Love Letters Page 5

  “Of course not!” she protested, feeling a little angry that he would think that. “You know I am waiting until my wedding night.”

  He sighed with relief, “I am sorry if I caused offence,” he apologised. “I only want to make sure you are not making any more bad decisions. I do not want anyone taking advantage of you and it is my job to be concerned. It is very risky for you to see him. You will both be punished if your father finds out.”

  “I know,” she agreed sadly. “I have warned him about the risks, but we want to keep seeing each other.”

  “So you are meeting with him again?” he asked disapprovingly.

  “Yes, but hopefully by then the betrothal issue will be resolved.”

  “I hope you can sort this out. I want you to be happy but I cannot help worrying about your situation.”

  “You will not tell anyone, will you?” she asked nervously.

  “It is my duty to report it to the king, but since we are friends, I will pretend I have not seen anything. I am only doing this because I do not want to get you into trouble.”

  She smiled, feeling relieved, “Thank you!”

  “But you must be very careful,” he insisted. “You hardly know him yet, you cannot fully trust him.”

  “I promise I will and I know that I have you if I am ever in trouble,” she reassured him. “But you have nothing to worry about; he is a lovely, kind gentleman.”

  “I would at least like to know his full name as a precaution.”

  She sighed, wishing her friend wasn’t so over protective, “He is called Nicholas Turner and he does not live in the village, so you cannot go charging off to question him.”

  “We shall see about that,” he replied.

  He would be checking up on him one way or another. It was his job to protect her and he needed to know that she was safe in his company.

  She tried to distract him from the idea, “I am glad that you danced with Isabelle. You two would be perfect together.”

  He smiled, forgetting about her mystery partner now that Isabelle’s name was mentioned, “Has she talked about me?” he asked.

  “Yes, she has,” she smiled teasingly.

  “I do like her, but people would not react well if we had a relationship,” he said awkwardly. “She is too different.”

  Rosanna felt annoyed how people thought badly of Isabelle because of her ethnicity and didn’t understand the reasons for it.

  “You should not care what anyone else says,” she told him. “If it is what you want then you should be together. I would be very happy for you both and that should matter more than opinions of judgemental people.”

  “I will try, but we will have to see what happens. We barely have time to see each other as it is.”

  “I am sorry,” she apologised, feeling guilty that their jobs were getting in the way.

  “I must return to my duties,” he realised they had been talking for a while. “Good luck speaking with your father. I hope it goes well.”

  “Thank you.”

  They left the room and Rosanna made her way over to her father’s study, hoping she could finally talk with him.

  She knocked on the door and opened it a little, “Father, can I speak with you?”

  He was sitting at his desk as usual, busy writing on scrolls of paper.

  “I am sorry, Rosanna, I have far too much work to be getting on with,” he answered, looking stressed. “We will talk sometime this evening.”

  She felt disappointed but wasn’t surprised, her father was always busy. She carefully shut the door and went out for a walk in the garden, hoping she could think of a persuasive argument ready for tonight.

  That evening, Rosanna nervously ate her meal and kept thinking over what she wanted to say. Luckily her father didn’t bring it up as they ate together. She wanted to talk with him in private, hopefully without her brother around.

  After dessert, Jonathon left to go to the tavern with his friends, and she went into the lounge with her father to talk beside the fireplace.

  “What did you want to speak with me about earlier?” he asked as the maid served them wine.

  “I wanted to talk about Prince Ethan,” she told him, fidgeting with her dress as she looked down nervously. “It does not feel right for me to marry him.”

  “I understand, you are just feeling anxious,” he reassured her. “I felt the same way when your grandparents arranged my marriage to your mother.”

  There was sadness in his eyes as he remembered their wedding day and it was obvious that he still missed her terribly. She felt awful for trying to talk about her problems when he was on a delicate subject. However, she had to take this opportunity while she could, since she may not get another chance to talk with him for a while.

  “The thought of marriage does not scare me at all,” she told him honestly. She felt warm inside thinking of the fantasy of her and Nicholas getting married in the future. “The truth is, I do not feel close to him at all and I doubt we would make a good couple.”

  “You need more time to get to know each other better,” he insisted, “but I am certain he will be the perfect husband for you. Why not go and meet with him soon? It will help to spend time together before the wedding.”

  She didn’t like the idea of having to see him again, but politely did not share her feelings. She couldn’t even make up an excuse because her father had already made up his mind.

  “I will write to them and set up a meeting for both of you.”

  She looked down sadly, knowing she didn’t have the courage to refuse or object. She tried to convince herself that she should go along with his plan for now, even though it felt like a bad idea. She hoped she could convince him more this way and make him understand. She would have a stronger reason for not liking Prince Ethan once they had time to get to know each other better. It would be better than refusing marriage based on when they had only just met.

  “I am sure you will come to like him more, Rosanna. Try not to worry. Your wedding will be the happiest day of your life.”

  She smiled weakly in response, hating to think of Prince Ethan as her husband.

