He did not pressed her further on the matter. Halley ran back to the castle, leaving her uncle’s chuckles behind. She peaked at her children, listening as their steady breathing echoed throughout the bedchamber. They were finally sleeping peacefully, she smiled closing the door and hurried to her bedchamber. Locking the door behind her, she hastily undressed for bed. Her heart beat frantically at the amount of emotions it was feeling. She threw the petticoat over her head, eyes lingering on the letters, beckoning her to open on the vanity table. The nightgown slid down her body and she hissed in pain when it kissed her knees lightly.
Halley sat on the bed and raised the nightgown above her knees, she sighed finding scrapes there. How did she not felt that before? She was so caught up in retrieving the letters, she didn’t even notice, she was hurt. Her gazed met the muddy boots and equally ruin cloak that lay in a heap on the ground. She hoped that, It was worth the trouble tonight. She surged to her feet, took the candle from her nightstand and went to accompany the vanity table. Inhaling a shaky breath, she took the letter, she had previously opened and began reading.
Halley’s eyebrows rose with bewilderment, her heart leaped like a wild thing as she devour each word. Jennifer was alive! Halley placed her hands over her heart, tears started to cloud her vision. She could not believed her dearest friend whom she had thought the French killed was alive and well. Jennifer was also a mother? A tiny smile formed at the corner of her mouth, she could only imagine the beautiful little girl with blond curls and blue eyes. She continued to read the letter causing her forehead to wrinkled. Why did Jennifer mentioned about her returning to London? What puzzled her even more was what she said about reading her previous letters.
Halley began to opened the letters with the stamped seals, each of them smudged with ink, making it incoherent to read. The rain had tarnished them with it’s brutality, so were the others from Samantha. However she was able to weed out some of the words and fit them together, to formulate potential sentences. She was amazed to learn that Jennifer was rescued by a family in the woods. Oh Jenny, She whispered with indescribable joy. Halley swept at her eyes, wiping away the tears. Many nights she had cried tears of sorrow, it was such a strange feeling to be shedding tears of happiness.
She sighed at the papers, and ran her hands through her hair, wishing she had received these letters before they were ruin. She took the only readable letter in her hands once again, her lips pursed.
This was betrayal and privacy invasion. Who could have done such a thing? What was in these letters that someone clearly didn’t want her to see? It was quite frustrating and she found herself, holding the letters up to the flickering candlelight, desperately trying to see if the writings would be recognizable. Perhaps if she let it dry properly? Her fingers drummed against the table.
Not being able to sleep, Halley kept reading the letter over and over again. There was nothing in England for her anymore, it would only remind her of what she lost. It was too painful and god knows surviving the past few years had been nothing short of difficult.
“Audrina?”
Halley groaned, when she felt someone’s hand smoothing her hair, it created a soothing effect and for a moment, she thought she was back in England with Joshua. Dam those letters for making her memories vividly resurface.
“Audrina?” The voice repeated.
Halley pivot her head and lifted it off her folded arms and through hooded lashes, she saw Queen Rosa smiling down at her, while taking a bite of the apple in her hand. The crunching sound caused Halley to winced with annoyance. “ Morning!” She chirped, then swallowed the content in her mouth.
Morning? Halley sat upright in the chair, rubbing her eyes. Her body ached. She opened her eyes and looked around. Did she slept here last night? She gazed at the letters then rubbed the back of her neck, swaying it back and forth. Indeed she did. She didn’t recall leaving the vanity table to her comfortable bed. “ What time is it?” Her brown eyes glanced at the window as she stretch her arms. The sun was not even in the sky as yet or was another storm brewing?
“Oh it’s still very early ” The queen struggled her shoulders. “ Did you slept here last night?” Her eyebrows crunched as she looked between the bed and a grumpy Halley. “ Such an uncomfortable, position for one to sleep ” She mumbled, then gazed at the bed once more.
Halley glanced at the small basket of fruits and…biscuits? She rested her elbows on the table and buried her face in her palms. “ Why are you up so early?” She tried not to sound annoyed. Then remember something. “ How did you get inside?” She lifted her head, to gazed at the door, positive that she had locked it last night.
