Princess of Silence, page 30
part #1 of When Kings Collide Series
Katherine was curious to know how Margaret had survived, but she didn’t know how to ask the question. Normally, in such a situation, she wouldn’t have bothered to try. Margaret’s friendliness inspired her to want to carry on a conversation with her, something she hadn’t wanted with most people.
She thought for a moment, tapping her chin, Margaret’s full attention focused on her face. Katherine pointed at Margaret, and the queen nodded, cocking her head to the side as if to say she was following. Next, Katherine made a gesture like someone falling asleep, hands folded and her head resting on them. Then, she pretended to wake up. Margaret nodded along, showing her understanding. “You want to know what happened to cause me to fall asleep? Or how I woke up?”
Katherine shook her head vigorously at the second question. She knew about Berkley’s deception already because Matthew had told her. Since he didn’t know his wife was alive, he couldn’t tell her the rest.
Margaret took a deep breath. “You may know I was poisoned.” Her face took on a dark tone as she spoke of unpleasant memories. “It was mandrake. Are you familiar?” Katherine nodded, and she continued. “I had only ingested a small bit, but it was enough to cause severe vomiting. I lost consciousness. Russell, however, the royal physician, had been experimenting with different levels of mandrake poisoning and various anecdotes. He had discovered a way to treat small doses of mandrake poisoning, but it involved placing the patient in a sleep-like state while the body healed. He was able to administer the proper dosage in time, and when he believed I had recovered from the mandrake poisoning, he began to bring me out of the sleep state.”
Her eyes wide, Katherine took in the information. It sounded like something out of a storybook. She’d assumed Russell had been part of the staff of Castle Caine, but it was interesting to know he’d come from Zurconia.
Margaret continued. “Unfortunately, it took much longer than he had anticipated for me to fully awaken. None of that matters now. I am alive and well and ready to go on with my life. There’s just one thing missing,” she said, glancing down at the ring she wore on her fourth finger and pressed her other hand on top of it.
Katherine reached out and squeezed her hand trying to be of some comfort. Margaret met her eyes, tears in the corners, and Katherine felt herself growing emotional as well. As much as she wanted Matthew to be found unharmed, she could only imagine how desperately his queen wished to get him back. She prayed it would be soon.
At the bottom of the stairs, Dale was waiting, shifting his weight impatiently. Caleb’s brow furrowed. “What is it?”
“James of Nadoria has just arrived at the castle.” Dale shook his head, his lips tight.
“What?” That made little sense to him. By now, Katherine should’ve been handed off and they should both be nearly back to Nadoria. “Why is he here?”
Dale turned and headed toward the throne room, Caleb following. “I’ll let him tell you, Sir.” Caleb went along in silence, thinking whatever had happened, it couldn’t be good. Dale opened the door for him and then followed Caleb in.
James stood in front of the throne, two men behind him, his attendants, Caleb assumed. James was covered in sweat as if he’d run the entire distance, the scowl on his face indicating he was angry, though his eyes reflected sadness.
“Prince James.” Caleb rushed over, offering his hand. James stared at it for a moment before he took it as if he wasn’t exactly sure he wanted to. “What’s happened?” Katherine wasn’t present; a sinking feeling set in as he imagined something must’ve gone wrong.
James spoke through clenched teeth. “My sister has been abducted.”
Caleb’s eyes widened in disbelief. He turned to look at Dale, who already knew the situation. The officer nodded, still solemn, and Caleb turned back to James. “My God! What happened?”
James sighed and ran a hand through his hair, sprinkling sweat across the marble floor. He was clearly exhausted, his emotions getting the better of him. “We were at Landres Hill, had the carriage in view. They disappeared in a ravine around a bend and never reemerged. We closed in, finding only destruction. All of your guardsmen killed—arrows everywhere. A few of my men gave chase and were able to capture one of them—Gradenian Cavalry. They… they took her.”
