For Norah, because she pesters and pesters and pesters...
Lots of plot and no smut because frankly I'm still in recovery from the Taxi ride and I can't compete.
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Kate made her way through the gardens, brushing her hand idly through the herbs then raising it to her face to inhale the scent. She heard them before she saw them - a hum of chatter and gossip coming from the gathering beside the trees. Servants were setting out food and wine, musketeers standing discretely to one side. She scanned the group briefly, noting who stood in which cluster, who was watching whom, and then moved quietly to the back: observing and listening to the conversations. Several of the ladies peeled off from their groups and joined her.
"Any letters recently then Lady Caitlyn?"
She flicked a glance sideways "Should I have had any?"
"Well he's been gone, what, two and a half weeks now?" The tone was courteous, but the accompanying smile malicious.
"I can't imagine that there is much time for writing letters on exercise. He'll be back in due course." They stood watching her in silence for a few moments, then rejoined their groups, disappointed to have provoked so little reaction. Kate resigned herself to another afternoon of tedium as the surrounding conversation turned to the latest fashions.
Lady Ana listened to Kate's run-down of the day's gossip. "Nothing of note then. Has there been any news regarding your betrothal?"
She shook her head. "No idea, it's barely been a month, has the Queen mentioned it?"
"In passing. Maybe I should make my own enquiries.... Oh well. What about the marriage contracts?"
Kate shrugged "It seems a bit pointless until the Cardinal has agreed that there are no obstacles. Though I ought to go back anyway - it's that time of year. I'll need to check through the accounts, generally show my face."
Lady Ana nodded. "Well you'll need permission - and in the circumstances I doubt her majesty will allow you to travel unless you take an escort - you'd better give Captain Treville advance warning."
----
Norah sighed "Crewel work on linen over silk taffeta? Really? So, nothing new at all."
Her shop was closed and they were leaning over the cutting table swapping news.
"I think it was the patterns they were admiring to be honest, or maybe the colour. The combination of materials isn't exactly radical.... Oh - did Meg pick up her dress?"
"Yes, she was sooo excited. She says she's going to save it for the dance."
Kate looked dismayed. "Oh lord - I promised to go this year - I'm going to have to be unexpectedly on duty that night I think." Norah looked puzzled. "I'm not convinced about the wisdom of going to the dance with the stable lads, given the circumstances..."
"Oh yes, what with you being newly respectable and all" Norah smirked. "When have you ever cared what was 'appropriate'?!"
"Until the Cardinal has approved the betrothal, 'appropriate' suddenly seems a very sensible course of action. I don't like how often I see Rochefort hanging about these days." Norah flinched and shot Kate a guilty glance. Should she warn Kate about Rochefort's assault? "And equally, there's no point arguing with me about wedding dresses until then." She pushed back from the table. "I should go, I'll see you later. Thanks for the food."
"Kate...?" Norah looked suddenly scared, ashamed.
She sat back down, warily "What?"
"Rochefort..." Norah forced his name out "He tried... I mean - he didn't... I..." her voice tailed off "He tried to rape me" she blurted it out, then bit down on her lower lip, not daring to look at Kate. "It was a while ago - before your whole betrothal thing. I don't think he knows who I am - he didn't recognise me when he followed you in here." she mumbled.
Kate sat opposite her - very still, her face unreadable. Norah quailed slightly "I'm sorry - it doesn't matter, I shouldn't have..."
Kate fought against the mounting emotions - beyond furious with Rochefort, livid with herself for not having noticed something was wrong. "Do you want me to kill him for you?" Norah gaped, she'd expected sympathy and support, and whilst she knew Kate's reputation for being handy with a knife, she hadn't taken it overly seriously. "Does Porthos know?"
Norah breathed out, feeling on safer ground again. "Yes, but not that it was Rochefort. Though his friends do. I can't tell him Kate, he'll try to.. kill him..." her voice tailed off again. Kate looked every bit as likely to try and kill Rochefort too at this point.
Kate sighed "I'm sorry, you were wanting sympathy and emotional support weren't you? But can you use a knife?"
Norah nodded "That's how I got away from him - I just, I don't know. I wanted to warn you. I didn't mean you to... well."
Kate stood again, walked round the table and hugged Norah "We'll figure something out." She scanned the room briefly. "Get a lock put on the stair door as well."
She paused outside on the street, checking that Norah had barred the door behind her, then left.
---
The yard was quiet - hardly surprising with half the regiment away, but it was strange to see it so empty. She wandered across to the stables and Treville's horse stuck his head out - she absently reached out to pat his neck, and withdrew her hand quickly as his ears flicked back and he tried to bite her. She slapped it sharply over the nose and crossed the yard to his office.
Treville was sitting in front of a pile of paperwork looking tired and irritated. She paused in the doorway "Bad timing?"
He sat back in his chair "Depends why you're here really"
"I need to go home once the Queen gives permission, but apparently I can't go without an escort. Lady Ana told me to give you some advance warning."
He sighed "It's not possible right now I'm afraid - not with half of them on exercise."
Kate shrugged "As and when... it's not that urgent."
She shuffled slightly in the doorway and he raised an eyebrow, then frowned - something was obviously bothering her, and it was unusual for her not to just come out with it.
"Drink?" He indicated the bottle, but she shook her head, chewing on her lip.
"Rochefort... you know Porthos' Norah? She has a problem with him."
Treville relaxed, "Yes, I know, it's in hand." He glared at her "Do NOT get involved - understood?" she looked slightly amused as he added "Please?" as an afterthought.
She nodded, relieved that the situation appeared to be under control, and stepped further into the room, puzzled by the papers surrounding him. "Do you not have a clerk to sort that lot out for you?" They both looked at the mess of papers on his desk.
"I knocked them over" he admitted "they're all mixed up again."
She smiled. "Oh the joys... let's have a look - unless there's anything there I shouldn't see?" She leaned over his shoulder, scanning the contents and shook her head in resignation, then started moving the papers into piles. "Shift..." she nudged him out of the way and sat down in his chair. "Go and make yourself useful - clean guns or something... Actually," she looked up at him sharply "go and exercise your horse - he's in a right mood, there's a hour or so of daylight left." She looked back at the papers and he walked out, amused to be dismissed from his own office. Kate lost herself in the paperwork, grateful to have something to distract her.
An hour later he was back - the ride had been a blessing, to get out in the fresh air and away by himself was a rare luxury these days. He entered the room and smiled at the piles of papers stacked up on the desk. She was still sitting in his chair, scribbling notes on a piece of paper and glanced up as he entered. "Why has your hay bill doubled?" He looked at her blankly - she shrugged and carried on writing.
He grinned to himself - God help her steward if she was going home to check the estate's paperwork; then carried on through to the armoury to check the weapons.
After a while he heard the scrape of his chair being pushed back and she appeared in the doorway.
"I'm done, I'll see you later."
He raised his hand in acknowledgement, then called after her "I'll sort out an escort for you once the rest of the regiment is back - let me know when you get the formal permission."
He heard the door shut.