A Day is a Year in the King's Court -4-

Okay... I wrote the next part for you... Hope that you enjoy it! It's.... well... a very interesting part.

A Day is a Year in the King's Court: The Intruder

Catherine was thankful that there was no one else in the room, for she gave a very ungraceful jerk when she heard the sound and then leaped/ stumbled of her bed. She composed herself and went into the library. She heard the man again before she saw him, he was laughing at something in one of her books. She stood in the doorway waiting for him to notice her. She examined him while she waited for him to notice her, and saw that he was quite handsome, but with something hinting at arrogance about him. When he did notice her, she said, "Ahem." In a very I-am-making-myself-noticed-because-you're-too-stupid-to-notice tone.
The man lazily looked up and then said, "How did you get in here, and who are you?"
Catherine was understandably indignant and replied, "Pardon me, but it is I who have the right to ask that question, not you. It so happens that these are my apartments and you are invading my privacy. I would appreciate it if you would tell me how you managed to get in. I would also, that you never came here again without permission and a chaperon."
It truly is incredible how those polite words conveyed her meaning more effectively than had she simply said, "Get out of my library and never come back." For the man was truly taken aback at this, but then put on a sly smile and said, "You must be one of the country girls."
Catherine was insulted at having been called a "girl". Her father had not called her a girl since her tenth birthday, and she was certainly not going to accept his degrading tone, let alone the remark.
"Indeed, I am just a country girl who happens to own the library which you have invaded. Since you do not seem to be a gentleman, as a gentleman would have graciously left when a lady asked him, I must assume that you are a guard or servant. As a guard or servant you can have no business with my library, and I must ask you more forcefully this time to remove yourself from my library." Catherine did not truly believe that he was a servant or a guard, his clothes were too elegant for that, but she thought that by insinuating that he was behaving below his station, the man would apologize for his rude behavior, and leave her alone.
Catherine was not normally so forceful. But she'd had a long day, and everyone in the castle seemed so rude, that she had no choice but to be more forceful than she liked.
The man, however, did not seem to mind, but found it all a great joke.
"You really are a country girl if you expect a man's manners to define his station. I am not a guard or a servant, but as you might have known had you more experience, I am a nobleman."
Catherine thought that the title had never been more ill-used.
"In fact, I am... well. I'll not brag about my position, but I'll not have anyone speak to me that way, not even a "lady"." The word "lady" was dripping with so much sarcasm that Catherine wished he'd drown in it.
"I have every right to use this library, as I obtained the key legitimately, and as there has been no one occupying these rooms for years. And.... if I am not mistaken and I'm not. You are merely the daughter of Lady Jeanette, and the rooms will not officially be yours until her death. Even then they do not belong to you because everything in the kingdom belongs first to the king."
Everything in the kingdom did not belong to the king. Catherine thought the man was being a pompous... a.... mule. She just stared at him with immense dislike, and asked him again, "Well then. Since you are, as you say, a nobleman, then you will be so noble as to leave my library as I have asked you to. And although you may have had the right previously to enter this library at will, you no longer have that right, and I must ask you to give me the key in your possession."
The man smirked, looked as if he were going to argue again, changed his mind, reached into his pocket, took out the key and looked at it as he said, "As you wish, lady...."
Catherine did not want to supply her name but could find no polite way out and so finished for him, "Lady Catherine."
"Ah..... Well, Lady Catherine, " he said as he sauntered uncomfortably close to her, "I am Hector, and very pleased to meet you."
He took her hand and kissed it. Catherine tried not to show how disgusted she felt, even as her heart was moving faster because of his close proximity, he was really quite good-looking. But the smile he was giving her was not pleasant for all it's charm.
"There are very few ladies at court with your kind of.... spirit. It is an attractive quality, even if it is a little, shall we say, rustic."
He leaned too close, and Catherine was about to slap him when he turned and sauntered out of the room.

Okay. I know that was a bit... well. It was kinda fun to write, I hope that it wasn't too frustrating to read. I have the next part in my head and I'll get it written as soon as I have more time.
Have a good day!