Courtly Masquerade Page 5
I had hunted often with the men in Solomon’s Forest, so I knew my way through it and to the other side where Bruckstor’s Lake sat.
Beyond this, the mountains rose. Several passages led through the mountains to Creshion, some fairly easy trails for wagons, and others steeper for horses. Others only skilled climbers could make. Of course that was the quickest way to go, but dressed in a gown and not having trained in climbing, I didn’t think it would be quick for me at all.
It took me all night to navigate through the woods and by early morning’s first light, I had reached the lake. There I ate some of my bread and cheese and drank from the lake, saving my water pouch for later.
Though I was exhausted for having traveled all night, I didn’t risk staying out in the open for long. Even if Conlan and his men wouldn’t come this way, it didn’t mean ruffians wouldn’t.
It wasn’t long before I had skirted the lake, when I saw a farmer planting a winter crop of squash near a small wooden home. A curl of gray smoke drifted from the chimney, and I shivered, thinking how nice it would be to stop inside a warm house for a while and sleep.
As soon as he saw me, he climbed on a horse and headed my way.
I didn’t think this was good. A busy farmer wouldn’t have stopped his work to approach a woman from afar. Had he received word he’d be paid if the duchess crossed his path?
Again, I assumed I was being paranoid. But if people wanted me dead because I was a royal mage and others wanted to use me for their own purposes, I needed to find a new home, where no one knew me at all.
I couldn’t run and hide at this point so I did the next best thing, acted fearless and strode toward him, though my steps were fatigued. I imagined when it came to climbing the mountain I would have a really tough time of it.
“Ho!” the farmer shouted as he neared me. He hopped off his horse and offered me his mount.
I shook my head, but he insisted and hoisted me onto the horse.
“My wife has labored hard, but I didn’t know the midwife would be so young, or so well dressed.”
“Midwife?” I squeaked.
Bad, really bad.
The poor farmer thought I was there to help deliver his wife’s baby.
CHAPTER 7
How could I tell the poor farmer I wasn’t a midwife, when his wife groaned and moaned in the next room in agony and his daughter, maybe about nine, sat quietly holding a rag doll in the corner of the main room with frightened, wide eyes?
“I’m not the main midwife,” I said. “Was she supposed to get here soon?”
I hoped.
“Two days ago.”
My heart sank.
“But there were two other women in need of her care. I fear she will never make it and my Neda and the baby will die. She has already lost four children in childbirth and nearly didn’t survive the last one.”
I took a deep breath. I had seen two babies delivered before when I was twelve. It was awfully messy. I’d helped cleaned them, so the first thing that popped in my mind I said. “If you can warm a bucket of water and bring me some clean towels—”
“Yes, miss.”
I pulled off my cloak and the man stared at my blue gown. I imagine the regular midwife didn’t dress like she was attending a royal ball.
“My lady,” he said, his breath faint.
“Yes, yes, please, the water and the towels.”
I didn’t want him focusing on the fact that I was of noble birth when there was work to be done. Though I wasn’t certain what I could do, but really make a mess of things. However, if no one else came to assist the poor woman, she’d be on her own.
At least, maybe, I might help.
I prayed I wouldn’t muddle this up. “Does your wife have something I can wear instead of my gown?”
He still stood awestruck, and I imagined he never got royal visitors much.
I strode into the room and the woman’s eyes dark green eyes grew wide as she stared at my gown.
So I wasn’t the usual midwife.
Her heart-shaped face appeared deathly pale, and she groaned again as the pains renewed. Sweat glistened on her face and her brown hair lay wet and tangled across the sheets. She didn’t look well at all.
I approached the bed, then took her hand in mine and smiled, trying to cheer her. “Hello, Neda, let’s have that baby, shall we?”
The woman smiled back and nodded weakly. Even though I didn’t look like a midwife, she seemed less tense that a woman was there to help her through this. Her husband brought in brown towels, then hastily retreated. I took one and wetted it in a bowl of water and wiped the lady’s face.
“Who are you?” she asked, then groaned.
I leaned over and ran my hands over her stomach as if I’d been doing this all of my life. “Someone who’s going to try to help you, Neda.”
I could feel the birthing movements in her belly, but the pain seemed to cease as the woman’s face seemed relieved, and she no longer groaned. Still, the baby moved down visibly.
The woman’s husband returned with a bucket of warmed water.
Neda said to him, “Thank you for paying for the noblewomen’s midwife, Ezerah. She is so much more gentle than the one the rest of us have used.”
He looked at me with a pained expression on his face. He must have thought I would seek lots of money.
I shook my head at him, trying to convince him without words I wished no money. He didn’t seem convinced and I said instead, “If I could have a corner of your main room to sleep in, that will be payment enough.”
His brown eyes were still round and his mouth gaped open. He looked at his wife who nodded. “Anything she wishes, Ezerah. Anything.”
“I will make up a bed, my lady,” he said, then hurried out of the room.
For three hours, I comforted the lady, combed out her hair, ran my hands over her stomach whenever the pains renewed, and spoke softly to her, reassuring her everything would be all right. I almost had myself believing it, too.
