Sorting Through Life's Puzzle Pieces

Chapter 29

I cannot take credit for the entirety of what you are about to read. The aid it gives the story is mine, the arrianging is mine, but the real credit goes to William Shakespeare, himself. May he rest in peace.

          Tom tried to keep quiet about it. He really did, but that little tickle in the back of his mind wouldn't let it go. I will be hostess to your guests, sir. Just give me a bit to make arrangements to get everything back to the States and you can have your flat back.

"Rob, it would seem that I am unrequited in my affections of said lady and she will have none of me."

"I wonder that you will still be talking Sir Benedic, nobody marks you." He heard her anger, but instead of trying to play nice he returned it in kind.

"What my dear lady Disdain. Are you yet living?"

"Is it possible disdain should die while she had such a meat food to feed it as Senore Benedic. Curtesy itself is disdain if you come in her presence."

Tom noticed her eyes were slightly moist. He realized while he had the best of intentions, what had made this all worse, was that a child she loved dearly had been the one to reveal it. He suddenly realized she had thought that they had asked the small boy to lie to her as all the rest had. It was then he decided to play along with her little game. If this is what it would take to make her listen, then so be it. Audience and all.

"Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while?"

"Yea and I will weep a while longer."

"I will not desire that." He moved a step closer.

"You have no reason; I do it freely." Shawna watched as Maeve stepped back and away, trying to keep away from him. I wish I had brought my phone charger with me.

"I do love nothing in this world so well as you; is that not strange?" Her eyes flashed at his confession. Oh no, maybe I should have said something else.

"I pray you sir, is it your will of make a stale of me against these mates?"

"Good Kate, I am a gentleman."

"What is your crest? A coxcomb?" Ben and Martin had to stifle their laughs at this. They saw Shawna lean forward to whisper to Rob and Anthony what it meant. It was obvious Tom was using every inch of training not to laugh himself.

"A comb-less cock, so Kate will be my hen." Maeve' face turned stormy.

"No cock of mine; you crow too like a craven," she moved to stomp of to the kitchen, but Tom caught her around the waist and held fast as she struggled. Her glare would have killed an army.

"I chafe you; if I tarry, let me go." Tom pressed his lips to her neck gently causing her to still at the very public, intimate touch. He was sure if he turned her around she would be blushing.

"Fair Katherine, and most fair, will you vouch safe to teach a soldier terms such as will enter to a lady' ear and plead his loves into her gentle heart."

"Your majesty shall mock me; I cannot speak your England." He could swear he heard Chris mutter 'bullshit' under his breath.

"Do you like me, Kate?"

"I cannot tell. What is 'like me'" She still dodged his questions of her feelings after he confessed his own.

"An angel is like you, Kate, and you are like an angel."

"Que dit il? Que je suis semlable a les anges?"

"I said so, Katherine; and I must not blush to affirm it. " She stilled in her struggle to pull away from him. A struggle which had successfully pulled them into the hallway. He turned her face upwards to look at him.

"But you will take exceptions to my boon." Maeve looked back at him, confused as to where this was leading. She had turned him down more than once already. In the same day!

"What stops my Lord? Shall I not hear my task?"

"An easy task, to love a king."

She shook her head at this, "then it is easily performed. For I am a subject."

"I did not mean such a task. To tell you plain, I would lay with thee." She heard the sound of people choking followed by coughing but refused to look away first.

"To tell you plain, I would rather lay in prison."

Shawna turned to whisper at Sofie, Amanda and Elsa. "Please tell me one of you is getting this on camera. We have to play it for them at their wedding, when she finally agrees to that."

"You do mistake my meaning, my lady. Sweet widow, by my state, I mean no more than what my soul intends, and that is to enjoy thee with my love." He released her from where his arms were around her waist and she back into the sitting room...and audience.

"And that is more than I will yield onto." She practically scratched at him, not seeing all their friends pretending they weren't hearing anything, now that they had returned. Though they had practically been shouting part of the argument. Benedict was holding his side, rolling in silent laughter; not wanting to stop them.

"Peace to thee, widow, I did mean as my queen."

Maeve wasn't the only one to gasp, when she tried to walk out again, the other women stopped her and turned her back to him. She kept moving back, though and they were struggling to keep hold of her.

"Which is the young lady I must seize upon?" Ben jumped up and pushed her back towards his best friend.

"This same is she and I do give you her."

Maeve crossed her arms tightly, continuing to glare at the infuriating Englishman before her. "What is your will?"

"Do you not love me?"

"Why no, no more than reason."

Amanda started laughing and Benedict piped up through a low chuckle, "Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman."

It didn't help that Martin followed along, "And I'll be sworn upon't that he loves her."

Tom actually gave a small glare at their intrusion, but all in attendance saw hope light his face when he turned back to see her blushing so hard, he would swear it went to her toes.

"Come, I will have thee; but by this light, I take thee for pity." Tom was rewarded by a small smile on her lips. Finally, he thought when she looked back up at him with that same light in her eyes that she had at the fire.

"I would not deny you, but, but this good day, I will yield upon great persuasion-" He cut off the rest of her reply.

"Peace, I will stop your mouth," and kissed her soundly. This brought on such applause it could have been assumed they were on stage.

"Well that took forever. So, is there still a dessert coming out of that kitchen there, Mae, or was the show it?" Sebastian piped up. "Ow, hey..." he responded to a smack.

"You don't just ask a woman that!" Anthony had Gibbsed him for his manners.

"Yes, Seabass, we're having dessert. Tom," she questioned him. He looked back silently. "Would you like to help me serve our guests?" She could swear his chest puffed out a little.

"I would be delighted to, darling."