WendyPan's Wonderland

Just One Kiss

Chapter 15

I knocked on Lady Juliet’s door. Her sweet, girlish request for me to enter sounded from within so I did as she asked. She’d been expecting me and her baby snuggled in her arms while she sat upon the bed.

“Oh Kate, please, come in, come in. We’ve been waiting for your return.” I shut the door behind me and went over to her at the bed.

“Sorry about being so late. No one woke me up.”

“’Tis well. Come, sit next to me.”


“Where’s your servant?” I asked as I took a gentle seat next to Juliet and her adorable baby.

“Oh Tabatha, she be attending other duties. I am sure that it will not take her all day to wash our things for our departure on the morrow. I’m sure Liam has told you of the good news.”

“Yes, and I’m so happy for you, the both of you. Liam is a good man despite everything.” She read into my miserable tone.

“Oh, and what has he done?” She frowned.

“Nothing really. Just letting my emotions run away with me is all.”

“Are thee sure?” I wanted to spill everything but thought better of it. I waved her off with my hand.

“Yeah, it’s ok, nothing to worry about.” I smiled, hoping she’d believe me.

“Very well. Let me put Nicholas down as he has fallen asleep so we may talk more comfortably.”

“Sure.” She got up and set the sleeping infant in his basket. He didn’t make one sound in his shifting.

“So,” she began as she returned to the bed. “Tell me of your home, where you were raised. I wish to know how life is for you.”

“Ok, but I’ll try to skip a lot of the future things that won’t make sense to you.”

“But of course.” She waited what I would tell her about my childhood and little apartment that I now lived in Virginia, hands folded in her lap.

“Well, I grew up in a good sized home with my two brothers and my wonderful parents….” I told her my story as best as I could. She seemed to understand the majority of it. We continued to talk after I’d finished telling her of my home life for I don’t know how long.
A rapid knock on the door froze us in our conversation and movements. I looked at her with wide eyes as she asked who was at the door.

“’Tis Neena. It is most important that I speak with thee.” She sounded urgent enough. I wondered who this Neena was.

“Kate, please get in the wardrobe.” She whispered. I nodded and hurried off to her wardrobe that thankfully wasn’t very full. I left the doors open a small crack just so that I could have a peek at who her visitor was and what she needed to talk to Juliet about so desperately. When Juliet saw that I was hidden, she asked Neena to come in. I heard her enter the room and the sight of a blond haired girl filled my view. I think she was one of the servants I had seen yesterday.

“What is so very important Neena?” Juliet said.

“There be two options, Lady Juliet.” Neena replied. “You can either give me the child peacefully or I can take it from you. Either way, that babe be mine now.”

“What are you speaking of?” I heard Juliet’s voice spike in horror and confusion. I was stuck in my spot.

“I know of the babe. Do make your choice, and be it soon, I have other matters to attend to.” I watched Neena step towards Juliet. This needed to end now. Instinct and ration took over as I sprung from the wardrobe, causing Neena to whip around in shock.

“Surprise bitch!” I exclaimed just before my fist met her left eye, knocking her to the floor. I don’t know if was my punch or her head hitting the floor, but she was out like a light. I stood over her, impressed by myself. Suddenly, my hand began to hurt like hell. “Oh, holy crap, my hand!” I clutched it to me as Juliet came to my side.

“Do let me see.” She kindly asked. I slowly held out my quaking, and now swelling right hand.

“I’ve never knocked someone out before. I knew it would hurt but it almost feels like I broke my hand.” Juliet looked over my hand, carefully and gently examining my damage.

“’Tis not broken but I have some salves to help bring the swelling down and ‘twill make it feel much better.” Ah yes, my mind suddenly remembered that there weren’t any ice packs in medieval Ireland. No bags of frozen peas either to comfort my throbbing hand. She left me for a moment to get her remedy. I looked down at Neena and gave her a little kick. She was completely gone. Juliet returned and put some goo on my hand, especially the middle knuckle which was bright red. And then she wrapped it up with a soft cloth. “There. That should be of great help.”

“Thanks Juliet. But where’d you learn all of that from?” I asked. My hand felt better all ready.

“My mother actually taught me how to mend light wounds. Now, what shall we do with Neena?” We both looked down at her this time, not a twitch in sight. I had really gotten her good, I mused.

“Well, we could tie her up somewhere just to keep her secure until the authorities arrive later. But where?”

“I know. We can leave her in the stables. But I must retrieve Tabatha to mind the baby. I shall return shortly.” I nodded.

“Can do but please, hurry. I don’t want her waking up on me.”

“Yes, of course.” Juliet quickly left to get Tabatha, and luckily it didn’t take her more than two minutes for her to return because being around Neena made me a little nervous.

“Ok,” I said. “I’ll take her head and you get her feet.” I instructed Juliet. I suspected she wasn’t as strong as me so I didn’t want to hurt the poor girl. I ignored the pain in my hand as I hooked my hands underneath Neena’s arms. Juliet took ahold of her feet and we hoisted her up to make our way outside. I led her to the back door with the winding stairs so that we wouldn’t be seen dragging Neena out in front of everyone. We carefully snuck around to the stable and after finding some good rope, I tied her up to a post. Neena sat on the floor with her hands tied behind her back and her head slumped forward. I checked her one more time to see if she was still breathing and she was so I knew it was time for us to leave her be. I was sure she’d wake up with one hell of a headache, probably a black eye too. And probably really mad. I suddenly remembered where I’d seen her yesterday. She had been cleaning in Liam’s study. I believed I could safely assume she was Edmund’s spy/assistant after all this. Well, we’d figured out who was going behind Liam’s back and she was unconscious in the stable. Liam would have to be happy about what happened, in some way anyway. Maybe he’d send me home tonight after he’s done with his uncle seeing as that everything would be all fixed. Or maybe he’d let me go before then. I wondered where he was so I could tell him the good news of finding Neena.

