Chapter Ten
There was a part of him that was enjoying keeping her home from the palace, she spoiled him and his men, and she seemed more relaxed; her smile came more easily. He had put her through her paces this evening at her request, Treville had been pleased by that and not only because of how far she had come with the sword.
Treville was comfortable and ready to sleep, Maggie was still sprawled underneath him, his cheek next to hers. Their daughter slept soundly for once falling asleep early and they'd used the time well enough.
Gently he ran his hand down her side, pulling her body back under his. "It has been awhile."
"Jean, I beg you. Do not wake her." Maggie murmured, he felt her heel slide along the back of his leg.
"Mags, I love our daughter; but I do not want to wake her." He did love Jeanne Claire, but he was thankful that she was sleeping; he had enjoyed their private time.
Between the news that was ripping through the palace and having his men traipsing back and forth across the countryside tracking couriers he needed this. He needed Maggie, holding her close and feeling her, he confided in her often enough.
What they had was comfortable, he didn't have to think or filter himself with Maggie; he didn't worry about telling her that he didn't want talk. Maggie understood him, and supported him, never complaining the hours he worked or times he dragged blood and work into their home. She hadn't argued when he couldn't explain the frustration he felt, she simply relaxed and let him take control. Running a hand through her long curls he smiled as Maggie arched into him.
A knock on the door made them both groan, and Maggie gave him a wide-eyed look, Treville could almost read her mind; Jeanne Claire. "I will get it, stay put."
Levering himself off her, Treville reached for his breeches and shirt, jerking them on as he crossed the room. He scooped Jeanne Claire from her cradle on his way past, like a miniature soldier on watch she had pulled herself up on the side of her crib; looking towards the door. "Don't you start screaming little one."
She snuggled into his shoulder instantly as he crossed to the door, he expected a cadet on the step. He had a feeling Jeanne Claire was hoping for one of the men who fussed over her, probably Aramis, but they were both wrong. The young man who stood on their step looked nervous and tired, it had been months since he had seen Maggie's younger brother. The last trip they had made out to his property was well before Jeanne Claire was born.
"I am sorry to interrupt your evening, I intended to get to Paris earlier, but things did not go as planned." The boy was hardly a man, the sword on his hip hung to loosely and at an angle that it was as likely to become stuck as to draw cleanly, he wore the dirt from a long day travelling but no pistol and glancing down into the yard Treville saw no companions. He wanted to know what didn't go right because in one look he could see too many things that could have been deadly.
"Don't be foolish, Maggie will be thrilled; and you've yet to meet your niece." Holding the door open he welcomed his brother in law in. "Maggie can make up a pallet for you in the spare room; you will stay the night before you go anywhere."
"Thank you, saves me finding lodging." Rylan fidgeted nervously as he hung his coat and sword on the empty hooks by the door.
Treville waited long enough for the boy to hang his things before handing the squirming little girl across to the stunned young man. "Meet Jeanne Claire while I rouse Maggie, we're up early so often we made an early night of it."
He heard a stutter and glanced back at the young man who was now in a staring contest with his daughter. Chuckling as he shut the bedroom door and turned to his wife. "Get up Maggie."
"Where is Jeanne?" Maggie glanced at the door nervously, he knew she hated to have their daughter with anyone she didn't trust. As she pulled on her dress, he quickly tightened her laces.
"Go find out." Opening the door, he watched the siblings reunite, Rylan still held Jeanne at arms length as though she were a bomb of some sort. Within moments Maggie crushed them both in a hug.
As Maggie held tightly to her younger brother he took down a bottle of wine and three glasses, when the siblings parted Jeanne Claire was in her mother's arms. He put a hand on Maggie's back to guide her into a chair before taking his own. For a time, they just listened to Rylan's stories, Treville winced at some; he didn't mention his concerns yet.
He didn't know Rylan very well but at barely seventeen he was on his own and running an estate; there was a lot of pressure on the boy. The boy had never known his mother and Treville had never asked the type of relationship he'd had with his father; but he knew what the man had done to Maggie. Any man that could beat a girl from childhood until the day she left that house, let alone commit treason, could not teach a boy to be an honorable man.
Maggie loved her brother and Treville knew his wife, he suspected that she had shielded him as they grew up. It had taken months to coax Maggie out of her shell, his father's arrest and execution had forced Rylan out much faster. He began talking about the harvest, irrigation had been expensive, and his neighbor was difficult.