Rosa grinned, revealing her dimples. “ I have my ways ” She said with accomplishment and pride. “ and I needed someone to talk to,”
Or pester. Halley thought, closing her eyes and leaning back in the armchair.
“ The little one woke me,”She smiled. “ Did Bryan not tell you?”
“ Oh yes he did, last night,” Halley replied, her eyes now shining with excitement “ I am happy for the both of you ”
“Thank you ” She give a smile that didn’t quiet reached her eyes, then opened her mouth to say something but hesitated. It was like she was battling with something deep within her.
Whatever was her mind Halley knew she would be hearing about it soon. Rosa was a lady who speaks her problems, keeping them built inside was not a solution but an welcome for worries and headache, Rosa had told Halley those same words at dinner last night, when she refused too speak what was causing her trouble. Her uncle was describing his wedding day with Rosa last night, it was filled with humor and splendor but Halley was not amused for it brought memory of her own wedding day and night. Rosa who was sitting beside her had saw her sudden change in mood and had inquired.
It was all too humiliating for Halley to reveal to others.
“What you got there?” The Queen cradled her neck to peak at the letters. “ What were you reading?” She took a step forward to get a closer look.
Halley slapped her hands on the table, covering the letters. “ Oh sorry, I didn’t meant to pry. ” The Queen chuckled nervously.
Could she trust the Queen with her little secret? The letters had only been in her possession a few hours. Halley cocked her head to the side and bit her lips staring at Rosa, who looked around the bedchamber as if searching for something of dire interest. Maybe she should. Besides whom would she tell? A few days from now, they would be on a ship returning to Sweden.
“ I guess I could let you in on my secret ” Rosa was by Halley’s side in an blink of an eye. Her carrot wavy hair, hung over her shoulders as she leaned and snatched the letter off the desk. Her eyes began to chew on every word while her mouth worked on the apple.
Halley shook her head and stared at the basket that was tossed on her lap. She reached into grabbed one of Cook's butter biscuit only to received a slap on her hand. “ Don’t eat that one, it is the only one left. ” Rosa said, then returned to reading the letter. “ eat the ginger ones…no wait ” Halley rolled her eyes and dropped back the ginger biscuit in the basket. “ eat the grapes ”
“I think I would just wait for breakfast ” Halley placed the basket on the vanity table and sighed, looking up at Rosa, whose eyes were squinting at the letter. “Do you know English Rosa?”
The Queen nodded not taking her eyes away from the paper. “ Who is Jen..ni..fer?” She rose a brow at Halley. “ And why does she want you to returned to England?”
Halley rose to her feet and ran her hands through her tangled curls as she made her way to the bed. “ She’s a friend.…I thought she was dead ” She sat on the bed, giving the Queen a solemn smile, “ She has a daughter now…and I have no idea why she wants me back in London ” She struggled, her shoulder and with a forlorn expression she added. “ I would never go back ”
It was such relief, that Jennifer was alive. Ever since that day she saw Jenny got shot, she had not been able to sleep well, adding to her burdens and nightmares. She missed Jennifer but travelling back to England was the last thing on her mind.
“Why are the other letters destroyed?” Rosa placed one of the ruin letters back on the table along with the one, she had just red and made her way towards Halley.
Halley lay back on the bed with an exasperation sighed. “ They were tarnished by mother-nature ”
“What?”
Halley surged upright on the bed. “ Rosa, I have something to tell you,” She looked at the closed door then shifted closer to the Queen.
Halley told her about last night and the stranger. She left out the conversation she had with her uncle but did mentioned that he had almost caught her. She spoke about what happened three years ago, something she had never voiced to anyone before, it felt great confiding in someone.
Rosa was very attentive and hung on every word. She was also heartbroken by the tragedies Halley had went through and tears lingered in her eyes. Halley realized that The Queen enjoyed listening to stories especially realistic ones, she was as curious as a kitten.
“Who could have done such a thing!” She exclaimed, “ going so far as to hid letters under an Oak tree….so mysterious!” She gazed at the vanity table where the letters lay. “ There must be something in those, that would reveal a lot because I am sure that if it was a mere letter of greetings you would have saw them…but what?”
Halley bit her lips. “These are questions I wish I knew the answers too. It is all so frustrating. What I do know is that I need to reply to them immediately ”
The Queen nodded.
