Chapter 23
Both Narcisse men spent the following morning making amends. They presented themselves in a charming and accommodating, almost obtrusive way, trying to please Catherine to no end. So she decided to go for a ride after lunch. By herself.
She made a mental note not to give up this beloved leisure activity even after her return to court. She also planned on taking Liberté back with her as she had grown fond of the mare. Catherine loved burying her fingers in the horse's soft fur or the impatient snort the mare greeted her with. Also her cheeky way of searching Catherine's dress for treats she usually brought for Liberté.
On that day she had decided to go for a ride along the cliffs, a precipitous path that demanded a lot from horse and rider but in the end rewarded her with a breathtakingly beautiful view at the sea and its rough cliffs underneath.
Salty sea air blew up to her and ruffled Catherine's hair as she sat on one of the rocks, gazing down at the ocean and letting her mind wander. Her mare grazed peacefully a few yards away from her.
If she could only freeze this carefree moment and preserve it forever.
Only when the sun became veiled by dark clouds and a deep rumble announded an approaching thunderstorm in the distance, Catherine mounted her horse to set out for her way back home.
Her hope of reaching the chateau before the first rain sets in was dashed after the first few meters. Heavy rain completely soaked her thin riding dress within two minutes and made her return even more difficult as she now had to slow down Liberté's pace to avoid a serious slip on the muddy underground. Catherine was getting angry at herself. Why the hell did she had to lose track of time?
When a loud thunder rumbled in front of them, Liberté anxiously baulked and Catherine needed a few minutes to get a handle on her nervous horse. Meanwhile the rain was pouring down on her like a torrential flood and she could make out flashes of lightning on the horizon.
As another thunder rumbled directly above them, Liberté reared up in panic. A thick branch with thorns smashed painfully against Catherine's back but she hung on for dear life. She immediately leaned forward and released some of the reins to avoid falling down and preventing the mare from flipping over with her on top.
"Steady, my girl, keep calm," she tried to placate the animal that was now dominated by her increasing panic.
That's when the next peal of thunder prompted Liberté to uncontrollable leap forward and Catherine had no choice but to press herself close to the horse's neck as not to be snatched from the saddle by low-hanging branches. It took her some time before Liberté reacted to her counter-rein. When she finally came to an abrupt halt, the mare steamed and was trembling all over.
"All right, you're okay," she tried to calm down the animal while hoping to be proven correctly. Before the panic overtook the horse yet again, Catherine slid off Liberté's back and reached for her reins. "Come on girl, I'll walk with you."
The animal unwillingly followed her down a steep slope. The rain had softened the grass under her feet so that the heels of her boots sank in deeply and made the descent even more difficult. Cursing she slithered along, pulling the unwilling mare right behind her.
A root unhinged Catherine and she slipped down on unsteady legs. To keep her mare out of harm's way she released the reins from her grip. Fighting for her balance she stumbled towards a low bush, clinging desperately at the thin twigs to catch her fall. Her built up momentum however tore her from her legs and she landed ungently on her knees.
When Catherine scrambled back to her feet, Liberté shot past her, chasing through the woods in full panic mode.
"Damn it!" She scolded indignantly and tried to brush off her rain- and mud-soaked skirts. Now she would have to walk back by foot. And the prospect of such a forced march under these prevailing conditions elicted anything expect enthusiasm.
In their chateau Stephane stood near the window and looked at the beclouded sky. It had already started to rain and he was sure that the approaching thunderstorm would break directly over them sooner or later. He liked the electrical tension that rose in the air on days like these and he could already make out a faint rumble in the distance.
His brother however who sat to the secretary, working on the reports he wrote about his travels, paid no attention to the weather. Nor did John, who had curled up under the desk with one of the puppies and who was fighting sleep. It was only Catherine he hadn't seen since lunch.
Just as he was about to instruct one of the servants to check on his wife, the stableboy came in without knocking, a panic stricken expression on his face and bursted out excitedly: "Mylord, your wife went on a ride hours ago and she has not yet returned."
Stephane scrutinized the boy. Actually he should criticize the boy for his rude behavior, but he generously ignored these circumstances because of his discomposure.
"Hold your horses. She's certainly on her way back."
"She was heading for the coast, Mylord. And Liberté is an unruly horse. She's entirely unpredictable in a thunderstorm." Narcisse looked worried out to the window to the north where first flashes of lightning split the horizon in the distance. Ominous storm clouds had darkened the sky and the thought that his wife was alone out there turns his stomach upside down.
Rafael had dropped his quill and stepped to his brother with a sorrowful expression on his face.
"We will search for her. Get the nanny so she can to take care of John," Stephane ordered without hesitation and yanked his jacket off the rack. Together they hurried down.
Within minutes they had built two search parties and galloped off into the storm under Stephane's and Fabrice's leadership to look for their mistress.
Lord Narcisse forbade himself any thoughts of what might have happened to Catherine but concentrated on their surrounding and his stallion, who chased with lithe movements through the northern woods that led up to the bluff above razor-sharp cliffs.
"Stephane! Over there, look," Rafael screamed all of a sudden and pointing to the left side, rain running down his face. The Lord Chancellor pulled hard on the reins of his stallion and headed in the direction his brother pointed to.
The moment he spotted Liberté without her rider his heart skipped a beat. He dismounted next to the quivering mare. The animal was blowing it's nostrils anxiously but the presence of the other horse appeached her.
Liberty's fetlocks were littered with bloody scratches and a thin branch had gotten entangled at the edge of the saddle. The horse's poor condition did not augur well.
Terrible horror scenarios came to his mind and each of them ended with his wife being badly injured, helpless and out in the woods where he couldn't find her in time.
"Catherine!" He yelled against the roaring rain and let his eyes wander in search for her. In vain. "Oh god, please don't let anything happen to her," he pleaded, realizing that she was nowhere to be found. What if her fall of the horsre had seriously injured her? She may have broken bones, deep wounds or even worse.
The vision of her tumbling down the cliff captured his inner eye. He shook his head, this was a thought he could and would not allow.
"Move on, we have to find her", he bellowed and passed Liberté's reins on to one of his men. He jumped back into the saddle and galloped off.
His eyes searched for his wife beneath the trees while naked fear breathed down on his neck. He dashed away, riding deeper and deeper into the forest. He continously called her name and hated how anxious his voice sounded.
He had to find her. Living and god willing uninjured. There was no other option. He could not lose her. He just couldn't. Not his Catherine too. His soul mate, his stubborn beautiful wife with whom he wanted to grow old and live out his life. He wanted to see her sweet face first thing in the morning as well as at the end of each day before drifting off to sleep. He still wanted to count and catalog those freckles that adorned her face that she hid so carefully under her make-up.
A life without Catherine at his side, without her willpower, her razor-sharp mind or her witty and unruly charm was simply unimaginable. Without her, he would never find happiness in his life again, of that he was sure. Catherine de' Medici was his fate, his destiny. They were far from perfect, but they matched perfectly. And no matter how many times she had already clashed with him, Catherine was and remained his perfect, imperfect match.
I have a new chapter for you! Puh, took me some time but I hope you like it.
Many thanks for your feedback, this means a great deal to me and inspires me to no end.