No one has to know

Chapter 15

"Umm...Of course...What was I thinking? We'll have room made up for him as well. It may take my servants a bit. You'll have to excuse them. We weren't expecting you to bring anyone but guards." He said. He motioned to a servant. "Audrey, please show the Queen Mother to her room."

"Allow me to help you, your grace." Bash said taking a step forward and extending an arm.

"Thank you, Sebastian." She said trying to sound as proper as she could. As they followed a few feet behind Audrey, Bash leaned into speak.

"That wasn't necessary you know. I would have been just fine with the guards." He said.

"Nonsense, there's no reason you shouldn't have a room." She said. "Besides, if all the guards are like the one at the gate, I wouldn't want to subject you to that." Bash stifled a laugh.

The first thing Catherine did once she was settled in, after having her ankle taken care of, was to have the servant draw her a bath.

"Will you be needing any help getting in?" Asked the servant.

"No, I'll be fine thank you. You can go. I can take care of it from here" Catherine said. The servant left and Catherine dropped her robe and carefully lowered herself into the warm water. She laid her head back and closed her eyes. Her mind started drifting from problem to problem and she kept mentally shooing them away. She just wanted to relax for a few messily minutes. 'It's too bad Bash isn't here.' She thought. 'I never think about my problems when he's around.' She started to think about the way he looked at her, the way he touched her, the way he held her. She imagined his taste, his smell, she could almost feel his skin on hers. She could feel his hands on her running over her shoulders to her neck. His lips on hers.

"You must really be enjoying that bath." Said Bash. Catherine's eyes flew open.

"Bash. What...what on earth are you doing? It would be bad enough getting caught by our own servants, if we get caught here, the gossip would be half way to England by morning." She said.

"Relax. No ones going to catch us. I told the guard outside I would watch your room myself. The door is locked and the servant won't be back since you sent her away." He explained kissing her again. He pulled away a little and she smiled a bit. Bash pulled off his clothes and slid in the bath behind her, his arms wrapped around her middle, holding her against his chest. She leaned her head back and nestled her face into his neck. He traced circles on the top of her arm. "What were you thinking of so intently when I came in?"

"This." She said leaning back a bit further to kiss the corner of his lips, her fingertips on his chin. "And this." She kissed his neck "And this." She kissed the skin below his ear.

"I do like the way you think." He said as he began to kiss her neck. She lifted her arm behind her to tangle her fingers through his hair. He ran his hand down her side and back up to cup her breast, his other hand grazing the skin just below her belly button. She slowly turned around, straddling him. She cupped his face with both hands and kissed him. His lips parted slowly allowing her entrance as he wrapped his arms around her. They only stopped when they were sufficiently out of breath.

"I thought you were afraid of getting caught." He said pointedly.

"I am. I shouldn't have started something that can't be finished, but your touch can be very convincing." She said.

"Perhaps I can convince you further." He said kissing her again and running his hands along her thighs. She moaned into his mouth and pulled away slightly.

"Bash, this is a bad idea. We really shouldn't." She said.

"If I had a ducat for every time we did something we shouldn't, I would be a very wealthy man." He said.

"Bash, please." She said.

"Alright. I'll have to be strong. Walking away from such a perfect moment as this won't be easy." He said as she moved off of him. He got out of the tub and put on his pants. Then he leaned down for one more quick kiss.

"You'll just have to make it up to me when we get home." He said.

"Oh believe me, I will." She promised grinning at him. He pulled on the rest of his clothes and quietly slipped out. Catherine laid back in the water again mentally cursing herself. She wasn't sure if it was dumber letting him in the tub, or letting him out.

After she finished her bath, she pulled  out the only other dress she had salvaged from their accident. It was lackluster and not exactly fit for the occasion, but it was preferable to the blood stained, dirt encrusted one she'd been wearing. She decided to dress herself instead of calling the servant back. She really didn't feel like having company at the moment. She put on the dress and limped her way over to the mirror and sat down to fix her hair. She wasn't in the mood to fuss with it, so she pulled it up in a more simple, loose bun, letting some curls fall down on the sides, instead of her usual fancy up-dos. After that was done she pulled out her shoes and attempted to squeeze her swollen foot into them. They were a bit tight, but she wasn't going to show up at dinner wearing Bash's spare boots. Just then Bash came in.

"I hope you're almost... ready." He stopped when he saw her. "You look beautiful." He said.

"But I'm a mess. My hair is barely presentable, I'm wearing the dress I brought merely as a spare and well of course there's this lovely limp..." she started.

"Well maybe that's the point, you're not all gussied up like usual. Not that you ever look bad, but now...you're just you. No mask, no heirs, no decoration, just... Catherine." He explained. She smiled, but tried to hide it. She felt like some lovesick teenager. "Well...um...they are waiting for us. That's why I..."

"Of course. We should go." She said and they left for the feast.

Catherine spent the night eating and discussing politics and Bash spent it trying not to look at Catherine. Then they both went to bed and tried to sleep instead of thinking about their missed opportunity in the tub earlier.

They woke the next morning eager to return to the castle. The duke had gifted them a pair of horses. He offered them a carriage as well, but they declined knowing it would be much faster without one. They rode as fast as they could without tiring the horses, only stopping a few times. Catherine rode as well as she said, despite her injury. Bash found himself purposely slowing down a few times so he could watch her. How odd that she would seem so in her element. It saddened him knowing that she had hidden this free spirit away for so long.

As they came into view of the castle Bash halted his horse for a moment. Catherine slowed her horse to a stop directly beside him.

"Well, I suppose this means our little adventure is over." He said.

"I would hardly call it little." She said. "You know, although I wouldn't exactly be eager to do it again, there are some things that almost made the whole mess worth it."

"I agree completely." He smiled and reached out to touch her face. They kissed for a moment.

"Shall we?" He said as they broke apart. She put her hand on his arm.

"Oh god yes. I'm so sick of nature." She said and took off.

'Well maybe she wasn't completely in her element.' He thought and smiled as he followed behind.