. A staple in the village, but nothing more. And they carry a full house of servants, so you should be quite comfortable. They might know Alexander and Mary, come to think of it. They are of the right generation, and they are all country lords.”
“Did they know my parents?” Nora asked, thinking.
“Maybe?” Jerrico said. “The point is that we are going on an adventure, and I should see a lot more smiles.”
The girls glanced to each other, and then the smiles came out.
“It is an adventure, isn't it?” Loyalty asked Nora. “And I am excited to travel with you.”
“And I with you,” Nora grinned.
“Have fun with that,” Peter said to Jerrico. “I'm sort of glad that you are going instead of me. At least at the palace, I know what to expect. Attacks at the front gate, the side, or poisoned food. That's it.”
“As opposed to?” Jerrico asked, restraining himself with a smile. He had a load of funny answers ready.
“Wild animal attacks?” Peter tried. “You're eating dinner and then a bear comes out of the kitchen?”
“What?” Both girls turned, horrified.
Jerrico rolled his eyes. “Come on, we should go back.”
“Have fun,” Peter waved them off. “See you when you get back!”
“There weren't bears in my kitchen,” Nora grumbled as they headed away. Loyalty looked to Jerrico, who shook his head.
“It'll be an adventure,” he promised her, wondering just what he was getting himself into. At least, if there were bears, they could fight them off together.
3
CHAPTER THREE
The journey to the countryside by train was not the most comfortable one that anyone had ever experienced. The three couples, with Jerrico as the odd wheel, were sandwiched into one carriage, so that the guards could make sure that it was secure. Nora was glad that they were not going by horse and carriage, but Loyalty was annoyed that Nathan had taken up all his table space and hers with the paperwork that he was studying. When the king had told him he was coming, he insisted on taking all of his cases with him, which meant Loyalty wasn't planning to spend a lot of time with him.
Although it was only a four hour train ride, it was one of the least comfortable they had ever experienced. Alexander and Mary were not speaking to each other, shooting daggers with their eyes, and Nora was quite sure that Alexander's water canteen was at least half brandy. Ricardo was trying to keep everyone's spirits up, but it just turned out to be constant chatter.
Everyone was eager to tumble out of the carriage and onto the station.
On that station platform, as they had been instructed, two men were waiting for them, servants of the grand house. One was older and one was younger, but they both held oranges in their hands, peeling them slowly. This was how they were to know that they were the right people to meet.
“Let me approach,” Alexander put his hand onto Nora's arm. “Ricardo?”
“I'll just stay here, then,” Jerrico said as they got out. “Seeing as I'm never invited anywhere.”
“You're not really upset, are you?” Loyalty asked Jerrico, who shook his head.
“No. Those two have a bond that can never be broken. Besides, I have Nathan,” he elbowed Nathan, who was putting his paperwork away.
Nathan raised an eyebrow. “Thrilled,” he said, half sarcastically.
Loyalty glanced to Nathan. “Why have you been in a bad mood this whole trip?” she asked him plainly.
He sighed, and looked around to make sure that no one could over hear them. “It's just something that the king said to me before we left.”
“Which was?” Loyalty prompted him.
“He just...reminded me, in very specific terms, that you are a princess now and I am to look after you, including protecting your reputation.”
“He's a little late for that,” Loyalty replied, and Nathan shot her a look.
“Don't. It's serious, what he said. If word gets out that you and I were together before, in a marital sense, it could be hell for you. And the throne is already precarious.”
“But...” Loyalty searched for the right words in her head to speak without offending him. “We will be married one day, Nathan, and then it won't matter.”
“There's still a long road to figuring that out,” he pointed out. “Which I warned you of when we first found out about all of this.”
She squeezed his hand, briefly. “We'll figure it out,” she said. “For now, let's just enjoy the countryside.”
“Aye,” he said, although he didn't sound very convincing when he did.
The two servants approached them then, cleared to speak to the party by the king's guards.
“This is Mr. Detron,” Alexander indicated the older one. “The head butler, and Mr. Crins, the first footman at Douglas Castle.”
“Francais,” Nora said softly, and Alexander raised an eyebrow at her sudden laziness, but translated for her. Both of the gentlemen bowed to them, which made Loyalty flush. Nora knew that she was not used to such treatment and took her arm, as they headed toward the waiting carriages.
“They know who we are?” Nora asked Alexander, who was walking in pace with them.
“They do,” he replied. “They even know who Mary and I are, although it is clear the situation is not the same as yours.”
“Speaking with those of our rank again will be a treat,” Mary said and Alexander glared at her.
“The rank you gave up when you ran away?”
“Did our marriage dissolve and I missed it?” Mary gave him a sarcastic smile. No one in the party reacted to the usual bickering as they reached the carriage.
Night was falling, and the drivers had lanterns at the front of the carriage. Nora's fire scars had mostly healed, but she still reacted to the fact that there was a lantern, a flame inside. Had she not been looking at it, she might not have noticed that it slipped off its hook, suddenly smashing to the ground.
Nora jumped back with a shriek, and all three of the guards went on alert, drawing their swords and putting their other hands on their guns. She had smashed directly into Mr. Crins, who reacted in a split second, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her down in case there was a threat.
