Chapter 513) Hurdles

‘Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.”

~J. A. Baldwin

Henfordshire
Cromwell Stables

Walking past him, covertly grabbing and squeezing his rear end, causing him to straighten up from filling water buckets, Izzy whispered

“Stiff competition for me … over there.” while lifting her chin towards the assortment of ladies of the upper crust, except for Bianca Cameron Jack just could never remember their names and titles for the life of him, they all just somehow looked the same to him. They all were Caucasians, pale, making Tartosian born Bianca stand out with her darker complexion, they all emulated each others’ styles and everyone copied AG, making them all look like each others clones at times.

Currently, a relatively small selection of the usual group was assembled near the main gate of the Cromwell Stables, stable workers patiently holding the ladies’ saddled horses as they were all waiting for Aria-Grace to get back from freshening up while her horse was being prepared to ride for her, so they all could go to wherever those ladies often went off to together to do whatever it was they did. Jack couldn’t care less about what that might be.

They were all looking his direction, whispering, giggling and nudging each other’s arms, so Jack tipped his hat at them, inciting cheers.

“Oh, Christ on a bicycle! Upper class behaving like lowest gutter – UGH! Do they think you are the entertainment while the Queen is taking a royal pee? You’re the stable master, not a Chippendale! I rather go shovel horse manure now than expose myself to more of THAT rubbish!” Izzy ranted, then rushed off; Jack followed her after another smile and polite nod at the women.

He caught up with Izzy near two empty stalls, the usual occupants were on pasture, Jack grabbed her and forced her into the box, slamming the stall door shut before pressing Izzy up against the wall, kissing her hard and demanding.

“They got nothin’ on you, Iz. I wouldn’t take a night with the whole lot of them over a single kiss from you, darlin’.” Jack told her, his voice deep and husky.

This appeased Izzy’s very apparent jealousy; she kissed him back and they made out until they heard someone clear their throat nearby.

They looked over to find King Maximilian, Izzy winced hard, jumping away from Jack, blushing, attempting a curtsy.

“Your Majesty, I apologize. Won’t happen again!” Izzy exclaimed.

Jack said nothing, miffed about the interruption, so he opened the stall door to step out and face the king, Izzy followed him, clearly hoping to make an escape from the awkward moment, but stayed, Jack knew she didn’t want him to get in trouble alone. Just the way she was. No matter how scared or uncomfortable she may be, she would never try to save her own skin at someone else’s expense. She’d sooner take the blame, guilty or not, to help someone out. A character trait that went a long way with Jack.

The king now implied a bow, then said.

“Please, Miss Izzy, it is I who should apologize for interrupting your … private moment, but I am looking for my wife. I have a rather pressing personal matter to discuss posthaste, however, she doesn’t seem to be answering her phone. A footman told me I could find her here.” Max said in his pleasant voice, each word well enunciated.

“Just missed her. She literally just left minutes ago with the other ladies for a ride, but I got no clue where they are all off to. Sorry.” Jack answered for her.

“The Abbey. That’s where they usually ride, the long paths up the hills, then let the horses rest and have a picnic. I saw the Duchess Kensington carrying a picnic basket. They won’t be back until afternoon tea, I overheard them wishing to make it special since Lady Kensington won’t be able to do these rides much longer for a while, as she is with child. Ooops, I hope I didn’t say too much.” Izzy added.

“Thank you, Miss Izzy, that is very helpful, and no you didn’t overshare, we have been made aware of the happy news at House Kensington, no worries, a baby shower party is already being planned by my darling wife and the other ladies – and apologies again for the interruption. On that note, Jack, would your son still be here?” Maximilian inquired.

“Yeah, he is still here for a couple more days. Out back saddle training one of the young mares.” Jack said, casually pointing behind himself.

“Fabulous! Would you, Jack, you Miss Izzy and Jackson join us for supper tonight? It would be my family’s deepest delight.” Max smiled, Izzy paled, Jack answered.

“Oh! Ahem … thanks much, but you know I got nothin’ to wear. Not makin’ that mistake again to stick out like a three-legged donkey at a horse race.” Jack said, watching Izzy’s eyes get huge, before she quickly overrode his decision.

