Chapter Seventeen

Catherine found a routine over the coming month. Every Wednesday she'd drop in to read to the disagreeable Mrs. Darvill, though she took no pleasure in it (and Mrs. Darvill never seemed to either) Catherine hoped that the socialisation was doing the old woman good in some way, and besides, the tea that she took with her sister Miss Darlyshire afterwards was always pleasant, the other woman being her older sister's complete opposite in every way. With Mister Hadaway still in London she and Josiah Flitch (who was mostly entertaining, if a little grating at times) were able to spend two Fridays continuing the Herculean task of sorting the solicitor's offices, they were close to finishing when Josiah informed her that he would be locking up the offices and travelling to London immediately, having been summoned by Mister Hadaway to aid him in the exceedingly lengthy inheritance dispute. Sundays were, of course, for church but Catherine also saw Old Parson on Thursdays when they would take tea and she would then spend the rest of the afternoon with the children in the Church; she quickly came to dote on every one and would often pop in to see them on any other day she was free, much to their delight. Some days she'd call on Evie Fletcher and they'd walk around the village together or drop in to The Lion and Unicorn for lemonade and a chat with Roger Norton, occasionally Evie would take her to call on her mother-in-law Mrs. Fletcher, these were always subdued visits but Catherine hoped nevertheless that her friendship temporarily distracted them from their worries about poor Freddie Fletcher's fate. Other days she'd take walks throughout the surrounding countryside (always to the south away from the woods where the threat of lurking De Noirs constantly loomed), thus she came to know the local farmers and their families who always welcomed her as if she were their own kin, most of the children she had already been acquainted with from the Church. And throughout these days there was one almost constant fixture: Robin de Noir.

He had the almost uncanny knack of always being able to find her, no matter where she had strayed. At first their encounters were stilted and awkward, the subject of his attraction going unspoken and yet always lingering, gradually though they began to relax as they came to know one another better and so Robin's visits became more and more frequent. In truth, Catherine came to look forward to them, waking up every morning wondering if she would see him that day and what they would talk about. And talk they would, chattering excitedly and almost incessantly for, as they quickly discovered, they had a great deal of common interests; they spoke of literature for one was just as avid a reader as the other, and gradually books began to be loaned back and forth; they both had a great desire to travel and see the world, Robin turned out to be slightly more worldly, having visited relatives in Ireland and France often while growing up, but he had never been to London so Catherine could talk to him at length about that great melting pot of cities; he was delighted to learn that she could speak French fluently and they took to playfully conversing in that language; Catherine could play the piano with great proficiency and, although Robin could play no instruments, he encouraged her to talk at length about her passion for music (he especially enjoyed it when she'd lose herself in her enthusiasm and unconsciously begin to make the movements in midair, her pretty hands flitting to and fro) and made her promise to one day smuggle him in to Moonacre so that he could hear her play for real on the piano there. They rarely spoke of family, though, it being too sensitive a topic for two young people who were supposed to be sworn mortal enemies.

Although Robin did not see her every day, he slipped in and out of her life as smoothly as a puff of smoke, when he was there his presence seemed completely natural, almost inevitable, like he was a dear friend from childhood recently reunited with her, and Catherine found herself thinking fondly of the young De Noir.

Now, as they strolled leisurely along a leafy country lane, Catherine smiled, watching him gesticulate excitedly as he told her about the upcoming Midsummer fair in the town of Bartleby, of how every year he would dress down in inconspicuous clothes, rather than the dark and forbidding garments favoured by his clan, and sneak off to the fair for the day, relishing in the anonymity of a larger town where nobody judged or feared him for the deeds of his family.

"It does sound wonderful." Catherine smiled, "You're just as enthusiastic as the children in the Church when they first mentioned the fair to me."

Robin laughed, "Well, it is a very big thing in these parts. A whole day to make merry, to drink and feast and dance."

"It will be an especially good day for me, Midsummer falls on my birthday this year. It'll feel like all the world is celebrating it with me!"

"Your birthday is the 24th June?"

"Yes."

Robin hummed thoughtfully at this new piece of information and they fell into a comfortable silence, content to walk side-by-side enjoying the sunshine and birdsong.

"Miss Merryweather." he blurted, abruptly coming to a stop.

This gave Catherine pause, he only ever called her Miss Merryweather when he was about to say something of the upmost seriousness. Indeed, Robin looked terribly nervous, gazing at her intently, his hands fidgeting. She nodded for him to proceed.

Robin took off his hat and held it in his hands, licked his lips once and then said slowly, with great gravity, "Miss Merryweather, might I have the pleasure of your company as your escort to the Bartleby fair?"

The sudden relief made Catherine laugh as the tension left her body, "Robin de Noir, I thought you were going to say something terrible! Yes, of course I shall go with you to the fair, but only if you promise not to frighten me ever again with your formality!"

Robin's face was a picture of elation, his cheeks a little pink, "I promise." he said softly. Then, suddenly, he leant forward and placed a gentle chaste kiss upon Catherine's cheek. Catherine was quite speechless.

"Forgive me." he said immediately, replacing his hat, "Only you made me so happy just now, I couldn't help myself."

