Having the King living in the castle gave the place a different buzz. It went from a dull quiet buzz to a edgy nervous buzz. People were barely sleeping in case they forgot to do something or that they might miss the bell ringing at night. Plus the King's constant bad mood made the living conditions a little but harder.
A couple of days after Adam moved back in I was cleaning the grand staircase, step by step, as Marian ordered.
"Suze!" Ceecee cried from the top of the steps.
"Don't come down here!" I shouted at her before she stepped onto my perfectly clean marble. "I just washed it." I grumbled and she laughed.
"We got the night off tonight!" She said excitedly. I looked up at her and she beamed.
"The night off?"
"We can go wherever we want but we have to be back tomorrow before lunch."
"I didn't think that was possible." I said placing the rag into the wooden bucket of soapy water.
"Every now and again a couple servants are offered nights off as a token of gratitude."
"That's wonderful." I said smiling brightly.
"So I was thinking that we should go to the Black Bucket tonight." She said crouching down and speaking quieter as a servant dashed by.
"The Black Bucket? What's that?"
"It's a tavern in town. It has great music and fantastic food." She practically whispered. "Unless you'd rather go home to your husband." She spoke with a smile but I could tell that she didn't want me to leave her.
"No, of course I'll go out with you." I said giving her a smile. "It sounds like fun!" Ceecee squealed and clapped her hands.
"Did you bring any of those fancy dresses?" She asked and I blanked.
"I didn't think I would need them." I said.
"Don't worry. I have an extra dress that you can wear." She smiled at me and gave me a wink before she disappeared back down the hallway.
As I scrubbed the dirt off the step I thought of Andrew. He would appreciate me getting the night off to go and visit him. It is what every wife should do. But here I was agreeing to go to tavern and spend the night surrounded by drunken men and whores instead of being with him. I sighed trying to get rid of the bad feelings that were growing in my body.
Our day finished once supper was served. I walked into the dinning area and the smell of roasted chicken made my stomach grumble. I slumped down on the bench and waited for a plate to be passed to me.
"Come on Suze! We need to get ready." Ceecee said as she dashed by.
"Get ready?" Big Tom looked at Ceecee and then me.
"We got the night off." I said and everyone made some sort of whistle or comment.
"Must be nice." Daisy said, grumbling as she picked up her chicken.
"Wish I got a day off." Jane complained.
"You…you don't get days off?"
"We live here all year round so we don't need days off. According to his majesty." Jane said.
"Be fair Jane." Mac wheezed from the corner. "You spent two whole weeks with you family."
"That was months ago." She complained, giving him a dirty look behind her short red hair.
"Mrs. Fitzpatrick was pulled from her husband to come and work here. She has the right to go and visit him once in a while." Mac defended and I looked down at my empty plate.
"Yes but is she going to see her husband?" Daisy spat and I blushed. Everyone sitting around was quiet and I swallowed nervously.
"No. We are going out to have fun." I said lifting my chin and drawing in a shaky breath. "Now if you'll excuse me. You're self pity has made me lose my appetite." I snapped and left the table. I walked proudly down the hallway to our room and slammed the door behind me. Then I collapsed against it.
"What happened?" Ceecee said as she pulled a white blouse over her head.
"They were asking me where we were going and complaining that they don't get any days off."
"By they you mean Daisy and Jane?" She asked flinging her blonde hair behind her. I nodded and started undoing my dress.
"Fat cows. They complain about everything. One time I overheard Jane complaining that the air was too thick." I looked over my shoulder at Ceecee and she nodded. "We were cleaning the fountain in the middle of spring with a breeze in the air." I started laughing and Ceecee joined me. The two of us created so much noise that when we were done we could hear the silence from the dinning room.
"Here this one is yours." Ceecee said, taking a red dress from the bed. It matched Ceecee's dress almost perfectly, accept mine corseted in the front, where as Ceecee's was in the back. It was a long red tunic, which was commonly called a kirtle that had no sleeves but thick straps. I slipped the long sleeved white blouse over my head and tied red bows around my elbows to create bell sleeves. Then I slipped the dress over my head and pulled my hair from my cap. I tied the silver tread that hung from the front of my dress until it fit nicely to my frame. When I looked up at Ceecee she smiled at me.
"Perfect fit. Here tie mine, would you?" She turned and lifted her hair and I started pulling at the gold threads of her blue dress. "This is so exciting." She giggled and I shook my head.
"Have you never been to a tavern before?"
"I've never had anyone to go with." She admitted. "Why have you?"
"Once, when I was twelve. I went with my brother." I said remembering the day we went to get Debbie's ring.
