by GG Shalton
He tore himself away from her and walked toward the door. “I will send a maid up to help you pack as I must leave. Some of my best men will escort you to your new home.” He reached for the door handle.
She looked at him, still trying to keep calm. “Wait! What about you?”
He lifted the corner of his mouth. “I am a warrior, my lady, and a king’s grandson. I will be fine.” Walking back to her, he bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “I will never forget you.”
He walked away to leave when she called after him again. “Your Grace!” she trembled as he turned around, brow raised inquisitively.
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
He stared at her sadly, studying her face, committing it to his memory. “You told me once that you wouldn’t know what to do with freedom if you were ever given it. My thanks would be for you to enjoy your gift and not waste your freedom.”
Chapter 25
Joslyn woke earlier than usual excited for her day. She could barely sleep the night before. Rushing to get dressed, she couldn’t stop thinking about seeing her family. The smile on her face almost hurt from how happy she was. Her parents and sisters were alive. Sara was alive. They were waiting for her.
She looked outside and noticed many of the tents were gone. Maxwell had left a few hours after they spoke, not even staying the night. His homecoming was short-lived, and they didn’t know when he would return. Thinking about their conversation, she couldn’t help but love the way he made her feel. After trying so hard to forget him, a small part of her heart enjoyed his attention.
A group of Maxwell’s soldiers waited for her in the great hall to escort her to a barge. They would travel along the river for a few hours before embarking through the mountains. Joslyn could hardly contain her excitement to see her family soon.
The journey was a bit treacherous up the sides of mountains and through rocky terrain. Maxwell sent more than just a few guards and had a small army escorting her to the country of Napery. Joslyn never complained and was just anxiously awaiting being united with her family. After several days of riding on horses, and walking through rocky paths, she began to smell the salt in the air. Anticipation built up inside her waiting to cross the peak of the next mountain. Joseph, one of the guards, promised she could see the ocean from that peak. The words almost sounded too good to be true as she waited for the escort to lead the way. Closing her eyes and listening to the silence, she could finally make out the sound of the waves coming from below.
After what seemed like several hours, they made their way over the crest, her breath caught in her throat. Words and pictures did not do it justice. It was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen. Joseph smiled as he watched her mouth hang open.
“There is a path on the side. We can go down to the beach for a while and rest before continuing our trip.”
She squealed in excitement. “I can walk in the sand?”
Joseph laughed. “But of course, my lady.”
She ran ahead of him, watching her feet as she carefully avoided the rocks to prevent sliding down the side. Reaching the beach, she took off her shoes and ran toward the water, her feet moving slowly through the sand until finally getting wet from the waves.
She laughed out loud and waded deeper into the water until her gown was soaked. She lifted it up slightly, walking through the waves. The army stood back and rested as Joseph told them to give her a few minutes to enjoy the ocean.
Joslyn splashed in the water, feeling the pull of the waves. Trying to keep her balance, she could feel each of her toes sinking into the sand. The sound of the ocean made her want to find a nice place to rest and enjoy the breeze. After several moments of jumping in and out of the waves, she looked up at Joseph who was near the water line.
“We need to leave soon, my lady.” He yelled out at her and she waved back acknowledging him. After a few moments, she walked toward him smiling brightly.
“We are catching a ship a couple of miles down the beach to take you up to the Napery port. His Grace ordered a Napierian escort to take you the rest of the way to your estate.”
“I will be ready in a few minutes. Maxwell told me that my new home is near the ocean. Can you believe it?”
“Your joy is contagious. I don’t believe I have ever appreciated the ocean the way you did just now.”
Joslyn looked back at the waves longingly and put her shoes back on her feet. They mounted the horses after she dried off and rode down the beach to meet the ship that would take her to the town of Rupert.
“My lady, we will make sure you are safe with the Napierian guards soon, then we will leave you and return back to Burra.”
“Joseph, you have been the best escort ever. Please tell His Grace how pleased I was with your services.” Her happiness could not be denied. Seeing the ocean after a lifetime of dreams was surreal.
He blushed. “I am at your service. Perhaps you can tell him one day yourself.”
She looked away not wanting to answer the question. The rest of the crew caught up with them and they journeyed the last few miles.
Before long, they spotted the ship and a few boats on the shore. A couple of the Napierian guards waved at Joseph as they approached the men. They were very welcoming and helped Joslyn onto the small boat to travel to the ship. Once on board, they took her to a cabin that had been cleaned and made ready for her. Riding on a ship was another adventure for her.
After a few days, the crew had fallen in love with the enthusiastic young woman from Mallard who spoke to them as equals even though she was now titled. It would take time for her to get use to Maxwell’s gift. It was hard to imagine people calling her Lady Joslyn.
Wanting to feel useful, she cleaned her own cabin and offered to cook for the crew. They politely refused and insisted she was their guest. Although, they did allow her to listen to their war stories at night and tried to keep her entertained.
After four days, they finally reached the port and a group of the soldiers escorted her through the village to her new home.
