Majesty Castle

Allegra was at the stables for a good hour before the wagon pulled up with more sand bags. Brian and Zacky along with Rupert hauled the bags out of the wagon and began stacking them on top of each other. The storm was relentless and hadn’t let up at all. Matthew, upon seeing the reinforcements, walked over to Allegra and stopped in front of her.

“You can go back now, the guys are here to help.”

Allegra frowned as she looked up at him wanting so badly to stay and help. In her time at Majesty, it was evident how the females were treated as less than equal to the males and she wanted to prove herself so badly. She wanted to prove to her husband most of all that she could be more that just a prim and proper housewife. She wanted him to see her as a strong, independent woman that wasn’t above getting her hands dirty once in a while. “I want to stay,” she said with pleading eyes.

“Allegra,” he smiled and put his hands on her shoulders. “I know you want to help and you have.” Her eyes never left his face as he spoke and he was trying to be sincere in letting her believe that she was of actual help to him. “It would be an even bigger help if you could go back to the kitchen and make sure that there are plenty of towels for when we finish.”

“How is that helping?” She was pouting now and Matthew nearly laughed at the sight of her soaking wet face with pouty lips, but he didn’t. Instead, he placed a hand on her cheek.

“You’re freezing and making me worry about you isn’t going to help. Go back, warm up by the fire and if you still want to help, you can help Pippa make sure there is plenty of hot cocoa and sandwiches for when we come inside.”

“I can make sandwiches!”

He smiled at her and absentmindedly leaned down and kissed her lips. “Go ahead then, make lunch.” She wasn’t expecting him to kiss her, but when he did, she was flooded with guilt.

“What’s the matter?”

She lowered her eyes and he wasn’t having it. Matthew placed a finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him. “Allegra?”

“There’s something I should tell you,” she said with quivering lips.

“What is it?”

She stood there biting her bottom lip nervously. He would find out eventually that she wasn’t a virgin and she hoped that after she told her husband the truth, he would forgive her. “Well, this isn’t easy to say, but I…I had an…”

“Hey Matt! We could use some help over here!” Allegra was saved by the sound of Brian’s voice.

“Can it wait till later?”

“Of course,” she nodded.

“Good, now go get warm.” Matthew smiled at her just before going over to help the other guys with the sand bags.

Allegra stood there for a few minutes watching her husband. She admired his strength and his will. For the first time since their wedding day, she actually found herself content with being his wife. While Matthew continued building the damn of sand bags, Allegra took off running in the direction of the back door to the kitchen.

When she did make it back to the kitchen, Pippa had to help her push the door closed against the wind. “Goodness gracious! You were supposed to come right back!”

“I was helping,” Allegra beamed proudly thinking of her efforts.

“Well now look at ya,” Pippa said with her head shaking. “Go on up and get changed out of those wet clothes.”

Allegra let out an exasperated huff and left the kitchen to change out of her wet clothes. When she finally returned an hour later, her hair was dry, and unkempt and a heavy robe was covering her body for warmth. The chill seemed to not want to leave her.

“What should I do first?”

Pippa gave Allegra a look of confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“Well, Matthew said I should help you make sandwiches for lunch because they will all be very hungry when they return.”

Pippa placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. “Did he now?” While she didn’t mind company in the kitchen, it was still her kitchen and she didn’t like having people under foot. Matthew should have known better. “All right. If my Lord wants sandwiches, then we shall make him sandwiches.” Pippa laughed to herself as she reached for the bread on the counter.

Together, they made sandwiches consisting of roast beef on buttered, fresh bread that Pippa had baked earlier in the morning. “Now, we have to make one more sandwich. Matthew’s favorite of course.” Allegra smiled at the thought of making his lunch and especially his favorite. “Go on and get the jar of hot peppers from the cupboard.”

“Hot peppers?” Allegra didn’t think her husband was the type to like such a thing, but she did as Pippa asked and retrieved the jar setting it down on the counter.

