Daughter.’
Angelina glared at her father, but before she could speak Babette shook her head, reminding her. She subsided into sullen silence, making her father look at her reprovingly.
‘I shall be leaving in the morning,’ Captain Colby said. ‘Mistress Babette has granted me the pleasure of escorting her to her home. I must thank you for your hospitality, sir—and you, Lady Graham. You have been most generous to my men and me.’
‘We were glad to have you, sir.’ Aunt Minnie looked close to tears and, after one glance in her niece’s direction, kept her eyes on her plate. ‘I shall miss...’ Her words were lost in her emotion. She was speaking to Babette, but dared not say what was in her heart.
* * *
Babette rose when the meal was ended to help clear the table, but Aunt Minnie shook her head at her. Feeling close to tears, she turned away and went out into the hall, intending to return to her room before she gave way to a storm of weeping.
‘Mistress Babette.’ Captain Colby’s voice stopped her as she would have gone up the stairs. She hesitated, and he took hold of her arm. ‘Do not let him distress you. He is not worth weeping over.’
‘I am not weeping,’ she said, her head up, though the tears were burning behind her eyes. ‘It is mere foolishness...and so unfair.’
‘It is my fault,’ he said. ‘I brought out his worst fears.’
‘Yes, it is,’ she cried. ‘Had you not come here it would not have happened. You are my enemy and you have ruined my life.’
Wrenching away from him, she won free and ran on up the stairs. When she reached her room she gave way to the storm of emotion that shook her, but later, when the tears were spent, she regretted what had been said. Captain Colby would be within his rights to abandon her to her fate—but she knew that he would not.
He was her enemy, but an honourable man.
* * *
Babette was up early the next morning. She ate before anyone was down and then went back to collect the small pack, which was all she could carry on her mare. The trunk she’d packed would go in the wagon with Jonas and be pulled by the old grey cob, as it had been on the way here.
She spoke to Jonas in the yard, telling him that her brother and his friend would make their own way to the castle and that he must take her trunk and she would see him there.
‘But how will you fare alone, mistress? You cannot travel on horseback by yourself.’
‘Captain Colby will see me safe to the village and from there I can reach the castle alone.’
Her groom frowned, clearly disturbed by the idea. ‘I mislike it, mistress. He is an enemy.’
‘Of the King, yes—but he is not truly my enemy, Jonas. I helped save his life and he is grateful. Besides, I am no longer welcome here. My uncle thinks...’ She could not bear to say the word. ‘He does not want me in his house.’
‘I’ve heard what they say. You are no such thing, mistress. If your father were alive, he would challenge that devil to a duel...and run a sword through his evil heart.’
‘You must not speak so of my uncle,’ she remonstrated. ‘He is foolish, perhaps, but not evil. He is a godly man and much respected.’
‘I’ve seen the likes of him before,’ Jonas muttered. ‘I mind when you were a lass... Evil comes in many forms, mistress. Sometimes it wears a smiling face, sometimes a frown, but behind the mask is a black heart. Your uncle speaks of justice and fairness, but he beats a servant for speaking out of turn and makes them go to church whether they will or no—and if they refuse, he turns them off without a hope or reference. If that be justice, I be the king of angels.’
‘Oh, Jonas...’ Babette laughed ‘...I thank God to have such a good friend in you. Go to the kitchen and my aunt will give you food for the journey and I shall see you in a few days.’
She turned as Captain Colby came into the courtyard, leading her mare and his own horse. He walked up to her and smiled.
‘Are
Angelina glared at her father, but before she could speak Babette shook her head, reminding her. She subsided into sullen silence, making her father look at her reprovingly.
‘I shall be leaving in the morning,’ Captain Colby said. ‘Mistress Babette has granted me the pleasure of escorting her to her home. I must thank you for your hospitality, sir—and you, Lady Graham. You have been most generous to my men and me.’
‘We were glad to have you, sir.’ Aunt Minnie looked close to tears and, after one glance in her niece’s direction, kept her eyes on her plate. ‘I shall miss...’ Her words were lost in her emotion. She was speaking to Babette, but dared not say what was in her heart.
* * *
Babette rose when the meal was ended to help clear the table, but Aunt Minnie shook her head at her. Feeling close to tears, she turned away and went out into the hall, intending to return to her room before she gave way to a storm of weeping.
‘Mistress Babette.’ Captain Colby’s voice stopped her as she would have gone up the stairs. She hesitated, and he took hold of her arm. ‘Do not let him distress you. He is not worth weeping over.’
‘I am not weeping,’ she said, her head up, though the tears were burning behind her eyes. ‘It is mere foolishness...and so unfair.’
‘It is my fault,’ he said. ‘I brought out his worst fears.’
‘Yes, it is,’ she cried. ‘Had you not come here it would not have happened. You are my enemy and you have ruined my life.’
Wrenching away from him, she won free and ran on up the stairs. When she reached her room she gave way to the storm of emotion that shook her, but later, when the tears were spent, she regretted what had been said. Captain Colby would be within his rights to abandon her to her fate—but she knew that he would not.
He was her enemy, but an honourable man.
* * *
Babette was up early the next morning. She ate before anyone was down and then went back to collect the small pack, which was all she could carry on her mare. The trunk she’d packed would go in the wagon with Jonas and be pulled by the old grey cob, as it had been on the way here.
She spoke to Jonas in the yard, telling him that her brother and his friend would make their own way to the castle and that he must take her trunk and she would see him there.
‘But how will you fare alone, mistress? You cannot travel on horseback by yourself.’
‘Captain Colby will see me safe to the village and from there I can reach the castle alone.’
Her groom frowned, clearly disturbed by the idea. ‘I mislike it, mistress. He is an enemy.’
‘Of the King, yes—but he is not truly my enemy, Jonas. I helped save his life and he is grateful. Besides, I am no longer welcome here. My uncle thinks...’ She could not bear to say the word. ‘He does not want me in his house.’
‘I’ve heard what they say. You are no such thing, mistress. If your father were alive, he would challenge that devil to a duel...and run a sword through his evil heart.’
‘You must not speak so of my uncle,’ she remonstrated. ‘He is foolish, perhaps, but not evil. He is a godly man and much respected.’
‘I’ve seen the likes of him before,’ Jonas muttered. ‘I mind when you were a lass... Evil comes in many forms, mistress. Sometimes it wears a smiling face, sometimes a frown, but behind the mask is a black heart. Your uncle speaks of justice and fairness, but he beats a servant for speaking out of turn and makes them go to church whether they will or no—and if they refuse, he turns them off without a hope or reference. If that be justice, I be the king of angels.’
‘Oh, Jonas...’ Babette laughed ‘...I thank God to have such a good friend in you. Go to the kitchen and my aunt will give you food for the journey and I shall see you in a few days.’
She turned as Captain Colby came into the courtyard, leading her mare and his own horse. He walked up to her and smiled.
‘Are
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