“Rosamund!”
“Oh no” the Queen groaned and fell back on the bed.
“Audrina? Are you decent?” She heard her uncle voiced from the other side of the door.
“Yes, you may enter ” Halley answered without hesitation. Her nightgown did not exposed her body it was huge and had long sleeves, she had the seamstress made for cold, weatherly nights.
Rosa surged to her feet and mouthed the word, ‘why did you do that’, to Halley, who struggled her shoulders in response as the door opened.
“Rosamund,” His eyes lingered on the basket of fruits then back at his wife. He took two long strides towards it but Rosa was quick and she immediately snatched it in her arms. “ I hope it is only fruits in there ”
“ It is a fruit basket not a biscuit tray ” She snapped.
He give her a long leveled look. “ I didn’t mentioned the word biscuits Rosamund. ”
“Well you didn’t have too because there are no biscuits in this bedchamber ” She held her head high as she surged passed him then paused at the doorway to wink at Halley. “ See you at breakfast Audrina ”
The King shook his head at the vacant doorway. His wife had consumed a lot of biscuits and other sugary treats last night after dinner. Too much sweets were not good for the baby. He had advised her to eat more fruits and vegetables. He sighed then turned to his niece. He knew his wife was lying and somewhere under those fruits were biscuits.
“Biscuits are in that basket right?”
“yes, ” She bit back a smile. “ ginger and butter ones ”
The king Rose a brow at Halley. “ I am surprised you told me the truth…I thought I would be getting one of your famous lies again ” His eyes twinkled with amusement.
Halley placed her hand over her chest dramatically. “ Oh uncle are you calling me a liar? I’m hurt ” She puckered her lips causing him to laugh, she reminded him so much of his sister when she did that.
“ She didn’t give you any did she?”
Halley shook her head. “ Not even a bite ” She grinned. “ perhaps I would have been inspired to conjure an fruitful response pertaining to the contents in the basket if she had ” she struggled nonchalantly.
The king chuckled. “ I’m sure you would ”
***
An absent minded Halley sat on one of the benches in the Royal Garden, trying to read the book that had been stuck on the same page for the past few minutes. She was still in shock at the news Alejandro had revealed during breakfast this morning. His friend José Collard had returned and would be joining them for dinner tonight. What an innocent way to ruin the rest of her day! She snapped the book shut and placed it beside her, her eyes stared at a bunch of white roses as she remembered José Collard.
They’d became friends three years ago, months after she arrived in Spain. He was such a caring man, throughout Halley’s pregnancy he was there, even when she distance herself from others, he was persistent. She had grow very attached to him, even though he was sort of hot tempered and prickly at times, too Halley he was wonderful. He was patience and always seems to know what to do to cheer her up. When he left for the seas after the children were born. Halley had felt abandoned once again. She sighed, grabbed the book off the bench and walked back to the castle. She was a set of nerves, would he be the same caring person? Did life at sea changed him into a grumpy, beard man? She giggled at the thought.
The smile slowly disappeared from her face. She halted in her steps upon witnessing her children bursting through the entrance door and making their way around the castle, Maria hot on their heels.
Dammit! Her boys were becoming very naughty. Dropping her book, she took off in a run behind Maria. They were shouting for them to stop but they completely ignored them and continued. They paused a few seconds after, only to split up; one taking the path to the lake the other took the Royal Court Yard, where the knights trained.
“Follow Aundre! ” She told Maria who was heaving for breath, the poor governess was tired and stress out. Maria could only managed to nod. She started to limp then run again.
Halley should just leave her children, wait until they came back but she could not. She was disappointed and would not let them get away so easily.
“Aiden! You stop running this instance!” She thought she heard laughter coming from him, before he disappeared through a small oval shaped hole in the hedge that surrounded the courtyard like a fence, without hesitation Halley got on her knees and crawled through.
Just great! She wanted to screamed when her lower body wouldn’t follow the rest of her body. She raised herself on her elbows, glaring at her son who seek comfort in her brother’s arms. There were about four knights present, each of them trying to suppressed laughter, it was written all over their faces. She kept wiggling back and forth, with an frustrating squeal she kicked her feet in the air. She was so embarrassed, she rested her forehead on the green grass, listening as Alejandro dismissed the other knights for the day.
