Three Peach Roses

Fire

Chapter 9

The sky was bright and clear in the morning. Mahogany rose early to the sound of birds singing.

"Magnolia! Magnolia get up! She said, shaking her sister. Magnolia groaned and protested.

"Come on! We must start the gossip!" She said, heaving her up. She called for the servants to bring hot water. When the two servant girls came in Mahogany nodded at Magnolia, giving the signal.

"Such a shame about Sir Thomas, he seemed like a very good man." She sighed loudly. The servants carried on working, pretending they weren't listening. They loved hearing all the court gossip.

"Yes I know. Why must he have done that?" Mahogany said sympathetically. The servants listened for a name.

"It's not as if Olga has everything already!" The conversation ended there and the servants left, their job done. This was the kindling for the fire that the sisters were setting.

The tennis match took place at 10am that morning. Sir Thomas was looking around nervously for Magnolia. He had heard someone had said he had bedded Olga and he was worried it would affect his new relationship with Magnolia; little did he know it was her who started it. When he saw her he rushed over.

"Magnolia! Can we speak?" He asked quickly, holding her arm.

"No!" She said sharply. She had figured out what was going on and needed to use it to her advantage.

"Magnolia please," He said "It's not true." This was her chance. People were already looking at the pair.

"I do not care to know about your relationship with Olga!" Magnolia said loudly, shaking her arm free and walking off.

By the second match all everyone could talk about was Olga and Thomas. Mahogany glanced over to the King, he looked furious. He played his game against Thomas ruthlessly then he refused to dine with everyone. He swept past Olga and went to Marianne.

"Marianne, I would like you to join me for luncheon. Bring people of your choosing." He whispered. Marianne nodded and looked at her feet.

"Mahogany, Magnolia. Will you come please?" She asked her sisters. They agreed with a smile, their plan was working.

"I just don't understand how she could do this." King Dimitri said as he ate. Marianna thought this was unfair to Olga. He had been with other women during his relationship with her and he hadn't planned on making Olga his wife.

"Yes. Olga has been treating you very badly, your Highness." Mahogany replied,

"It is so difficult to find people I can trust here. Even my friends betray me. My greatest friend, Sir Thomas, he betrayed me." The King said miserably. Mahogany placed her hand on his arm,

"I'm sorry, your Highness." The King sighed.

"Devereaux sisters, are you happy at my court?" He asked earnestly.

"Well, your Majesty, we are happy but we miss our family deeply. You see, unlike most siblings we were kept together. We grew up together." Marianne said. The King paused for a moment.

"Your brothers rebelled against my family. They are responsible for the death of my Father." He said in a low, hard voice.

"And now you are King and they are sorry." Magnolia said, soothingly.

"I understand that your family have repented. I will officially pardon them. I will invite your brothers to my court." The King said. The girls erupted in smiles and they all thanked the King in excited voices.

"Ladies, ladies please! I will send for them as soon as possible!" The King said, laughing.

"Your Highness! Thank you; you do not know how grateful we are for your kindness." Magnolia said. She rose and curtsied and was joined by Mahogany.

"Your Majesty, we are forever in your debt. Magnolia and I must leave now, but we thank you deeply for your kindness." The girls curtsied again and left the King alone with Marianne. The King looked at her with a smile.

"Chess?" He said.

Magnolia went to find Sir Thomas, he was sitting on the Rose bench, looking out into the distance with misery in his eyes.

"Thomas." She said softly. He turned and looked at her.

"Magnolia, please. Please will you listen to ..." Thomas began desperately. Magnolia cut him off.

"Thomas you have no promise to me. You are free to have whoever you want." She said quietly.

"But I want you!" He said, leaping up and clutching her hand. "Magnolia, I lo-" He began.

"Thomas, please. Do not say things you do not mean." Magnolia was getting scared. She didn't know what she could do. Sir Thomas didn't mean anything to her but it felt strange to use him like this. She felt she was getting in too deep.

"Magnolia I mean it. I love you; I've never felt anything like this before. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Thomas said earnestly. Magnolia felt as if her insides were turning to ice.

"Thomas, I cannot...Thomas this is too fast!" Magnolia said desperately. 

"We have been courting for weeks now! Everyone knows how we feel about each other. Please say yes. Say you'll marry me, Magnolia." Thomas replied, passionately. Magnolia didn't know what to say, she felt completely frozen.

"Yes." She whispered, uncertainly.

"Really?" Thomas asked, his face lighting up. He kissed her quickly, not giving her time to reply. "We must announce it immediately!" Magnolia snapped up.

""No! Thomas, no. Let me write a letter to my Father first. Out of respect for him. You don't tell anyone, not your friends or family." Thomas looked confused; Magnolia knew she would have to work quickly to keep this under control. Her body softened towards Thomas and she brought her face up to him. She kissed his lips, then his jaw then neck.

"I want this to be our little secret, my love. Just for a short while. Promise me." She said seductively, fire returning to her eyes. Thomas weakened in his pleasure.

"I promise. I promise." 

"You did what?!" Mahogany all but shrieked. It was late and Magnolia tried shushing her gently. 

"Don't you dare shush me! You're engaged! How stupid are you?" Mahogany blazed furiously. Marianne sat at the end of the bed awkwardly, she hated arguments.

"Mahogany, please! Just let me explain." Magnolia said calmly. She knew how to handle her hot headed older sister.

"Fine! Explain yourself!" She hissed.

"He asked me to marry him and I tried to say no. He pressed me, he backed me into a corner, he thinks I love him." She said coolly.

"And tell me, dear sister, what does Sir Thomas matter? The King doesn't even like him anymore! He is useless to us!" Mahogany said acidly.

"I told him to wait, so I can ask Father. No one knows but you." Magnolia answered calmly.

"Well we must clear this up quickly. You must tell him that you cannot marry him nor have anything more to do with him." Mahogany replied, anger still in her voice. Magnolia nodded.

"Harry and Marcus sent us a letter," Marianne said in a small voice "They said they are on their way."