The Earl And The Lady

Six

Six

Waking up to lying on her husband bare chest is now a common occurrence for Isobel, but today was a different as she only felt a pillow beneath her. Where did her husband go in this early morn she wondered.

Getting up, she rang for Agnes who was already more of a friend than a maid.

‘ yes, Lady Izzy. ’ Agnes said as soon as she arrived.

‘ hello, Agnes ’ Isobel replied with a smile as she stretch under her blanket. ‘ how was your night ?’

‘ oh, it was splendid. Lord Jerome is an absolute charmer. ’ Agnes said with a giggle as she opened the heavy draped curtains to bring light into the room as she knew that lady Izzy was still a bit sleepy.

‘ so I assumed that your dinner with him went just as well ?’ Izzy asked as she gradually stood from her bed.

‘ can you draw water for my bath? ’

‘ of course my lady and the dinner went heavenly .’ Agnes finished with a dreamily smile on her face as she went to do what Izzy told her to do.

Chuckling as she remembered Andrew face as she introduced Agnes and Lord Jerome and when lord Jerome asked Agnes to dance, Andrew nearly bashed Jerome face in. When she told Andrew how he looked like when they were later alone, he replied her with a smug look on his face that he threatened Jerome not to hurt her or he will never eat anything solid for as long as he lives and when he still asked Agnes out the next eve, Izzy knew that her friend has found some one meant for her. All thanks to her match making skills although nobody but the king knows.

‘ your bathe is ready. My lady. ’ Agnes said as she came back to the room.

‘ Thank you Agnes. Soon you will be a Lady too. ’

With that Agnes turned red as she hid her face then as she opened her mouth to complain, Isobel cut her short.

‘ I know, I know. It is too early and I am too forward then I am going to ask you this. Do you know the way he looks at you ?’ Isobel said as she entered her bathe and the water completely submerged her body. ‘ I wish for a long soak in this water. I don't think I will leave here before noon. ’

‘ My ladyship, lord Andrew said that you should meet him in the palace as soon as possible. ’ Agnes said as she started washing Isobel hair.

‘ so that is where he left to early this morn without waking me up to bid him well. ’

‘ he knows that you are always tired lately so he wanted you to rest then meet him later when you are well rested. ’

‘very well. ’ she said. ‘ besides what is happening in the Palace ?’

‘ I know nothing about it, but I know it is a uproar and and I know it is about an attention seeking girl who hates you very much. ’

‘ Really. I wonder what she did this time. ’ Isobel mused. ‘Certainly not documents stealing, they caught her in that already, so she is going to raise the bars a little higher and more dangerous. ’

‘ I have a feeling that this time, it might not brood well for us. ’ Agnes said softly.

‘ what was that? , I didn't catch what you said? ’ Isobel said.

‘ nothing important, my Lady. ’ Agnes replied as she continued to wash Isobel's hair.

* * * * * *

‘ my love. ’ Andrew said as soon as he was within hearing distance of Isobel. He picked her up and spun her around before kissing her soundly on her lips.

‘ hello Andrew, stop spinning me ’ Isobel said as Andrew released her.

‘ sorry, I forgot that it makes you dizzy. You should see a doctor Izzy. ’ Andrew said he set her down on her feet.

‘ I hate doctors. ’ Isobel said as she smiled at Andrew immediately she got back her bearing.

‘ I know love. That's the only reason why I don't force you to see one. ’ Andrew replied her as they walked into the castle together.

‘ what did princess Whitney do this time ? ’ Isobel asked Andrew

‘ why do you dislike her so much ?’ Andrew asked in reply

‘ the same reason she antagonize me. ’ she answered.

‘ I don't know the reason. ’ Andrew said.

‘ I know you don't. And even if you do, you won't understand. ’

‘ let me guess, another of women code that men would never understand. ’

‘ see , you are learning. ’ Isobel said as she beamed a smile at Andrew.

‘ women are weird. ’ Andrew mumbled as Isobel laughed

‘ so what happened this time ?’ Isobel asked.

‘ princess Whitney has been kidnapped. ’ Andrew said in a somber tone.

‘ what ?’ Isobel asked alarmed.

****

.

It has been a week since princess Whitney has been kidnapped and Andrew was having a hard time trying to find out who kidnapped her, he is rarely at home but Isobel hardly notices as she has been feeling under the weather for some days now and was barely keeping Agnes from hunting down Andrew for him to be by her side. It was not yet noon but Isobel felt tired of saying the same sentence over and over again as it is the right answer to the same question that Agnes has been repeatedly asking since she woke up and now she feels a dreaded head ache coming on.

