The Baron of Latiz (18)

 18

Samh 9.30.1339 16:57

“In order to do this, I got up when at 04:00 with my maid. I made her pack for me and herself, grabbed all my mother’s jewels, which were now legally mine, and stashed the money I had in my pocket. We crept out of the house and took the road to an abandoned hunting hut in a nearby wood. I knew as soon as my guardian woke up, he would realize I was gone and begin searching for me. I felt if we could stay there for three days and live on the meagre supply of food I had grabbed from the kitchen on the way out, we would be able to avoid him.

“We stayed in the deserted hut that night and the next day toward evening we ventured back along the road until we came to a farmer’s house. There for a thousand-note to the man who knew neither of us, he took us to a friend’s house in Bunew. 

“When I was about ten, we had a female cook who had lived in our family many years and who finally married. She was surprised to see me at 07:00 but welcoming. I sent the farmer on his way home again and thought myself the happiest creature upon Samh. I had gotten myself to safety and now had one to whom I could share my secret since I did not trust my maid with it. 

“Cook, as I called her, had married a gardener who worked for some time for Colonel Kieron. I presume, you know the man.”

“Please excuse my rudeness for interrupting,” Amoranda said, “but were you the one send me a message all those months ago?

“Yes, I did. I had not been living with Cook three days before Kieron came hunting and popped in before we were aware he was coming. It is possible you will not readily believe at this point that I ever had a face worth looking at but—"

“Although you now have a livid pale complexion,” Amoranda could not stop herself from interrupting again, “your features are still fine. I firmly believe if you had a little peace, your beauty would return.” 

“Thank you,” Katamitoria said as she blushed. “I know Kieron saw something worth his notice. He no sooner cast an eye upon me than he vowed he was stricken with everlasting love. He took Cook aside, and she gave him my name but not the reason for my presence. He spent the remaining part of the day with us and most of the night before he could be persuaded to leave. The next day, he came again and after wearing on my all day, he managed to win my foolish heart. I was inanely content with every word that fell from his bewitching tongue. 

“As soon as he realized I was enthralled with him, he wasted no time trying to take advantage of me. One day we were alone, and he began to pressure me beyond my comfort zone. I asked him to stop abusing the freedom I had given to him. Prior to that moment, I believed his intentions to be honorable. I told him if he was not planning on entering into a marriage contract brokered by Cook, I did not want to see him any longer. 

“After saying this, I left the room and went to my own where I locked myself up and did not come out while he was there even though he remained for many hours. The next morning, before I was awake, a message came from begging to have one more chance. He stated he was completely sincere in seeking a wife. He promised to throw himself at my feet and make every effort to convince me of this. 

“I wanted to believe everything his oily tongue said was true. I did not reply, but within a quarter of an hour, he was at Cook’s house. What an tireless creature this man was in his pursuit of enjoyment! Not surprisingly he was a careless negligent wretch after it. He asked me what he could do to convince me he truly loved me. He felt he had already sworn how much he loved me and wondered what actions could confirm those pledges to me. 

“’If you want any other action with me,’ I told him, ‘there is a single one that would open the door to all the rest.  Once you perform that action, I will be yours forever and we will work as one to build your estate.’ The base liar replied that he was overjoyed at my caution, and that he would return the next day with a contract that would satisfy me of his intentions. After this promise, he stayed only a short time, but left me in the greatest state of peace I had ever known. 

“Once he was gone, Cook came to me and told me she thought he was not sincere. She had seen Kieron and my maid whispering together several times. She warned me not to trust the servant, especially since her attitude had been so sullen and Cook had seen nothing but the bad mood in which she sulked. 

“I know explained that I did not completely trust her, and that I thought that was the reason for her peevishness. She had wanted to tell me why we left my guardians home in such a secretive manner. Cook was not pacified by these words and begged me to fire the maid. She even offered to find another woman to replace her, but I, again, naïvely wanted to think good of everyone until shown proof of their corruption. Besides that, new people usually made me quite nervous until I had been around them a while and I did not want to go through that with a new maid.

“Cook told me I was making a bad choice but did not continue to press the matter. I was so ecstatic at the promise of marriage, I quickly forgot about my maid’s private conference with Kieron.