Thirty Five Part Three

In front of the mirror, in her lace edged chemise and stockings, Katherine stood at the vanity in the dressing room of her suite. One hand held her steady, as she leaned upon the polished top. The other hand, she used to wipe a bit of over applied color from her lips.

Katherine had spent most of her day leisurely. Other than her final fitting this morning, she had had nothing to worry about, and even less to do.

She had bathed earlier, soaking in the enormous, steamy, aromatic tub, for nigh on an hour, until she had pruned. She had been coifed. Her hair now swirled and curled elegantly atop her head. One simple, long, blonde curl was left to twirl it's way down her shoulder, to then lie across her breast, ending at mid waist.

Katherine had lightly dusted with scented powder, and lavender wafted in the air surrounding her.

Katy scrutinized her reflection critically in the mirror, as she noted the fine lines etched around her eyes.

She smiled at her own reflection. Noting the crow's feet only became worse, deepening, as she grimaced.

Katy closed her eyes, breathing in the calming fragrance of the lavender, allowing the scent to take her worries from her.

Her appearance was, what it was.

Marcus knew well enough that she was not the eighteen year old woman he had fallen in love with. She was no longer the young girl he had spoken vows with in that quiet churchyard long ago.

Well, actually, she was the same woman, she was just not eighteen years old any longer.

She and Marcus had both aged considerably.

Yet, she found Marcus even more handsome now than she remembered him to have been then.

He had aged extremely well, he had only a light smattering of grey at his temples, which lent him a distinguished, mature, incredibly handsome look. The fine lines around his own eyes only added to his character, and therefore, were beloved to her.

Marcus kept fit and had a very attractive form. Muscular, yet, not bulky, he was strong, svelte, and incredibly attractive to Katherine.

She thought of the eve ahead of her, when she would see his body again for the first time in forever. She blushed slightly, her light dusting of rouge seeming a bit heavy handed in it's application of a sudden.

The maid who had been fussing over and assisting Katherine with her toilette all day, came rushing into the dressing room, a cream colored, satin robe in hand.

"The King approaches, my lady." The helpful maid tossed the robe around Katherine's shoulders as she slipped her arms into the satiny creation, securing the belt in front.

Whirling to enter the sitting room, Katherine pulled the single, curled strand of hair from beneath the robe, lest it be crushed.

Katherine felt her heart beat faster as she awaited the King's presence. She was curious as to what it was he wanted. Had he decided she was not worthy to wed Marcus? Surely he would not change his mind now. She knew Marcus was a titled peer and she was not nearly qualified to be his baroness. Other than being the mother of Marcus's illegitimate son, she had no right to marry him.

Katherine calmed herself and realized she had found something to worry about after all and she needed to stop. The King had insisted they wed today and Marcus said the man was as good as his word.

Katherine took a deep breath and let it out slowly, calming herself by slow degrees.

A light rap sounded upon the door, as the maid looked to Katherine assuring her readiness.

Katherine nodded, her hands clasped nervously in front of her.

The maid opened the door to allow the king entrance.

He came alone, sweeping through the portal as one would expect of a King. Emanating royalty, his majestic presence immediately filled the room.

The maid hit the floor in a deep curtsy, before retiring to the dressing room, there to await his departure.

The King approached Katherine, bowing over the hand she offered him. He kissed the offered appendage, his piercing eyes lifted to her face while he did, as she blushed anew.

The King could see why Marcus found this woman so lovely. Her visage was radiant and clear, her high cheekbones lent her youth and beauty. Her softly pointed chin begged a man to caress it as he kissed her. The curl of hair that draped down her body also begged to be fondled.

The King's eyes grew warm as he approved Marcus's choice. If possible, she grew even more lovely as she glowed under his appreciative perusal.

Her stunning, iris eyes sparkled with joy, underneath whatever additional feelings his visit had brought. He could see that she was very pleased to be wedding this fine day.

"I have come to beg permission to give you away, lovely Katherine." He softened his features purposefully, so as to help her relax.

"You would give me away to Marcus, my liege?" Katherine was astounded.

