Cat's Out of the Bag

Posted on Tue Oct 15th, 2024 @ 2:10am by Captain Mira Rodale & Commander Kevin Lance

Mission: Deep freeze
Location: Mat
Timeline: Two weeks after The Morning After

on:
{Castle Drury Servant's Hall}

Mira was barely into the noon time meal with the domestic staff when Kolar burst into the servant’s area breathless and nearly on the verge of tears. “Toc kitty ran way! Can’t find!” he shouted with a quivering lip.

Haldersen stood up gravely but was otherwise unperturbed by the sudden interruption. The rest of the staff made various exclamations of dismay as they too stood, though whether at the boy’s anguish or the unwanted intrusion was anyone’s guess. Mrs Thorne gave Mira a significant, askance glance.

“May I assumed that this is something that you are prepared to deal with, Miss Rodale,” Haldersen asked. His tone was cool but Mira had come to understand that a calm exterior demeanor was his way. He wasn’t truly upset merely inquiring if she needed help.

Mira smiled and nodded to the butler. Taking her napkin off her lap, she dabbed the corn of her mouth and placed it on the table. "Alright, let's go find your kitten before he gets into mischief. She turned to Mary, but she was already taking her plate.
"You didn't eat enough, so I'll put this in the warmer for you."

Mira smiled. "Shepard's pie is my favorite, and that was amazing. " She nodded to everyone, excusing herself.
Then, she held her hand to Kolar as they left. "Do know the last place you saw him?"

"Upstairs we were playing, then he ran away." Kolar told her with a pout.

Mira nodded "okay then we will start there. and work our way out."

A while later, Mira was about to give up when a black fur ball ran by her. "Toc?" she called out to him as she ran after that little ball of fur. He was fast as he sprinted down a hallway to the west.

Mira hiked up her skirt and ran after the beast in a most unladylike manner with Kolar in pursuit. Something about this part of the castle bothered her but she had little time to reflect as Toc run through a barely open door to open of the rooms at the end of the hall.

Mira entered the room, a large open area that was well-lit. The room was a cluttered mess. Not dirty but very busy with tables covered in painting supplies and canvases propped up on easels. It stood in stark contrast to the military precision of the rest of the house.

Toc was hiding under one of the table and Mira crawled underneath and grabbed the cat. "Bad kitty, very bad! What have we said about manners?"

Kolar laughed at her as he entered the room.

Carefully cradling the kitten, she climbed back to her feet and was shocked as she was staring at herself! Well, a portrait of herself in a beautiful shoulder-less green gown with her hair pulled back to fully display her spots. They ran from her temple, down her neck and clavicle, disappearing under the dress just above her breast. The portrait was twice her height and and very detailed.

Mira eyes widened as she saw a painting on the wall. But she had never posed for a painting here.

"Kolar, who is that?" she asked curiously.

Kolar bit his lip. "That's my mama. See the spots like yours and mine." It was then that Mira noticed that the woman in the portrait had green eyes and her hair was a slight brighter shade of red.

"Shhhh, Kolar, I asked you not to talk about them." That was when she looked around the room. "We have to leave. I think this might be your father's room. Go and quickly back to your room." she took his hand to move him out quickly. She was a little shell-shocked. No wonder the people around here thought she was the lord's late wife.

Then she looked closely at a canvas on one of the easels. It was of a woman, sitting reading a book in a window in a library. She realized that the library was the one that she had so often suffered through an uncomfortable tea with Lord Kevin. He had painted a portrait of her!

The other easels had artwork in different states of completion. One was of a woman and a young child walking in a garden, another of a woman aside a galloping horse, a third of the same woman in a scandalous state of undress. Mira's head was swimming as the realization struck that she was the object of all of the paintings.

The bell in the hallway rang six times and the door opened. Mira looked up in alarm as Lord Kevin walked in. His expression was a mixture of shock and rage. "What are you doing here?" he hissed angrily.

"Kolar's kitten got away and I had to chase him in here," Mira replied quietly.

Kevin looked at the small cat in Mira's arms. He turned his head towards his son. "Kolar take your cat and leave," he ordered, "I want to have a word with Miss Rodale."

"I was my fault, dada," Kolar protested.

"Mister Lance," Kevin replied sternly drawing himself up to his full height and clasping his hands behind his back, "You have your orders. You will execute them if you wish to avoid punishment."