“Oh my! My deepest apologies, Your Majesty, Jack meant no disrespect, he’s just … joking. We would be absolutely delighted to come. Thank you so much!” she looked nervous.

“Very well, splendid! I look forward to seeing the three of you at 5 o’clock tonight, if that isn’t too short notice. I’ll have footmen by the main gate, assuming you will prefer to arrive on horseback. The ladies and Jackson can then proceed to enjoy afternoon tea, while I would like a word in private with you Jack. No worries, nothing disconcerting, just horse and stable business mostly. Oh, and please, do not worry about clothing. This is intended to be rather informal, just the family. Come as you are comfortable, I insist. Unless you prefer to borrow something of mine for the occasion. I am sure an acceptable resolution can be found.” Max smiled.

“Ah, yeah naw, that’s awfully nice of ya, but that’s all right. I’d be too afraid to break your clothes or get ’em dirty. I got some things I wanted to run by ya too about the horses, but ya know I don’t really like my tea hot, so we’ll just be there ’round 7 … OUCH!” Izzy had nudged his arm hard.

“We’ll be there at 5 o’clock sharp, of course, Your Majesty. Jack must be flabbergasted at your kindness and thoughtfulness, as am I. Apologies again and thank you so much for thinking of us.” Izzy attempted to smooth over Jack’s comment.

Max nodded, said his goodbyes, then left, the moment he was out of earshot, Izzy laid into Jack.

“What is wrong with you!? You can’t talk to His Majesty as if he were some buddy you met at the bar! Have you not been instructed how to properly address and act around the monarchs and the nobles when they come by!? Jack, you can get into HUGE trouble! No matter what those privileged ladies do, don’t flirt back with Her Majesty’s lady friends even if they come onto you and DEFINITELY never ever call any of the royals by their first name, and don’t decline invites. Most of all not the king. Oh my God, Jack, how could not know that!? And I told you, afternoon tea also means sandwiches and biscuits, you don’t have to drink the tea! Argh! Declining a king’s invite to dine with him because you don’t like tea. It’d be almost funny if it weren’t so … I don’t even know what to call that?” she told him horrified.

Jack grimaced at her.

“Listen Izzy, I get it, ya’ll grew up around here thinking the royals and all of those Lords and Ladies and Earls and what have ya are your betters and such, but I know different, besides, I have always called him Max. That’s how he first introduced himself to me in MY hometown. And when he and I run into each other at Connor’s place and I’d suddenly go all ‘Majesty this and kiss kiss on that royal ass that‘ on him, whaddaya think everyone would tell me? They’d all fall over laughing so hard. He specifically told me to call him Max and NOT act weird around him. Just like I call AG … well … AG and always have, well, at least once Connor told me to when I first met him. She prefers it over just Aria, so much is sure.” Jack snickered thinking about him messing with her by purposely butchering her hyphenated name in the beginning, just to watch her flip out. Not to mention tossing her into the pond by his cabin.

“What? What are you saying? You knew them even before you started working here?” Izzy looked genuinely shocked, so Jack frowned.

“Ah crap, right. I thought you knew, some people were told about me, others aren’t supposed to know, and I was told to keep my mouth shut about everything, so I just assumed you had been told already … oh boy. Hey, Izzy, can we go upstairs real quick. I need to talk to ya. Now.”

Izzy was too speechless to say no, even though technically they were supposed to be on site downstairs, and both had plenty of tasks. But Jack also technically was her supervisor, she just headed for the stairs to the apartments.

Jack asked Izzy to sit down, but she declined, demanding answers, leaving Jack to wonder how to get to where he’d have to go, then just started at the beginning, how he met AG when she was separated from Max, how their strange relationship started, all the ups and downs, and then later finding out he was Vivienne’s biological father. Izzy just stood there stiffly, listening, the only movement was her eyes getting bigger on occasion and her mouth gaping open sometimes.

Once Jack finished his story, Izzy inhaled, processing, before she responded.

“Wait, you are telling me YOU are the biological father of the royal princess? You HAVE TO be joking! Oh my God. You had an affair with the queen?! And you fathered a child. And His Majesty knows that, and he is raising her like his own. I have seen him with his children, he dotes on every single one of them, including Her Royal Highness Princess Vivienne, who would not and could not be a princess if that were true. And not only that, he offered you to be on a first name basis with him DESPITE all of this, not to mention he just GAVE you a job about 50% of the good people of Henford would commit murder for?! WHAT?! None of that makes any sense.” it was clear that she just couldn’t compute any of that. Jack already knew that the people here had been raised with a distinct appreciation, admiration and almost laughable extreme level of respect of any royal or nobleman and -woman, which the hills seemed to be crawling with at times.

