by Jody Hedlund
I waited for her to continue her rebuke, knowing I deserved every word. It was no laughing matter to be branded a witch. I could be ostracized. I could be publicly humiliated. Or worse. So far, only a few trusted servants, like the ones accompanying us, knew about my mark. That was the way Grandmother wanted to keep it. For obvious reasons, I wanted to keep it that way too.
But I hadn’t been able to stand back and watch that bandit kill my dear little bird.
“Promise me one thing,” Grandmother said softly.
“Anything.”
“When we arrive at Maidstone, give me your word you will not take off your gloves. Not under any circumstance.”
“Of course, my lady. You must know that I loathe removing them. I would never do so unless under the most dire circumstances.”
“Not under any circumstance,” Grandmother insisted.
I hesitated.
“Promise me, Sabine.”
Why would I need to take off my gloves in front of the Windsors? It was to be a simple and short visit. I would be evaluating and purchasing artwork. That’s all. But if Grandmother felt better having my word, then I would give it. “Very well. I promise.”
Chapter
3
“EXCUSE ME, SIR BENNET.” A BALDING SERVANT WITH A sweaty face leaned down to whisper in my ear, interrupting my conversation with one of the local thatchers.
I sat at the front of the great hall in Aldric’s chair of honor. The long room was lined with tables down the length of each side. Banners hung on the walls, their bright colors a contrast to the gray stone. Late-afternoon sunshine poured in through high, narrow, arched windows and illuminated the people gathered in clusters, waiting to see me. The waft of roasting goose along with the sweet tang of stewed apples and honey had filtered into the great hall, making my stomach growl.
A scribe stood nearby taking meticulous notes and calling people forward in an orderly fashion. I’d opened the castle doors to hear cases and dispense justice nearly every day. Although it was tiring, and at times even felt fruitless, it had become apparent that the people in Hampton needed the leadership. They’d been without it for too long.
I’d started with the underlying motivation to collect overdue taxes and rents; however, I soon realized that I’d never glean enough in such a manner. It simply wasn’t possible to collect from people who had almost nothing. Their animated chatter, along with the bleat of a goat and clucking of chickens, told me the peasants were eager to please me and give out of the little they had even if it meant they had to part with their livestock.
But how could I demand that they pay when I myself was in the same situation? Helpless and penniless. Instead, I found myself settling disputes, providing sentences for crimes, and attempting to restore order to my brother’s lands.
“You have visitors,” the servant whispered. “And her ladyship requests your presence in greeting the guests.”
“Thank you,” I replied, exhaling a tense breath. “You may tell Lady Windsor that I’ll be along as soon as I am able.”
The servant rose only a fraction. “Sir,” he said again, hesitantly.
I cocked a brow at him, hoping to convey my irritation.
His face turned red. “Your mother said you might delay and that I was to make sure you came with all haste.”
“Please tell her that I’ll be there in due time.” The finality of my tone gave the servant no choice but to leave with my message. I didn’t want to distress my mother, but she knew how reluctant I was to embrace the current arranged-marriage scheme.
I nodded at the thatcher to continue his complaints, but as he again attempted to relay details of a fire that had destroyed a half-thatched roof, my mind wandered to the attempts my mother had already made during the past month to find me a wealthy bride. The plans had come to naught, just as I’d suspected they would. What moneyed woman in her right mind would want to marry me when I had so little to offer in exchange?
Mother had assured me this newest visitor would be better, that she was perfect for me. But I was doubtful the woman would want to marry me either, especially once she learned about the threats to Maidstone.
I’d sent Lord Pitt and two other neighboring lords several petitions, begging them for a reprieve. But I hadn’t received any replies, and I had the terrible feeling that time was running out for me, for Aldric, and for Maidstone.
I’d already sold a couple of paintings—had forced myself to part with them even though letting them go had been excruciating. However, the amount I’d garnered hadn’t come close to what they were worth. It appeared word about our grim financial situation had spread, and now buyers assumed we were desperate enough to accept a pittance. It was thievery, and I wouldn’t have any part of it.
A flurry near the side door drew my attention. At the sight of Mother gliding into the room, I stood and excused myself from the current proceeding. As I made my way to her, I had to fight back my growing frustration at the helplessness of our situation. I’d come home to restore my family’s honor, and so far I hadn’t been able to make a single difference.
“Sir Bennet, you are needed with all haste,” Mother said in a tone that contained reproach even though her features were kind and almost empathetic.
At the side of the great hall we had a measure of privacy, except for the balding servant, who stood on the other side of the door refusing to meet my accusatory gaze. I took my mother’s hand and pressed a kiss against it. “I was hoping you would be willing to greet the guests in my stead so that I might finish here.”
Although the slight lift of her brows told me she saw past my excuse, she was too gracious to say so. “We cannot afford to offend the Dowager Lady Sherborne or her granddaughter.”
“If my absence already offends them, then we have no hope.”
“Please, Bennet.” Mother’s beautiful eyes pleaded with me.