Here she was, Marcus's dirty little secret. Why, she was no better than a mistress, one who had gotten with child, and then born her keeper a bastard son.

This being one of the reasons she had not wanted to wed at the castle. She was not a virgin bride, that was a given. She had been compromised and had born a child out of wedlock.

Her true desire had been to wed very quietly, just Marcus, she, and their closest friends, no reading of banns, no fanfare. Katy had hoped to quietly fade into the background, living her life quietly at Marcus's estate.

She had certainly not wanted this kind of attention.

However, Marcus deserved better, he deserved a wife he could finally enjoy. Not one who hid in the country because of her own feelings of unworthiness.

She remembered Marcus's words when he had reassured her, that she would be thoroughly accepted in society because of this one man's approval.

She straightened her shoulders, lifted her head and tried not to cry at how wonderful she felt, being touched by the King's thoughtfulness. "Truly?" She breathed shallowly, keeping her grateful tears at bay.

"It would be my honor, Katherine." He assured her. "I realize, while I am not old enough to be your father...."

Katherine snorted, chuckling at the absurdity of that statement, blinking back tears, "Not hardly." She teased the monarch, as her emotions changed from overcome, to charmed.

The King chuckled also, "Yet, you are far from home and I would have you given away properly."

Katherine smiled stunningly at him, wiping a single grateful tear from her cheek. "I am honored, truly I am. Marcus will be also, Sire." Katherine wondered something of a sudden, her face becoming questioning, "Have Marcus and Violet returned?"

"They have, they also are readying themselves for the evening ahead, as I need to myself." The King smiled at the pleasure that came over her, upon hearing that Marcus had returned and was also preparing for the ceremony.

"I leave you to your own preparations, my lady. I shall see you again at the chapel." He could sense her acute anticipation, now that she knew Marcus was here, and close at hand.

"I very much look forward to that." Katherine admitted, as she walked with him to the door.

"Until then, my lady." The King bowed to her, and left, his footsteps resounding down the hall.

Katherine closed the door and fairly glided back to the dressing room.

The maid was fussing with Katherine's gown, which graced a form standing against the wall.

Katherine looked upon the creation she was to wear before long. Antique white satin, it's elegant drapery just begged to be worn.

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"Are you sure you are ready for this?" Violet teased his father.

Both men stood stoically, their valets fussing over their cravats and buttons, as Marcus grew more impatient by the moment.

"You jest, Violet. I have been ready for this forever." Marcus looked to Violet, his present longing, and previous loss, evident in his gaze.

"It is not as if you have not been wed before." Violet continued to harass Marcus, as he felt the man needed a distraction from his impatient thoughts.

Marcus snorted unkindly, "That was not a marriage, Violet. That was being chained to a disagreeable woman I did not touch, and had no desire to. She was self serving, and she turned out to be thoroughly evil."

Marcus's face changed in that moment, "But your mother, now there is a completely different story, son." Marcus's eyes filled with anticipation.

"And you think this time will be better, eh?" Violet lifted his chin. The valet fluffed Vi's cravat, then stood back to apprise himself of his work.

Violet stood tall, looking down at the man that waited upon him, as that man realized, he simply could not improve upon perfection.

"I can not wait for this, Violet. We have already waited more than a lifetime, it seems to me." Marcus was ready, his acting valet walked around him slowly, brushing nonexistent lint from his jacket.

"I could not be more pleased for you both, but you know that." Violet placed his hand upon his father's shoulder, smiling his approval.

The men embraced, as their valets looked to one another pitifully and painfully.

There went all of their straightening, and fluffing, as they watched the two men hold tightly to one another.

Marcus drew away to one side, patting Violet upon the back, "Shall we?"

Violet nodded, preparing to find his wife, then escort her to the chapel.

Marcus had a few words for the man that would preside over the ceremony. The two men exchanged smiles, before Vi went down one hallway, Marcus, heading down another.

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Betsy had recovered from her heartache. She had packed their belongings, filling the crates, and then she returned to the castle to ready herself for the wedding.

