Usual disclaimers. blah!
A longer chapter... see!
***
Early April
Oran and Catherine quietly disembarked La Reine, thanking Captain Guillaume for their passage before climbing the steep hill. He looked around as they walked - the mine was not in sight but he could see a well-used cart track leading into the hills off to the east. "Do we try the mine or the fort?" he asked.
"Well, we have a letter of introduction to this Louis Lact - let's ask for him at the fort and see what happens?"
They reached the top of the incline, finding themselves facing armed and ready soldiers. "Halt! Declare yourselves!"
"Oran and Catherine Duras - we were told we might find Monsieur Louis Lact here?"
"No Monsieur! Monsieur Lact has a home two miles down the track." The guard pointed eastwards.
"Merci!" Oran took Catherine's hand and started down the hill again.
"He does not welcome strangers Monsieur!" the guard warned.
"It is alright, we have a letter from his brother. I think he will see us!"
The guard shrugged and ignored them as they carried their baggage down the hill. Catherine was glad to be off the ship and strode eagerly eastwards. She smiled. "We are getting close Oran. I can feel it!"
"The only thing I feel is watched!" Oran complained, watching anxiously as they walked, but soon they arrived at a large house protected by a high, manned wall. The large wooden palisade surrounded the house, making it look more like a miniature fort than a house.
As they approached they were challenged. "Halt! Declare yourselves!"
"Oran and Catherine Duras," Oran called. "We wish to see Monsieur Louis Lact."
"And why would Monsieur Lact wish to see you?" the guard sneered.
"Because we bear a letter from his brother."
The guard did not look so sure of himself and called for the man obviously his superior. They spoke in hushed tones before beckoning them forwards.
"I will take the letter." He held out his hand expectantly.
"I am sorry Monsieur, but Monsieur Jean Claude Lact said that we were only to give this letter to his brother, which clearly you are not."
He harrumphed grumpily. "Come with me. If you are lying I will have you shot!" Oran raised one eyebrow at the threat but held his hand out to Catherine and quietly followed the man across the courtyard.
The guard frowned as they passed - most people gave in to Besoe's threats but this man did not even blink. He leered at the woman as she passed but the man seemed to anticipate it. He stopped and cast a knowing glance at the guard before continuing across the courtyard. Eventually they disappeared from view.
***
Louis Lact sat holding the letter from his brother, eyeing the two people who stood in front of him. "My brother says you are competent and that your wife can cook." He paused. "The only thing I have at the moment is working with the trappers - hunting deer and such to feed the mine workers. It would mean you could be away for a week or so at a time - but your wife could stay at the house and work in the kitchens..."
Oran looked at Catherine. It was not an ideal option, but it looked like the only way they could get close to the mine. "I'd prefer not to leave my wife..."
"It is alright Oran - I am sure I will be fine." She turned to him, whispering in the knowledge that she could be overheard. "We need this job."
He nodded, hugging her as he turned back to Louis Lact. "We accept Monsieur. when can we start?"
"Go and see Cécile - she is the housekeeper here and will assign you a room. Your wife can start tomorrow but the trappers are not due back for three days. Ask Cécile to find you work until you leave when they go out again."
"Merci Monsieur."
Louis Lact rang the bell pull by his desk. A suited man answered. "Nicolas, take these people to Cécile - they will be working here now."
"Oui Monsieur," he murmured, indicating that they should follow him. He backed from the room, nodding respectfully and indicated that they should do the same and Catherine bobbed a small curtsey. Only when the door was shut did he speak to them. "You must show deference to Monsieur Lact at all times, especially if you are to work in the house." He led them down a maze of corridors. "Ah, Cécile - I have new workers for you."
Cécile looked them up and down carefully, noting their dusty clothes and baggage in one dismissive glance. "You are married? Yes?" They nodded. "I will find you a room. Did Monsieur Lact tell you what he wished you to do?"
Oran spoke quietly. "I am to work with the trappers and my wife in the kitchens - but he said I was to report to you until they go out again."
She looked at him, much the same way as somebody would judge a horse. "Well, perhaps you can work in the stables or chop wood - we need the log pile replenished. Come, follow me!" She led them up a winding staircase into the very eaves of the house. Oran had to bend continuously to avoid banging his head. She opened a door half way along the corridor, revealing a small room with a southerly facing window. "I will leave you to settle. Lunch is at noon in the kitchens - be on time!" She shut the door firmly behind her.
***
Cécile was a hard taskmaster and Catherine found herself working from before dawn until well after dusk in the kitchens. She could see that Oran was worried for her when he left with the trappers.
"I'll be fine," she assured him as she said her goodbyes in the courtyard. "It is those Indians you need to watch out for!"
He smiled, kissing her warmly on the lips - both of them were well aware they were being watched. He held her to him tightly, closing his eyes. "Keep an eye on Besoe."
