Chapter 5.
True to her word, Charlotte returned to the church ruins in two days. She was disappointed that Wilhelmina was not yet there, but she took care of her animals while she waited. Her menagerie had decreased, and she now had only three creatures that could never be set free again. She fed one of them, a hoot owl, some ground-up raw meat. The raptor no longer had to be kept in a cage, and seemed content to reside in an old dead tree. It had been many weeks since he"d tried to fly with his useless wing. It never occurred to her what might happen to him should she ever leave her home. When she"d been a girl she had imagined she would become an old crone who lived in the woods alone and scared the village children. She wasn"t a girl anymore, though. Her future was so uncertain.
She stretched out on the rock and let the sun warm her. As the light played across her face, she could feel the tension begin to ease from her body. The woodland sounds soothed her; if she listened closely she could hear the nearby brook. She was tempted to strip off her clothes and plunge into its cold water. She"d had a particularly bad morning; her stepsisters were more demanding than usual and Gudrun had actually slapped her. She touched her cheek, still feeling the sting of Gudrun"s fingers.
"Why don"t you let me do that?"
Startled, Charlotte opened her eyes to see Wilhelmina leaning against a tree and looking at her. She couldn"t help the smile that lit her face. Mina looked wonderfully like Willi that day. Charlotte liked her in the tight leather huntsman breeches and scuffed brown boots, and with her unruly brown curls hidden under a cap she looked like a c.o.c.ky young man. Sometimes Charlotte envied Mina her freedom.
Charlotte sat up and held out her arms. Mina shook her head slightly and stepped back. The crackling of leaves made Charlotte look behind Wilhelmina, and she was surprised to see an older woman leading a donkey.
"This is Anna," Mina said. "She was my governess many years ago, and now she helps me sometimes with my adventures."
"h.e.l.lo, child," Anna said. "My Wilhelmina has told me much about you."
With a chiding glance at Mina, Charlotte slid off the rock and curtsied in deference to the woman"s age. "Pleased to meet you."
"I can tell Wilhelmina has not told you about me. I am her little secret. She keeps her boy"s attire in my cottage and pa.s.ses herself off as my nephew."
"I have to say I did wonder how she was able to leave the house dressed as she does. I don"t think her parents would approve."
"They wouldn"t even notice," Mina said.
"I didn"t raise you to be so bitter, Wilhelmina," Anna said.
"The only one my parents care about is my brother."
"Well, my dear, it"s because he"s the-"
"It doesn"t matter now," Mina interrupted. "Show Charlotte what you"ve brought."
Anna opened the small trunk the donkey was carrying and shook out a velvet ball gown the color of a blush rose. The luxuriance of it took Charlotte"s breath away. She touched the material reverently. "This is the most exquisite dress I have ever seen."
"And it will look even more so on you," Anna said, smiling. She also showed Charlotte a stomacher elaborately embroidered with white and silver roses.
"This is all for me?"
"Yes, so you can attend the ball."
"I don"t know what to say. Where did it come from?"
Anna looked over at Wilhelmina. "It belonged to Anna"s daughter," Mina said quickly.
Charlotte raised an eyebrow. The gown and stomacher were much too rich for a governess" daughter, if she even had a daughter, which Charlotte doubted. There was obviously something the two women weren"t telling her, but she decided to play along with their game. "Tell her I am grateful for the use of her gown."
"There is a hunter"s cottage at the edge of the glen. Can you be there the night of the ball?"
"It will have to be after Gudrun and the others have left."
"Anna will be waiting for you there."
"What about you?"
"I"ll see you at the ball."
"So, I was right."
"Right? About what?"
"I never did think you were just some village girl, for all that you tried to pretend."
Anna laughed. "She never has wanted to be who she is, not in all the twelve years that I"ve known her."
"Oh, Anna, I could not possibly have given you that impression when I was a mere girl of six."
"You were always wanting to wear your brother"s clothes. No lace finery for you." Anna threw up her hands. "And always wanting to play with the village children and skip your lessons."
Charlotte was delighted to hear about Mina"s childhood. She"d never told Charlotte anything about it. In fact, she"d been so secretive that Charlotte had seriously begun to think she was indeed a fugitive. Now it seemed she merely wanted to deny her n.o.ble birth. She looked at Anna. "Just who are Wilhelmina"s parents? Perhaps my father was acquainted with them."
Anna looked incredulous. "She"s never told you? Why, she"s-"
"Not now, Anna. You may go. Thank you for coming with me."
"Very well." She turned to Charlotte. "I will see you in two days" time."
Charlotte watched in silence as Anna led the donkey away. She was even more curious now about Wilhelmina"s true ident.i.ty. She turned toward Mina, who took her into her arms and kissed her before Charlotte could say a word. As always, their kiss pushed all thoughts of anything else away. She melted into the sensations of Mina"s lips on hers, of her hands gripping her arms, of her hips pushing against Charlotte, insistent. She could feel her heart beat faster.