“Yeah, I am Viv’s real dad. But it wasn’t an affair. Max and AG were split up, divorced. I was the man in AG’s life for a while, not Max. And it was very real to both of us then. We just realized we could never make it work, we’re too different after all, so we had a pretty sour break up, someone botched the first paternity test, so for a while we all thought the baby was Max’, they rekindled over it and well, then we found out otherwise and everything got turned up on its head again. Max has been pretty decent about all that, and because of all you said they don’t want to make any of this public, only a few who have to know, do know. I am not much for smoke and mirrors, but I totally get this, it is what’s best for my daughter, so I keep my mouth shut. Vivienne knows, and that is all that matters to me. Max offered me this job so I could be closer to Viv, watch her grow up, be a part of her life without making public why, so they can keep up appearances. I took that chance, cos I never could be in Jackson’s life like that until now. So, here I am. They don’t want to make this public right now, maybe eventually they will, or they won’t, but not now, so please keep this to yourself.”

“So THAT is why you always end up being handed the little girl when Her Majesty stops by? Oh my God! I thought that was because of your position, you are the highest ranking here at the stables, and I guess now we know why someone with zero prior experience related to an Royal Equerry’s duties whatsoever was given this position. I thought other than that you were just a random person, like me. If I had known you are the Queen’s lover …”

“IZZY! Hey! I am NOT her lover. I never was anyone’s lover. Well, I guess I am yours since you like to call me that, but to me, lover means being a side-dude. I was never that. AG and I were exclusive and far as I know, she and Max have always been exclusive when not broken up or divorced.”

“Very few royals or nobles are ever exclusive. They all cheat, one way or another, just as most of them are related somehow or if not, they will be eventually. Rumor has it that His Royal Majesty has been spotted visiting the Lady Ashford sometimes at her townhome on Main Street downtown, but without his usual guards and staff, just him, incognito, sneaking in like a cat burglar, and he is said to have stayed a while. Nobody believes they were just playing Bridge. It is a known fact that they used to date while he was divorced from Her Majesty, and no secret that Lady Ashford is still pretty fond of him, to put it mildly.”

“Yah, I know, AG has vented about that, but I sure as heck think that’s just BS, for the sake of everyone, and frankly, not saying I can read people like books, but I just can’t imagine it, not the way I have gotten to know Max. He messed up once, he ain’t risking that again, not for some side-chick he could have married when he had the chance but didn’t want to. Say what you will about him, he isn’t really my taste either, but he is very smart and genuine. Take it from me, I would know. But whatever they all do is not our problem anyway. Look, I thought you knew, honest to God, I swear it, Iz. The staff at the palace obviously all know, cos that is where I go to spend time with my daughter and nobody ever talks about it, so I thought that’s why it never came up between us and I wasn’t gonna bring it up unnecessarily. This here is making the best of a screwed-up situation, but at the end of the day, it’s still a screwed-up situation. For everyone.”

“You go to the palace? What?!” Izzy stared at him as if he had grown two heads.

“Of course I do, how else am I gonna spend time with my child without raising questions. Admit I haven’t been there much since you and I started seeing each other. I don’t see how that is a big deal. We both work for the Cromwells, they are our landlords, so yeah. How is that so surprising?”

“How? Ha. How, he asks. Look Jack, if you grew up here, you’d know that you do NOT just ‘go ’round the palace for a cuppa‘! The Cromwells own so much land here, they’d be everyone’s landlords by your logic, so everyone could just go to the palace, but nobody would, it just is not done. Nobody would dare, let alone, nobody would get past the guards uninvited, period. You don’t seem to understand, Jack, NOBODY who works here at the stables has EVER been to the palace, except maybe outside the gate to drop something off that they might have requested. Unless you are invited, which, nobody here ever was. Period. His Majesty comes here to ride, but only the Royal Equerry and I are allowed to speak to him, unless he addresses one of the other workers directly. We don’t get invited up there for tea and suppers. Only those who work at the palace ever go there uninvited. But even most of them have never actually spoken to the king or queen. Obviously! My dad works as one of the groundkeepers there, and he STILL talks about the day the late king, His Royal Majesty King Frederick interrupted an afternoon walk in the gardens to speak to him. The current king greets him every time he sees him, and dad will talk about nothing else for weeks after.”