‘ for the hundredth time, Agnes. No I don't need Andrew to be present and even if he is present, I won't let him see me in this state. Understood. ’ Isobel ordered Agnes in a firm tone, too tired to cuddle her maid as she has always been doing.

‘ But, my lady... ’ Agnes started about to launch into another episode of begging her to visit a doctor which she would not visit. Ever. End of discussion.

‘ enough, no I don't want Andrew present, no I will not visit a doctor or a nurse maid and no I will not take a self prescribed medication tonic. It came by it self and it will leave by it self. ’

‘ how about an herbalist? ’ Agnes suggested after a while of thinking.

‘ no herbalists too. I need to rest. Help me up into the bed so I can rest for a little while before going to the castle to show our support of the king in this trying times, although I don't like princess Whitney, I won't wish this on anybody. ’

‘ I would, if the person is princess Whitney. ’ Agnes mumbled under her breathe and as Isobel shot her an angry look, she stared backed defiantly at her mistress. ‘ she ordered groomsmen to r**e me because I had a lovely prospect at getting married, you can't expect me not to wish her bad. ’

‘ just keep your thoughts to your self as the walls have ears and people are looking for anybody to blame. ’

‘ I will, my lady. ’ Agnes replied as she settled Isobel on her bed as she closed her eyes to sleep, then arranged the blankets over her.

* * * *

‘ my lady please visit the herbalist, she will swear an oath of secrecy, you are getting more worst by the second. ’ Agnes begged Isobel, fearful for her mistress health.

‘ I will be fine ’ Isobel said weakly, bedridden.

‘ you won't if you don't take care of yourself, it is either, we visit the herbalist or I will leave this room, this minute to look for lord Andrew and make him drag you to the royal physician where they will perform all sorts of tests on you. ’ Agnes threatened Isobel.

‘ fine, if you put it that way I guess that we will have to see the herbalist. ’ Isobel said weakly after a fistful of coughs.

‘ as soon as you regain enough strength to walk. ’ Agnes asked.

‘ as soon as I regain enough of my energy not to look like I am sick in front of people who could tell my husband that I am not well. ’ Isobel countered.

‘ deal. ’ Agnes said then smiled. ‘ I made a brew that my mother use to make for me when I was sick, it comforted me a lot. ’ Agnes said.

‘ no, your brews tastes bad ’ Isobel complained weakly.

‘ then, it means that it is working. ’ Agnes said as she opened the plate and put the contents on a spoon. ‘ open wide. ’

Isobel stomach rolled at the smell of the brew. ‘ no. ’ she shook her head fearfully. With Agnes cooking, whatever that thing is will likely cause more harm than good.

‘ don't be a big baby. ’ Agnes admonished.

‘ have you tasted your cooking. It is the single most awful thing ever. ’ Isobel complained.

‘ come on, my lady, it can't be that bad. ’ Agnes said as she tasted it then she gagged. ‘ point taken. It is really bad. ’

‘ ah. ’ lady Isobel breathed in relief. ‘ I will remind you never to cook for Jerome ’ she said as a blush stained Agnes checks.

* * * * * *

‘ My lady, see you have gotten a lot better since the last two days that you visited that herbalist, you should take advice more often. ’ Agnes said as she smiled at Isobel who was eating by herself for the first time in a week.

‘ at least Andrew would not know that I was not too well so he won't bother much. Oh and bring out my lilac gown. I am much in a good mood today. ’ Isobel said as Agnes moved towards her wardrobe.

A knock sounded at the door and a maid entered looking frightened. ‘ what is it, fraya. ’ Isobel said at the look on her young maid face.

‘ the royal guards are downstairs and they are asking for you, my Lady, ’ fraya voice said on a trembling pitch.

‘ why ? ’ Isobel asked unconcerned. ‘ could it be about Andrew? ’ she asked then her face lost all colours. With that she ran downstairs.

‘ what's wrong, ’ she asked the guards at the door in great agitation.

‘ lady Isobel? ’ the guard at the lead asked with a firm voice and cold eyes.

‘ yes. What is this about? ’she asked with pale wide eyes. ‘ Andrew is fine right. ’

‘ lord Andrew is fine, you are under arrest and to stand at trial before the king and his court for the k********g of princess Whitney and threats against the crown. ’ the guard said again with his cold gaze glaring at her.

‘ what? ’ she asked surprised.

‘ will you come willingly or should we drag you out in front of your household? ’ the guard at the left hand side asked.

Numbly lady Isobel put out her hand for her to be taken away unaware of her surroundings instead her mind was stuck on the words that keep repeating in her brain.

...you are under arrest for k********g the princess and threat against the crown ...