Page 34 of The Forsaken
“You’re a practical young woman, Lady Catherine, and I know you will do what’s best. Your father will come to accept your marriage in time. He’s very fond of you.”
Kate nodded. “Thank you, Father Phillip. I knew you’d help me see that which had been hidden from me.”
“It’s not hidden, it’s just not as clear as you expect it to be. Go with God, Lady Catherine, and do your duty without reservation or bitterness.”
“Thank you, Father,” Kate said. “You’ve made me feel infinitely better.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
Kate wished she could hug the old priest, but that would have been highly inappropriate. She knew she’d never see him again, and hoped his illness wouldn’t cause him prolonged suffering.
“God bless you, Father Phillip,” was all she said as she turned to leave the church.
“He already has,” Father Phillip replied and bent double as another coughing fit nearly brought him to his knees.
TWENTY-ONE
By the time Kate returned to the inn, Hugh was back, pacing impatiently in the dooryard. He stilled when he saw her, and gave her an elaborate bow. “My lady, I have concluded my business with your father earlier than I expected,” he said by way of explanation. “I’m ready to leave, if you are.”
Kate nodded. She had no belongings save her rosary, so all she had to do was mount her horse and follow Hugh. He, however, had something in his possession that he hadn’t had before. He stowed a silver coffer in his saddlebag, tied it securely, then turned to help Kate mount.
“What is that?” Kate asked, jutting her chin toward the small casket.
Hugh’s eyes blazed and an angry blush stained his cheeks. He didn’t immediately reply, but then looked at Kate, his stance defiant, and said, “That’s your dowry.”
“Really? Has my father sanctioned the marriage?” Kate asked. The notion of being forgiven by her father and accepted back into the family was overwhelming, but Hugh quickly dashed her hopes.
“No. He relinquished the dowry on the condition that neither one of us ever sets foot at the Grange again.”
Kate felt the prickle of tears but said nothing. Why was her father so angry? Hugh might not be his choice for his only daughter, but surely, if her father loved her, he could come to accept this union, even if Hugh was a Lancastrian. King Edward was victorious and well-liked. Hugh would have to accept the new king whether he wished to or not, so his politics were no longer relevant. Hugh de Rosel wasn’t wealthy in his own right, or titled, but he was still young and his fortunes could change. Did it really not pain her father at all to lose her, or had he steeled himself tolosing her when she entered the convent and no longer held her in his heart as he had when she was a little girl?
Kate sighed and followed Hugh out of the dooryard and toward the northbound road. She was setting off on a new life, but she felt no frisson of excitement or flurry of hope. She felt frightened and depressed, and the thunderous countenance of her new lord did nothing to lift her spirits.
Thankfully, Hugh’s sour mood didn’t last long. The sun had come out and a gentle April breeze caressed their faces as they traveled north. The trees were already in leaf, the juicy green of new foliage bright against the brilliant blue sky. Birdsong filled the air, and the sun on their shoulders was warm enough to make the ride more pleasant. Hugh held the reins in one hand and patted his horse’s neck with the other, softly promising the mare a treat once they got home.
“I think my lady might be ready for a treat as well,” he said, smiling at Kate. “Shall we stop in the next village? It’s just over that hill.”
“Yes, please.”
Kate was glad when they reached the village and found a tavern. She was hungry and needed to answer the call of nature. By the time she returned from the privy, Hugh had ordered a hearty meal and a jug of ale to wash it down with. He seemed in good spirits and eager to talk, so Kate seized on his jubilant mood in an effort to draw him out.
“Hugh, may I ask you a question?”
“You may ask me anything you like, my dear.” Hugh drained his cup of ale and refilled it. The stew he’d ordered was hot and fresh, and accompanied by a loaf of crusty bread straight from the oven. Hugh took a spoonful and sighed with contentment. He was a happy man.
“How old are you?”
“I’ll be seven and twenty in July.”
Kate lowered her gaze to her stew. There were things she wished to ask, but she wasn’t sure how to broach the subject in a way that wouldn’t anger Hugh. At his age, most men were either married or widowed, but she didn’t get the impression that Hugh had been married before. He seemed devoted to his brothers, but there was something remote and private about his demeanor. “A lone wolf,” her mother would have called him.
“You’re wondering why I’m not wed,” Hugh said. He tore off a chunk of bread and used it to soak up the gravy from his bowl.
“Yes, I am,” Kate admitted.
Hugh finished his meal and leaned back in his chair, looking for all the world like a man at peace with himself. “After I was knighted—that was nearly five years ago now—William, being the head of the family, arranged a marriage for me with Eleanor’s sister. Our fathers were distant kin, so we’d known Eleanor and Faye all our lives. We were to marry once Faye turned sixteen. Her father was very fond of her, and didn’t wish to part with her too soon, especially since Eleanor was already wed and with child, and his wife had died the year before.”
“Did you marry?” Kate asked.