“It's alright,” he said to Lady Nora, in French, which was enough to calm her. She spun around, surprised to be spoken to in her native tongue. “It's alright.”
It took a few moments for the chaos to be settled and everyone to figure out what happened. The girls were allowed to rise again and get into the carriage, the smashed lantern left behind.
“You're alright?” Ricardo said softly to Nora as they got into the carriage.
“I am,” she said, although she laid her head on his shoulder. “The young one, the footman, he speaks French. He spoke French to me.”
“Interesting,” Ricardo said. “Natively?”
“No, with an accent,” she said. “But it was good French. I'd like to find out why.”
“I'm sure Alexander has a bunch of questions for everyone in the household,” Ricardo said, raising his voice to get Alexander's attention. “Don't you?”
“Nora,” Mary decided that she would speak to Nora directly rather than fight with Alexander about the unnecessary questions he would ask. “There is a cousin that lives nearby in the village, who will inherit the whole house if the couple does not have a son. I want you to consider that.”
“The cousin of an earl?” Nora replied, raising an eyebrow. “If I'm forced to make a noble marriage, don't you think I ought to try and do better than that? Otherwise, I'd rather not at all.”
All eyes fell to Ricardo at that point, who could feel the tension like a knife. It was a difficult situation to be in, in love with Nora and yet best friends with her legal guardian. He knew that Alexander was restraining himself every moment of every day now
that he knew that Ricardo and Nora might just run off together.
Everything about this country trip should have been smooth and easy, but instead, it seemed like everyone was tense. They were all supposed to be a close knit group, but one did not have to look too far to find the cracks.
In the carriage ahead of them, Loyalty and Nathan sat on one side, facing Jerrico. The servants were sitting with the drivers, although not out of earshot.
“That was an exciting start to the trip,” Nathan said, referring to the lantern breaking. “I had no idea she was still that sensitive. No one told me. It adds a whole other layer to a protection plan.”
“She sleeps without a fire in her room,” Loyalty said. “She freezes every night because she'd rather do it than be terrified.”
“Why did no one tell me?” Nathan asked. “Jerrico?”
“Hmmm?” Jerrico turned. Now that he was sitting down again, the adrenaline of getting off the train was gone. He didn't say anything to the effect, but he was worried that the illness he had been fighting his whole life was another layer to the plan that Nathan was already struggling to produce. He had to admit that coming along was selfish, for he could hardly be of any use if he felt this way. He just wanted to be close to his friends, to ease his own fears. It was also easier to focus on taking care of someone else than to take care of himself. “What didn't I tell you?”
“Why aren't you listening?” Nathan wasn't rude about it. “Are you alright?”
“Of course I'm alright,” he leaned forward, trying to smile. “Listening to Alexander and Mary bicker would break anyone's heart, that is all. Those two would rather see each other dead.”
“No they wouldn't,” Loyalty said softly. “They are angry at each other, it's true. But from what Nora's told me, he almost drank himself to death after she ran away. And she spent years in the shadows, watching him, even if they couldn't touch. They are addicted to each other.”
“Well, addiction is never healthy,” Nathan pointed out. However, he still gave her a lopsided smile, despite himself. “Although it is a love story that they might tell their grandchildren someday.”
“If they don't push each other out of the carriage first,” Jerrico pointed out. “The countryside is beautiful.”
They all turned to look out the window, and Loyalty had to admit that it was more breathtaking than even the palace. As the approached the grand manor, everyone's neck was craned. There was something about a beautiful manor in what was seemingly the middle of nowhere that seemed more beautiful than the palace where they had lived.
The sun was setting behind it and the manor seemed to shine as they approached. It was like a haven, offering the weak and the weary peace to heal.
The carriages pulled up and Alexander and Ricardo jumped out as the front door opened.
“I should go with them,” Jerrico said, but Nathan kicked him in the shin as he stood.
“I'll do it,” he said, leaving Jerrico with Loyalty as they went to meet the lord and lady of the house.
Loyalty switched sides so she was sitting beside Jerrico. “Are you sure you're alright?”
“I'm fine,” he assured her. “You should be worried about so many other things right now.”
“Like what?” she grinned. “Whether my dress is pretty?”
“That's one of the things,” he smiled at her. “But Loyalty, this is one step closer to you sitting on that throne, and you've been taking it so well.”
“It's what I have to do,” she said for what felt like the fifth time that day. A knock came at their carriage door and Nora and Mary slid in, not wanting to be alone.
“Isn't it beautiful?” Loyalty said, changing the subject. “I feel like my life lately has gone from one beautiful house to the next. Are your houses this beautiful?” she looked to Nora and Mary, forgetting that they had both been gone from their estates for painful reasons. The two ladies exchanged sad smiles.
“Yes,” Mary said. “In the countryside of Calais, Nora and I were equal queens, ruling equal kingdoms.”
“Can I see?” Loyalty asked. “I mean...one day. If you ever go back.”
“I don't see why not,” Nora replied, looking to Mary again. “And we will go back, one day, when all of this is over.”
