Chapter 15
"Kenna?"
"I'm sorry, I..."
She couldn't finish the sentence because Greer reached for her and hugged her tightly to her chest.
"What a pleasant surprise!" she exclaimed. "Mary told me about your letter. But I thought you were in the Castle. I didn't expect you to visit me here!"
Kenna slowly backtracked. "Actually, it's not only a visit..." She took a deep breath. "I... wanted to ask you if I can stay here for a while?"
Greer looked at her surprised. "You want to stay here... in the brothel?"
Kenna nodded.
"Didn't you have a little boy? Mary mentioned it to me." Greer frowned. "I don't think that this is the right environment for him."
Kenna took Greer's hand. "I beg you,... because of our old friendship,... let me stay!"
"Of course you can stay." Greer replied reassuringly. „As long as you want. I have still enough rooms. But I thought that you would stay in the Castle, with Mary and Bash."
Kenna hastily lowered her head. She had to made something up, why she preferred to live in a brothel than in a Castle.
"Bash and I..." she lied. „We had an argument."
"I understand." Greer nodded. "What was it about, or is the question too indiscreet?"
Kenna cleared her throat. "He cannot forgive me, that I had withheld him his son for 2 and a half years." She saw how Greer's eyes dilated. "Oh, of course, you don't know. My son,... Daniel,... he is also Bash's son."
Greer whistled softly through her teeth. "Interesting! Now I understand why he was so angry." She put an arm around Kenna. "Forget about what I said. I'm sure you had good reasons not to tell Bash before." She looked outside. "Is that your carriage out there?"
Kenna nodded.
"Who is traveling with you?"
"Daniel and his nanny." Kenna replied. "She has been in my service, since Daniel was born. She was only 15 back then."
Greer smiled. "Well, we weren't much older when we became Mary's maids."
„It's been ages." Kenna said with a sentimental smile.
"Some of the girls here are also very young. But that's exactly what the men want." Greer shrugged . "When we arrived at Court years ago I never would have thought, that I would own and lead a brothel someday."
"And I would be a single mother." Kenna added.
"Why haven't you remarried? I'm sure you had enough opportunities."
Kenna hesitated with a response. She couldn't tell Greer that she hadn't done it because she still loved Bash. It was bad enough that Mary knew it. That should remain her little secret.
"It is not easy to find a man, when you have a child already." she said quietly.
Greer nodded. "I understand." She pointed to the carriage. "Invite them in! I will give my ladies instructions to prepare rooms for you."
"Thank you, Greer!" Kenna squeezed her hand. "I'll never forget that."
"My pleasure!" Greer smiled kindly. "I can't let an old friend sleep in the forest, can I?" She winked at Kenna and walked off.
Kenna stepped out of the brothel and went to the carriage.
"Everything is alright." she said. "Greer agrees that we can stay for a while." She grabbed Daniel's hand and helped him out of the carriage.
Bernadette followed slowly. "What is this exactly?" she asked suspiciously.
Kenna took a deep breath. "Greer runs a brothel." she said quietly. She saw Bernadette's shocked face.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" The young nanny crossed herself. "If my mother knew that, she would banish me forever or worse, curse me!"
"She lives hundreds of miles away. She will never know." Kenna rolled her eyes. "And it's not as if you have to work there."
"It's bad enough that I ..." She cleared her throat "… that I must live with these women under one roof."
Kenna groaned annoyed. "In our situation we cannot afford prudery!"
"Going in!" Daniel urged.
"But only for a night or two." Bernadette cast Kenna a disapproving look and turned to Daniel. "Cover your eyes, boy!"
Daniel frowned questioningly but did as he was commanded. "Like that?" He raised his hands and covered his face.
"Almost perfect, my darling. Come on!" Kenna took his arm. "I'll lead you to the door." She gave Bernadette a stern look. "Let's see what Greer has prepared for us."
Together they entered the brothel.