Chapter Twelve: Unexpected News
Danielle awoke early the next morning to the sounds of many feet and objects being flung around. It took her a moment to recover upon waking. Where was she again? Ah, yes the Gypsy camp. It was all coming back so clear now. She scrambled to her feet and pulled on a new dress from the trunk that sat in the corner of her tent.
The camp was surprisingly busy for this early hour. Danielle stepped out of her tent and took in the beautiful scenery around her, she could see that the sun as still struggling to peek over the horizon. She relished in the purples and reds of sunrise, and took a few minutes to stretch and yawn before her curiosity got the better of her and she went in search of the cause of all this commotion.
At the far end of the camp Danielle found Mary Grace loading baked goods and fresh beeswax onto an obviously overloaded cart. Sonny was nearby nibbling on a piece of bread. Always the helping hand, he tried to give the adults directions as to where to place the goods, but Danielle noticed that almost everyone was ignoring him. Still he did not give up, and she laughed when she realized that he was just as stubborn as she. Sonny spotted Danielle and immediately came running up to her.
"Mornin Danwell." He said smiling, "it's a prettyful day out huh?" Danielle giggled, and he crinkled his nose happily.
"Why yes, young sir. It's quite beautiful out." The little boy blushed at her compliment. Both of them were too distracted to notice Mary Grace walking right towards them, her hands full of goods, and her vision blocked. She stumbled into Sonny who was startled and jumped clear out of the way. Danielle stepped back too. Her nerves taking over. A bit of panic in her blood. Mary Grace, stunned from the impact, dropped the goods, which was mostly blankets onto the ground.
"Sonny!" She bellowed once she realized what had just happened. She placed her hand on her heart and tried to calm down. "What have I told you about staying out of the way?" Sonny's eyes sank to the ground, his lower lip puffing out as if he was pouting. He said nothing. Danielle could feel his sadness from where she stood.
"Mary Grace, forgive me. It was my fault, I distracted him." Danielle explained. The little boy straightened and his mother softened a little.
"It's quite alright. I was just startled that's all, and the thought of something bad happening to my baby upset me a little." She shot Sonny a warm smile, who returned the favor. Mary Grace sent Sonny off to play, and then began to pick up the scattered goods off the ground. Danielle gave her a hand and helped her arrange things on the cart.
"Mary Grace, why is everyone loading up their carts?" Danielle asked as soon as the task was finished.
"It's Saturday, child. Time to go to the market." Danielle cringed slightly and became uncomfortable. She couldn't go to the market. Le Pieu would no doubt be there. And if for some reason he was not, then surly the Baroness would be there. Mary Grace saw the sudden flash of panic race through Danielle's eyes and she rested her hand on the younger woman's shoulder.
"Do not worry," She said in her most reassuring voice, "There is always a group of us who stays behind to watch the young ones. You may stay with them. You are safe here." Their eyes locked and Danielle was instantly transported back to last night when Mary Grace was trying to help her get dressed. She could feel her eyes mist up, and that feeling of having all the answers resurfaced.
"Thank you." Was all Danielle could manage to say. Mary Grace smiled, but her eyes seemed to be sad.
"Is there anything I can get you at the market while we are there?"
"No. I'm fine." Danielle wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself or Mary Grace.
"Of course. There is some bread left by the fire. Feel free to help yourself to breakfast." Danielle nodded, and then made her way to the fire. Food sounded good right now, but solitude sounded much better.
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Henry was up early ready to greet the day. He felt surprisingly well considering everything that was going on. Before leaving the De Ghent manor he had left Jacqueline in charge of the estate until Danielle could be located and notified. He and Maurice made plans for him to return the fallowing day to give the estate a good inspection. Find out what need to be mended, and how. If it could not be mended then it would be simply replaced. He wanted Danielle to be free to do with the farm what she wished, return it to it's previous glory. Henry knew that that could not be accomplished without the proper equipment, and the right supplies.
Paulette, Louise and Maurice thanked him for what seemed like the millionth time before he and his family boarded their carriage and headed back to the palace. The Royals were exhausted. It had been a very long few days, and for a few minutes Henry found himself unable to keep his eyes open. His mother's sudden yawning only sealed his fate, and soon he found himself drifting into a dreamless sleep.
He woke up as soon as the carriage pulled into the courtyard. And as soon as the carriage stopped Henry hopped out and accompanied Laurent and the Royal Guardsmen as they escorted the prisoners to their cells. He watched them contently as culture shock sank in, and they realized that yes this was happening, and no it wasn't some kind of sick joke.
Once he was certain that the prisoners were secure in their cells Henry retired to his bedroom. It gave him an odd satisfaction knowing that Danielle would never have to worry about the Baroness and Marguerite ever again. And yet his head filled with worry. He knew that Danielle was out there, somewhere, scared and alone. Probably cold. He spent the next few hours trying to shove such thoughts out of his head and go to sleep.
It was a new day, and now he was finishing putting the saddle on his horse so he could take off and greet the beautiful morning. Henry loaded his saddlebag with some flasks of water and a few apples before mounting his horse, Gwen. He took a deep breath, eagerly absorbing the cool morning breeze. After a few moments of relaxation he pointed Gwen in the direction of Danielle's farm and kicked his heels. Gwen took off and soon both had disappeared into the horizon.
