Warrior's Moon A Love Story (26 page)

“It’s me or one of them, Chani.  Or we’ll send for a physician.  Someone needs to look at it.  You choose.  From the volume of blood, the physician is probably the correct choice.  What happened?  Was it Rosskeene?” 

“No.”

“Then who?  His son?”

“No.”  He went to pull the shirt up again and she shook her head.  Pausing with the shirt half lifted, he looked directly at her and said, “Then who?  Tell me, Chani.  The truth.”

Finally, she simply decided to refuse.  “No, Peyton.  I’m not going to tell you, so you needn’t ask.”

He looked up in surprise.  “What do you mean?  Of course you’ll tell me.  You tell me everything.  We have no secrets.”

She shook her head.  “We do now.”

“Chani, we’re to be married.  We’re closer than anyone I know.  We’ve never kept secrets.  Why are you doing this?”

“Because . . .  Because . . .
‘Tis better that I should.  Just trust me, Peyton.  Please.  Trust me on this.  I’ll tell you someday.  You have my word.”

He looked at her hard for a long moment, then shook his head and picked back up the shirt tail.  “Let me look at it,
Chani.  We need to stop the bleedi . . .  Great thundering Methuselah!  Chani!  Chantaya Isabella Kincraig!  This is a huge slice!  It’s been stitched!  What in . . .  ”  He looked at her in horrified surprise as tears seeped into her eyes and he asked softly, “Is this what I think it is?”

She turned away and brushed sadly at the tears and said, “Don’t ask me, Pey.  Just don’t ask.  Just don’t.”  She whispered almost inaudibly, “Please.”

Taking her by both arms, he turned her back to face him and ever so gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him.  Tenderly, he said, “Oh, Chani.  My love. ‘Tis all right. ‘Tis all right for us to love each other enough to share even the ugliest of this life.  You can tell me.  Never feel like you can’t tell me.  You needn’t shoulder it alone.  I’m strong enough even for this.  I’m so sorry.  So sorry.”

He tenderly pressed a kiss to her forehead and she closed her eyes and let the tears come, but then she swallowed and said, “You are strong enough, Peyton.  I’m not.  Not yet.  I will tell you.  Later.  Right now, I can’t face it.”  She looked up at him, feeling the heartbreak of the situation they were in and repeated, “Later.  Soon.  As soon as we’re together and this mess with Rosskeene is over.”

He nodded and pulled her close again.  “All right, love.  All right.  Soon.  Don’t worry about it tonight.  Tonight, we’ll just pull it closed again as best we can, and bandage it and try to get it healing.  Let me go get some bandages out of my bags.”

She shook her head.  “In a moment, Pey.  Can you just hold me for a time?”

Pulling her tighter still, he whispered, “For forever, Chantaya.  Only for forever.”
  

                                                       
Chapter 17

When she awoke the next morning, the sun was high in the sky and someone had brought her a tub and filled it with steaming water.  Whoever it was had even left her soap and a vial of scented oil behind the dressing screen there.  Sitting up, she tried not to
groan at how stiff she was from riding.  She gingerly stretched to determine whether the wound on her ribs was sticking to her bed clothing again.  Peyton had bandaged it, but it tended to break open whenever she changed.  She was hoping to be able to make it through this ball without bleeding on the ball gown.

Arising, she stepped behind the screen and began to undress and then was surprised when there came a knock at the door and it opened a crack.  Just as she was beginning to scramble back into her clothes, a feminine voice said, “May I come in, Miss?  Sir Peyton asked me to bring ya these.  ‘E sent for some lovely new things for ya.”  She smiled across at Chantaya and then advanced into the room as she continued, “’E said he wanted you to feel like the princess herself, ‘e did.  I be Emma, miss.  But you can call me Emmy.  Everyone else does.  I’ve been sent to assist ya.” 

She set a parcel down and began to unwrap it as she said, “’E didn’t actually buy these things, mind you.  Said ‘e hadn’t the slightest thought about what you’d need.  Just tried to describe what size ya was.  That was an adventure, I can tell ya.  E asked Shaun’s sister to help him, but ‘twas ‘is idea. ‘Tis right sweet of ‘im, I think.  Don’t you miss?”

Hesitantly, Chantaya nodded, “Yes, sweet indeed.”

“Here be the under things and some slippers, and I’ll be right back with the dress and hat.  I’ll just hang them on the screen there.   Oh, and ‘e said to tell you there would be a bite for ya to eat and then a carriage here to take ya to have your gown fitted at one o’clock, or there abouts, miss.  That’s about another hour.  And will ya need help with doin’ your hair?  I often help with the ladies’ hair here.”

Suddenly worried about how she would wear her hair, Chantaya frowned and then said, “That would be very nice, thank you.”

“Well, good then.  I’ll be back in ‘alf the hour or so to help ya.  If you need anything else, just let me know.”

“Actually, if you wouldn’t mind, Emmy.  I could use some help here.”  Chantaya came out from behind the screen toward the diminutive maid.  “My chemise is quite stuck here in this nasty scab where it has soaked through the bandage.  I’m trying to keep it from opening and bleeding again.  Could you loosen it, possibly?  Would you mind?  I know it’s quite unpleasant.  I’m so sorry.”

