Love is something more stern and splendid than mere kindness. ~ C.S. Lewis.

Chapter 53.

Stepsisters.

It was a lonely day for Charles. Elwyn had run off to his beloved Miss Morton again. The two of them had a lot to discuss about their upcoming wedding and marriage.

"I wonder if they plan to tell that mother at all," Charles grumbled. "Lucky for them that Elwyn doesn't have a father to disown him and Miss Morton is twenty one and can marry without parental consent." He didn't mean to be jealous, but it was unfair that his cousin should be so happy and he was sitting here without a clue if Catrin was alive and well. It was already two days since Raj had gone off and there was no word.

"Where is that little Indian servant?" Charles continued muttering. "It's about time he shows up. If he doesn't come right now, I shall travel to Bath myself!"

In a strange twist of fate, there was a knock on the door and who should enter the room but Raj. Charles was on his feet in an instant.

"Well?" He asked, his blue eyes fixed anxiously on Raj.

"The Sahib was right," Raj said with a low bow. "Mrs. Llewelyn was truly of the mind to kill her stepdaughter. She was poisoning her slowly, but I came in time. Miss Llewelyn has suffered from the dose her mother gave her, however."

Fear gripped Charles' heart. "Suffered?" He repeated, his tone demanding that Raj had better give a more detailed explanation.

"I came to Bath and found Miss Llewelyn looking very ill. I informed her of what you feared and at once she went to confront her stepmother. Mrs. Llewelyn, in my presence, admitted to trying to kill her stepdaughter and take the manor for herself. Miss Llewelyn then replied that should Mrs. Llewelyn continue this, her own word would be against her. After this we departed from the stepmother's home, but just as we reached the carriage, Miss Llewelyn collapsed."

Charles inhaled sharply. "And?"

"And I straightway informed Mrs. Fairfax and took the young girl away from her stepmother. She is at Derwen Goch Manor at the moment, in the care of Mrs. Fairfax and the housekeeper."

Charles needed no more information. Without a word he rushed out of the room and saddled his horse as fast as he could. Half an hour was not over before he was at the doorstep of the Manor house. John, the butler, let him in.

"Lord Woodworth, I shall informed Mrs. Fairfax of your arrival."

"Where is Miss Llewelyn?" Charles demanded before the butler could walk off.

"She is in her room, sir, and quite ill. If you will only wait, I will call Mrs. Fairfax."

Charles nodded his head and nervously tapped his foot on the floor as he waited. After what seemed like ages and ages to the young man, the elegant figure of Mrs. Fairfax finally came to greet him.

"Mr. Errol," she said with a kind smile, but Charles could read in between the lines.

"How is she?"

"To be honest, Mr. Errol, I am not sure. I don't know how much Mrs. Llewelyn gave her. Arsenic is a dangerous thing, but the body can fight it if the dose is small enough. It is just I do not know how much she's taken in, but seeing as she is still alive there is good reason to hope. Let us just wait and see. The family doctor has already seen her and he is hopeful."

Giving a grave nod of his head, Charles took a deep breath. "Could I see her?"

Mrs. Fairfax led him to the pretty room of Catrin. The window was open and the soft breeze came through and filled the air with the sweetness of summer. Catrin lay on the bed. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was heavy. The soft brown hair was gathered in a braid and rested on the pillow. Charles could see how pale she was, her face was almost the same color as the pillowcase. Her Majesty was curled up on the bed beside her, snuggled up against one of the pillow's and Catrin's back. Argos lay on the floor by the bed. He raised his head and eyed Charles, but did not bark.

"Could you give me a moment alone with her?" Charles asked.

Mr. Fairfax hesitated for a moment, then gave in. She departed from the room, leaving the door open.

Charles walked over to the bed and gazed at Catrin. "You're a fighter," he said in a whisper. "Always have been. That stepmother was never a match for you. Your parents are gone, Beatrice was gone, even I was gone at one point, but you never lost it for a moment. In the end it was just you and the stepmother, and she had to accept defeat. They always do you know, in the fairy tales. Knights may fight dragons in stories, but it is the young ladies who must deal with the wicked stepmothers. And they always prove they are stronger than those old women. Hardship, evil magic, even poison can't stop them."