  Chapter 7

  Nicholas arrived to meet Rosanna on Tuesday evening as planned. He looked around carefully before making his way to the stables. He had seen two knights patrolling the area and had to wait until they were gone. He quietly led his horse inside the stables, making sure that no one saw him, and then walked outside to wait for Rosanna.

  He jumped with fright when he felt someone grab him strongly by the shoulder. He realised he had been caught by one of the knights and felt anxious. He was convinced he would be killed or thrown in the dungeons for trespassing.

  “Are you Nicholas Turner?” Leonardo questioned him.

  “Yes,” he answered, confused and wondering how the stranger knew his name.

  “I have seen you meeting with the princess.”

  Nicholas worried that they had been caught out and knew he would be in big trouble once the king was informed.

  “What are your intentions?” Leonardo asked him sternly.

  He felt shy and blushed a little at the question, knowing exactly what Leonardo was suspecting.

  “I only want to spend time with her,” he answered honestly. “I respect and care about her a lot. I swear to you that our relationship is innocent and I would never do anything to hurt her.”

  The last thing he wanted was for an armed knight to assume he was taking advantage of her or he would be killed.

  Leonardo could tell that he wasn’t lying. He kept eye contact while talking and seemed to be genuine and trustworthy; not the type of man he feared he might be.

  “Fortunately for you, Rosanna has told me the same,” Leonardo replied, and let go of Nicholas now that he could trust him. “I am Leonardo, her personal guard,” he introduced himself.

  Nicholas shook his hand politely, “It is nice to know that Rosanna has friends to look out for her.”

  “I should warn
you, the king will be furious if he finds out you are meeting his daughter,” Leonardo told him seriously.

  “I know it is dangerous for me to be here, but I must see her.”

  “If I were you, I would not risk trespassing again. You have been very lucky so far,” Leonardo advised him. “What would you say to being employed at the castle? You would not get into trouble for being here that way.”

  Nicholas was surprised by the idea, knowing this would be an easier solution.

  “That would be an amazing opportunity,” he smiled. He never would have imagined himself working for the king. “Do you think I have a chance of working here?”

  “We need someone to tend to our horses and work in the stables,” answered Leonardo. “If that is something you want?”

  “Yes. How do I apply?”

  “Arrive at the castle tomorrow at noon,” Leonardo told him. “Someone will be here to discuss the vacancy with you, and if you are accepted then you can start.”

  “Thank you,” he said gratefully.

  “You can meet with Rosanna tonight, but you must be very careful not to be seen by anyone else. The other knights will not be as welcoming if you are caught. You are lucky I am not arresting you.”

  “I appreciate it, thank you,” he smiled.

  Leonardo left to go back on duty while Nicholas waited for Rosanna to arrive, still feeling surprised by what had just happened. He felt excited at the thought of starting a new job and being able to see Rosanna more often.

  He noticed someone approaching from the castle and watched as Rosanna appeared and smiled at him. They greeted each other with a hug and went to their usual spot under the weeping willow tree.

  “I have been worried about you,” she said. “I was hoping you would get here safe.”

  “There was no need to worry. Your friend came to talk with me.”

  She guessed that he meant Leonardo, knowing he was out on petrol tonight. It was only a matter of time before he checked up on Nicholas after their private talk.

  “I am sorry that I told Leonardo, but he had seen us together last time you came and questioned me about it. He is one of my closest friends so I can trust him not to tell anyone.”

  “I am glad that you did. He told me there is a job working in the stables. If I am accepted, we can see each other more.”

  “That is wonderful,” she smiled and reminded herself to thank Leonardo tomorrow. “But we still have to be very cautious, I cannot risk anyone else finding out.”

  “How was the talk with your father?” he asked hopefully.

  She sighed, wishing she could give him better news, “I told him my concerns, but he insists I need to spend time with Prince Ethan before the wedding. He is arranging a visit for me soon.”

  He felt disappointed that it still wasn’t resolved, and the thought of her spending time with Prince Ethan made him feel unsettled and jealous.

  “Could you not refuse to go?” he asked.

  “I wish I could, but for now I think it is best if I go along with my father’s decision, even though I will hate it.”

  “You should not feel forced into going, especially if it makes you unhappy,” he told her. “I am not exactly happy about it either.”

  “I cannot say no to my father,” she replied, “and you do not have to feel jealous or anxious about it. You are the man I want to be with and nothing will change how I feel about you, so you do not have to worry.”

  “I will try not to,” he agreed, feeling a little better knowing she didn’t have any feelings for Prince Ethan at all and seemed to despise him.

  “I am so happy that I have you in my life,” she cuddled up to him. “I would have been miserable if we had not met and I had to go through all of this alone.”

  He held her close, “I will always be here for you.”

  She smiled, feeling loved and safe in his arms.

  “I wish I was an ordinary person so we could do whatever we want. I hate that everyone expects me to do what they think is right,” she said frustrated. “I wish I could make my own choices, but so far my father is making them all for me. He is always planning out my life thinking he knows what is best for me.”

