Strolling through the glass french doors out onto the terrace, Lady Katherine took a deep breath of the rich country air. Her white knuckles gripping the cup of afternoon tea in her hand was the only sign of her anxiety. Outwardly she appeared to be calm, sort of serene as she brushed a lock of blond hair away from her face. Few would have recognized this as the calm before the storm except her mother. Her mother would know what to do. She always had. Unfortunately her mother had left this world a few years ago and left Katherine with her aging father and his dwindling sums.
Katherine smiled in remembrance of a time when life seemed to be nothing but dreams of fairy tales, princesses, and ponies. Things little girls always dream of as they make that transition between child and woman. Then their dreams transform into hopes for a happy prosperous family, with beautiful healthy children and a happy endearing husband. A home to be proud of and a household to run. Never do those dreams include children that don't survive or survive with aliments that make life almost not worth living. Nor do those dreams include absent fathers, poor living conditions, or a leaking roof.
'Funny how dreams and reality are never quite the same,' thought Katherine as she took a small sip of her tea. Her father's misfortune in gambling created a large debt at their door. In turn this ruined many of Katherine's chances at securing a wealthy husband, for who would pay a proper bride price for her? Her long blond hair was her best quality, yet it could not completely overshadow the plainness of her face, the muddy brown eyes, or overweight appearance that did not encourage many suitors. 'Who is going to want me now?' she thought to herself.
Slowly she dropped her hand down to her midsection and wondered at the life that was forming. How could she have fell for his advances? He never wanted to marry her. It was one night of weakness, yet a night she will now have to live with forever.
"Peter, how could you do this to me?" Katherine asks the silence. Worse yet, wait until Diane finds out she is carrying his child! Then Katherine knew she would truly be on her own for her only friend would leave her.
Katherine wipes the tears of loneliness from her eyes. How was she ever going to escape this horrible situation she is in?
Henry proudly enters the solarium still dusty from practice. His mud encrusted boots clicked loudly on the bright tiled floor.
"Practice go well dear?" Elizabeth asks without looking up from her embroidery.
"As, always dear mother!" Henry crows. "Edward barely nicked my armor this time. I do believe I am more than ready to meet Burwick on the field tomorrow."
"That is good dear." his mother replies. "Just please be careful. We don't want you breaking your arm again."
"Careful?! Mother, breaking arms and legs is what us men do!" Henry snorts in annoyance. "Only this time the plan is to not break my arm, but to break his!"
"Well at least TRY to come out of this thing tomorrow relatively unharmed, okay?" Elizabeth looks up at her son with concern in her eyes. "A mother worries. We don't enjoy patching up our sons as much as they enjoy breaking things."
"Yes yes mother," sighs Henry as he rolls his eyes. Mothers can be so patronizing sometimes! With peck on his mother's cheek, Henry strolls out of the solarium towards a hot bath and cleaner clothes.
Elizabeth watches her son walk out of the room and sighs. It is one thing to encourage her son in his pursuits, quite another listening to him whine about the pain when he falls. If only he were more focused on running the estate and connecting with the people instead of chasing this fool girl. Bashing another man over the head with a stick was not going to solve any problems. Either way this goes tomorrow, Henry was not going to come out of it unscathed. Jousts were not easy on the body, and last time Henry was lucky only his arm broke. A fall from a charger often created much more damage. Elizabeth only hoped that Henry would learn his lesson this time and turn his attention to more mature pursuits. Diane was only going to get him into more trouble than she was worth. As lovely as the girl is, Elizabeth knew her heart was still roaming. No matter what Henry did it was obviously not going to be enough for her. He needed to move on.
Elizabeth sighs. If the pain of another broken arm or leg can not get through to Henry that he is on a fool's errand chasing after that girl, then anything she might have to say is not going to. Just like his father, he has to learn things the hard way!
Next week we'll see who actually ends up in the dirt, Henry or Peter, as they joust their way into (or out of) a woman's heart!
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