“Well, I think she will be safe there, do you not agree?” Juliet asked as we made our way back up to her room, her words breaking my thoughts.

“Yeah, she’ll be fine. I’m going to have to tell Liam all about what happened. She’s got to be the one who’s been helping his uncle.”

“Oh yes, there be no question. I do wonder how things had gone, you know, without you here to be my savior.”

I hadn’t thought about that, too self-absorbed. “I think you would have been in big trouble and she would have taken the baby.”

“Big trouble?” She repeated my words in confusion. “Do you think she would have killed me?”

I didn’t want to say that but it was exactly what I thought had happened originally. It would have explained why she had never woke Liam. “Oh, I don’t know, I don’t want to think about that. But I’m sure it wouldn’t have been good for you.”

I heard the grandfather clock chime from down stairs just before we went in her room. It gave four chimes. Wow, four o’clock all ready, my mind questioned. We had been talking for a long while before our little interruption and removal of our unwanted guest. As soon as we went into her room, Tabatha excused herself to go finish whatever she was working on. Juliet was still shaken by Neena’s near attack. I did my best to comfort and assure her that everything was going to be ok now. Once she had relaxed, we resumed talking as we had done before. It was so easy to fall into a natural flow of conversation with her. We’d probably be best friends if she lived in the same time period as me and well, she wasn’t my very distant ancestor. In no time, we were giggling again at each other’s jokes.



A knock on the door silenced us in a heartbeat. Juliet and I looked at each other. I was wondering if she felt the same sense of dejavu as I did.

“Who be there?” Juliet asked, terror marring her voice.

“’Tis I, Liam.” We both exhaled a sigh of relief. “May I enter?”

“Yes, please.” She replied. Liam came in, an unreadable look on his face.

“Ladies,” he greeted us. “May I ask how Neena came to be tied up in the stable? She claims that you have attacked her.”

“Oh, my lord, no.” Juliet spoke up first. “’Twas she who attacked us. Well, nearly. She came here under the pretense of important urgency and then demanded I release my child to her. She threatened my life should I not comply.” Liam turned his attention to me.

“And where were you Lady Kate?”

“I had hid in the wardrobe until I heard Neena’s threat. I jumped out and hit Neena. I knocked her out cold. So, we took her to the stable and tied her up.” I saw his eyes shift to my still wrapped up hand. “It doesn’t really hurt that much anymore.”

“Lady Kate, may I have a private word with you in my chambers?”

“Of course.” He was far too serious and I didn’t like it. I rose up from the bed.

“Lady Juliet, I shall return shortly.” She nodded and I left her room with Liam.

Once in his room, he immediately turned to me and took my injured hand. He gently unwrapped it and inspected its condition. The middle knuckle was still slightly swollen and red but it seemed much better and felt better too.

“That was highly reckless of you. You could have been hurt far worse than this. She had a dagger on her.” I didn’t know about that. I suddenly felt very lucky.

“I know but it was my gut reaction the thought of Lady Juliet and her baby being in dancer. I couldn’t take any chances.” He gave an understanding smile.

“Very well. Your hand shall heal fine. And I’m sorry that there be no doctors to confirm this.” He said with a playful grin which I couldn’t help but smile at myself. He was still carefully holding my hand. “But you have saved the day and done a dirty task for me by arresting that foul woman. She shall see justice done for her misdeeds. And you have solved the mystery surrounding your name as well. Had she taken the babe, she would have given him to mine uncle most assuredly, thereby changing the family name of the child from Callway to Harlow. As I see it, you will no longer be Harlow. And I wonder what name your family will go by, perhaps Callway.”

“Maybe, I don’t know.” I shrugged. I couldn’t think of any other name than what I had been born with. I’d probably know as soon as I got home though.

“Be that as it may, I would as of you if you would care to join Lady Juliet and I at dinner?”

“Really? Are you sure?” His dreamy grin returned.

“Your presence here is no longer a secret, you saw to that yourself. And I am positive that Lady Juliet would appreciate such a gesture. I would be honored if you joined us. It is your final night here, after all.” His smile had faded with his last words. He looked down at my hand in his. I wasn’t going to go down this painful road again. So I sucked back my emotions to focus on eating this last dinner with Juliet and Liam, mostly to pay attention to Juliet.

“I would love to join the both of you at dinner.” His gaze quickly met mine and he started to smile again.

“Good. I mean, ‘tis most wonderful. But you’ll excuse me for a moment’s time so that I may speak with Lady Juliet and also to see that our guest in the stable is still secure. And then I shall return to escort you to dinner, if you’d like.”

I nodded. “Yes, I’d like that.” I lied. I couldn’t stop him from taking my good hand up to his lips and lightly kiss the back. Why did he have to do that, my brain screamed.

“Then I shall see you shortly.” He left the room then. I’d imagine he was going to see if Juliet was all right before seeing to Neena. I wondered if she was kicking and screaming out there. I didn’t really care what she did, she deserved what she got for threatening my family like that. Thankfully, he didn’t leave me long enough to really delve into my thoughts. And soon, I found myself seated at the lovely, long dining table, eating a wonderful meal with Liam and Juliet.