Charles paused for a moment then a soft smile came to his lips. "Still, sometimes even the strongest of heroines need a little help." Leaning over, he rested his palms on the bed placed a gentle kiss on Catrin's lips. "Just a little help," he whispered. "Not much at all."

Straightening out, Charles softly called Argos. For a moment the dog hesistated, but at the persistance of the human, he gave him and followed Charles out of the. There were a few things the young man still had to do, and one of them was to return the dog to his owner.

***

Beatrice had gone out for a walk with Elwyn. The lovely lane of Ilyd Alarch often saw them strolling and speaking of future plans. Their conversation came to halt when the noticed a figure dismounting a horse in the distance and walking in their direction.

"If I didn't know better," Elwyn said. "I'd say that was Charles. Only what is that large creature walking beside him?" He squinted his eyes a bit. "I think it's a dog."

Beatrice, who was staring very hard, suddenly let out a sharp breath. "But it can't be!" She whispered. "It can't...it just can't!"

The large dog had halted and was sniffing the air then it gave out a loud bark and bolted forward. Charles released his hold on him and with great speed the animal charged straight to Beatrice, who had fallen down on her knees.

"Argos," she whispered her dog's name just as he threw himself at her. His size and weight had them both tunbling to the ground, but neither even noticed. Filled with joy beyond words, Beatrice simple buried her head in her dog's fur as he barked and licked and wagged his tail. In reply she kissed and petted and clung to him as though her life depended on it. "Alive," she whispered into his ear. "You're alive, and well, and alright." At last she pulled away a little and tried to get him to settle down, but Argos could not. It had been many months since his beloved mistress had been with him, since he had heard her voice or had her kiss him. He barked and jumpd and refused to be quieted. Beatrice couldn't stop from crying and laughing all at the same time.

Elwyn stood silently watching the reunion, and he fought to keep back the tears. The love between the dog and his mistress, the joy of being together after months of seperation, it would have tugged at the strings of even the hardest of hard men.

At last Beatrice gained control of herself. She remained on her knees, holding Argos as though afraid if she let go he would disappear from her, but she lifted her head and looked straight at Charles, who had come up by now.

"How? I do not understand? I saw him...well...dead!"

"More like asleep," Charles explained with a smile. "It was your little servant Amy. She caught wiff of what your mother was up too. Brave girl prepared another bowl with a sleeping draught and gave that to Argos instead. He collapsed but awoke the next morning."

Biting her lip, Beatrice smiled and choked a bit, trying not to cry at the same time. "Dearest Amy, saved my Argos. I let you down, but she didn't." And Beatrice kissed her dog's face again. He crooned and gazed adoringly at his mistress.

"But what did Mamma do to her?" Beatrice needed to know the full story. "I hate to imagine what horrible things came about!"

Charles' gaze met Beatrice's. "Amy does deserve all praise and credit to saving your dog's life, but she did not take the blame for it. Someone else did."

In that moment Beatrice felt her heartbeat slowing down. "Cadi," she whispered. "Cadi told Mamma it was all her doing?"

Charles nodded. "Yes, she did. That was when your mother turned her out of her home."

"Wait a minute!" Beatrice jumped to her feet. "Didn't you send Raj to go get her from Bath? What has happened to my stepsister? Has Raj returned? Do we know anything?"

"Raj returned just today," Charles replied. "He has brought Miss Llewelyn back to Derwen Goch. Your mother was attempting to end her life by giving her a little poison at a time, but hopefully the dose it not strong enough. I have just been at Derwen Goch and have seen her. She is quite ill, but the doctor feels she will make a recovery."

The heartbeats were steadily getting faster and faster in Beatrice. "What are we standing around here for?"

"I have a horse ready, Miss Morton, he stands there in the distance" Charles replied. "When you are ready to leave..."

"I'm ready now!" With those words Beatrice marched off, Argos running behind her.

Elwyn turned to Charles. "Do you think it will end alright?"

For a reply, Charles smiled and gave a nod. "It's going to be fine. Call it faith, but I think I've worked the magic she needs to live."

