Chapter 24
The Road to the Levington Estate
Cai
The carriage hit another rock on the dirt road and Lara let out a groan.
“You’re a real ray of sunshine this morning,” I teased.
She glared at me from the opposite bench. “If you’re going to be annoying all the way there, tell me now, so that I can throw you out of the carriage.”
I chuckled, watching the grassy fields pass by through the partially curtained window. “My, what could it possibly be that has caused you such misery?”
She sighed. “It’s much too early to be awake, I haven’t had breakfast and this dress is more uncomfortable than a torture chamber. I suggest you don’t attempt messing with me if you wish to live.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “I promise to make no such attempts, then.” She was hardly in the mood for any humour, though this was in no way going to stop me from saying or doing anything I pleased.
I moved from my seat, placing myself next to her, and she kept her arms crossed and stared through the window like a small child throwing a fit.
“For what it’s worth,” I whispered, “you look really pretty in that dress.” I pressed a lingering kiss beneath her ear and she shivered slightly, though made no attempt to address me in response.
We said nothing more for the rest of the journey, but Levington Estate came into view and I caught Lara gazing at it somewhat in awe. We pulled up around the fountain and a servant opened the carriage door for us. I got out and helped Lara down the steps.
“Who should I tell my master is calling?” the servant asked.
“The Lord and Lady Attebury,” I replied and the servant nodded, before running up the portico steps. Lara hooked her hand into the crook of my elbow and we made our way into the house of Levington Estate.
Lord Levington was a man well into his years, accompanied by a belly that told of decades of overeating. His face was a strange reddish colour and I felt Lara squirm slightly next to me as he approached us.
“Lord and Lady Attebury.” He greeted us with open arms and I forced a smile. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“We’re here to discuss business,” I answered, and we followed him to a drawing room.
“I like the sound of that. A man can never have too much money, I always say.” We sat down and he called for a servant to bring us refreshments. “I must admit, I was surprised to hear of your visit. We have never met before? Or have I forgotten? You must forgive me, age does not accord well with clarity of the mind.”
“No, we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting before,” Lara said. “We were hoping to see you at court but since you haven’t visited the palace in a while, we thought it best to come and see you here at your estate.”
“Can’t say I’m very fond of staying at court,” Lord Levington admitted. “I much prefer the quiet of the country if possible.”
“Did you spend much time with the royal family on your last visit?” I asked.
“I saw the King a few times in passing. He had to take on so much responsibility before his father passed.” I could see Lara holding back from making a snide comment. “But her Highness I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting. It seems the princess and I share the same love of the country. From what I’ve heard, she spends most of her time at one of the royal estates.”
The room fell silent for a moment while Lord Levington observed the two of us. “So what can I help you with today?” He rested in a large reading chair and started shoving cake into his mouth.
“Well, Lord Levington, I like to get straight down to business, so I’ll tell you first-hand that we know about the money you stole from the Crown.”
Lara flinched next to me as he choked on a cake and let out a few coughs before looking at us wide-eyed.
“Who told you?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I retorted. “What matters is that we know how you cheated the late King Magnus out of money and I am quite sure the royal family would not respond well, should they be made aware of your treason.”
Lord Levington looked at a loss for words but finally managed to get out, “What do you want?”
“Your allegiance,” Lara said before I could respond. “We know there has been some unrest amongst some of the aristocrats about the royal family. The truth is that soon the monarchy will fall, and once this happens, we need the security and support of the lords as well as their soldiers and knights.”
“You plot against the King?” He sounded almost in agony. “And insult me? I shall alert the authorities immediately.” He jumped up from his seat, but toppled back down again.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I said quickly. “Should King Lance find out about this, he will also immediately be notified of your own treason. In any case, we have the woods around the palace filled with armed bandits, so I can guarantee whatever messenger you send will not make it there.”
The red-faced lord had gone as pale as a white linen sheet. “This is blackmail.”
“No,” Lara said, standing up. “This is your past catching up to you.”
“Think of it this way — once the King is gone, the more power the lords of the land will have. The more money for you.”
“Get the support of the other lords. Should the royal line fall, the royal council would stand together with whoever came into power. For the good of the kingdom, of course,” Lara said. “Or else.”
* * *
Lara rushed to her cabin when we arrived back at camp and I followed in the hope of dumping my uncomfortable jacket and meeting Alastor or Jack in the fighting ring. I could use a good swordfight or two. Maybe I could even have a go at Conner, see if he’d actually been taught anything.
“Damn it!” I heard Lara say as I grabbed my sword from where it lay at the door.
