Stormy Tides

Chapter 1

         Karen groaned as once again her butler bested her in yet another sword practice.
         "I think yé out to get me today," She said as their swords clashed again.
       "Just focus milady," Daniel, the butler, answered as they clashed yet again.
        They went on with it for another hour. Lady McKenzie had no real reason for learning swordmanship apart from that she had developed the interest after growing up with five big brothers. She aspired to learn it since her brothers would refuse to play with her claiming to be busy with swords rather than play with her. Therefore she learnt so she could play with them.
         She had even bested them sometimes but they would claim to have let her win to sooth their bruised pride. Her mother would swoon every time Karen came back to the house in breeches. So she either practised early in the morning before her mother woke up or late into the night.
        Their faithful butler would tutor her for he had served in the Queen's army against the Frenchmen. Sometimes she would duel with her father, His Grace McKenzie, who was proud of his daughter. He had been away on business but was due to return that evening. She was excited to show off her new skills.
Later, as she dragged herself home after two hours of practice in the woods nearby, she was accosted by Rafael, the third brother who was her favourite.
        "Bloody hell! yé look worse than a rained on feline" He teased her. She groaned in response.
       "Do yé expect me to still look pretty like those women yé bed after having dueled with Daniel," She retaliated. Admittedly she knew that she was plain with her large grey doe eyes and freckles that spread along her cheekbones. She was a redhead and not all endowed in the womanly parts. In her breeches, she could easily be confused with a boy.
         No one knew about her swordsmanship apart from her brothers, father and of course their ever faithful butler.
        In the society balls no one dared to approach her as she was either guarded by one of her brothers or she glued herself to the walls and joined the well known wallflowers.
           She had had many suitors due to her dowry but she had rejected them all. She was now turning one and twenty and was not yet married. Her brothers were also to blame since they would scare off her suitors. They were too overprotective of her but they respected her decisions if they did not want a duel with her.
          Her eldest brother, Gideon was already married and had three children. Nicholas, the second born was engaged to be married in a few weeks. Karen coveted their relationships together with her parents since they had found true love. She wanted that for herself and therefore her heart was well guarded.
            She knew that she did not have any friends she could confide in since most ladies befriended her to get close to the remaining unwed brothers two of whom were twins. So her only confidant was Rafael who bore all her secrets and she in return bore most but not all of his secrets.
            "By the by my little sister, it looks like today yé forgot all about time and now mother is awake, " Rafael swiftly changed the topic before his sister would start to tease him about his rougish ways. After all the McKenzie's were rather handsome for their own good.
        "Bloody hell!... "
         "Now now Karen, that is not lady like, though I do not mind that yé use crude words like a sailor, mother would not be happy" Rafael tutted with a grin that Karen could't resist the bout of laughter that escaped her pink full lips.
         "Oh dear, mother would be so disappointed. But she is used to it. After all she bore five crude men before me so she cannot blame me, " She replied amidst giggles.
         "I demand an apology. Yé just accused me of being crude and we both know that I'm the perfect gentleman. Even the ton will support me, "Rafael said in mock indignation.
       "Yeah yeah. Only when yé need the ladies to lift their heavy skirts for yé, "She responded,giggling as she watched a pink blush rose in her brother's cheeks. By now they had arrived at the front doors of their mansion and let themselves in since Daniel had to clean himself up. They were met by their mother who seemed to have been waiting for them for quite sometime.
          "Karen, do go freshen up and dress yérself like a lady. We have a visitor arriving any moment now, "Her Grace, Lady May McKenzie told her daughter in a sombre voice. Karen noticed that her mother had not swooned like she normally did when she saw her in breeches.
          Although Lady May would never admit it, she was proud that her daughter would be able to take care of herself in case of any danger. She just did not like the storm that was coming their way for she had hoped that her daughter would never have to use her skills in real danger. But it seemed that fate was not on their side.
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