The English Rose

Chapter Two~ Ambush

The morning after, I was woken up by an old French woman by the name Ms. Leroy. She had been like an adopted grandmother to me. She was there to tell me what was wrong and what was right. When I was confused or needed some motherly advice she was always there for me. She was really the only Frenchman I liked.

She had dark brown hair with brown eyes that were always filled with love. She had packed my dresses and other items I absolutely needed. I kept the necklace my mother gave me around my neck where the cross used to be. It was a locket shaped into a heart, silver and held engraving saying Is mo chlann mo chridhe. Father didn't know what it meant and we could never really figure it out. We could never get the locket open either. We didn't want to ruin it, so we just kept it closed.

She opened the heavy curtains. It was still dark out. I thought I was to leave in the morning. "I don't want to go Ms. Leroy, I want to stay here and go to parties with friends. Dance and read out in the garden watch the flowers bloom in the spring. I want to be here."

She scoffed, and in a heavy French accent she said "When have you ever gone to a party and really danced? What friends do you have here? Ellie Longbow, that little brat isn't a friend she is trying to cuddle up to the King and make her father look good." I sat up and brought my knees to my chest. My chemise wrapped around me creating a cocoon. "My child, you need to see the world, this is no more than a month away depending on where she is. Just be glad he didn't send you to Spain, or Italy or even the Germanic States. Those are a months to a year away from here." I took a deep breath.

"Who will take care of Father though?" It was a sorry excuse. I was twenty now and I knew I needed to be on my own with a husband and from what other people said, I also needed a child. I pushed the thought from my mind "And you, what will I do without you? You have been there for me through everything, even when I got the sweating sickness."

She nodded "I remember that week. No one would come near you but your Father and me." She sat the dress I was supposed to wear on the bed. "We almost thought you were going to go to the good Lord that day and be with your Mother once again. Thankfully though, you didn't and you came out of it." She took a deep breath. "One day I am going to be gone. What will you do without me then? Will you wallow in sorrow, or will you be wise enough to live on?" I gave her a hug and set my head on her shoulder. "You will do fine darling, go make some new friends, find a man who will love you. I want to be the first to meet him when you come back." I smiled and nodded. "Promise me child."

"I promise that when I find my husband, you will be the first one to meet him after Father." I crossed my heart like I used to do when I was a little girl. I flung the covers off of me and fumbled out of bed. I went to the window. It was still dark. Why was I up? "It isn't morning yet. Are they having me leave early?"

She shook her head, "No they want to make sure you are ready, well fed and they will get your trunks onto the back of the carriage. They don't want you to forget anything here." They were practically banishing me out of the castle. My Father would be the only thing to remind the other Nobles that I was ever here. At first light, I was to be gone. I looked at the dark green dress and took a deep breath. I could peel the prickling behind my eyes. I turned away and blinked furiously. I would not cry today. I would think about this tomorrow. I would cry then.

Everything passed by in a blur. I couldn't taste what I had eaten, I couldn't really tell if I had eaten. I believe it was two eggs with bacon, a biscuit and some wine. As I stood out in the courtyard I couldn't feel the biting wind. I looked around and saw that only my father, three servants and Mrs. Leroy were here, not including the four guards. There was no Edward. We had said our final goodbyes last night. He had handed me a letter to read on the way to the Scottish castle. I wouldn't read it today, it was still to raw to deal with.