Reaching the gates of the estate, her stomach fluttered with anticipation mixed with excitement. She was going to see her family.
Spotting a few figures standing outside of the house, her heart pounded. The moon was shining, and she held in her excitement waiting for the horses to stop. As they slowed down, she unhooked the handle on the carriage door and jumped out without waiting for assistance. She was met by a group of people halfway, coming to realize the first figure was her sister Mary who embraced her so hard that she nearly fell to the ground. Susanna came up behind her hugging her too. She spotted her parents with tears in their eyes reaching for her as well. They all stood there in an embrace not speaking for a few long minutes.
“Josie, I don’t want to let you go.” Her father held onto her as the others backed away. “My prayers have been answered.”
Joslyn took a deep breath. “Mine too, Papa.”
They walked into the front door and Joslyn spun around the room. “It’s beautiful.”
“You must see the garden and the kitchen. We have five servants as well. Can you believe it?” Susanna took Joslyn’s hand dragging her through each room as the others followed.
“Your chamber is beautiful and is connected by a walkway through the garden. Come so we can show you.”
Josie followed her sisters through all the twists and turns. They ended up back in the dining room where her mother laid out some trays of fresh food. Joslyn’s cheeks were sore from smiling so much.
“The Duke of Norton told me that Sara is living on the farm next to ours?”
Her mother nodded. “Yes, her family is living with her as well. Samuel stayed in Mallard. He and his wife are expecting a child.”
Josie was delighted about the news. She had wondered if it would bother her, but in truth, she was happy for them. It was not meant t
o be for her and Samuel. Changing the subject, she turned to her father and asked, “Tell me how you fare? Is Napery to your liking?”
Her father smiled. “It is the most amazing place I have ever seen. We must admit we were suspicious at his offer, but our fate was worse in Merle.”
“What happened after I left?”
The family looked at each other almost afraid to discuss it. Finally, Mary spoke with a bit of edge to her voice. “It was a nightmare.”
Mrs. Rhodes brought her hand up to her mouth, clearly traumatized. “It’s hard to speak of the past. We had agreed to start over here and not mention what we left behind.”
Joslyn’s eyes burned with unshed tears. “You’re frightening me.”
Mr. Rhodes cleared his throat. “We survived as a family and that is what is important. After you left, I was able to go back to the blacksmith shop, but no jobs came. The mayor found a way to manipulate the orders of the Royal Duke. He said that I was allowed to work in the shop, but then he threatened anyone who did business with me. Soon there was no reason to go to work and I closed up the shop to live on the farm.”
Joslyn shook her head, appalled. “How did you survive?”
Mrs. Rhodes reached out and patted her husband’s arm. “We sold all we had and hunted for food for the first few months. But soon there was not enough meat to eat each day. And the mayor passed hunting quotas to the local farming towns and had soldiers in the woods to enforce the new laws.”
“I had no idea that this was happening. I was not allowed to ask about you nor send you a message.”
Mrs. Rhodes sat beside Joslyn, placing her hand on her back. “You had your own problems. I can’t imagine life for you was any easier.”
A chill ran up Joslyn’s back at the thought of what she did to survive. Keeping those thoughts at bay, she asked, “How did you get food?”
Mary interrupted. “I worked for Martin Blatant. His wife died, and he needed someone to take care of his children. I moved in with him.”
“Did he offer you marriage?”
She shook her head. “No, he never touched me in that way. But it didn’t stop the rumors. It seems marriage prospects for me in Merle would be impossible now.”
Susanna walked over and sat beside them. “Papa sent me to live in Rogerson as a servant.”
“But you’re only fourteen. It is too dangerous for a young girl to go live apart from her family.”
Her sister sat up tall defensively. “We had no choice, Josie. We had to survive.” She looked at her parents, “Mama and Papa worked in the cotton fields of Sara’s farm. They worked for food only. Her parents agreed to the deal but couldn’t afford to feed us all. It was a hard choice, but both of our parents were ill, and they would have never survived being a servant. I had to go.”
Mrs. Rhodes wiped tears from her eyes. “It was the most awful time of my life. All three of my children were no longer with me and put in impossible circumstances.”
Mr. Rhodes rubbed her back. “It’s over now. Shortly after Susanna left, Merle was invaded by Burra armies and she was brought back. Rogerson was invaded first, and they gathered the woman and brought them to a farm in Merle to be sold.”
“You were sold?”
“No, if you worked on a farm or owned a farm, they let you keep working. Eventually they made deals with the farmers. If you didn’t own a farm, then you became slaves. We helped the Markson farm, so they didn’t sell us. Mary worked on the Blatant farm, so all of us stayed in Merle. After a few months, the threats of a Mallard rebellion faded, so Burra provided supplies to help our farms and offered fair prices. We were suspicious of their help in the beginning, but they delivered on the amounts and lifted the bans on hunting and producing a surplus. Life got better, but the work was long and hard.”
Joslyn was shocked at the turn of events. Perhaps Burra was not as bad as she initially thought. After all, Mallard did far worse to their prisoners. Looking at her family, she realized they had asked her a question.