“Son of a bitch,” Caleb muttered, unsure what else to say. Not only had he lost several of his best men, he’d have to get involved in Katherine’s rescue now, and it wasn’t a fool like Philip he’d be fighting either. This meant war. With Gradenia. How could Leopold be so brash?
James’s voice broke as he continued. “We had scoped the area; we saw nothing, no one. I don’t know how Leopold managed to do this. It was as if his men had a secret passage, some sort of hiding place. At any rate, my sister is gone, and I feel you are at least partially responsible. I am requesting your assistance in negotiating her safe return.”
Caleb listened intently. “Of course. Arteria will certainly do whatever it takes to return your sister safely to you.” James nodded, extending his hand again. “None of my men survived then?” Caleb asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.
James, releasing his hand, looked down at the floor. “They were annihilated. No, no survivors.”
They had been his personal members of the King’s Guard, all of them close associates, friends. His mind flickered through each of their faces, their names coming to mind as he tried not to show his emotions. Once again, he glanced back at Dale, who was solemnly staring at the floor.
Caleb took a moment, struggling to regain control before he spoke. “I know it has been a long night, and a long ride for all of you, but please, join me at my table this evening, and we will discuss precisely how we will retrieve Katherine.” The thought that the woman had cost him so many important colleagues, and would likely cost him more, was another punch in the gut. But he had to do the right thing and ensure her safe return to Nadoria.
“As long as my sister is in the clutches of Leopold of Gradenia, I don’t think I will ever rest again.” He nodded acceptance of the offer, and Caleb gestured for a servant to show James and his men to rooms where they could prepare for the evening meal.
Once they had exited the room, Caleb turned to speak to Dale. “What a catastrophe,” he muttered. “Why would Leopold insert himself into this situation now? What can he possibly want with Katherine?”
Dale shook his head. “Revenge, perhaps? Something to barter with?”
Caleb shook his head. None of it made any sense. “Surely, he wouldn’t take such a risk on Philip’s behalf.”
“I wouldn’t think so, but none of us know either of them well enough to guess.”
Dale’s words sparked an idea in Caleb’s mind. “We don’t know them. But Rose does—Philip at least. She may have information she can share with us, something of value.”
“Do you think?” Dale asked, his expression showing he didn’t completely discount the notion. “Inviting her to dinner might be odd, what with Katherine’s brother there and a discussion of her return.”
“Yes, well, it’s not as if he has to worry about her running off and telling anyone. Fetch her from the tower, won’t you?” He was certain he could trust Rose. Even if she were capable of speaking, she wouldn’t say anything to anyone about anything they discussed.
“Very well,” Dale said, though his tone conveyed he wasn’t quite sure James would agree to the girl’s presence. Caleb would worry about that later. It was his table, and he’d invite whomever he pleased. The idea of sitting with Rose, with her as his equal, was appealing, and under the circumstances, he needed as much happiness as he could dredge up. Dale hurried off, and Caleb went to make sure Caroline was aware they’d be having extra guests for the evening meal.
Chapter 29
Margaret was just as avid a storyteller as her husband, and Katherine listened contently as she reminisced about her days with Matthew in Castle Ringley. Her stories made Katherine miss Matthew even more. Nevertheless, she was so thankful that he would have Margaret to return to. Now, if she were to stay at Castle Caine and continue her budding relationship with Caleb, perhaps Matthew would become like a brother to her. Katherine missed James more than anyone else at Meadington. She could certainly use a brother at the moment.
A knock at the door prompted one of Margaret’s ladies, but Katherine was so entranced by Margaret’s storytelling, she didn’t even turn to see who had entered. By the time she realized it was Val from the kitchen, she must’ve said “Rose” a few times because her tone was slightly impatient. When she finally turned her head, Val continued, “Rose, I’ve been sent to fetch you for the evening meal.”
Katherine nodded. Of course, she would be happy to help with the evening meal. Perhaps Caleb had been sent for because he had unexpected guests, which would make it more difficult for Caroline and the others. Saying a hasty goodbye to Margaret, Katherine rushed down the stairs and into the hallway behind Val.
