Don't Forget to Dream (7 page)

Pushing her seat back from the table Tanya stood up.
“
We have taken up enough of your time young sirs. Best we let you eat in peace rather than nattering on at you.
”
As she turned to leave the room Callum was sure there were tears gathering on her lashes.

Jacob cleared his throat and stood as well.
“
Enjoy you food. And thank you for letting us know Rhyla is well. You may have gathered that we think the world of her. Seeing her go was like watching one of my own daughters ride away. Send her our greetings when next you see her, if you would be so kind.
”

“
Of course, and I shall keep an eye on her for you,
”
Callum said before settling in to their meal.

The ride back to Lestran was largely made in silence. Martin knew by the hard look on Callum
’
s face that his friend was deeply troubled. They pushed the horses hard but slowed to a brisk walk for the last miles so as not to return them
to
the stables in a complete lather
. Callum would never risk harming their mounts just because he was in a hurry. Despite their efforts
,
upon entering the palace courtyard it was still evident that they had had a hard ride, but who was going to query if the Prince and Captain wanted to go riding for the day. Leaving their mounts to the stable lads the young men parted company with barely a word required between them.

Martin retired to the barracks where he found Brit. A few coins for their meals and several pints of ale was enough to encourage him and a couple of
his
friends to spend their night off duty at the Laughing Willow with the strict instructions to keep an eye out for trouble. Brit had only seen
17 summers so was still quite
new to the Royal Guard. He was more astute than his cousin, more ambitious as well. He had heard of the secret wagering at the Laughing Willow and knew without being explicitly told that they were on guard duty for the evening, even if their ward was only a tavern maid.

As he made his way up the grand staircase Callum called a serving lass to have hot water brought up to his rooms. His rooms were on the second floor of the main broach of the Palace, in the far northwest corner, far enough away from his family that he could come and go as he pleased while still being in
the Royal family quarters. Entering from the hallway he unceremoniously dropped his riding jacket on the nearest of three solidly constructed cushioned chairs as he passed through the small reception room to his bedchamber. The small fireplace in the reception room was cleaned and laid with fresh tinder and logs, as was the large fireplace in his bedchamber, but he was warm enough from his rid
e not to bother lighting either.
He
would not be lingering in his rooms long.

He leaned casually against a corner of his four-posted bed, levering off first one then the other of his long riding boots. He left them where they fell but was conscious not to get the dirt from his clothes onto the heavily embroidered bed hangings or the rich woollen carpets. His mother and the more fearsome Mistress O
’
Mara had scolded him for such a lapse more times than he could count by the time
he was a teenager.
It
had become a habit. Mistress O
’
Mara was the head housekeeper, a tall broad shouldered and broad waisted woman who wielded he
r
broom as any warrior brandishes his sword.

As he started unbuttoning his shirt a knock at the door was followed by a call from Ferran, his manservant.
“
Prince Callum.
I have the water,
”
called out
the young tenor voice
.

“
In here Ferran,
”
Callum called out then waited for Ferran to make his way through the room and into a small side-room he used for private washing and dressing. Ferran emptied the two steaming buckets of water into a large stone bowl.
“
After I have cleaned up I need to have a word with my Grandmother. Do you know where she is?
”

Ferran waited
to take the filthy clothes away. H
e was used to cleaning up after his Prince and like all good personal servants made it his business to know where everyone that could be of interest was at any time.

“
Lady Emelia is in her sunroom your highness.
”

“
Is she alone?
”

“
Elsie is in attendance.
”

“
Good. Can you fetch me something to wear to dinner?
”
Callum asked as he began lathering up the small hand towel.

“
Yes,
your highness.
”
Ferran deposited the soiled clothes neatly by the door and dusted off his hands before opening the cupboards and chests that lined the room, quickly selecting an appropriate outfit while Callum bathed.

After dressing in black trousers and boots and a complementing green shirt and jacket that Lady Emelia had contributed to the making off, Callum made his way to the small sunroom his grandmother often favoured when the chattering of the women
’
s hall began to tire her. Just as Ferran had said Elsie, Lady Emelia
’
s maidservant, sat quietly sewing inside the doorway so that her mistress would not need to call out if she should require anything.

“
Good afternoon Grandmother,
”
Callum said, announcing his presence from the doorway.

“
Ah, Callum,
”
Lady Emelia said, looking up from the book she was obviously struggling to read.

Elsie quickly stood and neatly curtsied.
“
Prince Callum,
”
she said softly.

