Back at the cabin, Charles picked up all the branches and put them either in the hearth or in a neat pile next to it before going in search of more.
Sometime during the night, a storm rolled in. Lightning was ferocious and the rain pelted down hard. He lit a candle and tilted his head toward the roof. It seemed to be holding well. He could find no cracks or water on the floor.
Lying back down on his makeshift bed, Charles closed his eyes. It was impossible not to notice what was going on around him. He hadn’t caught even one fish, so rather than dinner, he went hungry. His stomach growled in protest. He had a chunk of cheese he brought with him. He dug it out and pulled off a piece. He had to force himself to slow down and not to take any more. These were his rations, and he needed to stretch them out as long as possible.
When he woke up again, the storm still raged. Rain had not let up at all, and rumbles of thunder in the background told him there wouldn’t be a break anytime soon. He would need to go down to the creek to check his lines and to get some fresh water. He’d get wet, soaking wet, but he had to try. He’d start a fire when he returned and try to dry out his clothes.
He walked into the rain and quickly walked to creek side where he checked his lines and filled a bucket with water. This time, the lines held one fish, a good size one. He took it off the line and carried the fish to the bank of the creek. Now to find a way to cook it. Grabbing the fish and the bucket, he almost ran to the cottage. He was indeed soaked through, so he removed his clothing and lit a fire in the hearth. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take too long because he needed to clean the fish and prepare it for a meal.
Charles hated being cooped up inside; he always had. He much preferred to spend his time outside. There was so much more to do. But for now, he was stuck indoors. At least until this storm moved on. It seemed to him this was an unusual storm. It was intense and certainly hadn’t weakened or strengthened since it started.
He hadn’t expected to be stuck in this cottage, but with the intensity of this storm, he had no choice. Once it stopped or weakened, he would head back to the house. He was ill-prepared to stay much longer. Now that he’d found the cottage, he would begin to bring supplies for the next time, because there would be a next time. It was simply the nature of his personality.
Before he did return, he needed to decide about Cathryn’s performance. Should he give in and cancel his plans? He shouldn’t have to, but something told him his wife wasn’t going to be happy unless she got her way. Getting her way meant he would cancel or postpone his scheduled talk at Oxford, and he wasn’t ready to do that.
So what was the solution?
He paced the floor of the cottage to come up with a solution that would be beneficial to them both. It was going to be no easy task. What he could do might be to give his scheduled talk and afterwards leave and stop by the family home and change. He’d then meet Cathryn either at the house or at the Prince ofWales’s residence. That meant giving up his dinner at Oxford, but at least his wife would be happy. Charles was certain no one would be offended by his cancellation to the dinner. Once they understood his wife was playing for royalty, anything else would be forgotten.
The rain continued for most of the day, but that did not deter him. He grabbed his things and left the cottage. He was heading home, and hopefully Cathryn would not be too upset or angry with him for disappearing like that. It was simply something he had to do, the only way he could cope with life when it overwhelmed him.
Now wasn’t the time to be overwhelmed. There were too many things to be done that needed his attention. He needed to get things on the estate organized. Find out what had been done and what needed to be done.
Once this performance was finished, he and Cathryn needed to have a talk, so that they better understood what they each expected. He didn’t want to become like so many other husbands who simply ignored their wives; the only time they spent together was for social events or making love in order to produce children.
He wanted to do everything with her, but they had to understand what was more important. This performance was particularly important for her, but she needed to know she couldn’t have her way every time something came up.
How he was able to enter the house without being seen by the staff concerned him. Even though the house wasn’t at full staff, one almost always ran into a footman or maid. Deciding it wasn’t for him to question such luck, he quietly found his way back to his own chambers.
When he entered, it was as quiet as the rest of the house. He walked over and checked the door between his and Cathryn’s rooms. Unlocked. Interesting.
Turning around, he saw Frazier, arms folded, watching him with great intent. “You’re back earlier than I expected,” his valet said.
“I would have returned earlier, but the rain kept me.”
“Lady Cathryn will be happy to see you.”
Charles arched a brow. “She’s not still angry?”
“Concerned would be the word I’d use. And no, she isn’t angry. I think the storm made her reconsider how she felt.”
“Hmmm.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
“I trust you’ll want a bath before changing your clothes.”
“Yes. Where is she?”
“I imagine you can find her in the music room,” Frazier replied.
“Of course.” He sat down and removed his boots and socks and headed into his bathing chamber. Luckily the previous owner had updated all the plumbing. Footmen weren’t needed to carry buckets of hot water from the kitchen.
As his valet prepared the bath, Charles undressed and laid the filthy set of clothes on the floor. He was positive he would probably not see them again. If Frazier couldn’t get them clean, they’d end up going to someone less fortunate.
“I take it you found somewhere out of the weather last night?”
