Courtly rolled her eyes, rather miserably. The way she and Maximus had met wasn’t something she ever envisioned herself speaking of, but at this moment, it was on the tip of her tongue. For whatever reason, she felt the need to confide in Lady de Shera, perhaps because she had never really had anyone to confide to in all of her life. This was all very new to her.
“I fell on his head, my lady,” she said, embarrassed and distressed. “I was climbing down a rope I had made of bed linens and the rope gave way, so I crashed down on his head and… and my skirt went over his head, trapping the top-half of him within my skirts when we fell to the ground.”
Jeniver’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth to say something, perhaps offer her condolences on such an undignified meeting, but she ended up laughing. She slapped a hand over her mouth.
“It is not true!” she hissed, stifling her giggles.
Seeing that Lady de Shera was laughing should have upset Courtly greatly, but it didn’t. She, too, saw the humor of the situation, now a day after it happened. At the time, it was the worst possible thing that could have happened but now, in hindsight, itwasrather funny. She struggled not to smile.
“I am afraid that it is,” she said, remembering the entire event with great clarity. “But… but that was not the worst part. He became entangled in my skirts with his head… where it should not have been, my lady, and I swear I thought he was a beast, a fiend at the very least. As his head remained trapped in my skirts, I… I beat his head through the fabric.”
Jeniver couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing, so much so that Courtly started to chuckle whether or not she wanted to. Jeniver’s laughter was contagious and, as Courtly thought on the situation, she realized just how funny it really was. She began to scream with laughter, too. As they rolled along the rocky, hole-prone road towards Oxford, the entire carriage was echoing with laughter.
“God’s Bones,” Jeniver gasped, wiping tears from her eyes. “That is the best thing I have heard in weeks. You say you really beat him around the head?”
Courtly was still snorting. “I did, my lady.”
Jeniver was off in gales of laughter again until she was weak with it. Struggling to catch her breath, she was leaning back against the cushioned side of the cab when a very big horse and an armored leg appeared near the cab window. There was a very big hand, too, gloved, and as the horse plodded along, the man astride it bent over so he could look into the cab window.
“What is happening in there?” Maximus asked. “All I hear is screaming.”
Jeniver glanced at Courtly, who had the look of absolute surprise and absolute elation on her face. But Courtly abruptly looked at her, horrified that the woman was going to tell him why they had been laughing and Jeniver subtly shook her head.
“It is not of your affair, Maximus de Shera,” she told the man. “We are speaking of womanly things. You would not be interested.”
Maximus flipped up his three-point visor, of the latest style, and looked between Jeniver and Courtly. Mostly, he was looking at Courtly. His eyes lingered on her, like a gentle caress, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Jeniver. She’d never seen that expression on Maximus’ face, ever.
“I suppose you told her why she is here,” he said to Jeniver.
Jeniver, a sly smile on her face, shook her head. “I have not,” she said. “Now you have ruined the surprise. Go back and ride behind the carriage, Maximus. You are spoiling all of my fun.”
Maximus grinned, flashing those straight white teeth framed by the beard. “Hurry and tell her before we arrive,” he said. “Oxford is up ahead. I can see it now.”
Courtly was looking at Jeniver very curiously at this point. Jeniver, seeing the woman’s expression, sighed dramatically.
“Oh, very well, Maximus,” she said, even though she was looking at Courtly. “It has come to our attention, Lady Courtly, that all of your possessions were burned in the fire yesterday. Is that correct?”
Courtly nodded, although she was somewhat confused by the question. “They were,” she said. “That is why I must apologize for my state of dress. This is all I have to wear and….”
Jeniver cut her off, gently done. “I know,” she said. “Maximus and I discussed your predicament and he would like to take you shopping for a few things to replace what you lost.”
Courtly was hit with a wave of utter delight, of utter shock. “But why?” she asked, to both of them, but ended up looking at Maximus. “Sir Maximus, it was not your fault that my possessions burned. You certainly do not have to replace anything.”
He was bent over his horse, looking at her through the cab window. “I know,” he said. “I want to do it. It would give me great pleasure, my lady. Please do not deny me.”
Courtly stared at him, unsure of what to say to that. She didn’t want to be rude, but she wasn’t sure what her father would say to all of this, either. He might be offended by others paying for what his daughter had lost. Perplexed, she looked at Jeniver.
“I thought we were going to shop for itemsyouneeded, my lady,” she said.
Jeniver lifted her slender shoulders. “I am going to shop for items I need,” she said. “If you are agreeable, Maximus will take you shopping for a few items thatyouneed.”
Courtly still wasn’t following her meaning. “Then you and I are not going together?”
Jeniver shook her head. “Maximus will be perfectly behaved, I assure you,” she answered. “It will be quite safe to go with him alone. Unless, of course, you would rather come with me, in which case, Maximus will accompany us. The choice is yours.”
It was a wide-open question, the answer of which could have implications on both Maximus’ life and Courtly’s. The opportunity was presenting itself for a potential suitor to have some time with Courtly, away from her father, and the realization was almost too much to comprehend. In fact, it was toogoodto comprehend. Courtly could hardly believe it, but it was becoming readily apparent to her that this had been planned all along– Maximus wanted to spend time alone with her, much as he had done in the kitchen the previous night, and Lady Jeniver was helping him accomplish that. Overwhelmed with the scandalous joy of such a thing, all Courtly could do was nod.
“Aye, my lady,” she replied softly, with emotion in her voice. “I will go with him, alone. I would be honored.”
