The Happy Marriage of Rosannah Winthrop (Completed)

Ch 20 - Persistent Visitors

Copyright to VedaPettigrew

Rosannah took an involuntary step back. The thought of being so close to her parents was horrifying. The months she had spent without them had blanketed her previous anxieties, but now knowing they were so close it was as if they had caught the blanket and ripped it off.

Alarm crossed Chilton's face as he watched her reaction and he took a step forward, his voice full of concern. "Do not worry Your Grace, I shall send them away. You need not see them."

Rosannah grabbed a corner of the blanket and tugged, she was not the same person she once was. She had people who cared for her, including the servants of this house, who over the course of this last month had willingly invited her to their hall three times. She had not insisted upon the invitation this time round, they wanted to spend time with her, they were relaxed in her presence, they laughed and joked with her.

Not that her parents would see that as something of value, but suddenly she cared not. Henry had given her power, she ruled over her parents now. Her status was above theirs, her authority surpassed theirs. She could face them and give them a piece of her mind.

Except the moment the thought crossed her mind, shivers overtook her body and the truth revealed itself - she was repulsed at the thought of seeing them. She took a deep breath and shook her head of her thoughts. She had nothing to prove to them. They had been cruel, unfeeling parents who did not deserve to know anything about her life.

She used the warmth she felt at Chilton's concern to bolster herself and nodded. "Thank you, His Grace has prohibited me from speaking to them. The servants at Foxleigh House were told they were forbidden from entering the house but His Grace did not think it was necessary to inform you of them same," she explained. "They have no abode near here. No reason to turn up unannounced."

But they had and she wondered their purpose. Henry's present had obviously hit them hard and now they were here for something. To beg. To threaten. Her skin prickled at the last thought. Her father was an excellent shot, there could be no duel.

"I am riding out in the hopes of finding His Grace now, Chilton. Tell them we are both out and send them to the inn at Mitford. His Grace will contact them at his convenience."

He smiled warmly, obviously pleased that she was leaving him to deal with the problem. "Very good Your Grace. Enjoy your ride."

Rosannah avoided the quickest route out as it went past the room her parents were waiting and headed out to the stables. Her horse was ready and she mounted her swiftly, desperate to get away. She headed towards the north field first, assuming Henry and the groundskeepers had visited the west meadow first, they surely would have moved onto there by now.

Her heart raced as she imagined all the possibilities that might occur with her parents visit. Half of her wished she was brave enough to face them, but the other half reasoned that they were bound to be angry with their new status and she would be foolish to put herself in such a vulnerable position. She would also have directly disobeyed Henry had she spoken with them and that was not something she wished to do.

Though there may be times she felt differently, now was not one of them. She would never put her parents before her husband, they deserved no such honour.

Feeling more at ease, she let herself enjoy the ride. Although the sun was hot, the cool air rushing past her as she cantered through the fields was exceedingly pleasant. She turned and headed to the woods, the shade would help keep her horse, Athena, cool.

The copse was beautiful, she slowed to a walk and enjoyed the sights, smells and sounds of nature all around her. Despite being forbidden from staying outside for much of her childhood, she was in her heart, a lover of nature. Now she had all these new places to explore with utter freedom and she was determined to know every inch of their land as well as Henry.