Page 38 of Love Set Apart
“Why is this so important to you?” Louis wondered.
“I doona wish to see someone punished for something as simple as feeding stray cats. Ye must admit that seems a poor reason for someone to face death.” He waited, holding his breath for an answer.
“You are sure she is not a witch?” Louis slid his eyes to the side to look at Robert.
“She is no’. She is merely an old woman with an herb garden.”
The king studied him for a moment longer, then seemed resolved. “I will help her. What is her name?”
“Madame DuBois.”
As they approached the riding ring, Louis called to his footman who was always close at hand. “My quill and paper.”
The man hurried away and Louis took his horse to a trot. Robert followed along beside him and they proceeded to take their horses through their daily paces. A short while later the man reappeared, holding the requested items out for Louis to take. Louis refused them. “I must dismount.”
The man had his hands full with paper, quill and ink. On seeing this, Robert hopped down from his horse and held Louis’ horse while he dismounted and then took the pen and paper. Louis went to a flat spot on the rail with his footman right behind him. He dipped the quill in the proffered ink and then scribbled away on the paper. When he was done, he handed a folded paper to the footman. “See that this is delivered immediately.”
The man accepted the paper and bowing to Louis, turned and ran off to fulfill the task he’d been given.
“Thank ye, Louis. It is greatly appreciated.” Robert was relieved for Madame DuBois.
Louis said nothing as he mounted his horse, setting off once again as though nothing had happened. They rode for a while longer, their conversation turned to lighter topics, which Robert noticed seemed to please Louis. The young king could be temperamental and difficult. It was good fortune that his mood had been light and nothing happened to change that before he’d written the note.
* * *
Chewing on her lower lip,Edna worried that they would be too late to help Madame DuBois. Hours had gone by since she’d last seen Robert and she was just about to go back to the inn when he appeared. She brightened considerably as he hurried her way. “Well?”
“Louis has taken care of it. She will be released.” He beamed proudly as he spoke. “I would have come to tell ye sooner, but Louis was keeping me busy.”
Edna sighed with relief. “I am grateful. Madame DuBois has been worried that someone would report her and thought that helping Emilie would be the cause of it.”
“Do ye think that is the case?” Robert asked.
“Emilie knew it would be dangerous if she were to say anything to anyone at all,” Edna said. “Nae. It was the neighbor. I am sure of it.”
“Do ye wish to go to her?” Robert asked.
“Aye. I must be sure she is unharmed. I’ll have to wait for Angus to return. He’s gone off to find Matteo.”
“There’s nae need to wait for Angus. I’ll go with ye. Ye’ll need protection. As Louis’ man nae one will question or bother ye.”
“Thank ye, Robert. I can see why Emilie loves ye so.” He was a kind and caring young man. He reminded her of Angus when he was that age. It made her nostalgic for those times when they were both young and in love. They’d been together many years now and their love had only grown deeper and more important. She wished the same for Robert and Emilie.
“I’ll get a carriage to take us,” Robert offered.
“That willnae be necessary. I’d like to walk.” Her nerves had been jangling all day. A walk would give her time to clear herself of all the anxiety she’d been feeling, and it would also give her some time to get to know Robert a little better.
Robert extended his arm for her to take. Edna smiled up at him as they began to walk.
“Tell me about yerself, Robert. Why are ye here in Paris instead of back home in Scotland?”
“I came to Paris because I hoped there was more opportunity for me here.”
Edna admired his initiative in creating his own path. “I can see ye were right. Look where ye’ve ended up. What do yer parents think of ye being so far from home?”
Robert expertly guided Edna out of the path of a wagon filled with vegetables headed to market. “Me parents are dead and me brothers were so busy fighting with each other over our land that nae one noticed I’d decided to leave.” His tone was light and he seemed unbothered by what he was telling her.
“What a shame. I’m sure ye would have been a big help to them.”