Then the door to the main room slammed against the wall. I started in surprise as I still sat beside Neda’s bed, holding her hand.
A gruff man said to the farmer, “We’re searching for a woman—the Duchess of Cambria. Her hair and eyes are dark brown, and she wore a blue gown and black cape. Have you seen this woman?”
My heart nearly stopped. Neda’s baby’s head already had emerged. Before long, the baby would be here, and I couldn’t be stopped from helping her now.
“No one like that has been here,” Ezerah said, roughly. “My wife and the midwife are the only grown women here. My wife is having a most difficult time with the birth of our third child. I must see to her now, if you need nothing further of me.”
“If the duchess comes here, you must inform Duke Farthington at once. He awaits word at the castle.”
The men tromped out of the house.
I fumed. Lazy duke couldn’t even bother to look for me. But I was glad Conlan and his men hadn’t come this way.
And then the baby was born. With a healthy set of lungs, the farmer’s son bellowed. I quickly covered him in a towel, then began to clean him while his mother beamed with joy.
“Your son,” I said, proudly, handing the baby to her.
Ezerah peeked through the doorway. I smiled and motioned for him to come in. “You have a handsome son.”
“My lady,” he bowed awkwardly.
I curtsied my most elegant curtsey reserved for the king and usually for princes, though I would make an exception for Sumaria.
Ezerah still didn’t draw close to me.
“I will talk to your young daughter, and then try to rest if it is all right with you.”
“Oh, my lady,” the man said, with heartfelt gratitude, “our house is yours.”
“Good. If anyone comes looking for me again, please warn me. I appreciate your help in keeping my secret.”
“I...I did it not for you, but for my Neda.”
I smiled. “I’m glad. I�
��m afraid those men, who are no friends of mine, would not have permitted me to help her any longer.”
I walked out of the room, figuring that if I didn’t, Ezerah would never have stepped a foot in my direction while I stood next to his wife and their new baby.
I worried then that their harboring a duchess would not have boded well with the duke. I needed to sleep, then get on my way.
After crossing the floor through the main room, I peeked out the window. There was no sign of anyone, just a few bluebirds settling on a corral.
“Hello,” I said to the girl, then sat on the bed of straw the farmer had made for me. He’d laid out a blanket on top of it, and I took my cloak and wrapped it around myself. The girl stared at me with big brown eyes, while curly, brown hair framed her round face. “Pretty doll. Can you tell me her name?”
“Missy,” the girl said, then drew closer. “Is Momma all right?”
“Oh, yes. You have a cute little baby brother. What is your name?”
“Ledissa.”
“Well, Ledissa, I’m very, very tired, but if you’d like, you can sit beside me and tell me stories so that I can sleep the most wonderful of dreams.”
“Papa says you are the duchess.”
“Midwife.”
“The duchess isn’t a midwife, he said.”
“Ah, well, sometimes we can be many things.” I closed my eyes not wishing to get drawn into a discussion with a small girl when I needed a good deal of sleep.
I thought about what her father had said about there being another child, however. I couldn’t let go of the notion, as I’d seen no other child around the farm. “Your father said your mother had another child.”
“Yes, Tanner, he’s seven and working in the barn. But I was to stay here with Momma. I got scared though because she was in so much pain. The other times, the babies died.”
“Ah, I’m so sorry,” I said, genuinely saddened by the idea and that Ledissa had been so worried about her mother and the baby. I closed my eyes, not being able to keep them open any longer. “Tell me a story about a beautiful princess, one with a happy ending.” I hoped I could take her mind off her mother’s difficulties.
Rustling followed as Ledissa sat beside me on the straw. “Your hair must hurt.”
I opened my eyes. “Pardon?”
“Your hair.” She pointed to the braids coiled with pins against my head.
I hadn’t noticed as tired as I was. “A little.”
“May I unwind your hair? You made Momma’s so pretty. Can I do yours?”
I guessed she’d sneaked a peak at us while her mother was still in labor. “Yes, Ledissa, I would very much like that.”
Again, I closed my eyes. She shuffled about the hay, pulling the pins from my hair, but when she stopped for an inordinate amount of time each time, I opened my eyes. She was examining the porcelain beads that decorated them. I smiled as I watched her. She finally noticed my observing her.
“It’s all right to look at them, is it not?”
“Yes, Ledissa. Look all you want.”
She laid them out very carefully on a table. Then she unwound my braids. When she’d removed the ribbons, she laid these out to join the pins.
Sometime between her talking softly about the princess who found her perfect prince and combing out my long hair, I fell sound asleep.
Except for the crackling of wood on a toasty warm fire, I heard no other sounds. Yet I sensed I was not alone. I opened my eyes. Seven men and three women that I didn’t know, stood watching me. Ezerah, Ledissa, and a small boy, I imagined was Tanner, were among these. The others were dressed much like them, in plain brown clothes suitable for farming.
Ezerah hurried forward and offered food and drink.
I smiled, then sat up. “Whatever you have would be fine. Do not put yourself out on my account.”
“The widow Bethra has fixed a meal, celebrating the birth of our son. We would be honored for you to join us at the feast.”
