Chapter Five #5
Courtly shook her head, trying not to become despondent.
“I do not know yet,” she said, running her hand over her hair, which was mussed from sleep and also from the fact that she had no comb.
She began to run her fingers through it, trying to smooth it down.
“But I know that I will not become a spinster. Why does he do it, Is? Why does he chase men away? He knows that I want to marry someday. Why is no man good enough?”
Isadora didn’t have an answer for her. She put her other shoe on and stood up, going to her sister and running her hands over Courtly’s hair.
She liked brushing her sister’s hair, and braiding it, so she took over the duties as her sister stewed about their father’s predilection towards running off suitors.
It was of much greater concern to Courtly than to Isadora, especially since there was now a knight that Courtly was interested in.
She could sense her sister’s sadness and disappointment.
They fell silent as Courtly brooded and Isadora brushed her sister’s hair with her fingers.
She was able to smooth it enough so that it looked moderately combed and then she braided it into an elaborate braid.
Having nothing to secure it with, she ended up tearing a strip of linen off the end of the coverlet and using the piece to tie off her sister’s hair.
Having no clean clothing, soap or water to wash with, it was the best they could do in order to groom themselves.
As Isadora finished with the braid, there was a knock on the chamber door.
Isadora scooted over to the panel and opened it. One of their aunt’s servants was standing in the darkened corridor outside, an older woman, and she looked directly at Courtly.
“M’lady,” she said. “Lady Ellice asks you to come to the ward.”
Courtly sighed heavily. She was so depressed that she didn’t even question the servant’s instructions. She simply stood up and left the room, following the woman out into the ward.
Courtly could feel the chill as she stepped outside but she had left the coverlet wrap back in the bedchamber and she pondered returning for it.
However, it occurred to her that there were a great many unfamiliar people in the ward and her focus was diverted to the crowd.
It took her a moment to realize that there were soldiers in the bailey bearing colors of black and yellow.
She had noticed those colors on one of the knights who had accompanied Sir Maximus on the previous evening and her heart suddenly leapt into her throat.
She could hardly breathe. Was it possible that Sir Maximus had returned?
Suddenly giddy with excitement, yet with some confusion, she made her way towards the group.
As she drew closer, she could see that her father was standing next to a carriage, speaking with a beautiful, young woman inside it.
Her aunt was standing several feet away, watching the entire circumstance suspiciously, but Courtly headed in the woman’s direction.
It was her aunt who had sent for her, after all. She wanted to know why.
“Auntie?” she said as she approached. “What is happening?”
Ellice, hearing her niece’s voice, whirled around and reached out, grasping the woman by the wrist and pulling her close.
That was an unusual move for Ellice who usually kept everyone at arm’s length.
Courtly was hit with the smell of rotten, moldering leaves as she drew near her aunt. The woman smelled of compost.
“Your Sir Maximus has returned and he has brought reinforcements,” Ellice hissed at her. “See the woman in the carriage? That is the Earl of Coventry’s wife. She is asking for you.”
Shocked, Courtly looked at the carriage.
It was very fine, painted in colors of yellow and black, and the woman inside was quite elegant and lovely.
She had very dark hair and a porcelain-like face, now speaking very politely to Kellen.
Courtly couldn’t hear the words but she could see that the lady was smiling at Kellen, obviously engaging him in pleasant conversation.
Courtly had no idea what to make of the situation.
“But why is she here?” Courtly asked. “Where is Sir Maximus?”
Ellice shook her head. “I do not know him on sight but I heard the lady mention him,” she said quietly. Then, she gave Courtly a shove towards the Coventry carriage. “Go, now. Show yourself. The countess wishes to speak with you!”
Courtly stumbled as her aunt pushed but she caught herself and moved towards the carriage as instructed.
She was fixed on the lovely woman speaking to her father, quite curious about her appearance here at Kennington.
But she was eager to see Sir Maximus again and her eyes darted about, trying to find him in the group of Coventry men, but they were all dressed in armor and tunics that made them all look alike.
Her hunt for Sir Maximus abruptly ended when she finally locked eyes with the Countess of Coventry and Kellen, seeing the countess’ shift in focus, turned to see that his daughter was nearly standing next to him.
Startled by Courtly’s unexpected appearance, Kellen’s initial reaction was one of anger.
He almost ordered her away but realized that he could not, not in front of all of these people.
In truth, he had been preparing to tell Lady de Shera that his daughter was unavailable when Courtly appeared.
Therefore, he did the only thing he could do. He hastened to make introductions.
“Lady de Shera,” he said, sounding displeased. “This is my daughter, Lady Courtly. It is she who you have been inquiring about.”
Kellen would look back on that moment as the day that changed his life forever.