Maggie was happy just to hear her brother's voice by the look on her face, and the fact that while Jeanne Claire was doing her best to steal the attention; her mama hushed her quietly. Treville rose and lifted their daughter into his arms, she was excited about the visitor but more than that she was tired. Cradling her as he had when she was tiny, Treville pressed her ear to his chest and rocked her gently. There was a time when this had been foreign to him, not something he had ever thought he would be doing; this little girl changed that.
He was interested in listening to Rylan, had the boy ridden for Paris with no companions? It had been his first year on the estate and running the vineyards. He had cadets that age, they could be impulsive by times but with far less responsibility on their shoulders. Rylan controlled the Antoniou estate, that came with vineyards and money as well as debts, people who depended upon him for their livelihood and protection.
The child in his arms was limp now, relaxed in sleep as he carefully returned her to her cradle. Jeanne Claire's curiosity seemed to grow faster than her body, he knew she likely wanted to stay up and see what was going on.
Treville returned to the table and refilled his glass, as Maggie got to the question he had been pondering. "Rylan why didn't you send word before you came? We would have had a meal for you, waited up for you."
"I rode straight to Paris, I intended to go straight to the money lenders in Inverness, but the trip took me much longer than I expected." Rylan answered, and Maggie stiffened, Treville put down his own glass. Debts and the promise of riches had lured their father into a scheme that led to his death.
"What do you need money for Rylan?" Treville asked, placing his hand on his wife's thigh; he knew where her mind was going.
"The next estate over is for sale, I intend to buy it; I just need the money." The young man spoke as though the expense was a rational response, Treville quickly did a basic calculation of the cost; managing that kind of debt on top of what his father had left would be difficult.
"What does taking on that kind of expense gain you?" He probed.
"A reliable water source, more land, good land. The manor is in ruins but some of the out buildings are in good shape; the servant quarters are relatively good. If my neighbor buys it, he will become more difficult." Rylan began to explain, at least he had investigated this a bit.
"What gave you this idea?" Treville leaned back, he knew if the recruits Rylan's age felt pressured they would get defensive; the boy would be the same. He and Maggie both needed to be relaxed to draw him out.
"It was a rough season, with only the wells to use for irrigation water was one of the greatest expenses, and my father let the property go to such disarray. Our neighbors feel entitled to it, if they take the farm on the other side they will squeeze me out." Rylan explained, and Treville could see that there was logic to it.
If the estate had been neglected it would not be hard to see established land owners taking issue with such a young man taking over. Rylan would need to rely heavily on the aide that the court had appointed him as he learned the business, and while the advice might be sound it was not the advisor who would be held responsible for the debt.
Depending on the route one took from Rylan's estate to Paris the trip could be done in four hours, less with a good horse and favorable travel conditions. There was an idea forming in the back of his mind, glancing at his wife he considered it. It wasn't the first time the idea had occurred to him, it came back more and more when he looked at his wife and child.
Jeanne Claire's cries distracted them, he squeezed Maggie's thigh. "Go get her Mags."
"Is she okay?" Rylan looked concerned.
"Fine, our voices are probably keeping her up; lets go out to the hall." As Maggie went to their daughter he led Rylan out. As they leaned against the railing he glanced over at the young man. "I understand your logic Rylan but right now you have the profits of your harvest to use, in a few months what do you have to make the payments?"
"I will be able to sell wine throughout the year. I am developing contacts."
"That takes time." The boy had been left in a difficult position, but he was fighting. "Consider this, I'll want to look first, but I will buy the estate; lease the land from me."
"Why?"
"My commission comes in monthly, when I'm gone Maggie will continue to receive my pension; but we will need a home someday other than the garrison. We can work out a value you can manage, and you may find your neighbor has a different response to me. But I will have one condition." Treville voiced his thoughts for the first time in months.
"What is that?" Rylan asked, he looked interested and Treville was considering the logistics of it.
"I will be leaving everything I have to Maggie and our children; any property will be theirs when I die. We will have an agreement, no one will try to take it from them."
"Why do you think of your death now?" Rylan frowned at him, and Treville only shook his head.
"I am a soldier, I have a duty to the King that could take my life any day. But I have a wife and daughter to consider." The young man would understand it someday, when he held his own child.
…
Her husband and brother rose early in the morning, as Maggie fixed them a quick breakfast she watched her husband. Jean had been silent after he spoke to Rylan on the balcony last night.
She had heard some of what he said but he didn't want to talk about it. Maggie packed a small meal for him to take as the two put on their coats.
