One More Chance

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"She is Lady Catherine Wolverstone. The firstborn of the late Duke of Newbridge, Lord David Wolverstone and his late first wife, Lady Sylvia Wolverstone," Maggie said amid broken sobs.

Christian was shocked. The Duke's daughter? Legal one?

Fred gave a low whistle. "This is interesting, so why is she like this? In boys clothes and treated thus?" he questioned.

Maggie said she would start from the very beginning and told the two men everything from the beauty that Lady Sylvia Wolverstone was to her death and the jealousy that drove Lady Cecelia Wolverstone and her need to take out her revenge on young Catherine. She went on to explain how she took comfort and refuge in her healing and sword fighting arts. She also elaborated on how the late duke was kept sheltered about how she was being treated and how Lady Cecelia had threatened Catherine with her removal from the household if she ever did anything wrong. She finally explained about how Catherine was locked up for her father's funeral and Maggie's role in helping her out.

"She is such a sweet child. Loves all the people here and we all love her in return, but we are helpless to do anything, " she finished.

Christian was overwhelmed. Never in a thousand years did he dream that the girl would have such a background. He was extremely disgusted of Lady Cecelia. How could anyone take revenge on a child of four years old? How could anyone beat a girl the Wayne had just witnessed? He felt very proud of the girl who slept in the room a few stones throw away. She had borne all the cruelty and still had grown up to love her people and her father the way she did. However, something did not sit right. He had seen the way she fought. She was very good. If she had wanted, she could have hit her step-mother back and protected herself. Why did she not do that? It is a question, he would have to ask her when she woke up he guessed. He turned to look at Fred.

Fred seemed very thoughtful. He was mulling some things over. "What?" Christian asked.

"It seems there is still hope for you my friend?" Fred replied vaguely. Christian raised an eyebrow in question.

"She is his legitimate daughter. You could marry her. You do not have to hitch yourself up with the duchess's daughters," he explained.

That thought had already crossed his mind. Although he knew he could never commit to loving his future wife because of the shadows that marred his past, he had hoped to find one of the late duke's daughters pleasant enough to spend his life in some sort of friendly companionship. Sadly, the two girls he had met thus far failed to qualify. Indeed, this girl might be the answer to his prayers.

"Indeed, but, she has to agree. We'll have to see what she has to say," he replied. His mind tried saying the name Catherine. It sounded very pleasant to him. He gave a soft smile.

*************

Cathy slowly opened her eyes and shut it back again. Her head throbbed in pain and she felt as though someone had punched her all over. She tried to recall what happened and her memory came flooding back. The funeral and her last words to her father. Her step-mother's anger and threats. Cecelia had resorted to hurting her physically. Then someone had stopped her. Who was it? Her mind vaguely sorted through her images and she recalled Sir Ashford and his friend breaking the door open. It must have been them who helped her.

Cathy slowly tried to open her eyes and blinked a couple of times to clear her vision. Sunlight streamed through the window and brightened up her whole room. It seemed to touch upon a person sitting in the chair next to her bed. It was Maggie. She had just seen Cathy open her eyes.

"Water," she croaked. Maggie immediately hurried to do her bidding and helped her sip some water. It helped her immensely and the throbbing in her head subsided to a dull pain.