Looking, young, fresh, and lovely, she sat upon the bed to raise her stockings, standing to pin them in place.

Violet entered the room, to find her leg raised up upon the bed, while she attempted to see past her skirts, to the clip needed to secure her hosiery.

"May I be of assistance, madam?" Violet raised his brows, and approached behind Betsy, lifting her skirts back slightly to give her a better view.

He took advantage of the view himself, sliding a hand around her thigh, to cup her bum with his palm.

"I am not sure that you are helping, love." Betsy laughed her words, "Unless there is still plenty of time before we have to go." She added teasingly. Clipping her hose, she lowered her leg before dropping her skirts, and moving up against him.

Violet breathed in the scent that clung to her. It was one of his favorites, jasmine. He wished they did have the time. But alas, time was short, and Violet knew better than to start something he could not finish.

"I shall have to be patient then, as it is time to go." Violet sighed dramatically, his arm coming around her shoulders.

Betsy turned in his arms, draping her own around his neck, accepting an embrace and his nuzzling of her neck.

"You are quite sure?" Elizabeth purred against his chest.

"Yes, vixen, I am sure, though it pains me to say it." Violet's hands returned to her bum, pressing her body to his. He then moved his hands gently upward and held her close to him.

"I missed you, kitten." Violet groaned appreciatively, as she rubbed against him.

"I missed you, also. And I have longed for your arms for hours." Betsy tried for now, to forget the letters that had saddened her so deeply, as there were other important things closer at hand.

The most important thing, being in her hands presently.

Violet released her, only to bend down, scoop her up and hold her tightly to him, her feet dangling. She soaked up the comfort that came with his embrace.

"Why is it, whenever you are near, I feel overdressed and needy?" Betsy mused against his shoulder.

"Because you sense the same feeling from me. And, you are overdressed." Violet stated, as he set her down and smiled down upon her lovely visage.

He bent and kissed her freckled nose, loving this maid much more than he could ever put into words.

"But not needy?" Elizabeth asked, returning his smile and accepting his kiss.

"May you always have a need for me, love. I shall never stop needing you, now that I have you." Violet ran finger down her nose, placing it against her lips for a kiss.

"Thank the Lord," she whispered fervently, holding his finger there, speaking against it, "As I desire a needy husband, husband." She nipped at his finger with her teeth lightly.

"Never fear, madam, you have more of that than you could possibly handle." Violet's voice ran over her silkily, before he kissed her deeply, leaving her quite breathless.

"Let us see your parents wed," Betsy panted, "So we can be done with this, and care for your many, many needs." She said this huskily, rubbing him boldly and giving him a saucy grin, as she twirled away to hold onto a chair and place her feet into her slippers.

Violet came up behind her, she felt his warmth butt up against her backside. She leaned back into him, as he growled softly in her ear.

"Damn parents, always mucking up a fellow's fun." Violet slid his hands around her waist, as she laughed, leaning back into him, raising her smiling eyes to look behind her, up into his face.

"You love your parents madly, Violet." The laughter tumbled out with her words.

"One has absolutely nothing to do with the other, madam." Violet replied matter of factly, as he led his wife to the door, to escort her to the chapel.

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Rebecca waited, as ready as she could be, she paced the floor of her bedroom, watching out the window.

Here he comes.

Rebecca hurried to the mirror and checked her appearance one last time, she fluffed her curls and straightened her dress until she heard him rapping upon the front door.

Leaving the butler to answer Pete's summons, Rebeccca lifted her shawl from the bed, draping it across her arm, before picking up the shirt she had sewn over the last few days, and breezing down the stairs.

Pete was entering as she descended, his eyes found her immediately, then regarded her warmly as he watched her come closer.

She returned the look he gave her, appreciating his handsome, freshly shaved face, and the way he regarded her. She held the shirt out to him.

Pete took his jacket from his arm and turned to hang it in the entry.

Taking the shirt from her hand, Pete thanked her, then looked from one side to the other.

"The sitting room will be fine." Rebecca moved to the room she spoke of.