“My apologies, I didn’t hear you.”
Mary smiled. “Papa asked about the Duke of Norton. He was so kind to us and said he was a friend of yours. We were skeptical at first but accepted his hospitality and traveled to Napery to our new home. He didn’t give us many details although we asked him many questions. How do you know him?”
Taken back by their interest, she didn’t really want to talk about it. Her feelings about him were confusing and she needed to sort them out. Shrugging her shoulders, her indifference did not persuade them.
“Josie, he is so dangerous looking but was so kind.” Mary giggled and looked at Susanna who covered her smile. “Complete opposite of our Royal Duke. Although some would say he is handsome, the way he cares more about his status than fighting off his enemy did not suit him well.”
She stood up and walked toward the fireplace, warming her hands. “I met him at a wedding. We spoke briefly and that was all. I don’t wish to speak about it anymore.” Her raised voice silenced her family who looked at her wide-eyed.
Not wanting to explain her sudden change of mood, she changed the subject. “Where is Sara?”
Her mother stood and cleaned up the sewing scraps near the fireplace. “She said she would come by for breakfast. Her family thought it best to give us time alone for you and let you get settled.”
Joslyn nodded. “Yes, that is a good idea. I am exhausted from my journey. We will speak more in the morning.”
“We all need to get some rest.” Joslyn father said with authority. “Off to bed with all of you.”
They all left the room and headed toward their bedchambers. Joslyn couldn’t wait to have some time alone to think about her new life. She should be elated, but a nagging feeling would not leave. Pushing the feelings aside, she allowed herself to feel content for the first time in months.
The next morning, something startled her awake. “Wake up, sleepy head. Sara is already in the kitchen.”
A smile sneaked across her face as she shoved Mary off her bed. “What time is it?”
“Past breakfast, she said she could wait no longer.” Mary handed Joslyn a washcloth as she watched her sister clean her face.
“Tell her I will be down shortly, I just need a few moments.”
Joslyn saw her from the corner of her eye as she entered the kitchen. Sara squealed and ran to embrace her. “I have to make sure you are real!”
Joslyn giggled. “I am real. And I can’t believe you are here. Look at us now.”
“I know, my friend. I had no idea how to reach you and the not knowing was the worst part.”
“Me too. I found Marilyn in a village in Burra. She was hiding and told me you had disappeared from the camp. I feared the worst.”
“I escaped and found my parents’ farm. I feared they would find me, but they never did. When the Burra soldiers came to the door, I was afraid my time was up, but then they made us an offer to come here and be tenants for you. I remembered your encounter with the Duke of Norton and thought all must be well.”
“Let’s go walk by the ocean.” Sara followed Joslyn out the doors and they walked down the side of the cliff to the shore. “It’s more beautiful than I ever imagined.”
“I know. I thought about all those pictures you drew never seeing it.”
“Tell me. Are you well?”
“Yes, but I worry about you. I heard what happened with Andre. My fear in the beginning was that you were in Locket and deposed of due to your relationship with him. I was so relieved when I heard you were staying with the Duke of Norton.”
“Relieved? Sara he was our enemy.”
“But even he treated you better than Andre.”
“Not much. He saw me as just a mistress. He treated me as a woman not of his station.”
“Surely, he was a gentle lover?”
Joslyn widened her ey
es. “I would not know. We were never lovers. He did not touch me.”
Sara’s mouth fell open. “But what about in Locket when the king gave you to him?”
Joslyn shook her head.
Sara wrinkled her forehead. “You lied?”
“His plan was to hurt Andre.” Joslyn stumbled over her words trying to explain. “I was only a means to his madness. He made me promise to tell no one and he would leave me alone. I am sorry I never told you the truth.”
“This whole time. I had no idea.” She snorted and shook her head. After a moment she looked back at Joslyn. “What about now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Please, Josie, the man is in love with you. How do you feel about him?”
“He is not in love with me. It was about Andre. His feelings are misplaced.”
“Josie, the man gave you freedom. Not to mention two homes and a title. He has asked nothing in return. If that is not love, I don’t know what is.”
Joslyn opened her mouth to retort but could not. Instead she stayed quiet as she turned to look at the waves crashing onto the shore. “Let’s not talk about it again. I think we should head back. I need to find my way around my new home.”
Sara stared at her as the wind blew harder. “I won’t mention it again. But promise me that you will think about what I said.”
Joslyn nodded quickly and walked away, toward the trail to the cliff.
A few months later, Joslyn received an invitation to her first dining party with local gentry. Up until now, her title had not been acknowledged. Not knowing how to handle her title or the responsibilities that came with it, her first thought was to decline. But her parents encouraged her to embrace the responsibilities. She had been gifted with a rare opportunity, and she should try to make a difference.
She reluctantly accepted, and her mother helped her sew a new dress. Her sisters and Sara enjoyed dressing her for the occasion and before she knew it, she stood in front of the mayor’s home waiting for the footman to answer the door.
