dragon archives 02 - pursued by a dragon (18 page)

Chapter 30 

Favian did not come the first day, nor the second or third. On the fourth day there was a small tap on the door, and Hannah announced that she had a visitor.

“Master Drake?”

“No. She gave her name as Madame Drake.”

Cathryn looked at Hannah in surprise. 

“Thank you.”

She made her way slowly down the stairs. If Margaret was visiting, it could only mean bad news. Perhaps Favian did not want to see her. The red dragon scale lay on her chest, and she placed her hand over it. She pushed the door open and walked into the parlor.

“My dear,” Margaret said, walking towards Cathryn and taking her by the hand. “I felt I needed to come and see you to explain.”

“Explain?”

“Your note arrived a few days ago,” Margaret said, “and I took the liberty of opening it. I hope you don’t mind, but you see, Favian is away and I did not want you to be waiting for a response.”

“Favian is away? Where has he gone?”

“I do not have an answer to that, my dear. All I can tell you is that he returned about two weeks ago, but before we had a chance to talk to him, he was gone again. He left nothing to indicate his direction, or how long his absence would be.” She paused for a moment, watching Cathryn intently. “Cathryn, please forgive my inquisitiveness, but I need to ask you — why do you wish to see Favian?” Cathryn stared at Margaret in surprise, and she gave a sympathetic smile. “What I mean to say is, do you wish to tell Favian to leave you in peace?” Cathryn turned away, watching as people hurried past the window.

“No, I … uh … I want to apologize for … not … for being a coward.”

“You do understand that Favian is … not like other men?”

“You mean that he is a dragon? Yes, I do know that.”

“And you can accept that?” she asked.

“It came as rather a shock, at first,” Cathryn replied with a sigh. She turned to look at Margaret. “I’m afraid I reacted rather poorly. Favian lost patience in the end. It was only after he was gone that I realized I should listen to my heart. I thought I could explain that to him, but …”

“Don’t despair,” Margaret said gently. “Favian will return. This is new to him as well.”

“But what if he doesn’t want me anymore?” Cathryn whispered.

“Favian loves you,” Margaret said, “and no matter how angry he may be now, he will return.” She lifted the pendant hanging around Cathryn’s neck, holding it in her open palm. “This alone tells me that Favian will return. The gift of a dragon scale is more precious than any amount of gold or jewels. A dragon does not lose his scales the way a bird may lose a feather. It needs to be wrenched off, and once it is gone, that spot will be forever vulnerable. Favian has given you something of infinite value, my dear, and it was not lightly given.” She dropped the pendant and smiled at Cathryn. “But perhaps we can help things along. Aaron knows Favian better than anyone, and he will know where to look for him.”

“I doubt Aaron will want to help,” Cathryn said. “He does not like me very much.”

“Nonsense,” Margaret said briskly. “Aaron has no problem with you personally — just a problem with his humanity in general. But despite his disparagement of love as nothing more than a weakness, he does love Favian, more than anyone else in this world. He will do anything for his cousin, including finding him and bringing him home to the one he loves.”

“Thank you,” said Cathryn softly.

“Favian loves you, Cathryn,” Margaret assured her. “Whatever may happen, and however long it takes, do not stop believing in that love.”

As day after day passed, Cathryn found herself thinking back to Margaret’s words. Surely if Favian loved her, he would not stay away so long. It seemed like a lifetime had passed when Hannah tapped on the door to her chambers before slowly opening it.

“You have a visitor, Mistress,” she said.

“Master Drake?” asked Cathryn.

“Well, yes, Master Drake is his name, but not the one you are hoping for.”

“Mistress,” said Aaron with a smile as she slowly entered the room. She drew in a sharp breath at his friendly demeanor. With a smile, the man was actually quite handsome, she thought.

“Master Drake,” she greeted with a nod.

“My apologies for this unexpected visit, but Margaret felt it would help to set your mind at ease if you know that I bear you no ill will.”

“Ill will?” Cathryn repeated in confusion.

“Yes.” Aaron turned away with a sigh and went to stare out the thick, leaded window. “I’m afraid my presence caused you some distress when you were at Drake Manor. For that I apologize.” He turned back to face her again. “I have held the society of humans in disdain for a very long time, Mistress, but Favian has been attempting to convince me that I was too hasty in my judgment, and perhaps he is right.”