Callum glanced her way, noting how her cheeks flushed just as they did every time he looked her way.
“
Good afternoon Elsie. May I have a quiet visit with my grandmother?
”

“
Oh.... of course your highness,
”
she stammered.
“
Lady Emelia,
”
she said glancing back at her mistress,
“
by your leave.
”

“
Yes Elsie, you may go. I am sure you have more useful tasks to attend to and my grandson can keep me entertained until dinner.
”

Elsie curtsied firstly to Lady Emelia and then again to Prince Callum before leaving the sunroom and closing the door behind her.

Lady Emelia indicated a second richl
y cushioned chair next to hers.
The s
unroom was one of the few
Palace
rooms
to
have large clear glass windows. M
ost made do with smaller, irregular or at times smoky glass or were only protected by wooden shutters. These windows looked south over the vegetable gardens and, visib
le over the far wall were
the trees of the Royal gardens. There was alw
ays activity outside the window.
Lady Emelia loved to watch the seasons change with the planting and growth of the vegetable garden.

She was a slight figure these days, her hair completely grey but she always appeared immaculate. Her eyesight was failing but she had trained Elsie to her requirements. As the widowed mother of the
Queen she had time on her hands;
no household to manage and no husband to contend with. Callum knew how much she cherished his visits. His young nephews were still energetic enough to quickly exhaust her and most of the family were regularly occupied with their various duties. Only Callum had the time to spend with her.

Callum gently kissed his grandmother on the chee
k before relaxing into the offered chair.

“
You have been out of the city all day. Did you have fun?
”
she asked before he could begin.
Callum smiled at her shrewdness.
She
made it her busines
s to keep a track of the family
and anyone else that may be of interest to her.

“
Yes, Martin and I went for a ride in the country,
”
he offered casually, hoping this was a way to broach the request he intended to make.
“
We were
looking for an excuse to ride out and were recently recommended a village inn.
”
A lie around the truth was better than recreating an entire story.

“
A village inn?
”
she queried.
He
should have known she wouldn
’
t be fooled so easily.

“
I was very impressed,
”
he continued ignoring her unspoken questions and continuing with the little tale.
“
It was a tidy village, the inn was clean and the food tasty and wholesome. To be honest it was very nice to be treated as a common traveller,
seated in an inn with a friend, with no
one bowing or nervously wringing their hands in desperate need of my approval.
”

“
Ah. A moment away from the pressures of court and your station, a rare gift,
”
she offered in mocking sympathy, knowing full well that he regularly ate and drank throughout the city and was relatively unhindered, even if he was known to all and didn't quite see it the same way.

Callum sighed at her tone,
“
I know the privileges of my birth, Grandmamma, and I understand the ease it has brought to my life, but to be completely myself for a while was very refreshing. And anyway aren
’
t you the one who has always encouraged me to see the countryside, to understand the daily life of the common man,
”
he retorted.

“
Yes, that is very true. It is of greatest importance that a man of power does not
lose
sight of
the needs of those below him, to
do so
only
breeds
contempt and ultimately tyranny.
”

Callum had heard this argument many times in his life and knew it was a lecture Lady Emelia never tired of giving to any family member who happened to be near at an appropriate moment.

“
I shall heed you advice Grandmamma,
”
Callum added before she could proceed further.

“
You always were a go
od, thoughtful boy. Now tell me
how you heard of this village. There are doubtless dozens you could have chosen
from
,
”
Lady Emelia pried, giving Callum exactly the opening he was looking for.

“
A tavern mai
d I meet recently grew up there.
She
recommended it,
”
he replied casually.

“
A tavern maid
,
Callum!
”
she exclaimed before continuing in disgust.
“
As soon as I think you are growing up you disappoint me.
”

“
No.... no, Grandmamma.
It
’
s not like that. She works at the Laughing Willow. Tobias assaulted her a few nights ago and I had to step in. She is a good virtuous girl, and from what the townsfolk say about her she is wasted at a tavern.
”
Callum could see the interest he had created in his grandmother. She always had a soft heart for girls in trouble, especially as it was her favourite grandson bringing the girl to her attention.

“
What do you mean wasted?
”
she queried,
“
there were many girls in town who come in from the farms.
Why
is this one any different?
”

“
She can read and write. Her fat
her was a farmer and blacksmith.
He
was murdered a couple of months back and their home destroyed by bandits. She had nothing, so came here to earn an honest living. She refused to live on the charity of her friends.
”
He kept his description simple, knowing the first sentence had caught her attention and the personal tragedy would further snare her sympathies.

“
An honest living i
n a tavern with fiends l
ike Tobias Blake preying on her and
prepared to ruin her for an evening
’
s entertainment.
”
r
etorted Lady
Emelia. Callum
caught his breath fearing she may know more than he had thought she would. He watched her think for a minute and realised it was a simple statement over the poor morality Tobias was known for and not a specific understanding. She continued with a quiet question,
“
Are you sure she can read and write?
”