"Well tonight is going to be fun. I can feel it." She said dropping her hair when I tied the last knot. I grabbed my wool stockings and pulled them on before putting on my traveling shoes. "It's unfortunate that there is snow outside or we could wear nice shoes."
"I love the snow." I said as if I needed to defend it. She smiled at me and shook my head.
"You would love the snow." She grabbed a black shawl and I grabbed my white one and we wrapped them over our arms as we left the room.
"Well don't you look as pretty as a tulip!" Big Tom said looking at Ceecee.
"Have you seen tulips Tom?" Ceecee asked smiling at him and he blushed.
"In my dreams." He said looking at her. There was a twinkle in his eye and I wondered if Ceecee had seen it too. She smiled and shook her head.
"We'll see you all in the morning." She said directing her words directly at Jane and Daisy who scowled back. She patted Big Tom's shoulder and led the way out.
The journey to the tavern was a long and cold one. I loved seeing the snow fall, and playing in the snow but I hated walking in it. We held our dresses up around our knees and trudged through the thick snow. It took us close to an hour to get to the tavern.
It was a small building that stood all by itself, separated from the other buildings. It had a black sign shaped like a bucket that had gold letters, The Black Bucket. Ceecee looked at me excitedly as music poured onto the streets. We watched a man stumble out and rest against the wall. He smiled at us and then his face went green and he vomited against the wall. I cringed and felt Ceecee drag me inside.
This tavern was very similar to the one I had been to before. The only difference was that this tavern was bigger. There was a staircase along the far wall, across from the bar that led to a balcony. There were large tables up there where people would go to have meetings or to talk in private.
Around the room there were men and women of all sorts dancing, singing, drinking and have a grand old time. There was a group of men sitting off to one corner playing music. Jacob had tried to educate David and I in musical instruments when we were younger but the only ones I could remember were the pipe (a simple instrument with only three melody holes), the drum (also called tambours, were made from a hollow tree trunk and covered by skins of water animals) and the Psaltery (a cross between a harp and a guitar).
"Come on!" Ceecee shouted and pulled me through a crowd of people till we were at the bar. A tiny girl with long red hair and dark brown eyes smiled at us.
"What can I get for ya'?" she said with a thick Scottish accent.
"Two pints please." Ceecee said and fished out her change purse from the front of her dress. She had instructed me to keep it somewhere safe where no one was going to touch you without your permission. So my change purse sat snug between my breasts, causing me to feel like I had three breasts instead of two.
"That'll be 3 pennies please." She said and Ceecee gave her the three copper coins.
"That's so expensive." I whispered to her and she shrugged.
"Is this yur first time out ladies?" The barmaid asked us. I smiled and nodded at her and she grinned a bright smile back.
"I'd suggest sittin' in the corner with her back te the wall. That way no one can grab ya when yur not lookin'." She said.
"Oi, Trish! Bring me another." A fat, bald man called from down the bar. She rolled her eyes and gave us a wink before moving off down the bar.
"See any tables in the corners?" Ceecee asked and I stood on my tiptoes trying to see. By the large fireplace was an empty table. I poked her and pointed to it and she followed me. We sat both with our back to the fireplace and we watched everyone around us.
"Cheers!" She said clinking her musket with mine. I grinned at her and we took a big gulp of the bubbling ale. I sighed and she let out a small belch. I laughed at her and we fell into silence. As we warmed out backsides by the fire I studied a group of men who were huddled over a table and looked to be having a serious discussion. The only reason why I noticed them was because they had been looking at us. I watched them for a moment longer and decided not to tell Ceecee because it might ruin her night.
Ceecee finished her drink within seconds and was up to get more ale. She left me sitting at the table all by myself. So I studied my mug and waited for her to come back. When I felt the bench across from me move I looked up with a smile. But it fell when I realized that it wasn't Ceecee at all.
"Hello Susanna." Jesse said, his blue eyes twinkling.
"He-Hello." I looked towards the bar but Ceecee was talking to some young man with bright orange hair. I looked back at Jesse and he smiled at me.
"Here with your husband?" he asked.
"No…I'm here with Cee- Cecily." I said and looked towards the bar again.
"Cecily? I haven't seen her in a while." Jesse said looking over his shoulder. "We grew up together you know." He said and I raised my eyebrows as if this was new information to me. I didn't want him knowing that we talked about him when he wasn't there.
"She's a close friend." I said and he nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.
"So what are you doing in Windsor?"
"I'm working for the King." I said and his eyes darkened. He nodded and looked into the fire.
"For how long?" He asked. I noticed the sharpness to his tone and remembered that Ceecee said they were in a fight.
"Three months, four if you include last month." I said and took a sip of my drink. He watched me carefully and then smiled.