He took a few steps towards Cathryn, pausing when she flinched. “Love does not come easily to any of our kind, Mistress. Although we wear a guise of humanity, we remain creatures of the wild, powerful, predatory and worthy of fear. We have no need for warmth, or shelter, or food cultivated by humans. People run from us in fear, and we can smell it, revel in it. It is an intoxicating thing, knowing you hold the lives of so many within a single fiery breath.” Cathryn stared at him, both terrified and awed at his words. “There is only one thing that makes us weak, and that is love for humans. And I am beginning to see that within that weakness, there is an element of strength. That love can serve to anchor us to who we are, beyond the beast. It makes us human.” He paused as Cathryn watched him. “I know where to look for Favian, Mistress,” he said. “I will remind him of his need for love, as he has reminded me so many times.”

“Thank you,” she said, taking a step towards him. “And please, call me Cathryn.”

“Favian told me that you had strength of character,” he said with a smile.

“I’m afraid I have not shown much strength of character lately,” she replied with regret. “I was terrified when I realized what Favian was.” Aaron nodded.

“Yes, so Favian told me, and I hold myself responsible. Again, my apologies.”

“No,” she said. “I was a coward. Please just find Favian so I can at least tell him how sorry I am.”

“I will, Mistress … Cathryn.” He held his palm towards her. “May I?” Cathryn looked at the outstretched hand for a moment before placing her own within his. Very slowly he brought her hand to his lips, barely brushing it with a kiss before releasing it again. “Good day, Cathryn,” he said, and quickly strode out the door.

Chapter 31 

Cathryn was distracted. Surely Aaron should have found Favian by now. Every morning she went riding and every afternoon she spent at the warehouse, but these activities were not enough to keep her mind off the one person she longed to see.

A few days after Aaron’s visit, she was called to her father’s study.

“I have a meeting this afternoon with a clothier interested in pursuing a business relationship with a wool merchant,” he said. “I would like you to come with me to meet him.”

“Of course, Father,” Cathryn said. “What is his name?”

“Master Grant. He is a friend of Tom Bradshaw’s.”

Master Grant was short and portly, with a balding crown and fleshly jowls. He had a kind face and a friendly smile, and Cathryn found she liked the man, despite her urge to shudder when he grasped her hand in his own warm, moist palms. He had been in the cloth industry for more than thirty years, and she listened as her father asked him questions about the business. It was clear from his answers, and the way he framed his questions, that he was very familiar with all aspects of the wool and cloth industry. They had spent more than two hours with the man by the time they rose to leave, and he turned to Cathryn with a smile as they walked towards the door.

“I have a son around your age,” he said. “You will meet him soon should we pursue this relationship, since he is actively involved in the business. You have a lot of common — both of you are only children, raised without a mother.”

“Really?” said Cathryn, her smile hiding her dismay.

“Yes, indeed,” Master Grant replied. “He’s recently become betrothed, so perhaps you will give us the pleasure of your company when we celebrate the exchange of vows.”

“Oh, yes, that would be wonderful,” said Cathryn. “Is the betrothal a business alliance?”

“A business alliance? No, indeed! When my wife died her cousin came to live with us. Dame Turner is a fine woman, very adept at keeping us all under control.” His gaze turned inward for a moment, and Cathryn saw him shudder. “A fine woman,” he repeated, bringing his attention back to Cathryn. “Her daughter Amelia is a lovely girl, very quiet and demure. She and Robert have loved each other from a young age. The only delay to the marriage was due to Dame Turner’s, eh, reluctance, at seeing Amelia marry too young.”

“How old is she?” asked Cathryn.

“How old? Oh. Um, seven and twenty.”

Cathryn smiled to herself as she went down the stairs, stepping into the waiting carriage.

“I like him,” she said to her father as the carriage lurched into motion.

“I do too,” Father replied. “But before I enter into any further business arrangements, I would like his records inspected by a lawyer, and a proper contract drawn up.”

“That,” said Cathryn, “is an excellent plan.”