“Audrina? ”
“What!” She snapped, turning her head to the gentleman beside her. Her mouth hung open when she saw who it was, José Collard. His straight hair had grown to his shoulders, he now had a short beard that fitted his perfectly carved features. He was dressed in a white shirt with its sleeves rolled to his elbows, dark breeches and knee high boots. Halley had always thought he was attracted, now she find him dangerously handsome.
Her heart beat against her chest and she removed her gaze from his person. What was she doing! She had never gushed or show any interest in a another gentleman before, it was such a strange feeling.
“ This was certainly not how I imagine we would meet again ” He smiled, not concern about her previous outburst. He could tell she was embarrassed and a bit upset.
Lord Collard was astonished when he saw the little boy leaped into Alejandro’s arms. Where did he come from? This couldn’t be one of Audrina’s son? His questions were answered when Alejandro started to laugh at the lady who seems to be stuck in the hedges. It was the Princess! At first he was too shock to move but he quickly composed himself. He hasten his steps, making his way towards her, her head was facing the soil clearly embarrassed from what was transpiring.
She turned to him, her beauty always amazes him. She took his breath away. Her hair was longer than he had left it and fell over her shoulders, curling in a heap on the ground. She wore a white cotton gown, making her looked like an angel, pure. Her lips were carved in a way that made a man think lewd thoughts. Her body was a work of art and it was what kept him alive throughout the past years at sea.
“This is so embarrassing,” He saw the blush, she tried to hide with her the palm of her hands. “ I never thought…that I have such broad hips ” She began to laugh, it was such a pleasing music too his ears. His eyes became pensive as he bend on his knees, trying to look beyond her upper body.
“ Hey what are you---” Halley flinched and started to protest when she felt him touch her ribs.
“What do you think you are doing?” Alejandro was now standing in front of them, “ Trying to seduce my sister already? While she is down?” Amusement laced in every word.
“I am trying to help her you fool ” Only Collard could talk too Alejandro like that, they had grown up together since childhood and had befriended each other, not caring about status and power. It was one of the reason’s Alejandro adore him. Alejandro could be himself around him and have the same sentiment returned.
“Seduced?” Halley rolled her eyes, here she thought Alejandro would get upset, for the man laying his hand on his sister. Traitor.
“ Don’t touch my mama!” Aiden exclaimed.
Thank god for her boys.
“ You better make it quick before this little man, be rid of you ”
“Why can’t I go backwards? My head and upper body can easily passed back through ” She inquired, glancing at Collard. He kept tugging at something, she couldn’t see. Was it the twigs around the hole? She started to feel her legs getting cold and exposed. He was pulling her entire dress through!
“Stop let go of my skirt!”
“Princess, you can't go back out from once you came your condition is due to the amount of layers on your skirt,” He smirked. “ not because you have a broad hip and it’s either this or undress right here. ”
Halley sighed, not uttering another word,with options like those it was no use protesting, she waited until both side of her dress had came through, then was able to wobble herself out, after and scrambled to her feet. She would have to refrain from wearing such puffed skirts in the gardens.
The gentlemen had turned to give her some privacy. “ you can turn around now ” She said, dusting her dress with her hands.
“ What makes you think you could have come through that,” he pointed at the hole in the hedge. “..... in that?” Alejandro then gestured at her attire with a shake of his head.
Halley rolled her eyes, “ I was trying to catch my disobedient son,” She saw Aiden arms tighten around Alejandro's neck, he couldn't even faced her.
“Come on Audrina, he just wants to be with his uncle ”
“ An uncle who doesn't teach him right from wrong, give me my son, I'm still upset with you for conspiring with them to scare Maria ” She folded her arms.
“ It was just a practical joke Audrina. Don't be such a bored ”
“I am not !”
She took Aiden from her brother, it was a difficult task and once released Aiden started to cry. She turned towards José, who kept staring at her. “ Thank you...and urr...I'll see you at dinner José ” He nodded and watched as she walked away.