“Now, take two slices of bread and put some ketchup on each one.”

Allegra followed Pippa’s order and put ketchup on the bread while Pippa sliced the hot peppers. “Can’t forget the onion,” Pippa smiled and pulled an onion out of the crisper. She sliced it into rounds and set them on a plate with the peppers. Allegra watched as Pippa took a bowl from the refrigerator and set it down on the counter.

“What is that?” Allegra looked horrified.

“Chicken livers, “ Pippa smiled.

The look on Allegra’s face was priceless as she looked like she was about to gag. “Matthew likes them?”

“Oh yes. He absolutely loves them. Now start layering the peppers and onions on one of the pieces of bread.”

“Ok.” Allegra did as she was told and when she was done Pippa set a heaping mound of chicken livers on top.

“Now, some onions and peppers on top and you’re done.” Allegra put the last of the peppers and onions on the sandwich and topped it with the last slice of bread. The fact that her husband could eat such a thing made her lose her own appetite. “Now, you go sit by the fire and warm up.”

**************

Allegra sat in the study in front of the fire warming herself with a cup of hot cocoa in her hands. It was a good hour before she heard footsteps coming towards the room. Matthew, along with Brian and Zacky walked into the study dressed in dry clothes and robes for added warmth. Allegra sat with her knees bent in front of her with her toes peeking out from under her own robe as Matthew knelt down and placed his hands in front of the fire.

“Are the horses safe now?”

“Yeah,” her husband nodded. “We can only hope the storm lets up soon.”

Pippa came in to the study with the tray of sandwiches and Rupert followed behind her with a tray of hot coco. “Lunch is served,” she beamed as she set the tray down on the table.

“I’m starving!” Matthew stood and walked over to the table.

“That’s good because I had your wife make your favorite sandwich.” Pippa gave Matthew a sarcastic smirk and handed him a plate with his special sandwich. Matthew looked down at the sandwich and gulped hard. Allegra watched him with a sweet little smile on her face waiting for him to bite into it.

He took the first bite and as soon as it hit his tongue he wanted to gag. It took all he had to chew and pretend he was enjoying it. His eyes were beginning to fill up with water from the heat of the hot peppers.

“Something wrong?” Zacky asked him, but he just shook his head no and continued to chew. Pippa was satisfied with her little joke and walked back to the kitchen as if nothing was wrong.

“Do you like it?” Allegra asked.

“mmm hmm,” was all he could manage. Matthew tried as hard as he could to swallow. The heat from the peppers left a fire burning on his tongue. “Excuse me,” he said and walked out of the study heading straight for the kitchen.

He walked right through the kitchen door and straight for the sink. After turning on the faucet he stuck his mouth right under the steady stream. Pippa moved about the kitchen as if nothing was wrong. When his mouth had finally cooled off, Matthew shut the water off and wiped his face with a towel.

There he stood with his hands on his hips glaring at the portly woman. “You took advantage of my sweet wife,” he said with a tense smile on his face.

Pippa picked up her rolling pin and pointed it at him. “You took advantage of my kitchen!”

“Sorry,” he said with his hands up in protest. He knew how she felt about people working in her kitchen and immediately realized his mistake. He looked at her with puppy dog eyes and she let out a loud huff. Pippa turned back to the counter and picked up a plate with a roast beef sandwich on it and handed it to him.

“Thank you,” he smiled and leaned forward planting a kiss on her cheek.

Pippa swatted him with her towel. “Don’t you go wasting those kisses on me, save them for someone special,” she winked. Matthew laughed to himself and went back to the study, eating his sandwich on the way. Brian and Zacky tried not to laugh when Matthew walked back in and he gave them both warning glances.