  “You can make your own decisions,” he reassured her. “You have chosen to be with me even though your father would not approve.”

  “This is the most rebellious thing I have ever done, but I am sick of following what people tell me to do. I want my own life and I need to be free from here.”

  “Maybe you will in the future. Your father cannot govern your life forever.”

  “I hope you are right,” she said uncertainly.

  Nicholas remembered he had brought something for her and hoped it would cheer her up.

  “I made this for you as a gift,” he said, producing it from his satchel.

  She accepted the wooden ornament feeling surprised and grateful. It was quite dark outside, but she could just make out the shape of a squirrel with a bushy tail. She stroked the carvings in awe and admired it. Every detail was so precise it almost looked life like.

  “Nicholas, it is brilliant!” she gushed happily. “You remembered that I love squirrels?”

  He smiled and nodded, “I knew I could not bring a wild squirrel for you, so I decided to make one instead.”

  “How long did it take for you to make it?”

  “It only took an hour to carve, but I had to spend time in the forest watching squirrels to make sure it looked perfect. I thought of you the whole time and how you loved to watch them in the garden.”

  She smiled, feeling touched, “thank you so much. This is the most thoughtful gift I have ever received.”

  She knew that her mother’s bracelet would always be her favourite present. However, Nicholas had made this gift especially for her, so it felt more special and personal.

  “I am glad you like it,” he smiled.

  She kissed him gratefully, “I will have to find a gift for you now.”

  “I do not need a gift, I am happy enough just to spend time with you,” he replied.

  They stayed in each other’s arms and talked, until Nicholas had to make his way back to the stables.

  “I am very grateful that you travel so far to see me,” she said, feeling special that he made so much effort for her.

  “I would travel anywhere for you, Rosanna. You mean a lot to me.”

  “Are you sure you will be safe? I worry about you having to travel in the dark, especially on a long journey,” she said nervously.

  “I will be fine,” he reassured her. “I remember the way home so I should not get lost.”

  They shared a goodbye kiss before he left.

  Chapter 8

  Nicholas arrived before noon the next day as promised. He felt nervous when he saw Jonathon waiting for him at the castle entrance. He briefly recognised him as Rosanna’s brother who had been looking for her the night of the ball. He strode over and politely introduced himself.

  “So you are the person who wants to apply,” Jonathon studied him. “I will debrief you on the vacancy.”

  Nicholas followed him as they made their way to the stables.

  “There are thirty horses altogether, but that will increase if we have guests,” Jonathon told him as they walked. “I expect you to feed, clean and prepare them if needed, as well as cleaning out the stables. Most of them will be ridden throughout the day by the knights, but any that are not used will need to be taken out for exercise.”

  He nodded, trying to take it all in.

  “Can you ride a horse?” asked Jonathon.

  “Yes, I have been riding for many years and have my own.”

  “Are you good with animals?”

  “Yes, I believe so,” he answered.

  They reached the stables and Nicholas saw that his own horse was happily chomping on a bale of hay after their journey.

  He noticed a grey mare nearby with a coat as white as snow and stroked it affectionately, “I promise I will take excellent care of
the horses if I am accepted.”

  Jonathon looked a little impressed by how the horses seemed at ease with him already. Nicholas smiled as the mare nuzzled into him as he stroked its mane.

  “This one seems to like you,” commented Jonathon. “She belongs to my sister.”

  Nicholas felt surprised that he had unknowingly chosen to go over to Rosanna’s horse instead of the others. He noticed the wooden sign on the door with the name Pearl engraved and smiled. It was obvious now that it belonged to Rosanna. It was the only horse here with a girly name and a lot of women preferred grey mares for their horse.

  “It is a beautiful mare, she chose well.”

  “I prefer my own,” Jonathon replied, looking proudly over at his black stallion that grunted from its stable. “I suppose you are acceptable for the job, and since no one else has applied, the vacancy is yours.”

  “Thank you. I really appreciate it,” he said gratefully.

  Jonathon introduced him to an employee named Phillip who was working the morning to afternoon shift.

  “Your wages will be paid at the end of each week. You will be expected to start at two o’clock each afternoon to take over Phillip’s shift and finish at nine.”

  He nodded.

  “You can start helping out and get used to things. I will be coming to check on you later before your shift ends tonight,” Jonathon told him before leaving.

  Nicholas talked with Phillip and got shown where to find all the tools and supplies he needed and helped him work.

  As soon as Rosanna had finished lunch, she walked over to the stables hoping that Nicholas would be there. Leonardo came to supervise her since they were going out for a ride, but he stayed waiting outside the stables to give her and Nicholas some privacy.

  She was excited to see Nicholas was there brushing out an empty stable. She couldn’t help but watch him lovingly, admiring how handsome he looked. He stroked one of the horses in the next stable and then looked up, noticing her there and smiled.

  She checked that no one else was coming over to the stables and then went into his arms, feeling blissful to be with him.