“Or a band of them,” Kellen added.
“—is what you had in mind for our future spouses,” I said.
Mother sighed.
“Too right you are. A handsome man with a good heart and steadfast loyalty, like your father, is what I hope for both of you. Go now. I need to rest. Anne dosed my tea again. Tell her this concoction tasted like shite from the yard.”
I choked on my laugh while Kellen shook her head.
While Mother rested, we took the tray to the kitchen.
“How is she today?” Judith asked.
“The same,” Kellen said. “Dying.”
“Aren’t we all?” Judith said, not put out by Kellen’s bluntness. “Some of us just take longer going about it and don’t see it for what it is. The end comes for all of us, Kellen. It’s what we do with the days we have that matters.”
Kellen nodded and grabbed her cloak. I did the same. Side by side, we walked down the hill toward town. Just before the path met the larger road, we took a small walking trail to the right and started the trek up the rocky incline. Neither of us spoke until we reached the top. There, we stood near the edge and looked out over Towdown.
“Mother received a letter from Father yesterday. He’s due to return soon,” Kellen said.
Mother hated when Father had to leave. However, given his profession, he left often.
“I don’t blame him,” Kellen said when I didn’t speak.
I turned to look at my sister.
“For staying away,” she clarified even though I knew my sister well enough to guess most of her thoughts.
The world might see Kellen’s steady, light blue gaze and bland expression as being unfeeling. But, I knew better. I saw her expression for what it was. A mask to hide the pain. It hurt her to see Mother like this…almost as much as it hurt Father.
Wrapping my arms around Kellen, I stared down at the rooftops and the lazy spirals of smoke hazing the air. The din from town didn’t reach us, and the wind kept all but the barest hint of smoke from the air. Just beyond the rooftops, I could see the glimmer of white stone in the sun. The castle.
With a sigh, Kellen placed her head on my shoulder and wrapped her arms around my waist in return.
“Mother knows we all love her deeply. That’s why she hired Anne,” I said. “She hopes we will leave when the time is right.”
“Since marriage appeals to you as little as it appeals to me, I doubt either of us is going anywhere,” Kellen said. “Having Anne here hasn’t changed that.”
“Mother’s hope will continue, regardless.”
Kellen lifted her head and stepped away from me.
“What does the future hold for us?” she asked.
“Spinsterhood, most likely. Nothing too terrifying,” I said.
The faint pounding of hooves drew our attention.
“We’d better get back,” she said.
I followed her down the familiar trail. By the time we made it to the stable, Hugh had already unsaddled Sugar.
“Was there any trouble?” I asked.
“None. The hounds don’t belong to hunters. They belong to the Crown. It seems the Royal Retreat is due for a visit.”
Kellen and I shared a look. I could barely recall the last time the rambling estate, a bit further up the hill, had been used. It had been at least five years ago. Neither Kellen nor I had gotten a glimpse of the royal entourage during the king’s week-long visit then. We’d been strictly forbidden from leaving our small estate.
“We must tell Mother,” Kellen said.
Judith was absent from the kitchen, but a small roast spit over the fire said she would return soon. I inhaled deeply.
“Stop smelling dinner, and tie your shoes,” Kellen said without rancor.
“This is why you’re four inches shorter. You don’t appreciate your food, so you don’t grow.”
She snorted, and I knew I’d amused her even if her face didn’t show it.
Anne was sitting quietly in the corner, reading from a primer, when we entered the parlor. She left us to wait for Mother to wake. It didn’t take long for her to open her eyes and smile at us.
“Did you watch me sleep long?” she asked.
“Ages,” I answered. “One doesn’t often see a sleeping princess.”
Her smile widened.
“Speaking of royalty,” Kellen said. “It seems the hounds belong to the king. He has finally decided to visit his Royal Retreat.”
The Royal Retreat was more than just a massive stretch of land north of Towdown. It was also the name of the sprawling home the royal family used when they wanted some time away from the castle.
“This is not good news,” Mother said, looking concerned. “It would be best if you stayed out of the woods while the king is in residence at the retreat.”
Most mothers would be excited for a chance encounter with royalty, especially since we lived on royal land and were allowed to hunt it when others were not. Not our mother.
“I cannot imagine needing two homes,” I said, trying to distract her from her worry. “It’s not fun cleaning one.”
“Do you honestly think His Highness cleans anything?” Kellen asked.
I grinned.
“Certainly his privy. It wouldn’t be fair to ask someone else to do that.”
Kellen nudged me with her elbow, and I realized what I’d said. Mother used nothing but a chamber pot that Anne, Kellen, or I cleaned every day.
“They would rob him blind,” I added smoothly.
“How so?” Kellen asked.
“Come now. It’s obvious.” I paused for a moment and glanced between Mother and Kellen. “His shite is gold.”
Mother burst out laughing, and Kellen shook her head.
“Eloise, I hope that you find your beau soon.”
“Why is that, Mother?”
“Because you’ll soon outswear him. A lady shouldn’t speak so.”
“Too right. But, any man worthy of my interest will need to take me as I am. Filthy mouth and all.”
Anne knocked on the open door, calling our attention.
“There is a delivery boy,” she said.
“Send him in,” Mother said.
Anne disappeared, and a few moments later, a youth walked in. He was dressed in neat trousers and a coat that was just a tad too short for his wrists. A common sight for growing boys. His gaze swept over the three of us, and he removed the floppy red cap with a gold emblem on it from his shaggy dark head to give a precise, small bow.
“Can we help you?” Mother asked.
“Yes, ma’am. I have a delivery for Mrs. Cartwright.” He lifted the small, brown paper-wrapped package he held.
“I am she,” Mother said.
The boy came forward.
“A coin, Kellen,” Mother said.
Kellen gave the boy a copper in exchange for the package. With a bob of his head, he returned to Anne, who I knew would see him out.
Mother smiled in excitement as Kellen handed her the package. The gifts that Father always sent made his absence less cruel. Each one let us know he was thinking of us.
“I should wait until he returns to open it,” she said.
I grinned.
“At least, until yours arrive,” she added. Her eyes never left the package.
“He sent yours ahead of his arrival for a reason,” Kellen said. “Open it. We want to see what it is.”