“What’s the matter?”
“I can’t find Cordelia. I looked for her on my way here, but she’s gone as always. Where that girl runs to, heaven only knows.”
“And the company of your female confidante is important because...?” I ventured.
“I can’t get out of the dress by myself. The strings are too difficult to reach from the front.”
“Oh.” The air around us became awkward with silence. “I can help,” I offered, and then quickly added, “If you want.”
She turned to me, hesitating for just a second. “If you don’t mind.”
Her back was towards me again and I walked over to inspect the dress. It was the first time I had actually paid attention to it. The bodice appeared to be decorated with the same material as the skirts, and it laced up at the back. Lara’s shoulders were bare, so I assumed she wasn’t wearing a shift underneath.
I stood awkwardly and stared at the laces, though there didn’t appear to be an obvious place where they came to an end.
“What’s wrong?” Lara asked.
“Nothing.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
“I’m trying to locate where to untie it.”
I didn’t expect her immediate chuckle.
“Come on, Cai, you don’t seriously expect me to believe that.”
“Believe what?” I still didn’t know where to start pulling the laces free.
“That you never undid a lady’s bodice before.”
I let out a snort, which awkwardly turned into a cough, and started pulling at random parts of the laces, seeing if something would loosen.
“You’d be surprised.”
“Oh . . . I see.”
“See what?” Nothing would give and I started to get slightly frustrated.
“There was no need.”
I looked up and stared at the back of her head, the smell of wildflowers in her hair overwhelming me.
“No! It’s not like that.” I could feel myself getting slightly flustered, though I wasn’t entirely sure why. “Just tell me how to unlace this damn thing!”
She remained laughing as she pulled out the end of the lace from the front of the bodice and unwrapped the part that encircled her waist. I hooked my fingers around the lace and, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible, started pulling it loose.
“You’re going too fast for someone who’s apparently never done this before.”
“You would know?” My reply shut her up.
I finally loosened the last part and the back of the dress fell open.
I had meant to look away, had meant to be a gentleman. But something on Lara’s back caught my eye. Scars covered her soft skin like pieces of a scattered puzzle, each varying in shape and size.
“What?” Lara must have noticed me tense behind her.
“Your back,” was all I managed to idiotically murmur.
“Oh.” She breathed deeply. “What about it?” she asked in a way that suggested nothing was wrong.
“All these scars.” I reached out without thinking and lightly pressed my finger to one that skewed across her spine, the length of my forefinger.
“It’s the life of a bandit,” she replied.
“What happened?”
“That one was from a royal guard when I was fourteen. He caught me stealing bread and whipped my back.”
I let my finger graze her skin down to another scar somewhat lower.
“That one was from a knife that one of the girls of the Baruk clan of bandits stabbed me with. Her name is Nora.”
Another one on her left shoulder blade. “That was from a man I tried to pickpocket who caught me. He shoved me into a wall, but there was a nail sticking out.”
I was at a loss for words then, my breath hitching in my throat. Lara had unknowingly fought more wars in all her life than I ever would.
She turned around to meet my eyes.
“I’m sorry.” I breathed out. “You didn’t deserve to go through all of that.” Part of me wished I could somehow go back and undo all the pain of her past.
“My scars don’t hurt any more, Cai.” She held my gaze. “They’re a part of who I am now.”
The corner of my mouth lifted into a slight smile. “You’re one of the strongest people I know.” I took half a step towards her, so that there was almost no space between us.
“If by that you mean I can kick your ass, then damn right I am.” Lara’s mouth curved into a smirk before I closed the distance between us.
Her lips were soft against my own, hesitant at first as if she were unsure of herself. Being this close to her made me wonder how I was ever going to pull away. Everything about her was intoxicating.
I wrapped my hands around her back, fingers getting tangled in the laces of her dress.
My mouth moved slowly against hers, wanting to savour every moment as if we could have stayed in the cabin for ever.
Lara wrapped her arms around my neck, and I trailed small kisses from her jawline down her neck. I spotted it then, the faded small patch of darker skin close to her collarbone. “You have a birthmark,” I noted.
“It used to be more noticeable, but it’s almost impossible to see now.” She breathed deeply.
I thought back to the portrait of Princess Eloisa in Woodsbrook Manor, about everything I suspected. Part of me wanted to confide in Lara but something told me that it would not go down well.
I stood back, leaving her to hold the front of her dress. “Well, I assume you can handle it from here.”
“Yes.” She looked a little confused, wondering why I’d pulled away from her.
I was already out the door when I heard her say, “Thanks for the help, Cai.”