Trouble Brewing
Meanwhile at the Castle, Francis raced through the halls to find Mary. He had just received word that the plague had returned to their shores. This was a catastrophic event and his parents hadn't returned yet, leaving him to deal with the frantic nobles. Entering their chambers he saw her sitting at the desk reading.
"Have you heard the news yet?" Francis asked Mary as he closed the door.
"Of the plague? Yes, Greer left a few moments ago. Francis, there is something I need to talk to you about." Mary said, standing from the desk and bringing him the paper she was reading. Taking the paper from her, he read it and saw it was from Lola. She was in trouble as her husband, Lord Julien was now dead and she was alone in a village nearby and in labour. "Francis, we have to send help for her."
"Mary, do you know how dangerous it is out in the countryside? If we infect the castle with the plague, everyone here will die. What if she's come in contact with it already? She might already be lost." Francis sighed as he laid the paper down and took Mary in his arms. "I know she's your best friend, but should we put everyone in danger just for her?"
"Francis," Mary said lowly as she pulled away from him, "There's something you must know, something that if you knew you would hate me forever. I'm afraid for her, for you, for us! I can't imagine what our lives will be like if you knew, yet I can't let Lola die without you knowing even though I promised her I wouldn't say anything."
"Mary, what are you saying? I'll always love you." Francis said as he took her hands in his. "Whatever it is, we'll work through it together. That's what I promised you before we were married and I meant it."
With tears in her eyes, she finally uttered her confession. "The child she carries isn't her husband's. It's yours. She's giving you a child I haven't been able to."
Francis let go of her hands immediately, "What do you mean, Mary? How can you know for sure?"
"She told me before she ever married Lord Julien. That's why she was in such a hurry to find a husband. She didn't want to become your responsibility. She wanted a life, a happy life, away from Court with a husband and she didn't want to disrupt our marriage and I selfishly agreed not to tell you. I don't want our marriage to become as your parents did. You are the love of my life, Francis, and I can't lose you." Mary professed as she shook visibly. "We have to send some guards to escort her here safely."
"You have betrayed me, Mary, both of you have, but that is still my child. I won't send guards. I'll leave immediately."
"Francis, you can't! What if you die? I'll never forgive myself." Mary pleaded as he grabbed a bag and put in an extra set of pants and a shirt.
"I can't worry about myself at the moment. Two innocent lives that are now my responsibility are at stake!" He exclaimed as he swung around as she sank to the floor. Mary knew he really did hate her now. She wished she had just told him when she'd first found Lola in that shack. Seeing her grief and her remorse he walked over and kneeling down beside her pulled her into his arms. Francis was angry and hurt, but he still loved Mary. He didn't want this to tear them apart forever.
"Come with me, Mary." He whispered as he flicked a tear from her cheek and brought her eyes up to meet his.
"I'm not trying to be selfish, Francis, I swear. I just don't want to be the cause of your death and now it seems I have brought you closer." Mary said softly.
"I have told you before we make our own destiny. I have no intention of dying this day or any day soon until we have had our many children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I still love you, Mary. I am just hurt that you felt you couldn't trust me, but as my mother says, trust is earned, and we are both still working on that. How about I forgive you for keeping this from me and you forgive me for my indiscretion with Lola and we start over. We can learn from this. All isn't lost yet, only if we stop trying." Francis said gently and kissed her forehead.
Smiling sadly at him, Mary replied. "I'll come with you, but who will look after affairs until your parents return?"
Getting up and pulling her to her feet, Francis answered. "They will be back tonight, and until then Elizabeth can handle things. Most of the affairs are in order and until Father returns and puts together a plan of strategy, things are on stand still anyways. Pack an extra outfit while I inform my sister and then I'll meet you at the stables." Francis called out as he grabbed the bag and headed for the door leaving Mary alone to gather her thoughts and provisions.
"Have you heard the news yet?" Francis asked Mary as he closed the door.
"Of the plague? Yes, Greer left a few moments ago. Francis, there is something I need to talk to you about." Mary said, standing from the desk and bringing him the paper she was reading. Taking the paper from her, he read it and saw it was from Lola. She was in trouble as her husband, Lord Julien was now dead and she was alone in a village nearby and in labour. "Francis, we have to send help for her."
"Mary, do you know how dangerous it is out in the countryside? If we infect the castle with the plague, everyone here will die. What if she's come in contact with it already? She might already be lost." Francis sighed as he laid the paper down and took Mary in his arms. "I know she's your best friend, but should we put everyone in danger just for her?"
"Francis," Mary said lowly as she pulled away from him, "There's something you must know, something that if you knew you would hate me forever. I'm afraid for her, for you, for us! I can't imagine what our lives will be like if you knew, yet I can't let Lola die without you knowing even though I promised her I wouldn't say anything."
"Mary, what are you saying? I'll always love you." Francis said as he took her hands in his. "Whatever it is, we'll work through it together. That's what I promised you before we were married and I meant it."
With tears in her eyes, she finally uttered her confession. "The child she carries isn't her husband's. It's yours. She's giving you a child I haven't been able to."
Francis let go of her hands immediately, "What do you mean, Mary? How can you know for sure?"
"She told me before she ever married Lord Julien. That's why she was in such a hurry to find a husband. She didn't want to become your responsibility. She wanted a life, a happy life, away from Court with a husband and she didn't want to disrupt our marriage and I selfishly agreed not to tell you. I don't want our marriage to become as your parents did. You are the love of my life, Francis, and I can't lose you." Mary professed as she shook visibly. "We have to send some guards to escort her here safely."
"You have betrayed me, Mary, both of you have, but that is still my child. I won't send guards. I'll leave immediately."
"Francis, you can't! What if you die? I'll never forgive myself." Mary pleaded as he grabbed a bag and put in an extra set of pants and a shirt.
"I can't worry about myself at the moment. Two innocent lives that are now my responsibility are at stake!" He exclaimed as he swung around as she sank to the floor. Mary knew he really did hate her now. She wished she had just told him when she'd first found Lola in that shack. Seeing her grief and her remorse he walked over and kneeling down beside her pulled her into his arms. Francis was angry and hurt, but he still loved Mary. He didn't want this to tear them apart forever.
"Come with me, Mary." He whispered as he flicked a tear from her cheek and brought her eyes up to meet his.
"I'm not trying to be selfish, Francis, I swear. I just don't want to be the cause of your death and now it seems I have brought you closer." Mary said softly.
"I have told you before we make our own destiny. I have no intention of dying this day or any day soon until we have had our many children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I still love you, Mary. I am just hurt that you felt you couldn't trust me, but as my mother says, trust is earned, and we are both still working on that. How about I forgive you for keeping this from me and you forgive me for my indiscretion with Lola and we start over. We can learn from this. All isn't lost yet, only if we stop trying." Francis said gently and kissed her forehead.
Smiling sadly at him, Mary replied. "I'll come with you, but who will look after affairs until your parents return?"
Getting up and pulling her to her feet, Francis answered. "They will be back tonight, and until then Elizabeth can handle things. Most of the affairs are in order and until Father returns and puts together a plan of strategy, things are on stand still anyways. Pack an extra outfit while I inform my sister and then I'll meet you at the stables." Francis called out as he grabbed the bag and headed for the door leaving Mary alone to gather her thoughts and provisions.