Pete waited as she walked past him, entering the room, she then waited for Pete to join her.

Pete's eyes narrowed, and he quirked a lopsided smile, as he realized she was not going to give him privacy to change his clothing. He closed the door behind them and laid the shirt across the back of a chair.

His hands lifted to the buttons of the old shirt he currently sported.

Rebecca pretended to peruse around the room, straightening here, adjusting there. But her eyes were slyly awaiting the revealing.

Pete slid his shirt from his shoulders, as Rebecca's neck flamed and her insides roiled.

Good Lord, Rebecca thought, the man was a marvel of engineering.

Big and solid, muscles for days, his abs were toned and hardened into sections that made her mouth fairly water.

"Like what ye see?" Pete growled softly, chuckling at her.

He felt a tightening in his loins that would embarrass them both in short order, if he did not hurry.

"Mayhap, I do." Rebecca looked at him haughtily, and appreciatively. Still blushing, she let her eyes roam over him slowly before turning away, allowing him to try on the shirt she had made him.

Pete cooled himself by slow degrees, one button at a time. "Ye can see now."

Rebecca came around behind him and smoothed down the shoulders, checking her measurements, as he finished by buttoning the sleeves.

" 'Tis perfect, I thank you greatly, Becca." Pete smoothed the shirt down his abs, looking down at how nice the shirt was, and how well it fit him.

"Yes, it is perfect." Rebecca agreed wholeheartedly, not necessarily referring to the cut of cloth, as she moved around front of him, to then smooth down the shoulders in front.

Pete caught ahold of her hands, and held them in his own. " 'Tis a wife's duty to care for a husband in such a way." He informed her, lifting her hands to kiss them softly, his eyes never leaving hers.

Rebecca replied a bit breathlessly, "Or a maid, who greatly appreciates a man and all he has done for her." Rebecca smiled up into his blue eyes, made even bluer by the earthy shirt color she had chosen.

"Is that all, appreciation?" Pete asked in a flippant tone, "And here I was, thinking of proposing." Pete's eyes crinkled teasingly, "You have made me to see a wife to care for these needs of mine, may just be a good thing."

"These needs of yours?" Rebecca asked, as she straightened his collar, that had not really needed straightening.

"Mmmm hmmm, these...." Pete took her face in both of his hands and kissed her very softly.

When Pete withdrew from the kiss, Rebecca peeked at him quickly, before she closed her eyes again and asked for more.

Pete did not have to be asked twice.

When Pete finally did draw back after a few moments, he held her head to his chest, "It may be we shall have to wed, before we are tempted beyond what is wise."

"What may be wise? Hmmm, Mayhap, ye shall find a woman who would appreciate such a proposal?" She queried saucily.

"Mayhap, I shall." Pete laughed, as he backed away from the buxom beauty, tucking his shirt down into his breeches.

Rebecca joined him in his amusement.

That had been the closest to being proposed to, as Becca had ever imagined she would be.

She did not think it would be too long now, however, that she may receive a real proposal.

Pete followed Rebecca, as they went to the back yard, where the boys played with their new puppy under Paulie's watchful supervision.

"We are about to be leaving, boys." Pete announced to the laughing, frolicking youngsters.

"Alright Pete, have a good night." Timothy laughed aloud, as he rolled upon the ground, the puppy swiping licks at his face, when not doing the same to Jonah.

Rebecca smiled, taking Pete's arm and looking up at him happily, "I do not think they shall miss us."

"Not a whit." Pete agreed. "Ye be sure you want to stay, Paulie?" Pete asked, as Paulie nodded from his spot under the trees sheltering branches.

"We shall be about it, then." Pete swept his hand, indicating Rebecca should precede him, "I shall return for you later then, mate."

Paulie waved him off, pleasurably watching the youngsters tumble with their new puppy.

Pete was pleased also, as this would mean he would be alone with Becca for at least part of the evening.

He looked forward to stealing kisses from her this evening, especially, as she always begged him for more.

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Look, a present, an early update for you! I hope you enjoyed it :)