No one has to know

Chapter 19

"Should I run for cover, or have you run out of vases?" He said teasingly. Catherine rolled her eyes.

"I'm not angry anymore. Actually, I'd almost prefer anger to the his feeling I have now." She said as Bash sat down next to her. "She isn't going to forgive me. I practically poured my heart out. It didn't effect her at all. I don't blame her, but I hadn't realized how far I'd gone until now. That I'd damaged her perception of me so badly that she doesn't just hate me, but she she's me as some heartless monster." He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "The worst part is, I'm starting to think she's right."

"Stop that. You're far from being a monster, and you're most certainly not heartless." Bash said.

"You were right, Mary and I were close, but I ruined it...I'd almost forgotten how much I used to care for her. I suppose I had to pretend I hated her for so long, I started to believe it myself." She said.

"She'll come around. I'm sure of it." He said.

"I wish I could believe that. But you didn't see the look in her eyes. I'm afraid there isn't any hope. In the end, she'll be the one getting punished for it. That uncle of hers will destroy her, and all I was trying to do was protect her and Francis." She said.

"You can't blame yourself. You did everything you could. As far as the past goes, you did what thought was right, just because you made mistakes doesn't make you a bad person." He said as he started playing with her hair. She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes, trying to push all the negativity out of her head. "You know it wasn't so long ago I thought the same things and now I couldn't possibly imagine ever feeling that way again. There is still hope." She looked up and stroked his cheek.

"Maybe that's just because you make me a better person." She said. He smiled, then learned in to kiss her.

"I did nothing. It's always been in there." He said as he started to play with her hair. She kissed him again, then nestled into his chest.

The next day, as Catherine made her way down the hall, on her way to the garden, she noticed Francis talking to the Duke. She saw him shake his hand and then the Duke walked outside. She made her way to the window and watched him ride away. Curious, she approached Francis.

"The Duke is leaving?" She asked.

"Yes. I decided to give him a different position. One that requires him to stay outside the castle." Francis said.

"I don't understand." She said.

"Well, it's not often you, Bash and Mary all agree on something. So I thought, considering that, I should take a second look at the situation." He said.

"Mary? I thought..." she began.

"Yes. So did I, but this morning she said she was wrong. She said she also felt something amiss with the Duke. So I thought maybe a compromise was in order." He told her. She smiled at him and he walked away, just as Mary was rounding the corner.

"Mary. Francis just told me about the Duke...What made you change your mind?" She asked.

"Words can be made up, but not the this." She said pulling the small piece of glass from her pocket. She picked up Catherine's hand, placing it in her palm and closing her fingers around it. She held it there while she spoke. "I remember the day I arrived here. I was scared to death. Being left in a place I'd never been, with people I'd never met. I was shaking and you came, and you put your arms around me and you told me not to be afraid because you would always be there to protect me. For awhile I thought that woman was gone forever, but I saw a bit of her yesterday and I took a chance, hoping against all hope I wasn't making a grave mistake. Please don't make it one." Catherine squeezed her hand just a bit.

"I...thank you. Mary." She said. Mary nodded and walked away. Catherine opened her hand and examined the little trinket beneath her fingers. For the first time in a very long time she felt at peace.

She moved as fast as she could to get to the garden. When she arrived, she rushed to Bash, hugging him.

"You were right. I only had to tell her the truth. She did it. She had him sent away. I mean he is still working for Francis, but he's gone." She said a bit exited. Bash smiled and hugged her back. She pulled back just enough to look at him. "It's all thanks to you. If you hadn't...how did you know?"

"Because I see who you are, and I knew if you could just let Mary see what I see, there's no way she wouldn't forgive you." He said.

"Well, I don't know that she's forgiven me exactly, but it's a start. The most important thing is she trusts me now." Bash smiled again and kissed her. "Now if I could only get rid of our other unwanted guests. I swear if one more person shows up unannounced...what is it?" She said as she realized he was no longer paying attention.

"There. A carriage... is...is that my mother's carriage?" He said looking into the distance.

"Son-of-a...I had to open my big mouth." she said grimacing.

Dun dun duuuun....to be continued...