Chapter 5

Lark found Lance a short while later.

“How did it go?” Lance asked.

“Great. I think I have a good understanding of the layout of the castle. I walked it a few times so I can remember where what is.”

“Good,” Lance replied. “It’s late so I guess you can go back to your quarters and rest. Don’t get too comfortable. I’m just too busy today to supervise you for your next training. You’ll be much busier in the days ahead.”

“Well, what is my next training?” Lark asked.

“Table setting, serving, pouring wine, where to stand during meals.”

“Well, if you want, we can do it tonight in our quarters. It will help me learn quicker and get my training done sooner. Then you won’t have to worry about having time to supervise me during the day when you’re learning yourself.”

“That’s a good idea,” Lance agreed. “Go to the kitchen and ask them for a ‘butlers set’. They know what it is. It’s for training.”

“Okay,” Lark headed to the kitchen where he obtained a ‘butler’s set’ and then headed to their quarters where he relaxed until Lance arrived.

They passed the hours quickly as Lark learned how to set tables, where to stand during meals, from which side to deliver food to guests, and which side to remove plates from. He quickly learned everything about this aspect of his duties that he could learn.

They were finished early enough and Lance excused himself as he had a date with a chambermaid. Before he left Lark asked how he might get to the gardens.

“You already have a date? Going to the gardens is quite ambitious I daresay. We all generally prefer to stay clear of them.”

“Okay but you have to admit there’s nothing nicer than gardens for peace and quiet. Besides, it’s no date,” Lark lied. He did not want Lance to be curious as to how he might have found someone to date so soon. “I like stargazing and from what I could see, the gardens are dark enough to see the night sky clearly.”

“That they are. But you wouldn’t want to be caught there. Anyway, I’m guessing someone as enthusiastic as you will be hard to hold back.”

Lance told Lark the secret route to get to the gardens unnoticed. Lark thanked him and then lay back on his bed until it was almost eleven o'clock.

Lance’s directions were clear and Lark had no trouble entering the gardens. He waited in the shadows, out of sight of the castle windows for Erin to arrive. She arrived a short while later and wandered through the gardens humming to herself.

“My lady!” Lark whispered loudly. “I am here!”

Erin stopped for a moment and looked around before she moved towards Lark. He pulled her into the shadows quickly beside him.

“Be gentle,” she scolded softly.

“I am sorry, my lady. I did not mean to hurt you,” Lark said. “I am just excited and delighted to see you. But I also do not wish to be caught.”

“No-one will catch us here,” Erin smiled. “Come let us walk.” She took his hand in hers and she began walking. He fell into step beside her.

“We did not have time to finish our conversation this afternoon,” Erin said.

“Indeed, my lady. I dearly long for an answer to my question.”

“Why I kissed you?” Erin asked.

“Yes,” Lark replied.

Erin smiled and then looked at Lark. Their eyes met briefly and she looked away again, making sure she paid attention to where she was going.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?” Erin asked.

“I never did until I saw you the other night,” Lark replied.

Erin blushed. “Thank you,” she said looking into Lark’s eyes. “I believe in love at first sight. When I first saw you the other night and I knew I wanted to be with you. I wanted to get to know you and be with you, run away with you if I have to.”

“Really?” Lark asked surprised.

“Yes. I feel so much for you. I feel my future is with you. I cannot explain it. I have never felt this way about anyone in my life.”

They stopped walking, “I know how you feel. My father told me once that when I see the girl I will spend the rest of my life with, I will know. I never believed him. I always thought him a hopeless romantic. But when I saw you the other night, I knew then he was right. I was in love with you instantly. I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you since then. You are all that fills my thoughts and my heart all the time. I want to be with you even though I do not know you that well. I feel that we are destined to be together.”

Erin looked up into his eyes. He looked into hers and they slowly closed the distance between them until their lips met. Their kiss was long and soft. They kissed again, more urgently, breathing heavily as they drank each other’s scent in.

When they finally parted, Lark looked at Erin apprehensively.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Your father will never allow us to be together.

“But we are together,” Erin smiled.

“You know what I mean my lady,” Lark replied.

“We will find a way,” she responded reassuringly, “For now we are together here. No-one will find us here.”

“Are you sure?” Lark asked.

Erin nodded. “My father is seeking a husband for me. We had another guest tonight. They came to visit with their son. My father would like me to consider marrying him. He says my options are running out.”

“What does that mean?” Lark asked.

“Well, there are only so many men in our social circles who will propose to me. So far, I have turned them all away. Father is frustrated and he has warned me that I must choose between the next three men starting with the one I met tonight. If I turn away all my suitors, I will become a spinster or my father will have to negotiate a marriage at a considerable loss.”

“What will you do?”

Erin shook her head. “I do not know.” She looked into Lark’s face. He looked so innocent and youthful. She saw in him what had attracted her to him the very first time she had seen him. He had tickled her insides as she felt a million, million butterflies take flight in her stomach the moment she laid eyes on him. Even now, she had the same feeling as she looked at him. She knew her father would never allow her to be with Lark. He had told her about the Scarlet Letter and if he had to, he would give her one.

There was only one choice and she knew it. Well, two but she didn’t want to follow her father’s choice. So that left her with one other. Elope. She didn’t want to bring it up just yet. Given, she was well aware of how Lark made her feel but she also wanted to give it time to make sure that this feeling was genuine and would last before she eloped only to realize that she had made a mistake later. She doubted it would be the case but she knew that she had little time and she did not like the alternatives. She was not enamored at the thought of being a rich merchant’s wife for the rest of her life. Yes, she would have all the comforts she was accustomed to but probably none of the love. She knew her father might be right though and that she might indeed like one of the suitors he introduced her to, but neither her father nor the suitor’s father would be willing to wait to find out. The instant she showed the slightest interest, she knew they would force her into marriage.

She pushed her thoughts away. “Enough about me. ‘Tis late already and I would visit with you as much as I can in the little time allotted. Tomorrow evening I should be free and we can meet earlier.”

“That will be wonderful my lady,” Lark smiled. “But I have just started training so if I do not turn up please do not think I have forsaken you. I may have been delayed or something. Please keep coming here at the allotted time and I will come if I can. I am sure there will be times that you will not be able to come either too. So let us just agree that we will meet here every night at the same time unless we have advance notice of needing to change the time.”

“It sounds fair. I agree,” Erin said.

“Good, now we can talk about other things,” Lark smiled.

“Or not,” Erin said. She turned and reached up to him and kissed him again. When they parted she said, “Tell me about yourself.”

Lark was about to start speaking when Erin stopped and placed her hand on Lark’s chest. Then she quickly shoved him into the bushes.

“Who’s there?” Erin called.

“Erin?” a voice said. Erin felt her blood run cold. It was her father. What was he doing outside at this time?

“Yes, father?”

Her father rounded the corner of the bushes and stopped in front of her. “What are you doing here?”

“I needed to take a walk to clear my head.”

“Who were you talking to?”

“I… um… myself,” Erin said. “I do it often when I have something on my mind.”

Her father looked around and she hoped he could not see the bushes where she had shoved Lark. “It is getting late,” he said. “Come inside.”

Erin took his arm and they returned inside. Her father left her when they arrived at her room and bade her goodnight. Then he entered his chambers and closed the door behind him.