She frowned, looking up at him. "Besoe - why?"
"I've heard a few things from some of the men..." He did not want to scare her with some of the things the stablemen had said about Besoe. "Just take care - he isn't a nice man!"
She looked up at him, realising that there was a lot he was not telling her. "Go - I will be fine!" she assured him, seeing the other trappers already mounted and waiting.
"Come on Duras!" they called, "Or we'll leave without you!"
Oran kissed her once more before turning and mounting the sturdy bay gelding. His eyes repeated his warning, but he smiled as he urged the horse out of the gate.
***
Catherine was pulling carrots in the vegetable garden when she felt eyes on her. She turned cautiously to find Besoe watching her, leaning against the doorway to the kitchen. Ignoring him she continued her work until she had enough vegetables for the evening meal. She rubbed her hand across her face tiredly, a think streak of soil marking her cheek. Sighing she rose, alarmed to find that he was still there. As she approached he blocked her with his arm.
"Excuse me, Cécile is waiting for these..." She tried to press past him.
"Ah, no my pretty little maid!" He smiled, but it was not a pleasant smile. "The cost of passage is a kiss..."
"Monsieur! I am a married woman!"
"An' your husband is away," he leaned close to her. "I want a kiss!"
"Monsieur! Please get out of my way..."
Besoe knocked the basket of vegetables from her hands, pressing her against the wall forcing his lips against hers but stopped suddenly, eyes bulging as he fell backwards, hands protectively cupping his manhood. "You..." he gasped.
Taking advantage of a clear doorway, Catherine dashed inside, running to the safety of the kitchen. As she saw Cécile she burst into tears, all too clearly recalling the assault by Lucon.
Cécile took one look at her tear-stained dishevelled appearance and stormed towards the garden. "Olivier Besoe!" she shouted, but he was wise enough not to be there when she reached the door. Angrily she picked up the carrots and returned to the kitchen. "I will speak with Monsieur Lact! I will not have that animal accosting my staff!"
"It is alright Madame," Catherine sniffed. "I don't think he will try it for a while." Cécile frowned at her. "He will be speaking with a high voice for an hour or so..."
Cécile looked in surprise at the new maid before bursting into laughter. "Good! It serves him right, but you should take care for he is not a nice man..."
"My husband will protect me," she smiled assuredly.
"But he will not return for a week or more. Take care Catherine."
A longer chapter... see!
***
Early April
Oran and Catherine quietly disembarked La Reine, thanking Captain Guillaume for their passage before climbing the steep hill. He looked around as they walked - the mine was not in sight but he could see a well-used cart track leading into the hills off to the east. "Do we try the mine or the fort?" he asked.
"Well, we have a letter of introduction to this Louis Lact - let's ask for him at the fort and see what happens?"
They reached the top of the incline, finding themselves facing armed and ready soldiers. "Halt! Declare yourselves!"
"Oran and Catherine Duras - we were told we might find Monsieur Louis Lact here?"
"No Monsieur! Monsieur Lact has a home two miles down the track." The guard pointed eastwards.
"Merci!" Oran took Catherine's hand and started down the hill again.
"He does not welcome strangers Monsieur!" the guard warned.
"It is alright, we have a letter from his brother. I think he will see us!"
The guard shrugged and ignored them as they carried their baggage down the hill. Catherine was glad to be off the ship and strode eagerly eastwards. She smiled. "We are getting close Oran. I can feel it!"
"The only thing I feel is watched!" Oran complained, watching anxiously as they walked, but soon they arrived at a large house protected by a high, manned wall. The large wooden palisade surrounded the house, making it look more like a miniature fort than a house.
As they approached they were challenged. "Halt! Declare yourselves!"
"Oran and Catherine Duras," Oran called. "We wish to see Monsieur Louis Lact."
"And why would Monsieur Lact wish to see you?" the guard sneered.
"Because we bear a letter from his brother."
The guard did not look so sure of himself and called for the man obviously his superior. They spoke in hushed tones before beckoning them forwards.
"I will take the letter." He held out his hand expectantly.
"I am sorry Monsieur, but Monsieur Jean Claude Lact said that we were only to give this letter to his brother, which clearly you are not."
He harrumphed grumpily. "Come with me. If you are lying I will have you shot!" Oran raised one eyebrow at the threat but held his hand out to Catherine and quietly followed the man across the courtyard.
The guard frowned as they passed - most people gave in to Besoe's threats but this man did not even blink. He leered at the woman as she passed but the man seemed to anticipate it. He stopped and cast a knowing glance at the guard before continuing across the courtyard. Eventually they disappeared from view.