Aiden had not stop crying on his way back to the castle. He kept kicking and screaming forcing Halley to placed him on the ground. She meet Maria sitting on the steps with Aundre, he was also crying and trying to pry his hands from Maria’s grip around his tiny wrist.
Halley brought him to his feet with her other free hand, they walked side by side, with Maria falling into steps. How dare they disobey her like this! She had said no outdoors today, just one day they couldn’t follow her rules. Reaching the foyer, she turned to the governess.
“ You may take the day off tomorrow Maria ”
“ I'm sorry princess, I took my eyes--”
“Maria, I am not upset with you, now please go and get some rest ” without another word, Maria took one last look at the children then disappeared down the hallway while Halley took the stairs.
She opened the children's bedchamber and hastily began to undress them, they had refrain from sobbing and was now letting the tears fall in silence. She was heartbroken but knew that disobedience was not something she would tolerate.
“ You boys have been very naughty today, I'm going to give both of you a bath then you're going to stay in bed and think about what you have done. I’ll come back for you when supper is ready ” She rested Aundre on the bed in his breeches then knelt before Aiden, striping him from his shirt, and waistcoat.
“ Disobeying your mama is very insolent. Your father would have been very disappointed ” She regret every word she just said, when she saw Aundre started to sob, once again. Why did she voiced such a thing!
“I don't want papa too be upset at me” She embrace her son, Rose to her feet and carried him to sit next to his brother.
“ He isn't upset with you...disappointed is not the same as upset….” She sighed, “we both want you to grow up to be wonderful boys and giving your mother trouble wouldn't help. OK”
They nodded, she reached out and kissed them on the forehead before the maid entered with the princes toiletries.
***
As expected dinner was spent listening to José adventures at sea during the course of the meal. He spoke of the smell of the sea and how beautiful the ocean was, the only person who seems to be showing interest at that moment was Alejandro, of course.
Halley's mind was occupied thinking about the letters and what she would compose for Jennifer and Samantha. Did Samantha have a family of her own as well? She was very eager to know what her friends had been doing during the past years. She felt Lord Collard eyes on her a couple of times and she lifted her head every second too caught him staring at Alejandro who kept asking him questions. She wonder what he think of her? Did she changed during the past years ? She had grown a bit thin after the boys were born, her arms were slender and long, did he found that unattractive? she shook her head, shocked at such thoughts. Why did she care what he thinks of her? She gazed at her children who sat eating at their usual table, they had not said a word to her since her scolding hours ago.
They had fallen asleep after their bathe and Halley had laid with them until she rose to prepare herself for supper. The boys had awakened moments after and two maids had taken it upon themselves to get them prepared before Halley’s return.
Halley sighed, taking her eyes away from them. She began cutting her meat as José started to speak of his lost goods and men at sea. The knife and fork slipped from her fingers onto the plate causing it to echo a sound throughout the dining room when Lord José mentioned a name she never thought of in years. Clairwood? Jake?
She looked around the room with widen eyes. Everyone was staring at her with bewilderment “ I-I am sorry ” her eyes focus back on José immediately. “ Please continue, I want to hear about this urr...pirate. ”
“So do I” her father interpose, acquiring everyone's attention. It was the first time he spoke since supper had started. “ I need to know who was brave enough to steal from me”
It took a moment for Lord Collard too continue. He cleared his throat discreetly. “ well…urr.. I have never met a more unrealistic pirate in my life. He attack my ship and have the audacity too asked for my goods. Can you believe it? “He shook his head with disbelieve. “ He asked!I refused of course but that didn’t stop him,” He took a sip of his wine. “ we were just off the course of Italy when the ship came out of nowhere. ”
“You are telling me you didn't see the ship approaching?” Alejandro rose his eyebrows at his friend.
“No, it was dark and foggy ” Halley felt like he was leaving out a major part of the story but Alejandro didn't pressed him further on the matter and she didn't see why she should.
“His men held us at gun point ” he continued. “snatched what’s left of our goods leaving us with enough too get us back to Spain. He was also short on crew members...took my surgeon and five cabin boys ”
Halley frowned, that doesn't sound like the person she knew. Jake was now a thief! What happened back in England? Was it Katherine's and Joshua’s death that lead him to such lifestyle? And was Lord Collard exaggerating? She hated having all these questions unanswered. It was frustrating; she could not wait until dinner was finished too start writing her letters. She knew of sailors who twisted their tales to sound dangerous and adventurous. “ And what did this pirate look like?” She whispered, praying it was someone else.
