If it's stupid but it words, it isn't stupid ~ Mercedes Lackey.

Chapter 22.

Deceiving the Dragon.

True to Beatrice's prediction, Mrs. Llewelyn rode out to meet with the family lawyer in his office. When she was gone Beatrice lost no time in fitting Catrin in a traveling suit. She instructed Abner to fetch the carriage and hitch up the horses. The whole household was shocked at the orders of the young Miss Morton, but Beatrice gave everyone little room for argument.

When all was ready she bustled her frightened and hesitent stepsister into the carriage.

"Don't worry," she soothed. "Oswell is the best of coachmen and will deliver you safely to London. I've made the journey hundreds of times and nothing has ever happened to me. I'm not sending you off to Scotland after all. Now, here is the letter for Mrs. Fairfax just in case you travel before the one I sent her. Take care, Cadi dear, and have a marvellous time in London."

"Bea," Catrin whined. "I'm frightened."

"Then don't be," Beatrice retorted. "Really, you would think I was sending you off to fight witches and wizards. Cadi, be brave for once! Think of all those characters from the Brothers Grimm fairy tales that you so love. Do you think any of them would have gotten anywhere if they whined as much as you are now?"

Catrin frowned at her stepsister. "If you put it like that," she grumbled and giving Beatrice a kiss settled down in the carriage.

Beatrice stood waving until the carriage had disappeared beyond the gate. When it was gone she hurried back inside the house.

"Time for stage two of the plan," she laughed as she headed for the large, kitchen stove.

***

When Mrs. Llewelyn arrived back at the mansion that afternoon she was shocked to discover from her butler that Miss Morton is in a state of fever and Miss Llewelyn had departed in a carriage early that morning.

"Departed?" Mrs. Llewelyn repeated incrediously. "But where too?"

"I cannot say, madam," John replied. "For no one, save the driver, was told."

"Oh Beatrice, you had better have a good explanation for this!" Mrs. Llewelyn fumed. Upon coming to her daughter's room she was surprised to find the door unlocked. Upon entering Mrs. Llewelyn discovered Beatrice in bed with Amy sitting beside her.

"Oh, Mrs. Llewelyn," Amy exclaimed. "Beatrice has taken fever, her face is hot all over."

Mrs. Llewelyn rolled her eyes. "I have no time for your games, Beatrice!" She snapped. Marching over she was alarmed to find her daughter's face was indeed flushed and very hot, as were her hands and neck. Mrs. Llewelyn found herself in a hard spot. Beatrice was known for her lies and fake illness, but this did look rather serious.

"I know," she decided. "I'll send for the doctor. If she is faking it he would know for sure. In the meantime I'll try to discover what happened to my stepdaughter."

A note was dispatched and Mrs. Llewelyn questioned all the servants, but no one knew where Catrin had departed too. All they could say was the Miss Morton had sent her off and that she had taken a large trunk with her, and plenty of parcels, and even Her Majesty the cat.

There was nothing to do but wait for the doctor to arrive. When he did he spent a long time examing Beatrice and at last called her mother.

"It is not very serious," he reassured. "But the girl is overtaxed. Her constitution is tired and this is giving her the fever. I know you are fond of taking your daughter traveling to many different places, and I fear you have put too much strain both on her mind and her body."

"Nonsense!" Mrs. Llewelyn tossed her head. "Beatrice takes after me, she can walk through fire and not get burned! She was perfectly fine yesterday."

"The Miss was complaining of a headache," Amy reminded. "And she had not been herself lately."

"Poppycock!" Mrs. Llewelyn snapped, shoving Amy aside.

"But you will admit that Miss Morton has been under a lot of stress, Mrs. Llewelyn," the doctor persisted. "Too much, perhaps. The body is such, it takes as much as it can, and then one day it snaps!" The doctor snapped his fingers loudly to get his point across.

Mariah Llewelyn frowned and tapped her foot. "So what do I do with her?"