I couldn’t resist her, and she knew it. I’d do anything for her, even though my body tensed at the prospect of having to meet another young woman who would only reject me. I bowed my acquiescence, and Mother rewarded me with a smile and a gentle stroke to my cheek. Then she slipped her hand into the crook of my arm and allowed me to lead the way out of the great hall to the receiving room.
“Promise me that this time you will not say anything about Lord Pitt’s threat?” she whispered as we neared the door to the small room that stood to the side of the wide entryway of the keep.
“I’ve only wanted to be completely honest about our dangerous situation,” I said.
“And we shall be honest,” Mother replied, “but only after you have had the chance to charm this woman.”
“Do you think that’s fair to her?”
“The Dowager Lady Sherborne is already aware of our financial needs.” Mother pulled me to a stop. “And she is still very eager to make this match for her granddaughter.”
I glanced at the half-open door to the receiving room. “Very eager?”
“Yes, Bennet.” Mother’s lovely features turned earnest. “So, please, promise you will tread carefully this time.”
I wanted to ask what was wrong with the granddaughter that Lady Sherborne was so willing to ally with us. But I stifled my skepticism. Although I didn’t like the idea of being deceptive, I told myself the Sherborne family likely already knew the risks in their association with us. Our mounting debts and the tension with neighboring lords was clearly no longer a secret.
“This girl could be our last hope,” Mother whispered in a voice that was approaching tears. “You must win her hand.”
“Very well,” I said, wishing with all my heart that I could spare Mother any further distress. She’d already borne so much. “I shall do my best to be chivalrous.”
As we stepped through the door and into the dimly lit receiving room, I resolved to leave my dreams of marrying for love behind. In some small way, perhaps I’d still been clinging to the hope that I’d be able to dredge up some feelings of affection for one of thes
e wealthy women. What I really wanted was to find a beautiful bride and fall madly in love, just as my friends had.
But it was time to accept the truth. Falling in love wasn’t to be my lot in life. Marrying for money was.
I pushed down my hesitancy and the queasiness the whole plan brought me and squared my shoulders. A woman stood in front of a fire blazing on the hearth. She still wore her traveling cloak and gloves, and was intently studying the large panel painting above the fireplace of King David playing the harp.
At the sound of our entrance, the woman turned, revealing a distinguished but wrinkled face. Her brows were furrowed over stern eyes, which locked immediately upon me. She lifted her long nose just slightly, and her lips pressed together as though she were displeased. I had the vague recollection of having met her once before, but I couldn’t place where.
“Dowager Lady Sherborne,” Mother said, tugging me across the receiving room toward the newcomer. “I am pleased to introduce you to my son, Sir Bennet Windsor.”
I bowed and upon rising I reached for the woman’s hand, kissed it briefly, then stood again to my full height. “It’s my pleasure to meet you, my lady.”
She sniffed and started walking around me very slowly.
“Where is your granddaughter, my lady?” Mother asked with a puzzled glance around the room. “She was here when I left you.”
“She was utterly exhausted from our travels,” Lady Sherborne said tersely. “So I had the servants take her to her chambers.”
“I’m sorry,” Mother replied. “If I’d known, I would have had my servants take her right away. It’s just that she seemed so talkative and energetic—”
“Appearances aren’t always what they seem.” Lady Sherborne continued to circle around and assess me as though I were a life-sized marble sculpture she was considering purchasing. She even had the audacity to wrap her hand around my arm, perhaps testing for the presence of muscles. She poked me in the chest, prodded my back, grabbed my hand and studied my fingers before finally assessing my facial features, pushing my cheek first one way and then the other to study my profile. I waited for her to demand that I open my mouth so she could count to make sure I had all my teeth.
Finally, she released me and stepped back. “Can he sire children?”
“While he’s never had the opportunity to discover that,” I replied, unable to keep my sarcasm at bay, “it’s highly likely that he’s quite capable of doing his duty when the need arises.”
Mother gasped softly at my brazenness.
Lady Sherborne’s lips pursed together into a tight circle. She tilted her head and met my gaze. I was surprised to see a spark of humor in her eyes.
“What Sir Bennet means to say,” Mother rushed, “is that he is young and healthy and has never had any illnesses that might interfere—”
"How young?”
“Twenty years,” I replied.
“How much schooling?”
“All my life. I had the best tutors—”
"What are your hobbies?”
And so the questions continued, one after another. I was taken aback by Lady Sherborne’s directness, but answered every one of her endless queries without hesitation. I couldn’t help but get the impression that she’d sent her granddaughter away so that she might have this moment alone with me to assess my worthiness before any introductions were made.
While I could understand the need to screen for suitability, by the time she finished, I felt like an insecure page serving his new lord for the first time. “I suppose he will do,” Lady Sherborne said, spinning me around one more time.
Mother released an audible sigh. “I am sure you will not be disappointed. Sir Bennet is a charmer when he wants to be. And as you can see, he is quite handsome. Just like his father was. Sir Bennet never fails to turn the heads of young ladies wherever he goes.”
“Well, let us hope he does not fail in the case of my granddaughter,” Lady Sherborne said rather wryly.