Kolar's eye's went wide at the implication. He quickly took Toc from Mira and departed the room.

After the door was closed, Kevin continued staring down like a tyrannical ship's captain, "I told you that you were forbidden to enter the west wing."

Mira stood a little taller at the dressing down. "I had not realized where the cat was going, but you're right, my Lord. I will pack my bags immediately. You may terminated my contract. " She moved to pass him to leave. Trying to make plans, in her head as to what she should do. Probably go to the Vicar. He would help her make her way home..

Lord Kevin, not used to being the one dismissed, took her arm to stop her, "I did not dismiss you."

Mira turned her head to look at the hand that had taken her arm. Then her eyes met Lord Kevin's. "Do you think that I am a commoner that you can lay hands on me?"

Her father's station in their home country and England had been very well off. It was one of the reasons she had chosen to stay in England to avoid the king lumping her in with her father's wealth and land to some rude Lord in Germany. Here, she only had to deal with her uncle.

"I was assured that you were a woman of breeding," he retorted angrily, "Yet you are unable to follow instructions the rankest seaman would understand. Perhaps serving as a proper governess is beyond you."

Lord Kevin's attitude was so officious that Mira was on the verge of resigning on the spot despite the knowledge that a poor reference from him would doom her chances of a suitable future situation. But Kolar had bonded with her and she with him. Her departure would break two hearts.

"If my behavior is so odious to you," she responded without backing away, "I can only wonder at why I should be such an object of interest." She waved her hand at the various canvases. "Surely you don't think I am your dead wife?"

That stabbed Kevin in the heart and Mira smirked at his pained reaction. "No. I know you aren't Merri," he replied in a less angry tone."

"Then why?" Mira cried.

"Because...because..." Words failed Kevin but he was ever more the man of action. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to himself. His mouth found hers and he hungrily kissed her in the manner of a man too long separated from female companionship.

Mira was shocked into silence. She had never been kissed before and had never expected her first kiss to be by an angry man who could not possibly love her. That her body responded to him scared the hell out of her. No lady acted like this ever.

She was raised better. He would end up destroying her completely. She stopped kissing him back. Clearly, he thought her some woman of ill-repute. "No... No, I can't.... I am your son's governess. I mean, I was your son's governess . I...I should go now." Mira nodded. The man had told her she was an improper governess, she had reminded herself of that. He clearly had no respect for her. She had no choice now but to run. Her aunt had been ruined like this and ended up with a horrible man. She could get other employment or perhaps return to Germany intact. Her heart would be broken to be separated from Kolar, but...her life would be ruined if she stayed.

There was a knock at the door. The shock of her refusal and the knock at the door had Kevin releasing her very reluctantly.

"Enter," Kevin spoke, never taking his eyes off Mira. It was Haldersen, the butler, who entered.

"My lord, there is a lawyer here to speak with Lady Mira Rodale von Rasmehlier, fifth daughter of the deceased Lord Graf von Rasmehlier."

Mira winced at the title. She had thought she had left that all behind her. Her fingertips still touched her lips. No wonder her father told her never to kiss a man she wasn't married to or engaged to. Kisses turned women's minds to mush.

He led out a card. Mira took it with a trembling hand and frowned it at the name, not recognizing it. The logo on the card was the same as the lawyer she used. "Thank you, Haldersen. I'll see what the gentleman wants."

She gave a little curtsy, not meeting Lord Kevin's eye, and walked out of the room.

Walking slowly down the stairs, she relaxed slightly at seeing an older, well-dressed gentleman.

"Good evening, my lady. I have brought grave news. Your aunt has taken ill. You are needed back in London. I have come to ensure your safe return."

Mira frowned. Taking the letter handed to her she thought that it was so odd. Why was she being sent for? Still, it was a good reason to leave if she stayed any longer. She would be ruined in the eyes of society. "Very well." she walked to the place she had left her bonnet and cloak. She couldn't go back upstairs to pack because then she would have to say goodbye to Kolar. She couldn't do that, nor could she say goodbye to Mary. She placed the card and letter on the table before retrieving her bonnet and pinned it in place before slipping the cloak around her shoulders.

Mr. McCain nodded to her before opening the door. "I have secured our transportation. "

She nodded, keeping her head down. He helped her into the seat.