“I would very much like that.”
Ezerah helped me up. “I’m afraid it won’t be anything as grand as you are used to, my lady.”
“Ah.” I lifted my pouch of food. “Better than this? I think I will be much pleased. But before I eat, can I see Neda and the baby?”
“Oh, yes, my lady. She’s been asking about you all day when she hasn’t been sleeping herself.”
The men and women all bowed or curtseyed in the same kind of awkward way that Ezerah had done. Their attempt to please me warmed me deep inside.
“Neda,” I said as I walked into her room.
She smiled, weakly. “Oh, my lady, he has such a healthy appetite. I cannot ever thank you enough.”
I touched the baby’s tiny hand and to my surprise, he grasped my finger with the strength of a Titan. I smiled, gladdened the baby was so hale and hearty. “I’m pleased I could assist you. I must leave though, and ask that you and your family only say that a midwife was here. I was not noble, and certainly not the duchess.”
Neda nodded. “The people here are very closed mouthed, my lady. They will talk about this forever, but only amongst themselves. Not to strangers.”
“Thank you.”
That evening, I ate with the farmers and their wives and Ezerah’s son and daughter. Ledissa and the widow Bethra rebraided my hair for me. I left two of my fancy beaded hairpins behind for Neda, Ledissa, and Bethra, then bid everyone goodbye.
One of the men, Neda’s brother, Dorian, however, approached me. Like Neda, he had dark brown hair and green eyes, and I wondered if he were a twin as he looked so much like his sister.
He motioned to his horse. “I’ll take you to Prince Sumaria’s castle through the mountain pass.” Then he hoisted me onto his horse, though at the time I wondered if I used poor judgment.
I wasn’t sure why I wanted to go there so badly. I kept telling myself it was because maybe there, I could have a safe haven for a bit, while Sumaria chased the wrong way for me. I told myself, too, I would somehow discover another place of refuge I could seek afterwards. Maybe I wanted Conlan to return home and find out, long after I had left, that I had outfoxed him once again.
There may have been even some deeper-seated reason, that I myself couldn’t even grasp as we rode higher into the mountains.
I was extremely grateful that Dorian offered to take me there. I must have apologized a hundred times for not having the money to pay for his services. But a hundred times he’d assured me he only wished to repay me for helping his sister and his nephew survive childbirth.
So I finally shut up and wrapped my cloak tighter about me as the weather turned harsher. A blizzard soon created whiteout conditions. “Are you sure you can make it back down the mountain safely?” I asked as we neared the castle made of pink stone, quarried from the mountains.
“My horse can find his barn any day.”
I smiled, wishing I had such an ability.
When we reached the gate, it had been closed for the night due to the lateness of the hour. Dorian helped me from his horse.
“Who...,” the guard said, then promptly bowed. “Come in, come in, my lady.”
Not good. I hadn’t expected anyone to recognize me. Were the duke’s men here waiting for me? I hadn’t figured they would search that far away.
I turned, but Dorian had already disappeared into the blinding snow.
A man’s hand grabbed my arm firmly and pulled me inside the gatehouse. And then two men slammed the gate shut and locked it.
I felt at once like I was a rabbit caught in a trap.
CHAPTER 8
A man hurried to escort me inside the castle. “I am Prince Sumaria’s new steward, my lady, Joseph. Because of the lateness of the hour, a lady will assist you in preparing you for bed. Tomorrow, first meal is served at dawn.”
I still didn’t know if Duke Farthington’s men had told the prince’s people I was coming, or if they just thought I was some noblewoman dressed in a costly gown lost in a blizzard.
She helped me out of my gowns and into a lady’s spare blue night shift. After unbraiding my hair, she helped me to climb onto a featherbed. Much softer than a bed of straw, though I had been so tired earlier, it hadn’t mattered.
“Is there anything else you wish, Princess Lynet?”
I swallowed the gasp that nearly escaped my throat.
In over a year, I hadn’t been mistaken for the princess and two times in one day set a record. Panic shot through me as I realized Lynet had been here before. How often? What if she came while I was still here?
I tried not to show any reaction to my astonishment.
This was really not good.
She was seeing Prince Sumaria and if she was seeing Sumaria, who was Conlan really?
Or was Conlan Sumaria and he lied about not seeing Lynet as her father wasn’t to know about it? No, he genuinely seemed not to know me. Yet when I told him I was Lady Arabella he got mad. Was it because he knew I was the princess and thought I was lying to him because I had some hidden agenda so he pretended not to know me?
The more I thought about it, the more confused I became.
As much as I didn’t want to be here now, I was glad I’d come. Now I really knew the reason for my coming here. I wanted to find out what truly was going on, even if it killed me.
Which I figured it would if the wrong people found out who I truly was.
“Thank you, I’m fine.”
“I’m Tala, if you need me.”
She put out the candles, then walked out of the room and closed the door.
At least no one knew I planned to escape, so no guards would be posted.
I grabbed my cloak and wrapped it around me. Then I lighted one of the candles and began to explore the castle. I had reached the chapel when a man spoke behind me, sending a chill down my spine, scaring the wits out of me.