“Then you are willing for my scribe to draw up an agreement of marriage?” Mother asked, her face alight with hope.
“I am willing to consider it.” Her ladyship narrowed her eyes upon me again. “But before I can sign anything, I really must have several more days to watch your son’s character. As I said before, appearances can be deceiving. I would like to know him better before making such a critical decision.”
I wanted to blurt out that we might not have several more days, that delaying could be disastrous. But one sideway glance of reproach from Mother reminded me of my promise to her that I wouldn’t talk about the neighboring threats. At least not yet.
Although a tiny furrow of worry formed in Mother’s flawless forehead, she continued to negotiate smoothly. “You are right, my lady. We shall give everyone the chance to get to know each other a little bit before moving into formal arrangements.”
Already, we’d made more progress in the few short minutes of conversation with Lady Sherborne than we’d made with any of the other families that had come to visit. I should feel relieved. But strangely, my nerves had knotted.
Lady Sherborne crossed to the door with sharp footsteps. I thought she would leave without another word, but she stopped abruptly in the doorway and turned to level another look of warning at me. “You must not mention our discussion or plans to Lady Sabine. She is rather sensitive about the situation.”
What did that mean? Was Lady Sabine as hesitant as I was about this whole arrangement?
“Your job, Sir Bennet, is simply to charm my granddaughter. If you can win her, you will win me as well. That is all.”
As Lady Sherborne exited the room, I exhaled. Charm Lady Sabine? That would be easy. I was rather accomplished at charming women. If I set my mind to it, how hard could it be to woo this young lady?
“You will have to work fast,” Mother said, breaking into my thoughts. “We do not have time to lose.”
I nodded. “Then let’s get started right away.”
Chapter
4
“I don’t need to dress so elaborately,” I said to Grandmother, who was overseeing my maid’s ministrations to my hair. “I’m here to buy artwork, not become a work of art.”
Grandmother tilted her head and studied me from the front. “Twist the hair on the right side higher.”
Lillian moved to obey, sweeping my lifeless brown hair into a strange twist. In the long oval mirror attached to the dressing table in front of me, I was surprised by the transformation the new gown and new hairstyle had wrought.
“The gowns are early birthday presents,” Grandmother had explained when she’d had the maid unpack them from the bottom of one of the large chests. “Your others are much too simplistic and childish. It is time for you to be seen as the lady you have become.”
How could I argue with that? As I’d donned the first gown, the luxurious lapis lazuli hue had reminded me of the bright blue lapis beads of an ancient necklace I’d purchased last year on another of my buying expeditions.
“If only I had my lapis bead necklace,” I said, glancing into the mirror at my neck, which was long and pale and unflattering.
“I have something better.” Grandmother motioned to her lady’s maid, who bent to retrieve an item out of the open chest. When she lifted a strand of blue pearls, I jumped up from the dressing table bench with a gasp. I was speechless for a full five seconds, which was an eternity for me.
“Where did you find such a treasure?” I asked, finally finding my voice and striding toward the maid. I stopped before her, too awestruck to touch the rare pearls.
“I have had them since I was your age.” Grandmother’s brusque, businesslike tone softened. “Your grandfather gave them to me when we were betrothed.”
The ivory blue glistened in the faint light of the wall sconces, which were already lit in the fading evening. I didn’t know if I dared to touch the necklace. Not only was it extremely valuable monetarily, but it apparently held great personal worth to Grandmother. “They’
re exquisite. But you cannot mean for me to wear them.”
“You are right.” Her lips pursed inward. “I had planned for you to stand and gawk at them all evening.”
“If you insist,” I teased back. “Then ’twould be my delight. We shall drape them across a bed of ermine, place them on a pedestal of honor, and spend the evening gaping at them—”
“Put them on.” Grandmother waved impatiently at Lillian, who scuttled behind me and draped the pearls around my neck. The cool smoothness of the beads gave me tingles.
After fastening the clasp, the maid smiled and spun me back to the mirror. “You’re lovely, my lady.”
I started to protest. I’d never been lovely; there was no need to start flattering me now. But as I lifted my gaze to my reflection, my breath caught. I wasn’t beautiful like many of the young noblewomen I associated with from time to time. But for once, I had a measure of radiance, a soft glow that seemed to hide my plainness. I didn’t know if the change came from the new dress, the strange hairstyle, or the rare blue pearls, but I couldn’t stop swishing back and forth, testing myself at all angles, and peering closer into the mirror, all the while waiting for that image to disappear and be replaced with mousey old me.
“We must go now,” Grandmother said, gathering her skirt and starting toward the door. “The Windsors are expecting us to join them for the evening meal and entertainment.”
I frowned. “I’d much rather forgo the entertainment and have a look at the art collection I’ve heard so much about.”
“You’ll have plenty of time for all of that during the course of our visit,” Grandmother said over her shoulder. “Besides, you’ll do better in your negotiating if you have the chance to make a good first impression.”
“My silver coins are quite capable of doing all the impressing. They don’t need my interference.”