Gertie's Choice Read Free

here
could help us obtain. I was wondering if he could use his influence
with his cousin, the King, and be of help to us.” Gertie said and
then she curtseyed.
    The man laughed out loud.
“William is but a servant himself, he has come to the Palace with
my wife and I. My wife, Julia, is the King’s cousin.” The man then
studied Gertrude a bit too long. This one
is a real beauty, what a shame that I am leaving . He then shook his head and
spoke again.
    “My wife is with child and
perhaps she should have help. Come along now inside, Julia can make
that decision. Ophelia and Gertrude started to following the man
through the Palace gates. “Not you.” He pointed to Ophelia. Then he
motioned for Gertrude to follow him. The sisters looked at each
other, fear on their faces. Ophelia nodded to Gertrude, signaling
to her to follow the man.
    “So, you are not the King’s
cousin.” Ophelia said to William once the man and her sister had
passed through the gates.
    “No, but then I never said
that I was. I met Gertrude one day when I had ventured out too far
and had to inquire about the way back to the Palace.”
    “But you were not sorry
that she was left with that impression, aye?”
    William smiled. “That man
is Mathew and he can be a real ass. His wife, Julia, is a very nice
person and like he said, she is with child.”
    “Was it not dangerous to
travel when you are with child? Do you know when the child will be
birthed?”
    “The carriage is grand and
more comfortable than most. But aye, I wouldn’t want me child to be
bounced around in the mother that way.” William said blushing at
his words. “Gertrude will be alright in there, would you like to
walk to the stables with me? I don’t want Milord to have any reason
to be displeased with me yet again.”
    “Might as well. It’s nice
a ‘meeting you, William.” Ophelia said, her face registering a bit
of heat as well.
    Gertrude was brought to a
young woman who was heavy with child and laying in a very big four
poster bed. “Milady, I have brought a servant girl to assist
you.”
    His wife took one look at
the beautiful young girl with the flame red hair and asked her
husband “In which alehouse did you find this one,
Mathew?”
    “Your cousin and I are
departing now. This girl will stay and take care of you and the
child. There is another one in the waiting if this one does not
please you. I will see you and the child upon our return. We shall
be gone a great deal of time. There is much ground to cover and
much work to do.”
    “That is fine, Milord, now
please just take your leave.” The woman said. Mathew started to
leave and then his wife said “What is the servant’s name, Mathew?”
Addressing her husband instead of Gertrude.
    “ How should I know? “
Mathew said and with that turned and left the room.
    For a few moments, neither
woman spoke. Then Gertrude said “My name is Gertrude, Milady. Is
there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?”
    The woman lifted her head
out of the covers and took a good long look at Gertrude. “Where did
my husband find you, Gertrude was it?”
    “Aye. My sister Ophelia
and I met William the other day in the forest and she and I came
here today to see if he could help me obtain employment here.”
Gertrude said. Tis only a moment past that your husband and my
sister and I have met.”
    The lady sat fully up and
then walked over to the window. She watched her husband and the
King ride off with many men. She stood there for so long that
Gertrude was not sure what she should do, so she did
nothing.
    The lady finally turned
away from the window and sat down. “My name is Julia and I am a
distant cousin of the Crown. Tell me about yourself, Gertrude. May
I call you Gertie?”
    Gertrude couldn’t help
hearing in her mind the children’s taunts of the other
morning Flirty Gertie!
    “ Yes, Milady, you can call
me whatever suits you best. I live in the forest with my mother and
my sister, Ophelia. She is