Emmy bent to begin to free the fabric, gasped and said, “My laws, Miss.  You’ve . . .  You’ve got a . . .  My gracious, but that’s a large wound.  I can’t seem to loosen it.  There, oh, I’m so sorry, Miss.  The whole bandage has slipped rather than coming free of the blouse.  We’ll have to rewrap it.  And it’s begun to bleed again.  My laws, however did ya acquire such a slice, Miss?  If you don’t mind my asking?”

Chantaya worked not to groan and said, “You don’t want to know, Emmy.  Trust me.  Thank you so much for your help.  I was having such a hard time by myself.  Thank you.  And would you mind finding Sir Peyton and asking for some clean bandaging?”

“Not at all, Miss.  I’ll go right away.  You’re sure you’ll be all right by yourself?” 

Chantaya nodded and the big eyed maid left.  Chantaya hated to even let anyone see that, but she needed to be able to get her clothes off without ripping it wide open as well.  She let out a breath as she slipped into the sweetly scented bath and decided to do just what she had been doing for ten days now.  Try to ignore the wound and the reason for it and get on with the stuff of life without bothering about it.  After all, tonight she was to go to a royal ball.  Not one peasant in a thousand got a chance like that.  And if she could contain her nerves, she was going to enjoy every moment of it.

Once bathed, she dried off, rewrapped herself with the bandaging Emmy had brought in, and then near basked in the clean, white underclothing that had been left her.  Never in her life had she owned clothing so fine and soft.  Even over the wound it felt as smooth as silk.  Which was good, because the chemise was uncomfortably tight, and she let the lacing out as far as she could over the bandage. 

The dress was easily the most elegant thing she’d ever had the privilege to wear as well.  Indigo blue, it was made of a shiny, crisp fabric that had a subtle pattern to it that caught the light wherever it hugged the curves of her bosom and small waist and then fell into a graceful full skirt to the floor. 
‘Twas unspeakably lovely, and yet understated at the same time.  The cut of it accentuated her superior height and set off her figure perfectly.  As she attempted to do up the dozens of tiny, indigo buttons, she wondered how under heaven the princess had been able to find something that just fit her so well.

Emmy came back in and was indispensible in assisting her with the buttons and then exclaimed over Chantaya’s curls as she helped her smoothly gather them up into an elegant cascade the small matching hat perched upon.  Indeed, when Chantaya stood to stare into the looking glass before going out to meet Peyton, she wasn’t sure who that exquisite, poised, genteel woman was who stood there, almost regally, looking back at her.  It most definitely wasn’t the tired and grubby stable hand who had dragged in, in the middle of the night last night.  It would seem she was going to be able to play her part for this royal masquerade ball after all. 

Moments later, as she walked out to meet Peyton, she was hard pressed not to laugh at the expressions of both Matthew and Shaun as Peyton approached her to give her a light hug and lead her to a laden table.  They were apparently stunned speechless at her transformation and Peyton grinned at her as he said serenely, “Good morning, or rather, good day.  It’s just the four of us this morning.  Did you get rested then?  You look lovely.”

He pulled out her chair to seat her as she replied, “I’m quite rested, thank you.  And famished.  This repast looks heavenly.  How did you sleep?” 

“Well.”

She turned to Matthew and Shaun and asked, “And you gentlemen?  Are you rested as well?”  Shaun didn’t even stop staring to answer.  Matthew merely nodd
ed and she went on, “I need to thank you again for all you did to see me safely here last night.  I am indeed grateful to the both of you.  Thank you.  Truly.”

Matthew finally answered, “
'Tis that you are most welcome, Miss Chantaya.  ‘Twas our pleasure.”  After a pause, he said more frankly, “I can hardly conceive you are the same soul who rode out to the woods to greet us last even.  You look fair transformed. ‘Tis sore scrambling my sensibilities.”

Chantaya laughed lightly at this and said just as frankly, “Please.  Let us keep my sensibility scrambling escapades of last even to ourselves.  Poor Sir Peyton would be fair mortified if anyone but you, his closest friends, knew o
f my disgraceful behavior.  Unfortunate man, he’s forever trying to make me behave like a lady.”

“Well, ’tis sure he’s succeeding.  You are every bit the lady today, Miss Chantaya.  Wouldn’t you agree, Sir Peyton?”

Peyton chuckled as the three of them sat down beside her, and said, “Looking the lady isn’t the hard part for Chantaya.  She’s been this lovely since first I set eyes upon her when she was but three. ‘Tis things like heights, and half wild horses that I have trouble containing with her.”

Chantaya pursed her lips.  “You poor man.  You haven’t gotten any gray hairs yet from me that I can detect.  Shall we pray, Sir Knight?  Your friends are undoubtedly starving.  No more tattling on me now.”  She smiled and meekly bowed her head and Peyton chuckled once more before reaching for her hand under the table and saying a short prayer.