"You daughter needs rest and calm," the doctor replied. "She must not be agitated or upset, a good diet is recomended and long walks in the garden. Perhaps when she feels strong enough she could go out riding. Let her breathe the fresh air. No parties, no balls, nothing that could get her excited."

Poor Mariah Llewelyn could not believe her ears. No balls? No parties? "For...for...for how long?" She sputtered.

"Four weeks."

"FOUR WEEKS!"

"If you do not want your daughter to collapse compeletely, then yes. If you follow my instructions within a month she will be as good as new and ready to dance at a London ball once again. I have left some tonics for her, be sure she drinks them after every meal."

There was nothing to be done but to pay the bill and let the doctor go. Four weeks? Four weeks? Why some other woman would be sure to trap Lord Woodworth in that time. And where in the name of heaven and earth was Catrin?

It was a long and sleepless night for Mrs. Llewelyn, she paced the floor back and forth, trying to understand what was going on. She had so many plans, so many schemes, and now suddenly everything was out of her control.

At breakfast time the next morning Amy informed Mrs. Llewelyn that the fever had broken. At once did the angry mother march into her daughter's room.

"Where is Catrin?" She demanded.

"I am glad you are so concerened about my stepsister," Beatrice replied in a faint voice. "Even more so than your own flesh and blood."

"You spent the whole night safely in your room with a maid watching over you, I have no idea what happened to Catrin and you must tell me now. I was told that you sent her off in a carriage but no one knows where."

Beatrice took a long, labored breath. "Catrin has departed for London."

"WHERE!"

Beatrice winced at the shrill scream of her mother. She almost expected the window panes in her room to smash from the pitch of it.

"HOW...HOW...HOW COULD YOU? To London! You sent that girl to London!"

"Yes, she is to stay with Mrs. Fairfax, my godmother."

Mrs. Llewelyn grabbed the collar of her daughter's nightgown. "How could you go against me? How could you stab me in the back?"

"I do not understand why you are so upset, Mamma," Beatrice replied, her voice growing even fainter. "Catrin is a grown girl and she wanted to go to London, and Mrs. Fairfax was happy to have her."

"Catrin was NEVER to leave this manor until you were married? Or did you forget what I told you?"

Beatrice took quick breaths as though having trouble breathing and then went into a faint. Amy rushed up to her.

"Missus, Missus," she panted, trying to pry Mrs. Llewelyn away from Beatrice. "Don't you remember what the doctor said? You'll kill her, you will."

Mrs. Llewelyn shoved Amy aside. Standing up, she cast a cold glance at her daughter.

"If I hadn't spent so much money and time on you, I'd never have cared." With those words she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her with all her might.

"I heard that, Mamma," Beatrice mumbled. She opened her eyes and propped herself up in bed.

"Oh Miss Beatrice, Miss Beatrice," Amy worried. "What will she says if she finds out you are not really ill?"

"You mustn't tell anyone, Amy," Beatrice replied. "If you keep quiet she will never guess. Don't worry, she'll be gone soon enough."

"Will she?"

"Yes, she will pack her things and rush to try and get Catrin from London. I hope things are going according to plan there. If they are by the time Mamma reaches London Catrin will already have been presented to society and there will be nothing Mamma can do. Now, we must continue playing I am very ill until she leaves, and according to my calculation it should be tomorrow morning. How splendid that we only have one carriage here on the manor."

***

True to Beatrice's words, by the time Mrs. Llewelyn had made all the arrangments and found a mode of transportation it was far too late to set out and she spent another angry, restles night at home. At first light Mrs. Llewelyn instructed her housekeeper to keep a diligent eye on her daughter, to make sure there was a maid or two with her at all times, and to inform her at once at the first sign of improvment. Then she departed for London with the intention of bringing her disobedient stepdaughter back to the manor.

"For once fate has smiled down on me," Beatrice laughed. She got out of bed and had Amy fetch her a plain, simple brown dress and her ugly grey jacket.

The pillows were arranged to make it look as though Beatrice was sleeping.