"Worked the magic? What magic?"

A twinkle appeared in Charles' eyes. "Fairy tale magic."

***

Dismounting from her horse, Beatrice ran up to the front door and burst through it. The loud banging noise brough John and Magwen running. The butler and the housekeeper stopped short at the sight of the intrudor.

"Miss Morton!" Magwen sputtered at last.

"Where is Cadi?" Beatrice demanded, rather breathless from her swift ride.

Before either of them could answer, Mrs. Fairfax appeared at the scene. "Beatrice!" She exclaimed, rushing forward and grabbing her goddaughter by the hands. "God be praised! Where have you been all this time? We've been so worried about you. No word, nothing for over three months. I was beginning to wonder if perhaps you had died."

"Dear Mrs. Fairfax," Beatrice exclaimed. "I would have run to you if I had not feared Mamma finding me and dragging me back. I am sorry for the concern I caused. It was a desperate moment, I was lost, but I have found my way. But where is Cadi? I shall never forgive myself if something dreadful will come about to her because I left her all alone."

"She will be alright, Beatrice. The doctor does not think it fatal. He said she would have died by now if it was. Catrin is sleeping in her room."

Beatrice needed no more words. She broke free from Mrs. Fairfax and hurried over to her beloved stepsister's room. She stepped in softly, followed by Argos, who recieved a hard, unwelcoming stare from Her Majesty. How dare the bodyguard abandon his post like that? He would deal with the conseqences later. Her Majesty would see to that.

Tip-toeing over, Beatrice pulled a chair and sat down at the bedside of Catrin. In all her difficult years, Catrin had always been the sunshine in Beatrice's dark life. The hope that at least there was joy somewhere, even if the only place to find it was in the heart of her stepsister. In her misery, Beatrice had run off, and this is what had happened.

"How pale you are, Catrin," she whispered. "What did you ever do to Mamma to make her hate you so."

The words caused Catrin's eyelids to flutter a bit and soon they had opened. A soft, sweet gasp was heard and Catrin stuggled to sit up.

"Beatrice!"

Despite herself, Beatrice knelt down from the chair and put her arms around Catrin, drinking in the feeling of the delicate embrace of her best and dearest friend. "I am so sorry, Cadi," she said in a voice muffled by the fact that her head was buried in Catrin's shoulder. "I never meant for this to happen to you!"

"But I am well, Bea!"

"Well?" Beatrice looked Catrin up and down. "You call this well?"

"A bit of poison! I am stronger than that. And you should have seen how I spoke to Mamma. I have put her in her proper place, Bea. She will never bother either of us again. I never thought I would have to threaten, but she forced me to do it."

Beatrice was burning with curiosity by now. She pulled the chair closed and sat upon it again, holding her stepsister's hand tightly. "You are weak, Cadi, but when you have regained your strength you must tell me everything that has happened to you. I was afraid you would not handle it, but I see I underestimated you. There is strength in you that doesn't loudly show itself, but comes out when you need it."

"And what of you, Bea? Where have you been all this time? I was so afraid you were dead or lost somewhere."

"No, dearest Cadi, I have been well looked after." And Beatrice told her stepsister all that had happened to her since the day she ran away from home. Catrin listened with wide eyes.

"Goodness me!" She said once Beatrice was finished. "To think Colonel Blethyn was the villain all along, and his horrible mother. He seemed like such a gentleman. Full of manners and good conversation, and all this time hiding such a wicked, dark heart. What is to become of him?"

"Elwyn will press charges. That man owes his nephew so much money. It will take time, but we will have justice."

Catrin smiled. "So, you are to be the Countess of Llys Gwyn? Mamma did want you to have a title. Does she know you plan to marry the Earl?"

Beatrice shook her head. "No, I have not spoken to her since I ran away. I do not know that I am ready to yet. Especially not after she nearly ended your life. I would lock her forever in prison, but I suppose we ought to try and give her another chance. All the same, I do not trust that woman and will stay as far away from her as possible. And you shall not be permitted to come near her either!"

