The Pearl Of Great Price

Chapter 20: Fake

As the weeks kept adding up and growing, so did the love between Charles and Mary. After she allowed him everything, all the pieces of her heart, it seemed their love for each other turned a new page. It became sweeter and more profound. Their masks have come off completely, which has built a new level of trust.

It's funny because one is trained in the arts of being fake and disingenuous at the royal court. Fake is what all the well-to-do, fancy lords and ladies of nobility wear. Everyone is in style. Never trusting anyone. It's hard to trust when all you have is past evidence of why you should not. And that's the key, bringing new evidence to light for why you should trust. It's chipping away at the past imperfect views a little bit every day like a master craftsman creating a beautiful work of art.

That's what both Charles and Mary have done for each other. She knows how he broke her walls down, but she doesn't really know how she did the same for him. One day he'll tell her. Trust is one of the key ingredients in having a real relationship. The other is respect. Without which love cannot live and thrive. During their bedroom conversations at the beginning of their marriage, one of the sweetest things he ever said to her is, "I love all the parts of you, even those you refuse to give anyone." That's how Mary knew she could trust him. The pair already have a great relationship, but now it's better in so many wonderful ways.

Another thing that grew is Charles's health. It continued to grow and improve. By week five, the wound was no longer raw. Doctor Pearce praised Mary's care of it as being the reason it's healing so fast. Of course, Charles knew this even before the doctor mentioned it. He wore a smug, proud look on behalf of his wife. By week seven, the stitches fell out, and the wound was completely healed. Now only a scar will be left, but Mary took to researching how to make scar damage minimal.

When she looks at his scar, she sees healing. He was more substantial than what tried to hurt him. It's part of his story of survival. It's like he told her, "I wear my scars on the outside, but you wear yours inside." He pointed to her heart, and she supposed he's right. Not all scars can be viewed. Most are the hidden ones of the heart and mind. When the wound is closed unless it's picked at. Then it opens back up again. That's something she's trying to stop doing, picking at her "dad scars."

After finding what she thought would be the best blemish reduction route, Mary traipsed off to the town. At the herb shop, she and Joan scoured the store, looking for the item she needed. The bottle of liquid gold, argan oil, is high on a shelf of oils. The price is expensive, right up there with frankincense. However, it's for a good cause, so she bought it. Then she encouraged her husband to use it, and he would provided she was the one who put it on him. Not because he had naughty ideas, although from how he looks at her, Charles probably does, but because he is forgetful.

While his scar is fading, her baby bump is growing and growing and growing. Now mid-April, at ten weeks along, her bump is humongous. Mary's seen pregnant women before, so she knows what it should look like, but this is ridiculous. It seems like she's eaten two giant melons. It's disturbing, and she can't help but wonder if there's something wrong.

She's been reticent about it, not sharing these thoughts with Charles. He shouldn't have to worry if it's nothing, but what if it's something? So the Duchess worries and wonders alone. Except her husband is an avid reader of all things Mary Brandon, so he sat her on his lap and asked, "What's troubling you?"

She started to give him some fluff answer, but he shushed her with a finger to her lips. "I can't help you if you don't tell me. So continue to trust me, please. Tell me what's wrong."

With a sigh of confusion, she explained, "I can't help but wonder if there's something wrong with the baby. My bump is SO huge. I've seen pregnant women, and it's not this large until later in the pregnancy. I worry, is all."