"There is nothing to forgive." Catherine murmured, quite sure that her cheeks were just as pink as his.

Robin grinned and offered her his arm, "Shall I escort you back to the Manor, then?"

They were almost at the gates to the estate and Catherine was just finishing telling Robin about the elephants she saw once at London Zoo when he suddenly disappeared. Utterly confused, Catherine stood looking around her but she could see neither hide nor hair of him, like he had just melted in amongst the hedgerow, then she saw the reason for his sudden disappearance: up ahead, just pulling the gate shut behind him was Doctor Perrins.

Catherine, all at once worried, hurried towards him, "Good day, Doctor Perrins! Has someone taken ill? Is my brother well?"

The Doctor swung quickly around to face her and fixed her with such a fearful expression that it made Catherine stop in her tracks, quite taken aback.

"My lady." he stared at her uncomprehendingly for a second and then seemed to realise what she had just said, "Nothing to worry about, Sir Benjamin is in perfect health."

"Then what of Digweed or Marmaduke Scarlet?"

"I can assure you, madam, that nothing is amiss, I merely called to discuss some business with your brother." Catherine noticed that the Doctor's face seemed to be a good deal redder than his usual pink complexion.

There was a brief moment of silence and then the Doctor spoke quite suddenly, loudly, "Well, I must be off! I have patients to attend to. Lady Merryweather it has been a pleasure, an absolute pleasure!" he prattled without stopping for breath, and then, after bowing hurriedly, he took off practically running down the lane, leaving Catherine staring after him bemusedly.

All at once, Robin was at her side again, "That is one strange bird." he observed.

"I think he just feels a little awkward. I can't imagine why though, we have met twice before and he cared for me when I took sick. You don't think he saw us together, do you?"

"I really don't think so. I hid myself very quickly." Robin shrugged.

They bade one another farewell and Catherine returned to the Manor, where she found Benjamin in an extremely agitated state, pacing beside the fireplace in the Entrance Hall.

"What on Earth did you say to Doctor Perrins?" she asked him, "He was so nervous and flustered when I met him at the gate!"

Benjamin looked affronted, "Why do you assume that I spoke to him unkindly?"

"Because I know very well how intimidating you can be." Catherine said flatly, rolling her eyes, "So, tell me then, what business did he come to talk to you about?"

Benjamin was silent for a long time, standing with one arm upon the fireplace, staring down into the flames. Finally he turned to face her, "He came to speak to me about you, actually."

"Me? What on Earth...Whatever for?"

The corners of Benjamin's mouth were twitching, Catherine could tell from experience that he was trying very hard to suppress a smile, "He came to ask for my permission to court you."

"What?" Catherine said sharply. So that was why the awkward Doctor had been so very skittish while he was talking to her!

"Because father is dead and George, as the eldest, is not here, I am your guardian and the head of the Merryweather estate. Doctor Perris was doing the proper thing by asking my permission to court my younger sister who, by law, I am responsible for the wellbeing of."

"This is ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!" Catherine raged, "I'm eighteen years old and he's...so much older!"

"I'm given to understand that he is thirty-three." Benjamin said, coughing to cover up a sudden laugh, "And really Catherine, a lot of girls are already married at your age. Mother certainly was."

Catherine fixed him with a contemptuous look, "He's not much older than you yourself! It'd be like me marrying you! How can you possibly stand for that? What an awful brother you are! You're doing a terrible job of being my guardian if you're just going to give me away to the first man that comes knocking! I think you're eager to be rid of me! I shan't accept this, you know, I hope you understand that!"

Benjamin was openly laughing now, "Oh, Catherine, of course I understand. I have known you all your life, so truly I am well aware of what a fierce and independent creature you are. I've hardly given him your hand in marriage! I simply told him that it is up to you whether he may court you." he settled himself in his armchair by the fireplace and reached for a newspaper, "Only do one thing, dear sister, for me: for heaven's sake let him down gently. The man is still our Doctor, Lord knows what potions he might mix up as means for revenge!" Benjamin chuckled again at his own joke.

"Laugh all you want, Benjamin Merryweather, I am not amused in the slightest!" Catherine flopped down into the armchair opposite, "What could have possessed him to ask? I hardly know him! I've only met him all of three times, and on one of those occasions I wasn't even conscious!"

Behind his newspaper, Benjamin snorted again with laughter, "Well, you are the most eligible girl in the county."

"That's it!" Catherine cried, leaping to her feet, "He only wants to marry me for my fortune and good name! Why is it all about money and power with you men? When a girl comes of age she must be married off as soon as possible so that she can be put to good use for a man, because heaven forbid a girl end up on the wrong side of twenty without a husband! Look at yourself! You never married!But that's perfectly natural, isn't it? Men can stay bachelors their whole lives if they so choose because they have the luxury of choice."

And with that, Catherine flounced upstairs to her room, muttering to herself all the way, cursing the day that Doctor Perrins had ever been born. Had she turned and looked back, she would not have seen the tragically pained expression on her brother's handsome face, for he hid it so well behind the newspaper.