They both giggled a little at this. For a while there was silence as Catrin regained some strength.

"I hear you are to marry Mr. Errol," Beatrice teased. "Elwyn told me all that had happened between him and his father. I do not understand what that old Duke has against you?"

Letting out a deep breath Catrin explained. "Charles said Mamma has told the Duke lies about me, and that the Duke has such faith in her word that he will not listen to anything else. They had a terrible fight, Charles and his father, in May and since then they have never spoken to each other. It is frightening to see how Charles' face darkens if you mention the Duke. I cannot help feeling bad, Bea, for I did not mean to tear them apart. Charles is the only family the Duke has left, and to be estranged from him on my account."

"What could that witch have said?" Beatrice mused. "Is the Duke in London?"

"No, he is at Denster Hall."

"Mmmm," Beatrice nodded. She said nothing more on the subject, but in her head a plan took form. If the mother had convinced the old man one way, perhaps the daughter could convince him in another. "After all," Beatrice mused to herself. "Much as I hate to admit it, I am that woman's daughter, and they say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"Beatrice," Catrin suddenly said. "You know, before you came, I had the strangest dream.

"Oh?"

"Yes." Catrin's pale face colored up a little. "I would never tell anyone but you. Just look, I blush merely thinking about it. Charles stood at my bedside in the dream, and then he leaned over and...well...he...he kissed me. In the same way I always imagined the Prince to have come up and kiss the Sleeping Beauty to wake her from her hundred years sleep. And the stranger thing is when I awoke I could still feel the pressure of his lips. You know, I've never been kissed in real life."

"Is that so?" Beatrice paused for a moment. "Did you like the kiss, Cadi? Was it a pleasant first kiss?"

The blush deepened. "It was not a first kiss, Beatrice, for it only happened in my dreams. But yes, I did like it, I liked it very much."

"I wouldn't be so quick to call it a dream. I know for a fact that Mr. Errol came here before he left to fetch me."

The truth dawned on Catrin and she drew a deep breath. Instictively her hand went to her mouth and her fingers lightly touched her lips. "Good gracious! It wasn't a dream? He came here! Into my bedroom! How wicked of him! For shame."

Beatrice laughed. "When the Prince comes in the fairy tale it is romantic, when Charles come in a dream it is romantic, but the moment it turns out to be true it is wicked and shameful. Ah, Cadi, how silly you can be. Perhaps you would not have awakened from your poisoned sleep if he had not kissed you."

Catrin bit her lip at these words, trying to fight the smile that fighting it's hardest to come out. Beatrice giggled a little.

"When are you to marry the former Lord Woodworth?"

"Not till a year is passed. I am not of age and cannot marry without the consent of my guardian, who is unfortunately Mamma and who will not give it to me. And there is also the fact of not having any money to live on, we must wait until I can inherit the manor. It is alright, I do not mind the wait and neither does Charles."

"Well, that is good and all for the two of you," Beatrice agreed. "But hardly good for me. After all, I mind very much! I shall have to do something about this. Silly old Duke. He's got all that money and the two of you are scraping to make ends meet. And what of Charles aspirations to go to Parliament. He needs money for that too. No doubt this buisness of being cut off has put far too much on hold. This does not suit me at all. I need a friend in the House of Lords, he could bring about all my ideas for reform."

They two girls laughed at this. "I shall be sure to tell him that," Catrin promised. "He is very fond of you, Beatrice."

"And I am fond of him, Cadi, and I am glad that the two of you made a match of it, despite all the odds. You helped me, you stopped Elwyn from committing suicide, you were the one who really gave him a thought that maybe he had a chance with me. And in return I shall help you and Charles. After all, what are stepsisters for?"

"Usually they are there to hate each other."

"True," Beatrice nodded her head. "But then I always did like to defy the natural way of things, did I not? Especially when it cme to the way things are done in fairy tales."

"And I am glad of it, Beatrice. So very, very glad. I wonder if any of this would have come about if you hadn't dared to be different. But what do you plan to do about the Duke."

"Oh, nothing drastic. I should just like to invite him to my wedding, that is all." And Beatrice gave a sly, mysterious smile.