**I don't own BATB, Catherine, Vincent or any other characters mentioned. I also don't own any places mentioned or any scenes that may be similar to another work.**
Previously on Masquerade...
Catherine: "That would be Lord Evan Marks of England. He wishes to court me, but I cannot stand him. My step-mother believes that I welcome his advances though I wish of nothing to do with him."
Vincent: "If you would like I could help you avoid him."
Catherine: "How? And we have just met. Why would you help me?"
Vincent: "Well, a prince's job is supposedly to rescue maidens in distress."
"What do you have in your mind?" Catherine asked interested.
"How about a trip to the village? Tis a common place for people to see each other while courting."
"So we are to pretend to court?"
"We don't have to. I could say I wished to meet with you after we met at the masquerade and I have the intentions of courting you. It would work since your father already knows that I wish to court you."
"We shall see if your plans work." Catherine said before they headed in Brooke and Evan's direction to find that Thomas had joined them.
"Good morning Brooke. You as well Lord Marks." Catherine said removing her arm from Vincent's to curtsy to both her step-mother and Lord Marks. Brooke just nodded in approval.
"Good Morning Lady Chandler. I pray your morning was well?"
"Very much so, thank you for inquiring. I pray yours was equaled?"
"Yes, more so now that I am able to see you." Lord Marks said in a syrupy tone.
"Catherine, Lord Marks is here to call upon you." Brooke said in a tone that said she was very happy. Catherine looked at Brooke before Lord Marks. She gave as sincere a smile as she could to him. This was when Evan seemed to notice Vincent.
"Good morning. You are?" Evan asked quite forwardly.
"Good morning to you as well. I am Vincent of York." Cat instantly noticed that he gave no indication to his title.
"Lord Evan Marks of England." Evan said with emphasis to his title, as if saying he was better for Vincent gave no title meaning he was of lower class.
"Pleasure." Vincent said being able to tell why Catherine could not stand Evan.
"Lord Marks..." Catherine said getting his attention. "I am terribly sorry for I was not aware of your plan to call upon me and I fear that I have already agreed to accompany Vincent to the village. Vincent had asked permission of father when he arrived before asking me for a tour of the ground so we could talk. Isn't this true father?" Cat asked watching as he took the cue.
"Yes my daughter. Lord Marks, I fear that since it seems only my lovely wife knew of your arrival, I gave Catherine permission to accompany Vincent to the village with the companionship of Catherine's cousin Teresa." Thomas said with a slight smile to his daughter.
"Lady Chandler, tis quite alright. I just came by calling after you to see if you would accept my invitation to accompany my to the masquerade tomorrow night."
"Once again Lord Marks, I fear you are moments too late. Vincent has already asked and I was simply waiting for a time to speak with my father of the invitation." Catherine said trying to stay as if she did not despise Evan.
"Oh Thomas, it would be most impolite of Catherine to reject Lord Marks. He traveled all the way from court just to call upon her."
"Brooke, Lord Marks, please know that I mean no impoliteness, but it would be most impolite of me to not acknowledge the fact that Vincent has also traveled from court to ask of time from me as well as extend an invitation to accompany him to the ball." Catherine said in a way that Brooke was not able to fight back. Then Catherine looked at her father. "Father, may I go call for Teresa to come down so that Vincent and I may take leave to the village? Tis getting on in the day and I know I will not be able to stay out long."
"Of course daughter." Thomas said before Catherine once again curtseyed to everyone before going in and to her and Teresa's chamber where she found Tess staring out the window watching what went on.
"Tess." Cat said capturing her cousin's attention.
"Cat. Why ever are you inside when your two callers look as if they are ready to battle for you?"
"To ask if you could possibly suffer a trip to the village with Vincent and I. Since Brooke and Lord Marks are in attention Vincent and I are not able to leave as usual. Father is helping to make Lord Marks believe that Vincent and I are starting to court and we are not allowed alone. Once we get to town you may go do whatever you wish, we just need you to help us out."
"For you Cat, of course. Let's sneak you and Mr. Handsome out of here." Tess said before grabbing her bag that she always took to the village before joining Cat to rejoin everyone right outside the door. Both girls curtsied to everyone before Catherine looked at her father.
"Now that Teresa is ready, may we take leave?"
"Yes, just remember to keep with them Teresa."
"Of course father." Tess said with a nod before climbing into the carriage with Vincent's help. Once Cat and Vincent climbed in Tess finally spoke up. "So,Vincent, pray tell me of yourself? I know only what Catherine has told me which is naught."
"What would you like to know Teresa?"
"Firstly, you may call me Tess as long as we are not near father or Brooke. I detest the name Teresa. Secondly, you could start with your name and title since I only know that your first name is Vincent." She watched as he sent a look to Catherine before she nodded and then he spoke.
"I shall tell you, but you must not speak of it to anyone as of yet." Tess nodded so he continued. "My name is Vincent Andrew Joseph Keller, and my title is as the third prince of York." Vincent said before giving a laugh as Tess's jaw dropped.
"Cat, tell me he is beguiling."
"Tess, he is not. Believe me." Cat said with a laugh. "I did not believe him at first either, but tis true."
"Does father know?"
"He knew before I did. We didn't want to give Brooke a reason to freak out so we purposely avoided his name." Catherine said before the carriage fell into an uncomfortable silence. Once they arrived in the village Cat had hoped that Tess would walk away and leave her and Vincent, but she did not. "Tess, you are allowed to go. Brooke and Lord Marks will not know."
"Cat, I saw Lord Marks' carriage leave the manor right behind ours. I do not believe that he was returning to his inn. Unless you wish for him to see you two unaccompanied while courting." Cat just sighed. "Don't worry. I do have things I must do, I will just be following you. I will also stay outside of your hearing range." Tess said with a smile before Catherine and Vincent started to stroll the village. Catherine took Vincent's arm. Once they were out of Tess's hearing range, things seemed to become more comfortable.
"I cannot thank you enough Vincent. I do not know how I would have fared had I been forced to accompany Lord Marks."
"You must be quite lucky that you had a prince to save you." Vincent said causing Catherine to laugh. "Would I be too rash in asking if you would like to visit me in York?"
"No Vincent, but I fear that I am not able to make that decision. Tis up to my father if I leave Nigera or not. You must speak with him about it, but should he allow it, I believe that I would like to see York." All of a sudden Tess walked up to them and they stopped talking.
"Lord Marks is here so I figured I would save your asses." Tess said right before Catherine saw Lord Marks. She gave space between herself and Vincent so that it seemed more appropriate since they were not yet courting. As Lord Marks walked closer to them, pretending not to see them, Vincent involved Tess in the conversation.
"Lady Teresa, are you to attend the masquerade tomorrow night?"
"Yes Vincent. I will be attending with my family."
"Are you going to remain as a sly and mysterious fox or am I to see another side of you?"
"I beg your pardon? A side of me?"
"Yes, a side of you. A person's choice in a masquerade costume tells a lot of them. I have been to a good number of masques and have learned that the person fits the disguise. A fox, for example, would be the disguise of someone who is sly, cunning, and wily. Someone who knows more than they let on and someone who has skill in the art of deceiving and trickery." Tess tried to talk her way out of his description.
"I fear, sir, that you are mistaken."
"Teresa, you know for a fact that you fit that description perfectly." Cat said with a laugh. The three continued the banter between them until they saw Lord Marks lose interest and walk off. Then Tess distanced herself from Cat and Vincent. For a while she followed them, just watching the two. She walked off as Vincent and Catherine walked into the village bookshop.
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