"He fancies you." He said. I coughed on the drink and took a couple seconds to breath.
"Pardon?"
"He fancies you. The king." Jesse said, smiling slightly.
"I…I…I'm married."
"I know and he knows that. He just…can't deal with that." Jesse said looking at his folded hands.
"Can you deal with that?" I asked him and his eyes flicked up to mine.
"I'm trying to." He whispered. I couldn't breath; my body had stopped working to give my mind time to think about what he just said.
"Well, well. If it isn't the love of my life!" Ceecee said appearing behind Jesse. He smirked up at her and stood.
"Hello Cecily."
"Where have you been?" She said wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders. "Susanna and I have gotten through two drinks already."
"I'm still on my first Ceecee." I said and she chuckled.
"Oh right. I've gotten through two drinks."
"Two drinks and your like this." Jesse shook his head.
"Be a good sport and buy us another round wont you?" She said as she placed a full mug of ale on the table. "This ones for you." She said to me and gave me a wink. I looked up at Jesse with an amused smile and he shook his head.
"I don't need another one." I said and he nodded before disappearing to the bar.
"Well, he's looking mighty handsome tonight." She said as she watched him walk away. I smiled as I tried to hide my jealousy.
"He is very handsome." I admitted.
"I've always dreamed of marry him. Even when I was a little girl and he would put mud in my hair." Her purple eyes twinkled with the firelight and I shook my head.
"You should tell him that."
"I did tell him." She said. "Didn't you hear me?" I laughed.
"Ceecee you should actually tell him." She studied my face and then smiled.
"I would never do that to you." She said and I blanked.
"I'm a married woman. What do I care who he marries?" I said trying to give my most convincing smile. She studied my face and gave me a wink.
"Well if you say so."
"If who says what?" Jesse said sitting down beside Ceecee. He slid her drink to her and she smiled at him.
"You'll see." She said smiling and taking a big sip. Jesse's eyes flicked to mine and I shrugged and smiled.
"So what are you two doing here?" He said looking up at the coat of arms hanging on the wall above the fireplace.
"We got the night off." I said.
"After begging him." Ceecee admitted. "I even had to pull the whole. Susanna's a married woman and she should have the right to visit her husband card." I stared at Ceecee horrified. I could feel Jesse watching me but I couldn't take my eyes off of the girl who was trying to lick white foam off her top lip.
"You…You said that?" I said and she nodded to me with a smile. When she saw my expression her smile faded.
"I'm sorry. I just really wanted to get out and have some fun." Her forehead creased. "I figured you needed some fun too."
"I…It's just…"
"I'm sorry Suze." She said grabbing my hand. "I promise to never use that excuse again." She said and Jesse looked away.
"What if he finds out that I'm not with my husband?" I said and Ceecee shrugged.
"He knew you weren't going to be." She said and Jesse's head turned around so quickly that I thought it was going to spin completely around.
"What?" He snapped.
"He knew that I was lying." She said looking at him curiously.
"How do you know?" Jesse said and Ceecee shrugged.
"He gave me a smile and said, Oh she's visiting her husband is she?" Ceecee said mimicking Adam's voice perfectly. I smiled and took a sip from my cup.
"As long as I don't get into trouble." I said with a smile. "I don't need Marian breathing down my neck for the next 12 weeks." Ceecee smiled and shook her head.
"Marian. What a lady." She said.
"She still works there?" Jesse asked looking at us and we nodded. "Still a fat cow as she was before?"
"Yes sir." Ceecee said. "Remember that time we put frogs in her bed?" She said and they both laughed.
"She knew it was us."
"Of course she did. It had Jesse De Silva written all over it."
"Mind you it was your idea." Jesse said and she smiled at him. I was torn between being happy for my friend and being jealous. I also felt left out because I was no longer able to flirt with men like Ceecee could. I might as well have been 100 year old as apposed to 16, for there was too much risk in talking to a married woman.
"Excuse me miss?" A man appeared behind Ceecee and smiled down at her. It was the same man that she was talking to before. He was tall, strong, black hair and dark brown eyes. His skin was as pale as snow and his face was covered in freckles but he had a nice smile.
"Yes?" Ceecee said looking up at him. "Oh Hello again. Jesse, Susanna, this is Paul O'Donnell. Paul this is Jesse De Silva and Susanna Simon." She said and I smiled despite her using the wrong name. Jesse shook hands with the man and I smiled at him.
"I was wondering, Miss Thompson, if you will dance with me." He spoke so formally that I couldn't help but smile. Ceecee looked at us and then grinned.
"I would be delighted to." She said and linked her arm through his and they walked off to the little square of floor where people were dancing. Jesse smiled at me and we watched as Ceecee laughed and danced around with this bright young man.
