Castles

~

All married women were unhappy creatures. The bitches all felt neglected by their husbands. They whined and complained, and nothing ever pleased them. Oh, he'd watched, he'd observed. The husbands usually ignored their wives, too, but he didn't fault them. Everyone knew mistresses were reserved for affection and attention; wives were simply necessary leeches to be used for the reproduction of heirs. One put up with a wife when one had to, rutted with her as often as necessary until she was carrying one's child, and then forgot about her.

He had deliberately ignored married women because he believed the hunt wouldn't amount to much. There wouldn't be any satisfaction gained in chasing a dog who wouldn't run. Still, this one intrigued him. She looked so miserable. He'd watched her for over an hour now. She was clinging to her husband's arm, and trying every now and then to say or do something to draw his attention. It was wasted effort. The gallant husband was thoroughly occupied talking to his friends from the clubs. He wasn't giving his pretty little wife any attention.

The poor little chit. It was obvious to anyone watching she loved the man. She was pitifully unhappy. He was about to change all that. He smiled then, his mind made up. The hunt was on again. Soon, very soon, he would put his new pet out of her misery.

Chapter 6

Colin stayed in conference with Sir Richards and Morgan for several hours. Alesandra ate her supper alone in the dining room. She stayed downstairs as long as she could manage without falling asleep, hoping Colin would join her. She wanted to thank him for showing such an interest in her future and ask him a few questions about the Earl of Oakmount.

She gave up the wait around midnight and went up to bed. Valena knocked on her door fifteen minutes later.

'You are requested to be ready to go out tomorrow morning, Princess. You must be ready to leave at ten o'clock.'

Alesandra got into her bed and pulled the covers up. 'Did Colin explain where we're going?'

The lady's maid nodded. 'To Sir Richards's home,' she answered. 'On Bowers Street at number twelve.'

Alesandra smiled. 'He gave you the address?'

'Yes, Princess. He was very thorough in his instructions to me. He wanted me to tell you he doesn't wish to be kept waiting,' she said with a frown. 'There was something more he wanted me to… oh, yes, now I remember. The meeting scheduled for the afternoon with the Duke and Duchess of Williamshire has been canceled.'

'Did Colin tell you why it was canceled?'

'No, Princess, he didn't.'

Valena let out a dramatic yawn and immediately begged her mistress's pardon. 'I'm very weary tonight,' she whispered.

'Of course you're weary,' Alesandra said. 'It's quite late and you've put in a full day's work, Valena. Go to bed now. Sleep well,' she called out when the maid went hurrying out the doorway.

Alesandra fell asleep a few minutes later. She was so exhausted from the long week of taking care of Colin, she slept the night through. She awakened a little after eight the next morning and hurried to get ready. She wore a pale pink walking dress. Colin would approve of the garment for the square-cut neckline was very prim and proper.

Alesandra was downstairs a good twenty minutes before they were scheduled to leave. Colin didn't join her until a few minutes after ten. As soon as she spotted him coming down the stairs, she called out to him. 'We're already late, Colin. Do hurry.'

'There's been a change in plans, Alesandra,' Colin explained. He winked at her when he passed her on his way into the dining room.

She chased after him. 'What change in plans?'

'The meeting's been canceled.'

'The meeting with Sir Richards or the meeting this afternoon? Valena said…'

Colin pulled the chair out and motioned for her to sit down at the dining room table. 'Both meetings were canceled,' he said.

'Would you care for chocolate or hot tea, Princess?' Flannaghan called out from the entrance.

'Tea, thank you. Colin, how did you find out the meeting was canceled? I've been waiting in the foyer and no messenger came to the door.'

Colin didn't answer her. He sat down, picked up the newspaper, and started reading. Flannaghan appeared at his side with a basket of biscuits, which he placed in front of him.

Alesandra was both irritated and confused. 'Exactly why did Sir Richards want a meeting? We both spoke to him last evening.'

'Eat your breakfast, Alesandra.'

'You aren't going to explain, are you?'

'No.'

'Colin, it's impolite to be rude first thing in the morning.'

He lowered the paper to grin at her. She realized then her statement had been foolish. 'I mean to say, it's always impolite to be rude.'

He disappeared behind his paper again. She drummed her fingertips on the tabletop. Raymond walked into the dining room then. Alesandra immediately motioned him to her side. 'Did a messenger…'

Colin interrupted her. 'Alesandra, are you challenging my word?'

'No,' she answered. 'I'm just trying to understand. Will you quit hiding behind that paper?'

'Are you always in such a foul mood in the morning?'

Alesandra gave up trying to have a decent conversation with the man. She ate half a biscuit and then excused herself from the table. Raymond gave her a sympathetic look when she walked past him.

Alesandra went back upstairs and worked on her correspondence the rest of the morning. She wrote a long letter to the mother superior, telling her all about her journey to England. She described her guardian and his family, and spent three full pages explaining how she had ended up living with Colin.

She was sealing the envelope closed when Stefan knocked on the door. 'You're wanted downstairs, Princess Alesandra.'

'Do we have company, Stefan?'

The guard shook his head, 'We're going out. You'll need your cloak. The wind's up today.'

'Where are we going?'

'To a meeting, Princess.'

'On again, off again, on again,' she remarked.

'Begging your pardon, Princess?'

Alesandra closed the lid to the inkwell, straightened the desk, and then stood up. 'I was just complaining to myself,' she admitted with a smile. 'Is this meeting with Colin's father or with Sir Richards?'

'I'm not certain,' Stefan admitted. 'But Colin's waiting in the foyer and he seems impatient to get going.'

Alesandra promised the guard she would be right down. Stefan bowed to her and then left the room. She hurried to brush her hair, then went to the wardrobe to fetch her cloak. She was walking out the doorway when she remembered her list. If they were going to the Duke of Williamshire's town house, she would certainly need the notecard, she decided, so that she could go over the names with her guardian and his wife. She hurried back over to the desk to get the list and tucked it into the pocket of her cloak.

Colin was waiting in the foyer. She paused at the landing to put her cloak over her arm.

'Colin? Are we going to see your father or Sir Richards?'

He didn't answer her. She hurried down the steps and then repeated her question.

'We're going to see Sir Richards,' he explained.

'Why does he want to see us again so soon? He was just here last evening,' she reminded him.