Sage in the Sea

Improper Behavior

"What is the matter, Adelaide?" Piers asked as he walked around the couch and came towards me. I stepped around him and walked up to the constable.

"Mr. Montcroix, was it?" I questioned. Piers stepped behind me, placing a hand on my waist in an attempt to pull me to his side. I remained firmly where I was.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Mr. Montcroix, it has come to my attention that you were going to dismiss half of the servants in this household without proper evidence for doing so. Is that correct?"

"I was in charge of the household while you were gone, ma'am. There were some disturbances and inadequate performance. Such things should not occur in the royal household," he replied with a shake of his head.

"Yes, well, you have no right to do such a thing and if you are to do something such as that again, then I will find a way to have you sent to the gallows. The household is my responsibility, even if I am not here. I left it in the very capable hands of Miriam," I told him, "which is in compliance with the rules that I must abide by. Never did I say that constable Chester Montcroix was to be the head of the household."

"Are you threatening an official of the court?" Montcroix questioned, arching an eyebrow. "You do realize that is against the law and that I could have you hanged for that."

"And now you are threatening the future princess, which is also against the law," Piers said gruffly behind me.

Montcroix glanced at me and then up at him. "You must have some control of her. She has already been punished once. How would your father react if she were to be punished again?"

"She shall not be punished."

"She threatened my life," Montcroix replied, arching an eyebrow. "I cannot allow for that to happen. It is the law. We wouldn't want to break the law, now would we?"

Now I stepped back against the safety of Piers' body. His grip on my waist tightened and I didn't dare look up to see what his face looked like. The look on Montcroix's face was terrifying enough, as though he were pleased that he was going to have the chance to punish me.

"Now, gentlemen, this is improper behavior," Austen's voice said from beside me. I glanced up at him to see an angered expression on his own face.

"The law is the law, but I would not expect an outsider to understand that," Montcroix replied as he begain to remove his belt.

"You shall not lay a hand on her," Piers said, moving in front of me. "She is not your responsibility."

"Then you punish her," Montcroix replied. Piers' body was tense. He did not like to be challenged, even I was aware of that.

"Adelaide, to the couch," Piers said tersely.

"Piers," Austen said, his head snapping in the prince's direction.

"Now, Adelaide," Piers said firmly, not taking his eyes off Montcroix.

I stepped away from the his safety and slowly backed towards the couch, not taking my own eyes off Montcroix. I swallowed hard, standing with my hands against the couch. Piers moved away from Montcroix, his belt in his hand as he moved behind me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, griping the couch tightly. The thoughts of how Piers had punished me during my first days filled my head. The memories of how Shamus's whip had felt against my back. The memories of every beating that I had received at the facility.

"Piers, this is not proper," Austen pleaded as he followed his brother-in-law to the couch. "You cannot let this monster determine whether or not your wife is to be punished just as you know that it is wrong to beat a woman."