"Want to dance?" He asked and I looked at him.
"I don't think that would be proper." I said giving him a small smile. He grabbed my hand and gave me a smile that made my stomach heat.
"Just one song." He said, his eyes practically begging me.
"Just one." I said and stood up. I noticed the big smile that he gave me once I had agreed to dancing with him, and I couldn't help the feeling like I was the only girl he wanted to be with.
We danced to one song, and then another and then another. Before I knew it my legs were tired from dancing and I was extremely hot. He grabbed my hand and led me outside into the cold winter air. We stood next to each other laughing and gulping the air in, listening to the silence of the dark street. The door opened and a drunken couple came stumbling out and stood next to us. The started kissing and Jesse grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the couple to the other side of the bar, where we had only the moon to see.
"You're a great dancer." He said resting his head against the stonewall.
"Thank you. You're not too bad yourself."
"Not too bad?" He said his voicing rising in pitch. I grinned at him. "I say you're a wonderful dancer and you give me not too bad?" I shrugged.
"You need a little bit of work, but I imagine with practice you'll get better." I said and he chuckled.
"All those dancing lessons never really paid off then."
"Dancing lessons?" I said looking at him with shocked amusement.
"My mother made me get dancing lessons. Said it was the only way to a woman's heart." I smiled at this. "But that's because she loved when my father danced."
"My mother said cooking is the way to a man's heart." I said.
"She's right." He said looking at me. "But it must not hurt to have eyes like yours."
"That didn't make sense." I said smiling at him.
"I mean that with eyes as bright and green as yours, you must have people falling for you all the time."
"Nope just you." I said and moved closer to him.
"Who said I was falling for you?" He asked a faint smile on his lips.
"You aren't falling for me." I said, looking away. "You've already fell. Hard." I said and looked up at him from beneath my eyelashes. He smirked at me and placed a hand on the wall, turning towards me.
"How would you know?" he asked, his breath tickling my cheek.
"Because, a woman always knows." I said placing my hands on the wall behind me and pressing my chest out at him. I don't know what came over me next but as I watched him studying my lips I grabbed the front of his tunic and pulled his lips to mine.
They were completely different from what I'd imagined them to be. When I felt his lips touch mine, I could think of nothing else. All the noise in the street faded and I could only think about how soft his lips were, how I could taste ale on his tongue and how it sent sparks through my body.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and felt his hands on my lower hips. His thumb gently stroked the material of the dress as I played with his hair. His lips traveled from my mouth to my neck and his hands traveled up my side and further down my back. I shivered, not from the cold but from his hands touching my breasts and his mouth kissing my collarbone. He stopped for a second and I heard him chuckle.
"What?" I panted and he smiled and looked down my top His hand scooped out my change purse and I smiled. "Ceecee told me to put it somewhere that no one would touch me with out my permission."
"Are you giving me permission?"
"You've already got the bag haven't you?" I said and he smiled at me again. His lips kissed mine only they were harder, faster than they were before. His hands cupped my breast tightly and I gasped. A face flashed in my mind but with the heat flowing through my body and the feeling of Jesse pressing next to me, it was gone before I could think about it. I felt him pull up my dress and he touched my leg gently. The face appeared in my mind again and this time I knew who it was.
"Stop!" I said, but all he did was drop my dress. His lips continued to distract me and his hands now resting gently on my hips, sent heat radiating though my body. "Jesse! Please stop!" I said and this time he listened to me. When his head rose he looked down at me confused.
"What's wrong?"
"I…I cant do this?" I said, a rock of guilt sat in my stomach.
"Why not?" He asked, his forehead creased.
"I'm married." I said, remembering Andrew's face. I remembered how angry he had been when he had seen Jesse and I outside at our wedding. I never wanted to see that much pain on another man's face ever again.
"I'm sorry Susanna." He said stepping away from me and running his hands through his hair. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. I…I led you on." I said fighting the tears that were in my eyes. All I wanted was to be with Jesse, all I wanted was to have him kiss me as he just was. But I couldn't live that way anymore. I couldn't hold on to something that wasn't mine. I looked at him, wanting him to try to kiss me again, but he didn't. I sighed and walked back, past the drunken couple and into the tavern. I found Ceecee sitting at a table, her head resting on her arm and her eyes drooping closed.
"Ceecee?" I said shaking her shoulder.
"Where have you been? And why are you so cold?" She asked shivering against my touch.
"It's time to go home now." I said and helped her off the bench. I looked towards the door and Jesse stood there watching me. His eyes were sad but he gave me a half smile before he walked past us, headed for the bar. I wrapped my arm tightly around Ceecee and the two of us started the long walk back to the castle.
