"But Dominic…"
"No, Rosemary, I can't play this game of yours anymore." And with that he walked away, leaving a hurt Rosemary starring after him.
Wishing to purge herself of the feelings she had, not knowing what had transpired between Dominic and Rosemary, Alannah began to throw herself into the work that needed to be done on the vegetable garden. She was out in the garden from after breakfast until right before dinner time. When she wasn't in the garden she was either exploring the island, or helping Patrick with chores around the Chateau. Once the garden was done, she couldn't stand being around Dominic, every time she saw him she would tear up, and run in the other direction. Dominic tried to stop her, and she just kept running.
So until Patrick could find a replacement for her, she helped him do as much as she could around the grounds. "You're becoming quite handy young lady. In fact you are just as handy as my right arm, I'm glad that I have you, at least until some dashing young man comes to steal you away from me. But tell me, what is that has you so melonchaly lately?"
"That will never happen, Patrick," Alannah replied, a little too brusquely, trying to keep the note of sadness out of her voice. "I just can't be the sort of girl that men want me to be, I'm not beautiful, I like to work with my hands. My father would bust a gut if he saw me doing the things I'm doing. I was told that I was a Lady only to find out the truth was much worse, but why can't I get the one I truly want? Why can't I be like . . . well . . . like Rosemary?"
"Rosemary!" Patrick snorted. "Is she the reason you are ignoring Senor Beringer? She is a kept woman in search of yet another keeper, that one! Her father spoils her like the devil, and she knows nothing of anyone's feelings."
Alannah shrugged as they walked slowly up the hill towards the Chateau, she a barefoot, listless young girl in a simple peasant dress. He a stocky, ambling, middle-aged man in straw hat to cover his balding head, green work pants, plaid work shirt and suspenders. "I like her, though. She's perfectly suited to her role in life as Dominic's wife. She doesn't pretend to be what she's not."
Patrick gave her a look, jutting out his white moustache. "Oh? You think she is being honest? And who is pretending? And just what makes you think he wants Rosemary as his bride?"
Alannah stopped as she fumbled for words, causing Patrick to halt at her side and turn to her, her lip quivering as if she were getting ready to cry. "You think that I am pretending Patrick? You're right of course, I am not a peasant looking for work because I need to. My father is looking for me because I ran away from an arranged marriage. A marriage that would have stopped the civil unrest in our neighboring villages. I am the daughter of a war criminal known as Spencer Ferguson, he is also the Governor of our little village in Dalkey. He is a powerful man and I am afraid of him, that is why I am here - I am hiding here away from that life." Alannah said, tears rolling down her eyes, "as for Rosemary, I don't know. She's just . . . sort of . . .remarkable, that's all. She is what she is."