Lord of Midnight Read Online Free PDF Page B

though, wouldn’t they? Since Father has made enemies.”
    Lady Agnes actually growled. “The shock’s turned you silly, girl.
What
use? Henry Beauclerk is his father’s son, the Conqueror’s son. He’s taken a tight grip on his kingdom. If we so much as blink at this man he’s sent, he’ll swoop with an army to scourge the area. If we had stone walls he’d tear them down and them to crush our bones!”
    “So what are we do to? Why are you telling us all this?”
    “Heaven help us all, girl.You do as I did!” She glared at the three of them. “There’s three young maids in Summerbourne. One of you marries the man, and we all live here as before.”
    “Just as before!” Claire leaped to her feet in outrage. “Have you forgotten Father is
dead
?”
    Her grandmother looked up at her, and Claire saw the tears. “I birthed him and fed him from my breast. I guided his steps and birched him to teach him sense.” Then she scowled again. “I obviously didn’t birch him hard enough. So now one of you must marry this new lord.”
    “It certainly won’t be me!” said Claire.
    “Nor I!” yelped Amice, pale eyes huge.
    “Nor I,” snapped Felice. “Come, sister, we must go and change into somber clothing.”
    However, Claire had detected a hint of hesitation in Felice’s response and it stirred hope. As her aunt steered her twin toward the wooden stairs, Claire told herself that if a marriage was necessary, Felice would come to like the idea.
    Despite a notable degree of beauty, at twenty Felice had not yet found a husband. She wanted one, but only one she considered worthy of her. She wanted to marry a great man, or one destined for greatness. Surely a man given a rich estate…
    “Felice won’t do,” Lady Agnes said.
    Claire turned to her. “Why not? As the bride’s mother, you’ll be able to live here.”
    “Live in hell. She could eat honey morn till night, that one, and it wouldn’t sweeten her tongue.”
    “She’ll be better tempered when she has what she wants—a man of importance in her bed.”
    “And why doesn’t she have one, fair of face as she is?”
    Claire tried to be tactful. “The nearby families are not of great estate. And Father was more inclined to invite scholars to Summerbourne than nobles. You know Felice complained of it.”
    “Half the county knows she complained of it! But what makes you think a visiting noble would have fallen prey to her charms?”
    “She is very beautiful.”
    “Beautiful as glass, and just as hard. True enough that none of the local men were good enough for her, but did you ever see any of them try to court her?”
    “She made it clear that she had no interest—”
    “A man can spot a shard of glass when it glints at him.”
    Claire turned to look into her grandmother’s eyes. “Well, if Felice is cold, hard, and sharp, she’s exactly the bride this usurper deserves! Anyway, the man’s probably married with a family of his own.”
    “Landless men don’t marry, and this is probably his first estate. It’s the usual way. Seal ownership by marrying into the family. Happened to me. It’ll happen to one of you.”
    “Not to me. I’d rather leave.”
    Has to be you.
    Claire tried to turn the conversation. “Shall I help you to the chapel, Gran?”
    “I’m not moving,” the old woman grumped, seeming much like a peevish child. “I suffered enough bringing him into the world. I’m not suffering to see him out.” But she knuckled away some tears and Claire knew how deeply she must be suffering.
    Claire could cry too, but if she started, she might never stop.
    She knelt by her grandmother’s chair. “I’ll order one of your herb drinks to help with the pain so you can get there.”
    Lady Agnes turned watery eyes to her and patted her cheek. “You’re a good child, Claire. A good child. You remind me of myself back when my Thomas rode up. You’ve got to marry this man.”
    “No!”
    “Yes. You’ve the strength for it, and the