“He had golden hair like the sun and blue eyes like the ocean itself.....some say he is of noble birth, some Duke ” he snickered at the thought. “ who goes around stealing from others too send back to his country. ”
“A thieving Duke ” King Bryan interposed. “ very interesting ” he sipped his wine thoughtfully.
“ I wouldn't give him long to live though ”
Halley gasped. “Why not, is he injured?”
Lord Collard eyes narrowed at her. “ You seems too be very interested in this pirate Audrina…. Do you know him?”
The corner of Halley’s lips curved into an tantalizing smile and Lord Collard had never seen something more beautiful. . “Why José don’t tell me you are jealous?” She teased.
“ Perhaps,” He couldn’t help but returned the smile. “but not right at this moment after learning that this gruesome pirate had a bounty out for his head. ” he sighed and leaned back in his chair. “ I must give him praise though for out running the man for years at sea.... You know what they call his ship?”
Halley shook her head. Her expression solemn. “The ghost ship ”
“Ahhh...now I know why you didn't see him approaching ”
“What?” Lord Collard turned to Alejandro then realization crept in. “ oh yes, yes that's why ” He took a huge gulp of his wine. They couldn't find out how much of a coward he was for surrendering the king's merchant ship to that fool! Not in front of Audrina.
King Bryan rolled his eyes. “It Sounds like you just made that up ”
“I second that ” The Queen interposed, wiping her mouth with an hanky. “ like the other child's tale you brought too this table. ”
“ with all due respect your Majesty, it's no child's tale this man almost shot me…”
“Almost…” Rosa eyed him with murmur humor. “Maybe if you would have came back with a wound or something I might be compelled to believe you ”
Halley bit back her laughter noticing the shock look on Collard’s face.
“ That's enough sea tales for the evening, your life is worth more than any goods Collard and I'm very pleased to have you here with us once again ” the king rose his glass in the air. “ to Lord Collard's lucky escape!”
“ I’ll definitively drink too that ” Alejandro chuckled.
“ Lord Collard, would you be staying for this year royal summer ball?” The Queen asked, pooping a grape in her mouth. “ I heard it’s magical, such a disappointment that we would not be present ” her eyebrows creased, she was really looking forward for this ball it was the main reason they made the trip too Spain that, and the fact that she was eager as much as her husband too meet the royal family of Spain.
“ I don’t see how I could miss such an event ” He turned too Halley who was playing idly with the food on her plate. “ Do you have an escort to the ball Audrina? ”
Halley lifted her head with widen eyes “ You are asking me too the ball?”
He nodded. “ Indeed I am…it would just be an friendly affair ” He added, noticing the slight creased at her forehead. “ It would give us the opportunity to catch up on those lost years. ”
“ OK” she struggled her shoulders and reached for the glass of sherry. She paused over the rims of the glass noticing the shock gazes and silence in the dining hall. “What I agree to have an escort at the ball not an engagement proposal ” It wasn’t such a bad idea to have Collard’s company at the Ball.
Halley was getting weary of dancing with her brother then returned too her seat beside her father. When she finally got bored watching the lovely couples dance, she would excuse herself and returned too her bed chamber. Before she had the chance too disappoint more gentlemen who asked for a dance.
Halley didn’t felt comfortable dancing with other gentlemen, it reminds her off Joshua and what she lost but this year she want it too be different, she need too accept that fact that he is dead and she was still living and need to enjoy herself. Taking a huge gulp of the liquid she place the glass down, slowly smiling at Lord Collard enlighten expression.
It was time too move on.
***
Hi guys sorry for the extremely late update. My uncle was send too the hospital in August finds out he had brain tumor and die in September. My sister went and give away my precious little kitten, to a friend of hers without my knowledge and I just got lazy and lack motivation.
This is not the best chapter but I am finishing this soon so I can go and edit ASAP and make the book more awesome.
Thank you all so much for reading and not giving up on this book as yet ..mwahh love you all :)
Don't forget to vote and comment :)