“Well, I guess ya could say I got a standing invite then. They are constantly telling me to come for tea or something. I just rarely do, cos … I don’t like ya’ll’s tea and I don’t fit in up there, plus I prefer spending my time with you, girl. All that staff always just stares at me as if I were a mangy dog that scurried in when someone left the door open. But I should be used to that, AG’s mom looks at me the same way. Always has.” Jack said.

“Her MOM?! No. You did NOT meet ViVa! She has been my idol since I was a little girl, my not-so-secret girl crush, still is! I mean, even old she is more gorgeous than most of us! And that voice, not to mention even at 60-something that woman can move! She is just the epitome of a woman to me, like everything I will never be. I used to have my room wallpapered with ViVa posters and I swear I know every word, every pause, every note to every single one of her songs, all versions she ever released! You can’t have met her in person. Nuh uh! Nope. No. NO NO NO! No.” Izzy had enough of the shocking revelations.

“Ah, yeah, I met her all right, but if this makes it better for ya, she don’t like me much, not to say she hates my guts with a burning passion. It kills her to know that a plain ole penniless nobody like me fathered one of her grandkids. I think I met ’em all, that whole VIP Cameron lot, at some point or another, mostly at Connor’s parties. I wouldn’t normally go, but after my divorce I stayed with him and his wife for many months and when they had parties, I was there. I actually have been to Vivien and Liam’s house – well, huge ass fancy mansion – in DSV, several times, before they moved to San Myshuno. I’ve also been to the Cameron Mansion but only once, thank God, cos that Blaine motormouth is just not for me. If ya know ViVa you probably know him too, also a musician, rock music, I think, I don’t listen to any of that. That’s been a while ago, couple years, back when AG was still pregnant with Viv and back when Gavin still lived there, obviously he and Bianca moved here recently, to some gigantic place by some lake, Connor dragged me to their housewarming, just before I was offered this job and met you. Gavin is AG and Connor’s uncle, ya know. I didn’t know, would’ve never guessed that, the guy looks your age and nothing like his father, Blaine. I don’t like that Blaine fella much, but I gotta hand it to him, he was the first and only one who came to my ranch back at the Ridge to tell me AG was having my baby, while the others were gonna leave me in the dark for good, and he was the ONLY one who kept insisting that Viv was my biological child the entire time, even when we had the first test say I wasn’t, and whaddya know, he ended up being … IZZY! What the hell, girl!”

Next thing Jack knew was that he was catching an unconscious Izzy.

It took several minutes, very VERY long minutes, until she came to again. Jack had gently guided her down to the ground, pat her cheeks, but then stopped, just held her, wondering if he was ready for what would happen once she’d wake up. In his mind he already saw her upset and mad as she broke up with him. Could they even break up? They weren’t even truly official yet, were they? Or was that just implied by them sharing table and bed almost every night, either at his place or hers. Then again, the Henfordian countryside wasn’t exactly hopping with nightlife options, after work there wasn’t much to do here except, well, each other. Maybe he was just a pastime to her.
Her eyelids twitched, then fluttered open, her eyes met his, her beautiful eyes of this very special hard-to-describe mix between blues and greens, sending a hot bolt of electricity through him. He swallowed. Watched her as she raised herself up, looking at him, after some more seconds which again felt like half an eternity a rock fell off Jack’s heart when she smiled back at him, then proceeded to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him.

This gave Jack a boost of hope, which he had been losing completely after seeing her reaction to the truth. He held her close, pressing her body against his so tightly, it had to be uncomfortable for her, but she never said a word. He slowly let go, resting his forehead against hers, sighing with relief, until she eventually pulled away and both scrambled up to standing.

Her hands propped into her hips, she looked at him sternly.

“Mister Kershaw, you crazy cowboy, you trouble on two legs, any more skeletons in your closet you’d like to air out while we are at it? Get it all out now, no more surprises, please. Just so you know, I have NEVER in my entire life EVER fainted before. That is what YOU do to me, lover.”