Jean crossed to her, he gently kissed her cheek and Maggie smiled softly. "Be safe."
"I will, I will be back tonight, and we will talk." His hand touched Jeanne's cheek. "This is a good thing."
The day dragged out, she didn't go to the palace, but she did make a quick trip to the market. She knew her husband, Rylan had no idea what kind of trip he was in for. Jean had travelled with the military since he was a teenager himself, he knew how to get from one place to another. It would be good for her brother, Jean knew how to deal with young men, he did it every day. Privately she was pleased that they were spending some time together, and that Rylan had left with Jean rather than going to the moneylenders.
When the guys returned from their run she took fresh bread down to the yard for them, Evelynn was off today. Aramis taunted her into training with him for an hour or so, Maggie couldn't deny it was somewhat satisfying to be able to keep the man on his toes.
They weren't just working her anymore, they weren't letting her get an advantage either. Maggie was enjoying it more now that she had improved, she knew there was a serious reason for it, Jean was very clear about that; but she understood why they spent hours in the yard working. Her mind drifted back to Jean, she wanted to know what Rylan meant when he said the thought of death to often.
Maggie knew Jean would appreciate a hot meal and she knew what to make. The problem was his men knew she was cooking too, and they were hovering. The evening wore on and Maggie gave Jeanne her supper, her little girl was fussy, and she knew she wanted her papa.
When she finally got the little one to bed she waited for Jean. The sun had gone down by the time he got home, but he didn't look nearly as tired as he usually did when he came home from the palace.
"Mags, have you eaten?" He hung his sword and pistol in their room, before crossing back to sit at the table and pull off his boots.
"I waited for you." She filled a plate for him, poured a glass of wine, and put a little on a plate for herself as she cleaned up. She wasn't very hungry; she just wanted him to talk.
"Maggie, you shouldn't wait when I am home late." He sighed, and she saw something flash through his eyes.
"Why? Because you think there is going to be a day you don't come home?" The idea that had been bothering her all day surfaced quickly.
"Maggie." He sighed, and put down his fork. "That day will come, and I intend to make sure you and Jeanne Claire are provided for; and not on a pitiful death benefit for a little while after I am gone."
"Don't talk like that. You don't know what will happen…"
"Come here." He cut her off, his hand taking her arm and pulling her to her feet. Jean pulled her out to the landing outside their door; a veteran sat with some of the men in the yard below. "Come and look at Serge. Serge trained me once, there was not a stronger or more loyal soldier but when his retirement came he had nowhere to go and no one outside the unit."
"Please stop." Maggie fought back tears, she knew why he thought that way, and she understood it; but not like this.
"If I live long enough Maggie my past will cripple me just like Serge. I will have to retire, and I would like to do that; I would like to see Jeanne Claire grow up and grow old with you. But I need to make arrangements either way because I am not Serge, I have you and our little girl to think about." His tone had softened a little.
His hands crept around her and Jean pulled her into his side and back into their home. He sat at the table and pulled her into his lap, Maggie wrapped her arms around him and burrowed into his chest.
"Maggie, listen to me now." His voice was slow and steady. "To do my job I need to know that you will be safe. Maggie, I sincerely hope that you will outlive me, whether you like that thought or not. I need to make sure that you will have something in the future and if I can put you close to your brother all the better. Now do you want to hear what I learned today?"
She only nodded against his chest, she was still upset with him; but holding onto him felt good.
"Will you eat something?" Without moving she shook her head and felt him sigh. "Fine."
Maggie squeaked as he scooped her up, he was strong enough to haul her around but thinking of the day he wouldn't be. Jean set her on their bed, his hands working on her dress as he began to speak. "The land owners are based in Paris, they need the money from the sale and I am not sure they understand the value of what they have, it has been run by staff for the last decade, considering the land the price is low, I intend to use your dowry to pay most of it."
He told her about the property, the value was in the land more than anything else. Jean stripped her down to her shift and as Maggie pulled on her night gown he stripped down. He and Rylan had ridden the property lines of both Rylan's estate and the one they were considering. Neither Rylan or his neighbor really had the money to buy the estate and Maggie knew if Jean was considering it he did. Her husband thought things through, he wouldn't be talking about this if he couldn't do it, he was careful with money and she knew he tucked away most of what he made.
"The manor needs to be razed but the servant house is in good shape, some minor renovations and it could be a comfortable home." He stretched out beside her and Maggie snuggled into him. "It will be a very different life, but it will be ours someday."