Mary's smile was sad, although she said nothing. She wasn't sure that Alexander would ever allow her to set foot in their old life, not after she had run from him in such a manner. What she had never been able to express was that she hadn't thought of how much she would hurt him. She had only been protecting herself. She hadn't expected him to spend years searching for her, hiding his title and joining the guards brokenheartedly. She hadn't expected him to care once he had known that she was low born. However, it was clear that she had always been the first thing on his mind. Maybe here in the country they could finally articulate it.
4
CHAPTER FOUR
“Lord and Lady Tarek,” Alexander said, once he was satisfied that they were not imposters. “May I present Princess Loyalty, my ward, Marchioness Nora, and...” he cleared his throat. “My wife, Marchioness Mary.”
Because all three ladies were greater stations than they were, the earl and his countess dipped low. “Welcome to our home,” Lord Tarek said. “It's a pleasure to have you here, and I'm sure that you will be quite comfortable and safe while London sorts itself out.”
Ricardo dipped low in Nora's ear, translating for her. Really, anyone in the party probably could have done a half decent job as the French translator, and the lord and lady raised their eyebrows at the close relationship between Nora and her guard.
“I want to sweep the house,” Alexander said, half to Ricardo and Jerrico, and half to Lord Tarek. “I'm sure it's fine, but we must take every precaution. Nathan, you'll stay with them?”
“Aye,” Nathan replied, standing up straighter. He wasn't normally a guard, but his military training provided sufficient service while the others were away. “Let's go inside, it's easier that way.”
“Let me take that.”
Nora was startled once again by Mr. Crins' French beside her as he reached for her bag. She had been right, it was heavily accented, but it was otherwise flawless French. “Thank you,” she replied, watching him. “Your French is good for serving an English household.”
“Thank you,” he answered. He wasn't used to being addressed by anyone directly, especially not of her rank. Nikolas usually kept to himself, not well liked by the rest for his snippy attitude. But there was something about the way their eyes met that made them feel as if they had similar strengths, similar weaknesses.
“Where did you learn it?” she asked.
“I served in France,” he replied. “For a time. My uncle is French; I lived with him. After my parents died.”
“In a fire.” Nora somehow just knew this.
“In a fire,” he replied, and she watched him for a moment longer.
“It was just my mother,” the information came tumbling out. “My father was already gone.”
“I know.” They had told the servants everything about their new visitors, and he had been waiting to meet her; if just not for another person who understood the terror of the flames.
“Nora's found a friend,” Nathan said softly, meaning it for Loyalty. However, Mary's head whipped around, not entirely impressed that her charge was speaking to a servant.
“Nora,” Mary said, ever the regal lady. Nora turned around, but she didn't take a step back, which seemed to annoy Mary even more. Mary stepped forward, at least to join the conversation, leaving Loyalty and Nathan completely alone.
“Do you think we'll get to share a room here?” she asked.
“Officially?” He looked at her like she was crazy. “I think houses like this divide the women and the men everywhere. You remember the rules for after dinner? The men stay and have a drink and the women go into the sitting room.”
“Can you imagine if we did that at my house?” she asked. “You and Jerrico would go agains
t one wall and me to the other?”
Nathan laughed at the image, and then looked up as the three guards returned.
“All is well,” Alexander said, and his eyes flicked to Mary and Nora. Nora wasn't threatened by Mary, but she did take a step back from the footman when Alexander stepped into the room, much more used to his word. She crossed the floor to join Loyalty, and Alexander drifted toward his wife. The only time they could manage not to fight was when Nora was concerned.
“What was that about?”
“The boy's family died in a fire,” Mary said. “I think he recognized the fear in Nora's eyes as his own.”
“She needs to be...” Alexander sighed. “One day, someone will take advantage of hearing where her screams are.”
“Hence putting her in a place where they don't,” Mary shot him a look. “I saw the way Ricardo was looking at her in the carriage. They are shameless.”
“They won't always be,” Alexander promised her, although everything seemed so different that he wasn't sure he could control that anymore. When it was just about guarding Nora, it was easy. However, with Ricardo and Mary, and then Loyalty here now, it was a whole different mess. He was grateful for Nathan's famed brain for sure. If anyone could figure out how to fix things, it was the great Nathan Rambles.
“I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing,” Mary replied. “Show them to their rooms.”
Alexander shot her a look at the order she’d just barked out, but decided to say nothing else. They had swept the house and as far as he could tell, that would be a safe move.
There wasn't too much to do at a country house that would be threatening. All they could do was make themselves at home and wait for a letter from King George, telling them what they would do next. He suspected it would be to beckon Loyalty back to the palace, to coronate her, leaving Nora in limbo, as always.
Then again, he hadn't predicted they would be here, like this now, so who knew what the future held.
One thing that he did know was that he wanted a drink, and the sooner everyone was settled, the sooner he could sneak off with a bottle. “Come on, Nora,” he beckoned. She came over to him without complaint, and to her delight, Mr. Crins turned to lead the way.
Revealing A Marchioness's Heart (The Chronicles of Loyalty) Page 22