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The cold water felt wonderful against Danielle's skin. She was so relaxed as her body drifted with the current of the river. It had proved to a very dreary day. The clouds had rolled in right after Gabriel, Mary Grace and the rest had left for the Market. The others who stayed behind feared that it may rain so they spent the morning preparing the campsite for showers. Danielle on the other hand spent her morning with Sonny and the other children. They played cave monster, and picked wild flowers. Soon however she grew restless and felt the strong need to find a quiet place to think. So as soon as the children were sent to take their afternoon nap Danielle snuck down to the river for a little bonding time with the water.
Something about nature always made Danielle's problems seem so tiny and insignificant. She realized as she floated down stream that she felt surprisingly good considering what had happened the last few days. The Gypsies had been so kind and caring to her. They really made her feel welcome, while at the same time giving her little chores and duties to perform so she would feel like she was helping out. Her independent nature wouldn't have it any other way.
And still, even now a few things were bothering her. Her mind kept drifting back to the previous evening when she arrived at the camp. It started in the tent, the way that Mary Grace looked at her, and why had she put her hand on her heart like that? And when the younger girl came in to assist, they spoke for a moment, and the girl grew sad too. What did Mary Grace say? It was all so strange.
Then when they had been walking back to the fire, something about the way Mary Grace had spoken to her rubbed her the wrong way. To Danielle it almost felt like Mary Grace had been prompting her. Was she trying to help Danielle create a cover story for her bruises? It just felt weird. And what about earlier that morning? She could have sworn that Mary Grace was upset about something, but yet she said nothing.
But the most striking thing, the thing that bothered Danielle the most was that nobody asked her about her bruises. She would have thought that with their color and size and their position on her body someone surely would have inquired as to how they got there. But nobody said a word. Why was that?
Cold raindrops broke Danielle from her thoughts, and in the distance she thought she heard thunder. She sighed softly and began to swim back towards the shore. Gabriel and the rest would be returning to camp soon anyways. She wondered what they would be bringing home.
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Surprisingly to both Maurice and Henry the farm was in relatively good condition. The barn needed some reconstruction work but other then that it was simply a matter of hiring more help to properly work the land. Henry learned that the Baroness had sold many of the servants to pay off her mounting debts. And in effect the crops began to suffer because there was no way the remaining servants could handle all that land. So as the number of servants dwindled, the farm grew smaller. And as the farm grew smaller it produced less and less crops. And with fewer crops, comes less money, and so the cycle continued and continued.
"I wish to thank you again sire, you have shown us much generosity." Maurice said, his eyes cast towards the ground. He and Henry were making their way through the apple orchards and back to the house.
"Think nothing of it. I want to do whatever I can to return some normalcy to Danielle's life. Even if she's not around to witness." Henry could feel soft droplets of rain bounce off his hair and instantly he and Maurice quickened their pace.
"I have faith she will return home soon, milord." Suddenly a loud clap of thunder broke their conversation. Just seconds later the rain began to pour in sheets. Henry and Maurice began to run and by the time they had reached the house both men were soaked. The rain was coming down so hard that visibility was down to zero. Maurice thought for a moment and then he grew very serious. "Sir, I'm afraid if this rain continues the roads will be washed away. I must insist that you spend the night here." Henry thought for a moment and then nodded his head. He could feel Danielle's presence all over this farm, and it would give him the needed time to bound with the servants. He was sure that they were loaded with funny stories from Danielle's childhood, and he was dying to hear each of them.
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Danielle hardly made it back to camp before the rain started pouring. Most of the tents and the fire pit had been moved to the many caves that surrounded the valley. As she ran through the camp she noticed Sonny and a few of his friends jumping up and down in the puddles and splashing each other with the dirty water. She made her way to the fire and was now wearing a new dress and chewing hungrily on a fresh hunk of bread and a warm bowl of soup. She watched the children play, and a part of her felt jealous. What she wouldn't give to feel free like that again.
Just as she was about to start crying and feeling sorry for herself, she noticed Gabriel and Mary Grace's carriage pull into the camp. She locked eyes with Gabriel and a cold chill ran down her spine. Something was wrong. Very wrong. Gabriel leapt off the carriage and headed immediately to Danielle.
"Danielle, I bring news from the market." Gabriel's face was serious and his eyes were excited.
"What? Gabriel what's going on?" She made no attempt to hide the fear in her voice, and from the look on Gabriel's face he had heard it too.
"Talk all over the town states that the Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent and her daughter Marguerite have been arrested on charges of treason!" Gabriel exclaimed wildly.
"Treason??" Danielle repeated in total disbelief.
"It appears that the Baroness lied to the Queen about a certain Courtier by the name of Nicole De Lencret, in order to persuade the Prince to marry Marguerite. The Baroness also was caught lying to the entire Royal family over dinner last night, and the Prince had them arrested."
"Oh my god." Danielle whispered bringing her hand to her lips.
"It gets better," Danielle shifted her attention to Gabriel's looming figure and urged him to continue, "After the two were arrested, Prince Henry stripped them of their titles and of their land. Then he waved the estate of all debts owed to the government and handed it over to one Danielle De Barbarac. My lady, you are a land owner now!!" Danielle gasped and stayed silent for a long moment. So much information, and again so many questions. Had Henry really given her control over her father's farm? Or was this so kind of trap. She thought long and hard and decided there was only one way to find out. Tommarrow morning, she would head home, and if she was captured, so be it.