Brian nudged Matthew with his elbow and pointed over to the fireplace. Allegra had fallen asleep sitting up with her head leaning back against the couch. Matthew sighed and set his plate down on the coffee table before walking over to his wife kneeling down in front of her. “Allegra?” He said her name softly and she opened her eyes. “You should go up to bed,” he told her knowing that she had been up very early this morning and after being in the stables could probably use a nap.

“Ok,” she whispered and closed her eyes again. Poor thing was exhausted. He cursed himself mentally for letting her stay out in the rain today after she had just recovered from a fever and an infection caused by the lashing. She should have been resting.

“Come on, little rebel, let’s get you up to bed.” He lifted her sleepy form into his arms and carried her out of the study.

************

“Somebody’s going soft,” Zacky noted.

“Yeah,” Brian chuckled to himself and nodded in agreement.

Both men turned towards the doorway when Rupert entered. “Lord Zachary has a visitor.”

“Who is it?” Zacky asked and set his cup of cocoa down on the table. He looked up just in time to see Zoey walk through the doorway. “What are you doing out in this weather?”

Zoey removed her hat and rain slicker and handed them to Rupert. “I needed to speak with you and no, it can’t wait.”

“Ok, what could be so damn important that you would come here in this storm?” Zacky stood there with his hands on his hips while Zoey took a cup of cocoa from Rupert.

“Your wife.”

“If you came here to plead with me on Fawn’s behalf, you can forget it.”

Brian stood there in the midst of an uncomfortable conversation and scratched his chin. “Should I leave?”

“No,” Zacky shook his head. “There is nothing my sister can say to me that she can’t say in front of you.”

“Ok,” Brian responded lowly and walked over to the couch by the fireplace.

“She’s pregnant!” Zoey was blunt as there was no point in using kid gloves with her brother.

Zacky chuckled and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Well, good for her. I’m sure the baby’s father will provide well for her and her child.” He glanced at Brian who looked thoroughly embarrassed. Sure his father had his fair share of females and there were jokes about him having bastard children all over the country, but this was no joke.

“You are impossible!” Zoey let out a frustrated sigh. “How can you deny your own flesh and blood?”

“How can you expect me to believe it’s mine after what she did?” He shot back.

“What’s with all the yelling?” Matthew asked as he walked into the room. He headed over to Brian who was white as a sheet and stood there waiting for an explanation.

“Seems, Fawn is pregnant,” Brian answered.

“And it seems my sister has come here to play the Good Samaritan.” Zacky was seething as he strolled across the room. “It’s only been a month since I threw her out. How can she even be sure she’s pregnant?”

Zacky watched as his sister’s face softened. “She was three months along when you threw her out, Zacky. She’s almost at the end of her fourth and starting to show.”

Now, it was Zacky’s face that was white as a sheet and a wave of relief washed over Brian.

“She’s staying with father and me until the baby is born.”

“This isn’t happening,” Zacky whispered.

“Believe me, it is.” Zoey set her hand on her brother’s shoulder and he turned his face to look at her.

“I need time to think about this.”

Zoey nodded and looked towards Brian and Matt silently letting them know that Zacky was going to need support now. Without uttering a single word, the two men nodded.

“I should go before the storm gets worse.”

Zacky nodded and hugged his sister tightly. “She’s an emotional wreck, Zacky and it is putting stress on the baby. Don’t waste too much time thinking about it.”

He didn’t respond as his sister pulled away. He simply stood there and watched her walk out of the room in search of her hat and rain slicker.

“What the fuck!” Zacky rubbed his face with his hands.

“Just calm down,” Matthew said as he set his hand on Zacky’s shoulder.

“What ever you decide, we will support you,” Brian added.

The sound of the door closing in the hall followed by footsteps had the three men turning their attention towards the door. Luke entered the study and stood removing his leather gloves.

“Mother nature is a nasty bitch, isn’t she?” He looked up from his hands and straight into the eyes of his lover. His charming smile could always put a glint in Zacky’s eyes, but not today. Nothing was going to cheer him up today.