The Duke's Daughter

The Cabin

They made it into Theo's cabin with only a few minor difficulties, such as Elise tripping on a root and dropping Theo which caused him to faint.

The cabin itself was a one room, one storey affair, with a most unusual attic. It was no more than a sort of floor, only four feet wide, following the house around. It had a ladder to climb up, and a window, but most of it was just plain air.

It had an indoor pump, and, as Elise discovered when she went to get wood, the cellar was full right to it's door with wood. She busied herself about the place, fussing over Theo and making sure he would be able to rest comfortably.

"It's not cut at least. Bruised, and sore, but I'll be back on my feet by tomorrow. And judging by the look of that sky, we'll be in for a bit of snow sometime tomorrow."

"Snow?!" Elise exclaimed. "But that means I won't be able to leave for a few days, a week or more if a blizzard comes."

"Oh well. There's food aplenty, and as I said before, I won't touch you. Especially not after your horrifying threat from earlier. Now, there's stew in that pot, left over from my lunch, and bowls and spoons in the left hand cupboard. Blankets are on the north side of the attic along with a feather mattress. Just throw them down, don't carry them, or you'll fall to your death. I'm going to sleep before I die of tiredness goodnight Elise sleepwelldon'tforgettofeedthedog" Theo's words ran together as he fell asleep.

Elise smiled at the sleepy figure and pulled the covers up over his shoulders. There was a sleeping greyhound by the fire. She walked over and knelt by the dog, giving it a good scratch. "Hello there. What's your name?" The dog snuggled back into it's bed, and Elise laughed softly and walked over to get some stew. Surprisingly, the stew was delicious. "Well that settles it. Theo can cook while I'm here. I'll clean, but he's not making me cook if he can cook this well." Then, sitting down in the rocking chair, she ate her stew before taking off her clothing right down to her shift. The thought that Theo might waken before she did crossed her mind, but after a look at his exhausted countenance, she shrugged and crawled into her little nest of a bed which was beautifully warm and soft.

*

The next morning, Theo woke up and saw Elise properly for the first time. She was incredibly short, with very long, decidedly red hair. Freckles that any girl at court would despair of. And - sweet Mary! She was only in her shift! Why... if anyone came to the door now, they would assume that something perfectly indecent had gone on during the night. "Bloody hell" he groaned under his breath. "This is just wonderful!" Elise had somehow managed to get her clothes strewn all over the cabin, starting by the rocker. Theo had, of course, seen many women in various states of undress considering his rake of a grandfather, who was a constant source of scandal and frustration to him and his father. But this! This was different. Elise wasn't a harlot. It would seem she was still innocent. She shouldn't have to leave her corset and garters and stockings all over the place. No by Jove it wasn't fair! He, Theodore Lacey would build her a wardrobe today is he did nothing else.

Elise stirred and then opened her eyes. "Good morning."