Val wasn’t walking toward the kitchen as Katherine expected; she was walking toward the king’s bedchamber. Confused, Katherine followed along, wondering what was happening.
One of the other servant girls was exiting as the two girls entered Caleb’s room. She gave a little curtsey in Katherine’s general direction, which seemed odd to her, but she nodded back, respectfully. “Here, we are,” Val said, gesturing at a beautiful gown hanging in a hook from the armoire. It was a light blue satin material, with several layers widening the skirt and a bodice encrusted in gemstones. Elsewhere in the room, she saw the proper undergarments for such a gown. Katherine surmised the other girl must have brought the items in. “I will help you get dressed.”
Still confused, Katherine stared at Val, mouth open. She looked around the room as if there may be some other noblewoman present who would need assistance. Val giggled. “You can’t have dinner with the king wearing that!”
Katherine glanced down at her attire. She was wearing her servant’s dress from her time in the kitchen earlier in the day. Even the dress she’d gotten from Rose would not have been suitable for dinner at the royal table. The gown hanging here was definitely fit for royalty, and she wondered if her identity had been found out. But then, no one had called her Princess Katherine, and she imagined, if Caleb had somehow discovered the truth, he would’ve wanted to speak to her immediately. She could only infer that he simply wanted her to dine with him—and look like a lady while doing so.
Katherine stepped forward, rubbing the soft blue fabric between her fingers. The bodice twinkled in the light from the lamps. It was certainly a gorgeous gown, one fit for a princess or a queen.
Val went about helping her into the appropriate undergarments before Katherine could protest, not that she had much of a mind to. Then, she slipped the gown over Katherine’s head, lacing it up in the back. Once she was dressed and slid her feet into satin slippers left for her on the floor, she crossed the room to a full-length mirror. Val stood behind her as Katherine recognized herself for the first time in several days.
“You look lovely,” Val said, joining her with pins and combs in her hands. “Like a true princess. Or a queen.”
Katherine only smiled, wishing she could tell the kind girl the truth. Deciding her fingers had healed well enough, she unwrapped the bandage, thinking it would spoil the look if she left it on. Val pinned her hair up and inserted the combs and then brought her a simple, but elegant, blue jeweled necklace with matching earrings to finish the look. For the first time since she arrived in Arteria, Katherine felt like she was indeed a princess again.
Caleb only invited Dale and Gordon to join them because the dining table was small, and with James and his three attendants there wasn’t much room for anyone else. The two officers were his most trusted with David gone, and their council should be sufficient. An empty chair on his right awaited Rose’s arrival. He imagined it may take her some time to get dressed since she likely wasn’t used to wearing the type of gown he’d provided. He could only imagine how radiant she would be in the blue gown Caroline had suggested when he’d spoken to her a few moments ago. Caroline said she’d kept it back for a special occasion, not letting any of the other visiting dignitaries borrow it whenever crises arose—like when Katherine had needed clothing. It didn’t surprise him at all to think the cook had instinctually known the gown would come in handy someday. He only hoped Rose would forgive him for putting her in a potentially uncomfortable position.
“Who else are we expecting?” James asked, nodding at the empty seat.
Avoiding the stares from his two officers who had their own thoughts on the matter, he cleared his throat and said, “Her name is Rose. She was instrumental in helping my brother escape, and she knows your sister, as well as King Philip. She’s very clever, and I thought she might be of some use to us.”
“I see,” James replied, his forehead creasing slightly though he accepted that explanation.
Caleb smiled, glad James didn’t balk at the idea of Rose joining them. This was Caleb’s castle, after all, and he could do as he pleased. A servant girl came in with a carafe of wine and filled all of their glasses while another brought in the first course. Caleb’s eyes searched the main entryway. He didn’t want to start without Rose, but he didn’t know how long she might be. “She should be joining us shortly.”
