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“Is this the patient?” He looked at my father, too pale and resting. “I see. Not a moment too soon. You’re lucky that I just attended a birth nearby and had a midwife to leave there.” He shooed us out. “I need privacy. No ladies allowed.”
The three of us left. Aalis and Melisende were too shocked to make a joke about the way that I wasn’t actually a lady. Aalis cried into Melisende’s shoulder. I could see from Melisende’s face that she was thinking about what would happen to us if our father died.
My father didn’t have an heir. He only had three daughters. When he died, the baronetcy would pass to our cousin Gaufroi, my father’s nephew, and all the entailed land would go to him. We had generous dowries, but unless we were married off, we couldn’t draw from them.
“What will we do if Papa dies?” I asked Melisende. I wasn’t expecting her to slap me.
“Shut up,” she hissed. “It won’t happen. Papa can’t die.” Aalis was crying harder now, huge, wracking sobs that shook her whole body. “Get out. Get out!”
I walked outside. It wasn’t a good time for me to hide in the stable. Walking in the woods behind the house instead, I wrapped my arms around myself in the chilly air. My sisters would have an easy time finding a husband. They got proposals left and right. It was a game for them. If they really wanted to be married, though, they could manage it.
I, on the other hand, barely went out of t
he house. I knew that my father and sisters would be unhappy if I married a commoner, but I didn’t mingle with nobility all that often. I was just the Honorable Cateline and Belle to those who knew me well.
I stood to lose the most if Father died.
I walked in a slow circuit around our manor, praying that my father would make it through. When I saw the physician come out of the door, I rushed up to him.
“Will he recover?”
My fear must have shown in my eyes. The physician patted my arm awkwardly, as if he didn’t feel comfortable comforting me.
“He’ll live as long as he doesn’t overexert himself. He told me a wild story, though. I don’t think that he’s in his right mind. You can go in now. Maybe bring him some tea.”
I went to the kitchen and took a teapot, two lumps of sugar, and a cup in a saucer. I went back into the parlor with those in hand.
“Father? I brought you some tea.”
His eyes opened. He seemed a little better than he’d been when he arrived.
“Ah, Cateline. Come here, child.”
I gave him the cup of tea. He was resting on a pile of pillows that hadn’t been there when I left. He drank it in small sips.
“I feel better already, my dear. Thank you.” I nodded. He drank all the tea and gave me back the cup. “I need you to call your sisters down for a family meeting.”
I didn’t know what was wrong, but I knew that he had bad news. He wasn’t at death’s door, though, and I felt better. I went up the stairs and knocked on Melisende’s door.
“Come down,” I shouted through the door. “Father wants to speak to you both.”
The door opened, and I could see Aalis still had red eyes. Melisende was dabbing under her eyes with one of the handkerchiefs she made me embroider for her. “Coming.”
They swept past me to go down the stairs to see our father.
“My girls,” he said.
“Papa, you really shouldn’t be awake. You need to rest.” Aalis was wringing her hands. “Please get better.”
“I’m fine, my dear. You three should sit. I have something to share.”
The three of us carefully arranged our morning gowns and sat.
“I made a bargain that I feel now was unwise.”
“Bargain?” Melisende’s eyes narrowed at our father. “What sort of bargain?”
“I told Cateline part of it. My horse shied during a thunderstorm and threw me. I was taken to the nearest castle. Instead of being warmed up and treated, I was imprisoned in the library.”