She wrapped her arms around Mina"s muscular form, pulling her as close as possible, though that still wasn"t close enough. She wanted them to meld into one being. "Closer, I want to be closer-" Charlotte moaned, starting to pull off her own clothes as she guided Mina"s hands onto her body.
They fell to the ground together, Mina helping Charlotte out of her clothes. As soon as she was naked, she started pulling at Mina"s clothing, wanting... no needing... to feel Mina"s skin warm against her own.
Mina stopped her. "No, Charlotte. Please, let me do this-for you."
At the look of love in Mina"s eyes, Charlotte succ.u.mbed to her wishes. She lay back, giving herself to the woman she loved. "I just want to be with you, to be close to you," she said, placing Mina"s hands on her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
Mina began their lovemaking gently again, but Charlotte felt an urgent need, something she couldn"t put a name to, but she needed... wanted... it desperately. She kissed Mina pa.s.sionately, putting all of her love and devotion into the meeting of their lips, urging Mina on in any way she could think of. Mina"s lips kissed and caressed her, her teeth grazed and nibbled her skin. Charlotte took Mina"s hand in her own, pushing it down over her body to the wetness between her legs. She moaned long and loud as Wilhelmina"s fingers found their mark.
The pa.s.sion and heat within Charlotte blazed hot, but now a need was there as well, filling her to near bursting, but leaving her empty still-still needing, wanting, craving. She hoped, with each touch, that she would be fulfilled.
Mina gently bit one of Charlotte"s nipples, squeezing the other one-softly at first, then more harshly. Charlotte whimpered but didn"t stop her. Instead, she arched into Mina"s mouth, pushing her head against her. She didn"t want to lose the delicious feelings Mina was giving her, but she needed so much, oh, so much more. Mina was fondling and teasing her sensitive places, driving her mad. She twined her hands in Mina"s curls, urging her down, down toward where the wet flowed and gushed.
Mina obeyed, kissing and licking her way down Charlotte"s body until her breath was tickling Charlotte there, tickling and teasing and making her even more wet and hot. Mina"s lips and tongue performed their magic, making Charlotte squirm and moan. She again felt the tide rise and fall. Just as it seemed she couldn"t take any more, she felt Mina"s hand between her legs again, then felt Mina"s fingers inside of her, not too far but enough make her gasp at the wonder of it.
"Oh Mina! Wilhelmina!" The feeling was intense, it bound them together. Wave after wave of pleasure surged over her, through her. Mina was inside her, making them one, making them whole. "Yes!"
The day of the ball dawned clear and bright. Charlotte woke excited, though she knew she"d have to temper that excitement so the others wouldn"t suspect anything. As far as they were concerned, she was saddened over the fact she"d be unable to attend the ball. The bells were already ringing by the time she got to the kitchen.
"You"re looking flushed this morning," Elke commented as Charlotte hurried to fix the breakfast trays. "Are you all right?"
"I"m fine. I just know it"s going to be a hectic day. They"ll keep me running." She dropped a china cup as the bells began ringing again.
"Let me help you with those," Elke said as she took a tray. They headed up the stairs together. "It isn"t fair that Lisette and Truda ruined your gown. You have more right to be at that ball than they do."
"There"s no sense in wishing for things that can"t be." Charlotte felt a bit guilty that she"d not told Elke of Mina"s gift, but there was no way to tell her for she knew nothing of Mina"s existence. She silently vowed that if she ever was able to leave, she would take Elke with her.
"It"s still not right." She pushed open the door to Lisette"s room and disappeared inside.
Charlotte continued down the hall to Truda"s room, which was still dark, though her stepsister was awake. Charlotte placed the two trays she was carrying on the table before pulling open the drapes. Sunlight spilled into the room, illuminating the disarray. Charlotte wrinkled her nose; the room did not smell pleasant.
"Good morning, Truda. I made your favorites."
Truda mumbled under her breath, but Charlotte had picked up the second tray and was already out the door. She hesitated before her stepmother"s door. If anyone would be able to tell that she was happy about something, it would be Gudrun. And indeed, as she entered the room, Gudrun was sitting at her dressing table and looked sharply at Charlotte.
"Your cheeks are flushed today. Are you well?"
Charlotte placed the tray on the table and poured the first cup of tea. "I"m fine, stepmother."
Gudrun"s eyes narrowed, but she spoke quite pleasantly. "I heard about what happened with your mother"s dress. I am sorry my daughters are so clumsy."
"It"s nothing," Charlotte lied.
"Well, it"s been a while since you"ve been out in society. It probably would have been quite awkward for you."
"I expect you"re right."