Mira's fingertips kept going to her lips. They tingled still after all this time, but she sat quietly, looking out over the landscape. Funny, she had made this trip every Sunday with Lord Kevin, and not once had she just looked out over the land. Kolar and Lord Kevin had held her attention completely. She wiped a tear from her eye.

Mr. McCain cleared his throat. Her eyes jumped to his. Had he been talking? She wasn't sure.
When he spoke again, she knew she had messed something. "I asked. Should we send someone to retrieve your trunks?"

Mira shook her head no. She had brought very little with her. In fact, she had clothing in five different estates in both England and her home country. Well, she had thought she would make a very good governess. She couldn't take the second offer of employment because she just knew she would be fending off the man's advances. Now that she had first-hand knowledge of how devastating they were on her. It was best not to even try. She would see her aunt then go visit Sophia, a friend from school, and ask her husband to make the plans for her trip back to the grand Duchy of Baden. Her eldest sister and brother-in-law were there. Perhaps he knew of a suitable gentleman to court her.

Bastian Eckhart was not a man to be messed with. Her sister had truly seemed happy, so that seemed the most logical course of action. If all worked out, she could be married before the king even knew she was back.

{Castle Drury Library}

Lord Kevin sat in is chair in the library deep in thought. He knew that he had handled the surprise of finding Miss Rodale in his artist's studio poorly and was berating himself for being so careless. Although accustomed though his naval service to being obeyed absolutely in his domain, he didn't think of himself as a tyrant. Certainly not the type to take advantage of a woman in his employ. He thought little of alleged noblemen who diddled their staff and he had been very careful in the past to avoid placing himself in such a situation. But there was no denying that he felt a strong attraction to Miss Rodale.

At first, he had dismissed the feelings as springing primarily from her likeness to his late wife, Merrilyn but as the Spring was blossoming into Summer, it was becoming more and more difficult to associate Miss Rodale's influence upon him with the ever present longing for Merri. Indeed, the grief that had descended upon him since his wife's death had begun to lift since Miss Rodale's arrival. He had thought that it was the process of time healing all wounds but now he couldn't fail to acknowledge the governess's affect on him.

Then there was the affect that she had on Kolar. The boy had refused to be managed by any of the previous governesses that Kevin had retained. He seemed to delight in tormenting them and making their task impossible. Four governesses had, all combined, lasted only a similar span of weeks until Miss Rodale arrived. Around her, Kolar was transformed into the proper gentlemen's son and although still mischievous, his behavior was under much better management.

For the sake of a kiss, Lord Kevin had put all of that into jeopardy.

He was determined to apologize and take complete responsibility for his beastly behavior towards her. He would beg her to remain as governess and promise never to make so forward an advance again. On this last point, he felt himself waiver. If she were to remain, he expected that he would be in danger of losing his heart.

He had little information as to her feelings about the kiss. At first she had, he flattered himself, returned his kiss but then she pulled away in justified anger. Her reaction was all right and proper but a small part of him had wished that she would have melted to him and been a willing participant in making him into the caricature that he so despised.

The bell in the hall sounded four times. Haldersen entered with the tea tray and proceeded to lay out the service for two. Kevin was not surprised that Miss Rodale did not attend but he was disappointed. "Can I assume that Miss Rodale will attend my son at dinner tonight," Kevin asked in as neutral a tone as his heightened feelings would allow."

Haldersen looked up with an indifferent expression that only years of service had taught Kevin convened the butler's surprise. "No, my Lord."

Anger and anxiety rose in equal measures within Lord Kevin. "No?" Kevin stated through a clenched jaw, "And why not?"

"Miss Rodale tended her immediate resignation and returned to London this afternoon," the butler replied.

Anguish tore into Kevin but he maintained his demeanor. "What reason did she give?"

"An ailing aunt back in London required her presence," Haldersen continued, "I suggested that a leave of absence was likely to be acceptable but she was quite insistent that she would not be returning to this county."

Lord Kevin sank back into his chair without another word. As tormenting as her continued presence would have been, he knew that her absence would be even greater. He was oblivious to Haldersen's departure after completing his task and instead was gripped by an encroaching gloom. She was gone and it was all his fault.

:off

Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

and

Captain Mira Rodale
CO USS Chuck Norris