Chapter 17

                                    

                                              
It had been a few days since Catherine and Bash returned. The court had spent most of the hat time trying to divert Catherine and Claude from crossing paths as much as possible. Francis was worried what his mother might do if left around his sister to long.
                          
It was early morning and most of the castle was just rising. The sun shone through the window onto Catherine's face making her turn in her bed to shield her eyes, and her face landed on Bash's bare chest. Her eyes immediately flung open.
                          
"Bash. Bash wake up. Bash." She said shaking him vigorously. Bash groggily opened his eyes. It took him a moment to realize where he was.

                          
"Bash. Come on get up. You have to go. My servants will be here any moment." She said trying to nudge him out of bed.
                          
"What...damn." He said trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes. Just then there was a knock on the door. Catherine quickly shoved Bash off the side of the bed and he fell back behind it with a thud. Then one of Catherine's servants entered.
                          
"Good morning my lady....what was that noise?" She asked.
                          
"What noise?" Said Catherine nervously. Bash tried not to move a muscle.
                          
"I thought I heard a thud." The servant said.
                          
"A thud? I didn't hear anything." She said clutching the blankets to her. The servant got a confused look on her face.
                          
"Should I..." the servant started while taking a step forward.
                          
"No!!" Catherine stopped her. "I mean...um...if you would give me a few minutes...I'm still a little groggy. I uh...was up late going over some documents." She said pointing to her desk.
                          
"Of course my lady. I'll come back later." The servant shot her another quizzical look and then stepped back out. Catherine wrapped the sheet around her and quickly went around to the he other side of the bed to help Bash up.
                          
"Hurry. Come on." She urged extending her hand. Bash rubbed the back of his head.
                          
"Did you have to push me so hard?" He said as he rose.
                          
"Did you have to fall asleep?...This is exactly the sort of thing I was worried about. I'm just glad she didn't notice your clothes. We have to be more careful." She said as she put her nightgown back on and threw him his pants. He put them on and gathered the rest of his clothes up in his arms as Catherine pulled her robe around her and started pushing him toward the passageway entrance.
                          
"Go on. Go. Hurry." She urged.
                          
"Can I at least get my boots on, it's freezing in there." He said trying to turn back as she ushered him forward. 
                          
"Hurry..." she said holding open to he wall panel.
                          
"You know. This is sort of your fault. You were rather insatiable last night." He said smiling as he put on his boots. 
                          
"Bash." She said. 
                          
"I'll see you later." He leaned in and kissed her. 
                          
"Now's not the time for that. Go please." 
                          
"Alright." He started to go but stopped and turned back halfway through the entrance. "I love you."
                          
"I love you, too." She said. He smiled and left quickly, Catherine closing the panel behind him.
                          
"Oh, he's going to be the death of me..." she sighed, palms pressed to the panel. "But what a way to go."
                          
Later that day, Catherine was making her way to the throne room when she spotted Claude flirting with a man in the hall. She rolled her eyes and scowled. As she came closer to them she realized the man she was as flirting with was none other than her other current irritation, Narcisse. She stopped dead in front of them.