***
Louis Lact sat holding the letter from his brother, eyeing the two people who stood in front of him. "My brother says you are competent and that your wife can cook." He paused. "The only thing I have at the moment is working with the trappers - hunting deer and such to feed the mine workers. It would mean you could be away for a week or so at a time - but your wife could stay at the house and work in the kitchens..."
Oran looked at Catherine. It was not an ideal option, but it looked like the only way they could get close to the mine. "I'd prefer not to leave my wife..."
"It is alright Oran - I am sure I will be fine." She turned to him, whispering in the knowledge that she could be overheard. "We need this job."
He nodded, hugging her as he turned back to Louis Lact. "We accept Monsieur. when can we start?"
"Go and see Cécile - she is the housekeeper here and will assign you a room. Your wife can start tomorrow but the trappers are not due back for three days. Ask Cécile to find you work until you leave when they go out again."
"Merci Monsieur."
Louis Lact rang the bell pull by his desk. A suited man answered. "Nicolas, take these people to Cécile - they will be working here now."
"Oui Monsieur," he murmured, indicating that they should follow him. He backed from the room, nodding respectfully and indicated that they should do the same and Catherine bobbed a small curtsey. Only when the door was shut did he speak to them. "You must show deference to Monsieur Lact at all times, especially if you are to work in the house." He led them down a maze of corridors. "Ah, Cécile - I have new workers for you."
Cécile looked them up and down carefully, noting their dusty clothes and baggage in one dismissive glance. "You are married? Yes?" They nodded. "I will find you a room. Did Monsieur Lact tell you what he wished you to do?"
Oran spoke quietly. "I am to work with the trappers and my wife in the kitchens - but he said I was to report to you until they go out again."
She looked at him, much the same way as somebody would judge a horse. "Well, perhaps you can work in the stables or chop wood - we need the log pile replenished. Come, follow me!" She led them up a winding staircase into the very eaves of the house. Oran had to bend continuously to avoid banging his head. She opened a door half way along the corridor, revealing a small room with a southerly facing window. "I will leave you to settle. Lunch is at noon in the kitchens - be on time!" She shut the door firmly behind her.
***
Cécile was a hard taskmaster and Catherine found herself working from before dawn until well after dusk in the kitchens. She could see that Oran was worried for her when he left with the trappers.
"I'll be fine," she assured him as she said her goodbyes in the courtyard. "It is those Indians you need to watch out for!"
He smiled, kissing her warmly on the lips - both of them were well aware they were being watched. He held her to him tightly, closing his eyes. "Keep an eye on Besoe."
She frowned, looking up at him. "Besoe - why?"
"I've heard a few things from some of the men..." He did not want to scare her with some of the things the stablemen had said about Besoe. "Just take care - he isn't a nice man!"
She looked up at him, realising that there was a lot he was not telling her. "Go - I will be fine!" she assured him, seeing the other trappers already mounted and waiting.
"Come on Duras!" they called, "Or we'll leave without you!"
Oran kissed her once more before turning and mounting the sturdy bay gelding. His eyes repeated his warning, but he smiled as he urged the horse out of the gate.
***
Catherine was pulling carrots in the vegetable garden when she felt eyes on her. She turned cautiously to find Besoe watching her, leaning against the doorway to the kitchen. Ignoring him she continued her work until she had enough vegetables for the evening meal. She rubbed her hand across her face tiredly, a think streak of soil marking her cheek. Sighing she rose, alarmed to find that he was still there. As she approached he blocked her with his arm.
"Excuse me, Cécile is waiting for these..." She tried to press past him.
"Ah, no my pretty little maid!" He smiled, but it was not a pleasant smile. "The cost of passage is a kiss..."
"Monsieur! I am a married woman!"
"An' your husband is away," he leaned close to her. "I want a kiss!"
"Monsieur! Please get out of my way..."
Besoe knocked the basket of vegetables from her hands, pressing her against the wall forcing his lips against hers but stopped suddenly, eyes bulging as he fell backwards, hands protectively cupping his manhood. "You..." he gasped.
Taking advantage of a clear doorway, Catherine dashed inside, running to the safety of the kitchen. As she saw Cécile she burst into tears, all too clearly recalling the assault by Lucon.
Cécile took one look at her tear-stained dishevelled appearance and stormed towards the garden. "Olivier Besoe!" she shouted, but he was wise enough not to be there when she reached the door. Angrily she picked up the carrots and returned to the kitchen. "I will speak with Monsieur Lact! I will not have that animal accosting my staff!"
"It is alright Madame," Catherine sniffed. "I don't think he will try it for a while." Cécile frowned at her. "He will be speaking with a high voice for an hour or so..."
Cécile looked in surprise at the new maid before bursting into laughter. "Good! It serves him right, but you should take care for he is not a nice man..."
"My husband will protect me," she smiled assuredly.
"But he will not return for a week or more. Take care Catherine."