Chuckling briefly, he shook his head.

“At least I can honestly claim I swept a pretty girl off her feet without even touching her. Izzy, are we good? I think we are, but I really need to hear you say it. I don’t know if my heart can take another let down.”

“Oh Jack, of course we are, I am not your ex, not any of them. I don’t just break up with a man I lo.. - uh like – as much as I like you the first moment the road gets a little rocky. But Mister, we have to talk about this, and about whatever else there might be. Please, put all cards on the table. You cannot do that to a girl, confront her with whammies like you just have.” Izzy blushed slightly at her slip up, which made Jack’s heartbeat faster. She was gonna say love, he knew it and it made a world of difference to him, changing the dim outlook to a bright sunny summer day.

“There isn’t anything more, Iz, what you see is what you get with me, it ain’t much, but it’s honest and genuine. But I gotta ask, you said break up. Does that mean we are official then? Cos, every single relationship I have ever been in has been an ungodly mess from start to finish, so I truly don’t know how to tell. And please, Izzy, don’t make it sound as if there had been that many women. Don’t forget I have a certain age. Most men my age had a lot more relationships by now.”

“Not around here, Jack. Most men your age have been married for at least 20 years and raised the statistical 2.3 children. Even those who went through a divorce at some point.”

“Well, I hadn’t met you yet. If I had, ’bout 20 years ago, maybe we would have been married and had those kids by now. I was a wild one once, up to no good, but I think you could have tamed me just fine.” Jack smiled at Izzy, who giggled.

“Had you met me 20 years ago, I would have been a child, Jack.”

“Oh. Right. Yikes. The age gap Ugh. Now I feel like some sick old man who’s into little girls. Yuck!”

“Well, you kinda are, in the grand scheme of things, I mean, I literally could be your daughter. Joking aside, to answer your question, I would say we are official, and if not, I think we should be. I think that so much that I would like to take you home so my family can meet you this weekend. They have been asking about you so much, if I delay that any longer, they’ll all just show up here to see that man I won’t stop talking about.” she gave him this little smile, which along with her words made Jack’s heart overflow for joy and relief, so he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, over and over.

“Argh – screw it! I am tired of the cat and mouse game and all the hoping and wishing … so here goes: I love you, Isobel Duncan. I LOVE you, with everything I have, with all my might, every fiber, every inch of me loves you, girl. You are unlike any woman I have ever met. I didn’t even think someone like you even existed. And I didn’t think I could fall in love again. Most definitely not THIS fast. You are something just short of magic, girl.” Jack could no longer contain his feelings.

“I love you too, Jack. I am absolutely crazy about you. But I think you already know that, and I know you know that, even though you seem to like playing hard to get, while basking in the other ladies’ attention. No more of that, you hear? I am the jealous type. If you need to hear it, yes, we are dating, you and I, boyfriend and girlfriend, making you all mine, I do not share, that means 100% exclusive, no exceptions, be it queen or pauper or anything in between. I will be all yours forever, through anything life could send our way, but you have to do the same for me.”

“Deal! You got it, doll, everything you see before you and everything I own is yours for the takin’ and ONLY yours. And next time those ladies are hollerin’ at me, I will just dive headfirst into a dung pile and roll around in it till I am covered head to toe. That should fix that forever.”

“That is disgusting! You think I’d still want you like that? Eew! I would have to immediately replace you with someone with basic manners and social graces. Not to mention proper hygiene habits.” Izzy giggled.

“Oh, you are breakin’ my heart.” Jack played along, pretending to be heartbroken, making Izzy laugh.

“Well, I guess you are right, we can’t have that. There are always pressure washers. They have a setting that is so strong it literally takes the paint right off the stable walls, that should do the trick, and the layers of skin that will take off can always grow back, right? Free full body peeling.” she said with a straight face, but couldn’t contain the giggles for long.

“Oh, so that’s the way it is, huh? Come here you, we need to talk about that …” Jack grinned, trying to grab her, she stepped out of his reach, attempting to run out of his apartment, but he caught her, tossed her over his shoulder and carried the giggling girl to his bedroom for some brief moments of bliss before they had to return to work.