"Sir Guy's Atonement" (Book 3) by Gratiana Lovelace, 2015 (a Wattys2015 Nominee)

Ch. 4 (PG-13): Risk

While seeming to be sharpening his dagger with a whetstone--flexing his ten year old muscles purposefully for the eleven year old and sweetly blossoming Lady Caroline’s benefit--Seth Gisborne [(2) right]  surreptitiously watches the exchange between his sister and her from across the room. He sits on the edge of the cot assigned to him in their bedchamber reorganized into a children’s and servants room. Both Seth and Lady Caroline are, as of yet, unaware that his family might wish to betroth him to her.  For now, it is enough that Seth’s growing interest in Lady Caroline is beginning to align itself more closely with her own interests regarding Seth.

Lady Helen: “Isn’t Cloud pretty, Lady Caroline?”  Lady Helen gushes while holding her one year old off white cat in her arms.

Lady Caroline:  “Cloud is very pretty indeed, Lady Helen.” Lady Helen smiles delightedly at such praise for her pet. For Lady Caroline--cats, or kittens are her favorite.  “I wonder, will Cloud let me hold her?”  Lady Caroline asks eagerly.  Lady Caroline has a kitty at home, but was required to leave it behind when she traveled with her father to her sister Lady Mary’s home.

Lady Caroline [(3) right] smiles welcomingly to the cat--making Seth Gisborne wish that he were a cat.  And Lady Caroline holds out her arms for the cat Cloud to come to her. 

But the slightly skittish kitty jumps out of Lady Helen’s arms, runs across the children’s cots and beds, and hops up to sit on the open window sill stone ledge while licking itself clean and disdainfully looking down at the thirty foot drop to the ground. The kitty Cloud likes the view, but is mindful to stay on the inside of the window. The myth about cats having nine lives [(4)] is over stated and is less about cats surviving catastrophe, and more about cats avoiding catastrophe.

Then feeling slightly annoyed that his much younger six year old sister Lady Helen was allowed to bring her one year old pet Cloud the cat, but he was not allowed to bring his pet the now six year old and very large English Mastiff dog Prince, Seth Gisborne pouts a bit, and intones in a big brotherly way--in part, trying to impress Lady Caroline with his guidance of his younger sibling Lady Helen.

Seth:  Trying to deepen his voice to sound older, Seth intones a bit overbearingly.  “Helen, you had best keep your cat in its basket carrier so that it does not go wondering about the castle.  The castle is so vast that we will never find her if she goes exploring on her own.  I am surprised that Mama and Papa allowed you to bring her with you.”

Lady Helen:  “Oh Seth, Cloud is fine!”  Lady Helen snaps at him. Really, Seth can be so bossy, him trying to order her around.  “She is my pet and I will see to her!  Come Cloud.” Lady Helen beckons and Cloud jumps off of the window ledge and races into Lady Helen’s arms.  “See?” She smiles triumphantly.

Lady Caroline:  “Lady Helen, you are fortunate that your cat abides by your commands.  Our cat Mischief is aptly named because he  is forever getting stuck up in trees or on outside window ledges.  We have a devil of time getting him safely back inside from time to time.”

Seth:  “Oh? And how do you manage that?”  Seth asks with interest--in drawing Lady Caroline into a conversation with him, more so than caring about what her cat does.

Lady Caroline: “A bit of fish usually tempts him.”  Lady Caroline smiles shyly at Seth.  She likes him, but is waiting to see if he likes her.  There is a silence between them for a few moments--that she breaks. “But I must leave you now to see how my sister Lady Mary fares--her being with child tires her out so, even more so than with her first two children. So I will see you tonight at the feast.”  She smiles and leaves.

Seth nods and blushes at Lady Caroline’s use of the phrase with child.  Of course, Seth’s father Sir Guy has not yet  talked with him about ladies. It is on Sir Guy’s mind since Seth is now ten years old and they are considering betrothing him to Lady Caroline.  But he has been putting it off.  Sir Guy wants to mentor his son into his developing manhood--which also means having to give Seth guidance about ladies and romance.  Sir Guy’s rather randy upbringing--with willing kitchen maids, such as Seth’s mother--is not what Sir Guy wants for his son.  His son will behave as a gentleman and as a noble.