"Remember," Beatrice instructed her maid. "If anyone is to ask I am asleep and gave strict instructions not to be disturbed. Tell Magwen I will send for her when I 'awake'. And I promise you, Amy, for you help in this scheme I will reward you."

"Anythin' to make you happy, Miss Beatrice," Amy replied.

Beatrice squeezed her faithful maid's hand, then climbed out the window and snuck. While she was 'with fever' there was no hope in getting her horse saddled, but that was alright. Llys Gwyn was not that far away and with a steady pace she could make it in a little over two hours to the castle.

***

Elwyn had been in a terrible temper after his cousin and his uncle had departed from him. Uncle Iestyn had gone to visit his 'ailing mother' and Charles went to his 'ailing father', it seemed parents were just determined to be ill this summer. Elwyn tried to go back to the way it was before, but after Miss Morton had appeared in his life he found he was restless. He wanted to get out too, he hated being stuck here, but what could he do? Disfugred beast that he was. It was getting to be too much and the thought of ending it all was seriously beginning to appeal to him yet again, but then Raj appeared in his doorway with the words.

"It is that Miss Mortin, Sahib, she asks if it is alright to call on you?"

Thoughts of the knife were once more forgotten.

"Of course, Raj, send her in."

Soon Beatrice was sitting in front of Elwyn, reading to him of Odyssius and his terrible adventures. Argos resting comfortably between them. At last Beatrice shut the book.

"That's a bad place to end," Elwyn grumbled.

Beatrice laughed. "No, it is the perfect place to end. Not knowing what is going to happen next will make you want to read more."

"It will make me read without you," Elwyn threatened.

"That I will not object too," Beatrice replied with a laugh. "May I ask you a question, Captain?"

He half expected her to ask of the incident that caused his to cover half his face with a mask. "Perhaps."

"Do you ever get tired of your room?"

There was a tough question. Had she asked him this but two months ago he would have answer with an easy no. Now he wasn't so sure.

"I promised myself I would never let anyone see me as I am now," he stated at last.

"But you live in a castle," Beatrice argued. "And it is mostly deserted. I do not believe I have seen a single soul here in all this time. I do not know if the earl has abondoned it for good, but if I didn't know better I would say you and Raj are the only people living here. Would it really be so hard to go out into the courtyard? The walls are high, no one would see you. It is unhealthy for you to lock yourself in here. You need some air and the summer sun will do you plenty good."

He stared into her dark eyes. Was she really suggesting that he step outside the tower that had been his home and his prison for three long years?

"Are you just tired of climbing those stares?" He asked at last. Beatrice burst out laughing at this. She had a beautiful laugh. He could really listen to it all day.

"Perhaps a little," she replied. "But I am more...well...I cannot sit here and watch you in this dark, lonely place and not feel pity. I am truly sorry if my pity offends you, I do not want it to. I am sorry to have asked the question. I must go now," Beatrice rose from her seat. "However, if you are not mad at me perhaps you would see me tomorrow?"

Elwyn stared at her for a couple of seconds. "You will not be missed at home?"

"Everyone has gone to London," Beatrice replied. "My health was not very good and the doctor suggested I rest in the country air before traveling to the city."

Elwyn knew he should not allow her to come visiting him. It was dangerous and against all the rules of propriety. If anyone, anyone caught her here, Miss Morton's reputation would be ruined beyond repair, and ruined forever. But he was human and she was the only person in his life right now who actually wanted to come and spend time with him. Even Charles hated coming over here. And it was not like they were doing anything wrong. All she did was read a book to him for an hour or so before departing back home.

"I shall be glad for your company," he said at last, a slight smile playing in his lips.

Beatrice smiled back. It was a beautiful smile, and when it flashed on her face, the features brightened and he was sure the angels of heaven couldn't be more lovely. He rose and saw her to the door. He stood watching as she and Argos decended down the long, widing stairs. Then he stood staring at the stairs. How easy would it be to go down them, to leave this tower. And yet at the same time it was so difficult. He shut the door and going to the window, he stared out of it. Stared at the green landscape of the land that belonged to him.

Then he sat down in his chair, deep in thought.