Of Fairytales and Happy Endings

Chapter 48. An Uncle and a Stepmother.

All that glistens is not gold; Often have you heard that told ~ William Shakespeare.

Chapter 48.

An Uncle and a Stepmother.

"I think this is the first time I've seen you sitting in this parlor with such a grumpy face," Catrin stated with a giggle as she sat opposite Charles.

She had a point. Charles had the most unhappy expression on his handsome face.

"Well, what can you expect," Charles complained. "You and Mrs. Fairfax going to Bath for a month and leaving me here all alone!"

"You need to focus on your career," Catrin replied.

"Cannot you just send Mrs. Fairfax off and stay behind."

Catrin made a face between a frown and a smile. "Mr. Errol, you know I don't live here out of pleasure but work as companion to Mrs. Fairfax, as such I must needs to go with her. And it is only for a month. We shall be back before the first of August. Now do stop pouting. I shall be faithful in writing, and you can practice your penmanship skills as well. They are terrible you know!"

Charles was not amused by her joke. "There is more to my concerns than pure selfishness," he said in the same serious tone. "Mrs. Llewelyn is in Bath now too!"

Catrin pulled her lips in. "Ah, yes, I had forgotten about that. She went with Lady Morton, did she not? Well, what of it? Bath is big and I doubt I shall see much of her."

"But what if you do? She must be furious at you ever since you cut her off."

At this Catrin crossed her arms in front of her and gave a bit of a scowl. "I did not 'cut her off' as you have put it. I simply wrote the secretery asking if there was some way to limit the amount of money she ues. After our fight I was afraid Mamma would start spending the money to make sure than when I inhereited the manor there would be nothing left of it. And he said that according to the last will and testament of Papa, she was given three hundred a year. Everything else he could easily close off from her as she was not entiled to anything."

"Which is the same as cutting her off!" Charles snapped. "She is surely raving mad at you. Now, together with the money left to her by her other husband, she has only four hundred a year as opposed to five thousand."

"She is not mad at all. We went to a card party the other day, it was a small affair, but Mamma was there. I met her. She was a little distant, but polite and I would say almost friendly. I asked about Beatrice and she told me in simple, non violent words that so far there was nothing. We didn't stay in each other's company for long, but she never mentioned how I had cut her off. It was like she never cared. I suppose living with the Earl of Worthington and being so close with Lady Morton, the money isn't such an issue at the moment."

"I don't know," Charles frowned.

"Mrs. Fairfax must go to Bath," Catrin replied. "She's not been feeling well and the waters will be good for her. Besides, I can hold my own against Mamma, I'm not all soft and weak. I'll have to be standing up to her for the rest of my life anyway. Trust me, Charles, it will be alright."

Charles was not conviced and twisted his face to get the point across. Catrin, feeling annoyed that he had so little faith in her, was about to make some smart remark when a knock sounded on the door. A minute later, Fanny came in.

"Mr. Errol," she said in her timid voice. "There is a man askin' for you. 'E's all dark and dressed all strange. Never saw the like of 'im before. Said his name is Raj and it is about 'is master."

Charles rose to his feet. "Do show him in, Fanny."

The girl nodded and presently Raj entered the room. He bowed in greeting to Catrin, and then turned to Charles.