As she grew, Katherine reminded Ewan more and more of Victoria. He smiled to himself as he thought about his recent conversation with his paramour. Ewan loved the fact that Victoria would agree to share his bed on the very evening of her son’s wedding, even with house full of guests around them. It gave him such a thrill that she would take chances to be with him, just as he had to be with her. He mused that she would be a fine wife someday – as soon as her first husband was out of the way.<br/><br/>Ewan began to pay attention when Katherine uttered the words ‘private matter’. That caused him to drop his smile and focus intently on the young girl for the first time. Her voice was low and serious, the intensity of which led to the sensation of ice forming around his heart. Was this a threat? Did the girl know that he was his mother’s lover? Since Katherine and he did not know one another except in passing, Ewan was sure she wasn’t reaching out to him for help on some other issue. No, she was here to threaten or extort him, he suspected. Ewan squinted and took on a very serious look as he nodded in agreement.<br/><br/>“There,” he said, pointing to the balcony above them. No one was up there at the moment. “Meet me there in five minutes,” he said in a tone that suggested it was an order rather than a request. Obviously Ewan could not be seen leaving the chamber with the unmarried daughter of the hostess, so they would have to meet serendipitously. Without so much as nod or a word ‘goodbye’ Ewan stepped away and resumed his mingling as if the conversation had never taken place.<br/><br/>Fifteen minutes later Ewan climbed the stairs to the balcony. He intentionally was late in hopes that it would cause the young girl to stew in her own juices for a while. Was this child about to threaten the brother of the King? Was she going to expose him as her mother’s lover and the father of her half-brother and sister? Would she be so bold as to destroy the reputation of her entire family? No, Ewan didn’t think so. If she were to, however, Ewan would put her in her place but good.<br/><br/>As he rounded the corner Ewan located Katherine hiding in the quiet shadows at the back of the balcony, and he chuckled to himself as he approached. Did she really see herself as a master of shadows? As an intricate webweaver and player in court politics? Her? This virgin whelp? Did she really think she could outplay both her mother and he, just because she kept a gardener as a secret beau?  Ewan couldn’t help but smile condescendingly as he approached.<br/><br/>“My dear,” Ewan began, taking charge of the conversation. He spoke in the powerful, confident tone often used by members of the Royalty to place petulant subjects in their place. “I hope that your ‘private matter’ is not very distressing to you. I would hate to see you, well, suffer in any way.”<br/><br/>While his tone expressed compassion and sympathy, his words could just as easily have been interpreted as a threat. And it was as a threat that they were meant.<br/><br/>“Now, if you are about to say that you have feelings for me, well I could understand that,” he said, giving her an opportunity to back away from the conversation he thought was coming. “While I am sympathetic to courtly love, I am simply too old for you, my dear. I hope you understand,” he added, mocking her with a knowing smile as he looked her up and down. She would make a fine woman once she was a bit older, he thought to himself. That is, if she were able to survive that long.<br/><br/>“Is that it, then? Should we get back to the party?” he asked in a very serious tone, hinting that he had already had enough of this one-sided conversation.