Several times during the meal, which was positively strange because it had been long since she had been served, instead of doing the serving, he again reached for her hand.  Although he hadn’t overreacted to how she looked, she knew he was proud of her here before his friends and it made her incredibly relieved.  She’d been worried from the first time he mentioned the ball, and in truth, probably even before that, that he would be embarrassed by his young, unsophisticated girl from the country.

Shaun never did interject much conversation into that meal.  Every time Chantaya chanced to look his way, he still seemed a trifle stunned for some reason.  Matthew livened up and commenced to tease Peyton nigh unmercifully, and she was gratified to know Peyton had found good friends here to make up for having to leave the rest of his life behind in Navarre.  That knowledge would ease her mind tomorrow when they went back to living far apart from each other again.

When they were finished, Peyton gently helped her up from the table and away from the others and asked, “Shall we be off to have your gown fitted, then?”

She looked up at him in
concern.  “Do you not think it fits well enough?  I thought it a remarkably good fit for me never having tried it on before.”

He only looked at her in momentary confusion and then smiled and put both hands on her shoulders to explain, “Chani, my love.  This frock was from me.  ‘Tis only a lovely gift to ensure you are comfortable here among my friends and the nobles we will be around.  This isn’t your ball gown.  Indeed, I’ve never yet set eyes on your dress for this evening, but this isn’t it.  The princess has arranged for your ball gown as a sort of gift of gratitude for our help in preserving the kingdom.  Come.  I’ll take you to the dressmaker’s shop to have it fitted, although it will have to be lovely indeed to be more beautiful than you look already this day.  You are a rare vision.”

Watching her eyes, he leaned and gently kissed her and then kissed her again, this time more thoroughly, before repeating, “An exquisitely rare vision.  I was near struck speechless at your loveliness when you appeared this morning.”  He laughed softly.  “Shaun was indeed struck dumb.  ‘Twas quite funny, actually.  I’ve never seen the like with him.  He’s usually such a sharp witted fellow.  Poor lout.  Alas, it only proves you are beautiful.”

A measure out of breath, she murmured, “Thank you.”  Then
she smiled as she asked, “Pray, tell, how did you come to find a dress that so perfectly fit me?”

He grinned down at her.  “I simply told the woman who helped me that you were about this tall.”  He put a hand to the top of her head.  “About this big around.”  He wrapped his hands about her waist.  “Had a heavenly figure.  And fit perfectly inside my arms.”

Chantaya laughed.  “And she knew exactly how to gauge my size from that?” 

“Exactly.”

Chantaya rolled her eyes and laughed again as she shook her head.  “I do wish I’d been there to see you say that.  It seems to have worked.  The dress fits well and is the loveliest I’ve ever dreamed of.  Thank you.”

“You are welcome, my sweet, intrepid Chantaya.  Thank you for being willing to come here with me.  I know it has been difficult for you.  And I am so deeply sorry for what happened last night.  But I’m so proud and happy to have you at my side.  I’ve missed you so, Chani.  And I’ve wished so to be able to share some of this life with you.  Today is that rare chance.  Thank you.  Come.  Let us away to that ball gown.”

He settled her in the carriage, directed the coachman and then climbed in to try to fold his own large frame into the seat. He smiled across at her and it was fair strange.  Back home, they had walked most everywhere for near the whole of their lives.  Or ridden in the cart or even horse back.  Never had she been in such a carriage as this and although it was exciting, in a way, it was troubling.  For just a moment, she wondered if they would lose the sweet, carefree childhood friendship that had been so precious to them for so many years.

As if reading her thoughts, he turned and pulled her gently to him, leaned her head against his shoulder and said, “
'Tis a shame Tristan can’t be here with us today.  Isn’t it?  He would have enjoyed this.  A fairytale moment before returning to our real lives.  An adventure of sorts.  Although, I must admit, I’d truly rather tramp about the countryside with you and your herb basket than pretend to hobnob with the gentry.” 

He nuzzled her temple where her curls had been so painstakingly arranged.  “Still, ‘tis festive for a time.  And this will all become a portion of our lives, now that I am a knight.  Not a large portion, but necessary, all the same.  I’m so proud that you are educated and astute enough to make the transition so gracefully.”

She sighed and closed her eyes to enjoy his breath against her skin and admitted, “I do so hope I can indeed make the transition, Peyton.  Truly, I’m quite frightened.  But yes, what an adventure.  I just pray I don’t embarrass you.”

“You won’t.  In truth, you look so stunning that I’m feeling nearly wicked, I’m so proud.  Rather than worrying you’l
l embarrass me, I’m worried you’ll over do.  How are your ribs?  And your cough?  Last night I worried we’d set you completely back again.”

Just the mention of her cough made her throat tickle and then she wondered if the bandage on her ribs showed through her elegant dress, but she only said, “I’m well, thank you.  Perfectly well.”  She made a point of looking out the carriage window and added, “I’ve never been to a city. ‘Tis almost a portion intimidating.  I
keep wondering if they all can immediately tell that I’ve hardly been outside of the village of Navarre.  Valais feels huge by comparison.  How far must we travel to the dressmakers?”