The next few days were spent in consultation with a lawyer, and further meetings with Master Grant, but Cathryn struggled to keep her mind on the business at hand. Why had Favian not come? She could not keep the question from plaguing her mind. As the days passed she could feel the lassitude bearing down on her, smothering her like a blanket. Once, she came upon Hannah and Father in earnest conversation, but the conversation ceased as soon as Cathryn walked into the room. They continued to stare at her, however, and after a moment, she turned around and left the room.

More days dragged by. The full heat of summer had arrived, one endless day of heat after another. At night Cathryn flung the shutters wide open, desperate to feel the air circulating through the room, but she would lie awake, hot and sweaty. When she did finally succumb to sleep, it offered little in the way of rest as dragons plagued her dreams.

Another market day rolled around, and Cathryn stood at her window watching the crowds milling towards the market square. She had lost track of the days since she had seen Aaron, and she felt a sense of despair creeping into her heart. Had Favian given up on her altogether? As she watched the milling crowds, she was seized with a sudden determination to join the throng. Even if only for a few hours, she would put her torment behind her and enjoy the morning. Securing her purse to her waist, she picked up a basket and headed out the door, following the people heading toward the cobbled square in the center of town.

A visiting merchant caught Cathryn’s eye, and she headed to his small stall to inspect the finely crafted wooden sculptures that decorated his table, picking up one of an eagle in flight. The craftsman had captured the form so well, Cathryn could imagine the bird taking flight from her hand as she watched.

“This is beautiful,” she said with a smile. “Do you have other animals?”

“Yes, Mistress,” said the man, laying down a small block of wood he had been working on. “Over here I have a wolf, and somewhere … ah, yes, here it is … is a rabbit.”

“Lovely,” said Cathryn, leaning forward to inspect the pieces. “What about other creatures?”

“What kind of creatures do you have in mind, Mistress?” asked the man, turning his brown eyes on her.

“Um, well, how about a dragon?”

“A dragon, hmm? No, I don’t have any dragons, but I do have a lion.” Cathryn looked at it politely, before placing it back down with a smile. She was about to turn away when she felt a shiver run down the back of her spine. Spinning on her heel, she scanned the crowds, certain she was being watched. All around her people were bustling from one stall to the other, and the market buzzed with activity. Peasant wives haggled with vegetable sellers, ladies inspected cloth, and men held swords up to the light, their fingers running over the smooth and deadly surfaces. Children chased each other, their hands sticky from buns and other sweetened delights as they wound through the throngs. No-one gave Cathryn the slightest notice. Taking a firm grip on her basket, Cathryn pushed her way back into the flow of people, her attention fixed on a stall on the opposite side. The crowd thinned as she approached her goal, and she quickened her step. She was almost there when a warm hand clamped around her arm, pulling her into a darkened passageway. Confused, she looked up into a pair of dark blue eyes, burning with faint spots of yellow.

“Favian,” she gasped, “you're here! I've been waiting for you. Did you get my note? When did you return?”

Favian released the hold on her arm, and took a step backwards, his arms crossed over his chest.

“I believe you wanted to see me,” he said coolly. His tone brought Cathryn up short, and she took in a deep breath, eyeing him carefully.

“Yes,” she said. She looked back at the crowded marketplace, then slowly turned back to him. "Why were you waiting for me here? Why didn’t you come to the house? Where have you been?”

“I understand the nuptial agreement with Geoffrey Beaumont has been annulled,” he said.

“Yes?”

“I also understand this annulment is a result of a change in Beaumont’s circumstances.”

“What? No. Where did you hear that?”

“I got the news from your friend Peggy last week.”

“Last week?” she gasped. “You have been in town for a whole week? And you never came to see me? Surely you knew I wanted to see you? Why?”

“I’ve been watching you,” he said, leaning a little closer. “You’ve been very busy, haven’t you?”

Cathryn stared at him in astonishment.

“Yes,” she hissed, “busy keeping myself distracted.” She watched as the yellow flecks in his eyes flared for a brief moment. “Why did you not come to see me?” she asked again.

“I knew what you had to say. Since you were no longer marrying Geoffrey, you had decided to accept my offer. But Cathryn, I refuse to accept second place.” He leaned closer, bringing his face to within a few inches of hers. “You would not break the contract for my sake, but you expect me to accept the scraps.”