The gentlemen exchanged a few pleasantries, though none of them were in a pleasant mood, so Caleb got down to business. “The cavalry you saw was certainly Gradenian and not from Clovington?” he asked.
James shook his head and swallowed before saying, “Their uniforms were certainly Gradenian.”
Caleb nodded, pausing to reflect on the implications once more. “It seems very odd to me that Leopold would risk bringing Nadoria into this conflict.”
“Indeed,” James remarked. “I felt the same way. It is impossible to guess at the logic behind the moves of a mad man, though. My only hope is that Katherine is safe.”
“Certainly,” Caleb agreed. Thinking back to the way the woman cried in the library right before she left, Caleb’s forehead wrinkled. She’d made up lies to avoid being sent home. “It’s as if she knew something terrible was about to happen.”
James rested his utensil on his plate. “What do you mean?” He stared at Caleb intently, begging for elaboration.
Being that Katherine had spoken poorly of James, Caleb knew he must be careful not to offend. “When I informed her that we were sending her home, back to Nadoria, she didn’t want to go. She pleaded with me to let her stay.”
James looked confused. “Pleaded with you? How do you mean?”
“She begged me not to make her go. She said she wanted to stay here.”
The prince cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrow. “She begged you? She said she didn’t want to go?” Caleb nodded, not sure where the disconnect was.
James looked at his associates, all of which looked as baffled as he seemed to be. After staring at his plate for a moment, the prince said, “But, that’s impossible.” He was shaking his head as he met Caleb’s eyes again.
Caleb reflected the confused look, at a loss for what he had said that was unfounded. “Whatever do you mean?” he asked. A door squeaked open behind James, but he didn’t look away from the prince, not yet.
“My sister couldn’t have said anything to you,” James replied emphatically.
Before the prince even finished his thought, a flicker of realization exploded in Caleb’s mind as all the pieces to a puzzle he hadn’t realized he’d been trying to solve flew together all at once.
The Prince of Nadoria didn’t get to finish his sentence, however. The sound of glass shattering on the stone floor, the rush of water splashing free of its container, had all of them turning their heads toward the servants’ entrance. Both king and prince stared wide eyed in disbelief at the woman one of them never expected to see standing before him and the other was truly seeing for the first time.
Katherine had stopped by the kitchen on her way to the dining room because Caroline had told Val she wanted to see her in the gown. After several minutes of doting, she told Katherine to go on to dinner, though she was now even later than she had been before. Caroline was also running behind, and Katherine had insisted on helping by carrying the water pitcher to the table. Despite Caroline’s protests, she had taken it anyway.
Her hands were shaking, and the glass was slippery. The idea that she’d be dining next to the king, dressed in this gown, had her stomach twisting in knots. Even though she knew her true station would allow her to be there, the other guests would have no idea that this was the case. She didn’t know who else might be present and just how harshly they might judge her. Not to mention simply being in Caleb’s presence made her nervous enough.
She came through the servants’ entrance simply because it was the easiest way for her to arrive from the kitchen, and she was, after all, carrying a pitcher of water. Her eyes immediately went to Caleb. He was sitting in his usual chair, in deep conversation with the man to his left who had his back to her. Despite his concerned expression, he was as handsome as always, the light from the chandelier making his blue eyes twinkle. He hadn’t noticed her yet, and watching him without her realizing she was there made her nerves calm just a bit.
Then, she looked at the man he was speaking to.
Shocked, Katherine gasped, and her already shaking hands slipped free of the pitcher’s handle. The glass fell, shattering all over the floor, drawing everyone’s immediate attention.
And then he saw her, too.
At first, it seemed he didn’t quite believe what he was seeing. He stared at her wide eyed, already getting to his feet before he said her name “Katherine!”
She had her hands over her mouth, trying to will the tears not to fall, but as her brother ran to her, his arms open, she could no longer hold them back. “You’re here?” James held her against his chest, squeezing her tightly. “How are you here and not in the hands of the Gradenians? They stole you. We saw the aftermath.”
