Chapter V
Bash sat on a stool in one of the horseboxes and carved on a piece of wood that he had previously found in the forest. He did not know what the outcome would be. But usually it emerged by itself. Only today nothing wanted to work out. What was probably because he was with his thoughts miles away. And all that because he had read a letter, which Mary had forgotten on her dressing table. It was not meant for him to read. He was sure of that. But he had read it anyhow. And his heart had stopped for a second when he saw that it was from Kenna. She had announced her visit. And now he was sitting alone, in a rollercoaster of emotions. He remembered the last time they had met.
They had made passionate love and he had promised her to reconcile with her. He had believed back then that they had found their love again after the short break. But then fate had mercilessly destroyed everything. Kenna had become pregnant by a man he had seen as his enemy, a traitor to France, General Renaude. Deeply hurt and humiliated, he had expelled her. As a consequence Kenna had left the castle and the country. He hadn't heard from her for three years. Without protest, she had simply accepted the annulment of their marriage.
He knew from Mary's letter, that she had got a son. He had often wondered whether things would have been different if he hadn't been under Delphine's spell that time. She had manipulated and controlled him. It had been her who had forced him to break off all ties with Kenna and obtain the annulment of their marriage. It had been Delphine as well, who had told him that Kenna was pregnant. He had never known and had raised the baby as his. He had wanted her, no matter what the cost, because he had loved her deeply.
He closed his eyes for a moment. He had told her they were finished, but in truth he had never stopped loving her. Mary knew that and she had accepted it blindly, because she hadn't wanted to be alone after Francis' death. And he had remained in the Castle because of her. But he had never spoken about his feelings. He had not even told her that he loved her, because it would have been a lie. And she seemed content with what he gave her. And he had been okay with their arrangement until he found the letter from Kenna. And now she was here, and he didn't know how to deal with it.
From afar, he had seen the horse carriage and was hoping to catch a glimpse of Kenna. But trees had blocked the view. He had been in the stables for hours and he knew that Mary was probably wondering where he was. But he couldn't find the courage to go back to the Castle. He could never make up what he had done to Kenna in the past. His impulsive actions had caused all the trouble. It was his fault that he lived in a hapless purposive relationship and Kenna had to raise her son by herself. He wondered whether she had ever remarried. But would she come back then? He stood up, stretched, and went to the barn door. It was getting darker, and he knew, that he could no longer remain in the stables. Sighing, he took his gas lamp, put his knife in his pants pocket and laid the unfinished wooden block on the stool. He had to work on it another time. He had just left the box and was on the way out when he heard a strange noise. Instinctively, he pulled the knife out and went slowly forward.
"Is anybody there?" he asked.
No answer.
"Mary?"
Again no reply. But he heard a different noise that sounded like a sob. He followed the sound and stopped abruptly when he suddenly saw a movement on the floor in front of him. He held the lamp down and was surprised when the subject on the floor turned out as a little boy. The kid sat huddled on the ground, a toy holding tight in his arms. Bash crouched down, and tried to get a closer look at the boy, but he could only see a dark shock of hair because the kid held his head bowed.
"Hey boy! Can you tell me your name and where do you come from?" Bash asked.
It was like talking to a wood block, thought Bash when he didn't get a reply. Where did the boy come from? He slightly touched his arm, which caused the boy to move out of his grasp.
How old could he be? 3 or 4? And who were his parents? He could not remember, that one of the servants had a child at this age.
"Well, if you don't want to tell me your name, maybe you can tell me what you wanted in the stables?" Bash tried again.
But again silence. At least the kid had stopped crying. Bash waited a moment and tried to look in the boy's face, but his head was still bowed.
Sighing, Bash sat up again. "Why aren't you talking to me? I just want to help you."
Maybe the little boy couldn't speak, it crossed his mind. He tried to remember at what age a child could talk in complete sentences. But he had too little experience with children to answer that question.
"I'm sure your parents worry about you already." Frowning, he looked down at the boy. "Stand up! I'll take you to them."
He grabbed his arm und tried to pull him up, but suddenly the boy leaped up and ran off.
„Hey! Stay here!"
Bash chased after him, but the little boy was swift like a weasel and dodged every try to catch him. The cat-and-mouse game took an abrupt end, when the boy bumped into Mary who just arrived at the stables.
"Thank God!" she gasped out. "Are you all right?" She crouched down and embraced him carefully.
"You know him?!"
Mary winced slightly, because she hadn't heard him coming.
"Bash! You're here too?"
He pointed to the boy. "I caught him in the stables. I don't know what he wanted there." Frowning, he looked at Mary. "Do you know him?" he repeated his question.
Mary nodded and sat up again. "I do." She turned to the boy. "May I introduce you ...this is Sebastian." And to Bash. "This is Daniel,... Kenna's son."