"Are you happy, child?"
Charlotte shifted nervously. What was Gudrun up to? "I really must get back to my ch.o.r.es."
"Please, we haven"t talked in a while. Sit."
Charlotte sank down onto a settee and sat on the edge. She felt like an animal in a snare. The silence deepened as Gudrun ate her breakfast. She barely glanced at Charlotte, who felt her nerves begin to crack. "Really, stepmother, I must go."
Gudrun pushed her plate away and took another sip of tea. "Tell me. Where do you go when you disappear in the afternoons?"
Charlotte felt her stomach churn. "How-?"
"Oh, Elke tried to cover for you. It worked for a while. It is unseemly for a girl your age to go out unchaperoned."
"I"m sixteen!"
"Yes, and a good age to marry. I was thinking of Manfred, the coachman"s son."
Charlotte stood up, feeling the blood rush to her face and her heart begin to pound. It was not the same sensation she felt when she was with Wilhelmina. It was fear. "You can"t be serious!"
Gudrun gave her a hard stare. "Perfectly."
Desperate, Charlotte searched for an argument. "Truda and Lisette are both older than me. It would not do to marry off the younger daughter first."
"My dear, you are the stepchild. It is only natural that I would want to have you out of the house. I can"t have a younger, prettier girl around to compete with my daughters. Well, I am hoping one of them will catch the prince"s eye tonight." She gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "You may go. We will discuss this further later."
Charlotte took the breakfast tray and scurried to the kitchen as fast as she could. She didn"t care what Wilhelmina said-it was time for her to leave this household. She would never see a penny of her rightful inheritance, and her stepmother would marry a baron"s daughter off to a coachman"s son. So upset was she that she stumbled into the kitchen, almost dropping her tray.
Elke caught her. "Lord, Miss Charlotte, what has happened? You are as white as a sheet."
The other two servants in the room hurried over as well.
"Gudrun would marry me off to Manfred, the coachman"s son!"
The three servants looked at each other. "Here, sit down in front of the fire," said the cook. Even though she had replaced the previous cook, she knew it was not right how Gudrun treated Charlotte and had said as much to Elke.
"She also knows about my forays into the forest."
"Oh dear, I"ve tried to cover for you."
"I know, and I"m grateful. What am I going to do?"
Elke dried Charlotte"s tears. "No need to worry today. All three of them will be thinking of tonight"s ball and not of you."
Charlotte got to her feet. "Yes, you"re right. I"ll worry about Gudrun"s marriage plans tomorrow." Somehow, she would get Wilhelmina to take her away. She could live as Willi, and no one would ever know. They could even marry. Why would Gudrun care whether Charlotte married a huntsman rather than a coachman"s son?
Gudrun, Lisette, and Truda did indeed keep her busy all day. The two sisters could not decide on which gowns to wear. Charlotte was running up and down the stairs, carrying one gown after another to the wash room to be ironed. And there wasn"t a single corset or stomacher to be found that could give either of them a decent decolletage. They were as thin and bony as they"d ever been.
At long last, it was time for them to leave for the ball. Seeing them sitting and waiting for the coach reminded Charlotte of the day they had arrived-a day that had changed her life forever. It really was astounding how much all three looked alike, despite the age differences. Their cold, black eyes stared at her as she held their fur-trimmed cloaks, waiting for word that the coach had pulled up. She tried not to fidget.
"I hope you have a good time at the ball," she said finally, hoping to break the uneasy silence.
"I"m sure we will." Truda giggled like a schoolgirl. The sound was not becoming to her. "And if the prince picks one of us to be his bride-"
"Let"s not get our hopes up, dear," Gudrun said.
Charlotte was surprised that she would say such a thing. She was sure Gudrun felt either of her daughters would be a great catch.
"Mama!" Truda said.
Before Gudrun could reply, a footman came to tell them the coach was waiting. Charlotte helped each one into her cloak and watched as they climbed into the coach. In a way, she almost felt sorry for Lisette and Truda. If none of the local men had taken a fancy to them despite the extravagant parties thrown by their mother, how could they think the prince would even look at them twice? He was reputed to be very handsome indeed, but also very wild. She wondered if Wilhelmina"s brother was a friend of the prince. Thinking of Wilhelmina made Charlotte smile. It would be interesting to see her dressed as a woman tonight. Charlotte wondered if she would even recognize her.
As soon as she was sure the coach was on its way, Charlotte hurried to the kitchen to grab her own cloak, her hidden rucksack with her only good underthings rolled inside, and a lantern. She"d rarely gone into the woods after dark, and she had to admit it made her a little apprehensive. She thought about asking Elke to accompany her.
"Where are you going?"
Charlotte let out a little shriek. "Elke! You scared me."
"It"s not like you to go sneaking out this late."