Chapter Thirteen #2
Summer’s smile faded as well, remembering the pain of Genisa’s failed pregnancy like a stab to her heart.
She remembered her brother crying for hours by the darkened hearth in the grand solar, cursing God for the death of his child in one breath and thanking him for the spared life of his wife in the next.
Summer recollected his pain, recalling Bose’s anguish along a similar subject as well.
Stephan had merely lost his child; Bose had lost his entire family.
Genisa caught a glimpse of Summer’s dour expression. “Do not worry for us, darling. I did not mean to imply that Stephan still aches with regret for what could have been. He’s quite happy and there will be more….”
Summer shook her head, fighting off the gloom that intimidated her soul. “I k-know,” she whispered. “It’s just… Bose lost his wife and son in childbirth. I c-c-cannot imagine what would have become of S-Stephan had he lost you, as well.”
Genisa noticed the return of Summer’s stammer as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her.
When she was calm and content, the stammer was noticeably less.
But when her sentiment or feelings flared, the stutter returned like an evil addiction.
Digesting that particular bit of observation, Genisa endeavored to push the gloom of death out of the conversation.
“Fortunately, he did not,” she said with forced courage she did not feel.
Speaking on the subject of failed pregnancies, especially her own, greatly depressed her.
“As for you, my newly betrothed darling, I expect the next time you return to Chaldon that it would be with a child in your arms as well. Mayhap our children will grow up together.”
Laboring to cast aside her darkened mood, Summer smiled weakly. “Mayhap,” suddenly, she emitted a soft giggle. “I t-told Bose of my plans to name our firstborn son Kermit.”
The depressing atmosphere instantly vanished as Genisa joined Summer in her laughter. “Sir Kermit de Moray! What a wonderful name!”
“He hates it.”
“So do I! What a wonderfully horrid name!”
Summer and Genisa screamed with laughter, drawing the attention of few in the lodges.
When Summer suggested the name Percy for Stephan’s first-born son, Genisa laughed so heartily that she nearly hyperventilated.
Chortling and snorting as their good humor made a bold returned, the two women were unaware when Edward and another figure approached, claiming the chairs made available by hovering servants.
Summer’s laughter was cleaved as a foul-smelling odor swept her, followed shortly by a warm body seated indecently close. Turning with shock to the source of the warmth and smell, she was immediately confronted with small blue eyes and a pock-marked face.
Breck smiled lasciviously. “Greetings, sweetling. How delicious you look today.”
Stunned and instantly angered, Summer indiscreetly moved her chair away from him. “I will thank you for not sitting so c-close to me, my lord. Since our encounter last eve, I would b-believe our contact to be ended.”
“Ended?” Breck’s eyebrows rose in conjecture, looking to Edward seated far over Summer’s shoulder.
When the man did not respond to his queried expression, Breck returned his attention to his newly betrothed, laughing softly in disagreement.
“Our association has not ended, sweetling. It has only just begun.”
Disgusted and unnerved, Summer struggled not to pinch her nose in obvious repulsion to the man’s smell. “My future husband says it is ended. P-Please leave before I am f-forced to summon him.”
Breck sat back in the chair, making himself comfortable and eyeing Summer with a good deal of indifference. “Summon de Moray if you feel it necessary. But I have the law and the church on my side and may do with you as I please.”
Summer eyed the man, her anger and disgust melding into a wide mass of confusion and mounting apprehension. “W-What are you talking about?”
Breck looked lazily to his dirty nails, selecting the proper finger to chew. “Ask your father. ’Tis his right to tell you, after all.”
That statement brought a blow of terror slamming into Summer’s abdomen.
The moment he brought her father into the conversation, the general confusion and fury felt for the repulsive knight transformed into a premonition so sinister that she could barely comprehend it.
Turning toward her father, she fixed the fat man with her awesome golden gaze.
“What would you tell me, Father?” she asked.
Amazingly, Edward was not drunk this morn. In fact, he appeared rather clear-eyed and alert as he met his daughter’s gaze. He matched her expression a long moment before looking away, his eyes wandering over the colorful lists.
“You are officially betrothed, Summer,” he said. “To a man of my choosing.”
Summer’s heart did a wild dance against her ribs as she fought to control her breathing. “I know. B-B-Bose informed m-me last eve that you gave him your permission that we might b-be wed.”
Edward turned to her then, a flash of anger and defiance in his faded blue eyes.
“The man you speak of caught me at a disadvantage last eve, as I was completely drunk with fine wine and unable to ponder the necessary factors relating to such a decision. With Ian as his accomplice, I could do little more than agree for fear of my life.”
Summer sat forward in her chair, her white-knuckled hands gripping the arm rests. “You cannot possibly m-mean to insinuate that B-Bose and Ian threatened you. You are speaking of your own son.”
“And I am speaking of a man who murdered his wife in order to obtain her dowry!” Edward roared.
Slamming his hands against the heavy oaken chair, the entire platform vibrated with his fury.
“There will be no wedding to de Moray, Summer. As of this day, you are officially pledged to Breck Kerry and I have the necessary documentation to prove it. Nothing Bose de Moray can do will ever break the contract enforced by the Holy Church.”
Instead of flying into a hysterical rage, Summer stared at her father as if the man had completely lost his mind.
All of the color drained from her cheeks, leaving her a ghostly shade of gray.
As the rain continued to pour and the wind continued to wail, Summer rose steadily from her delicately carved chair.
Her eyes, her expression, never wavered from Edward’s perspiring face.
“You are mad,” she hissed. “I’ll n-never marry Breck, father. You promised Bose….”
“A verbal sanction and nothing more. There was never any firm agreement between us.”
“Ian was there. He w-witnessed the bond. If you go back on your word, I’ll never forgive you. Never.”
Edward was unconcerned with his daughter’s feelings.
The only matter of concern was the fact that she had been informed of her true betrothal and he suddenly felt the need for the soothing comfort of his fine wines.
Motioning to his servant, the finely-clad man brought forth a lovely crystal carafe and began to pour.
Handing the matching crystal chalice to his lord, the servant was abruptly covered with the burgundy liquid as Summer viciously slapped the alcohol from her father’s hand.
“You will not ignore me!” she commanded, her fury rising in spite of her attempts to control it. Moving toward her father, she put herself between the startled servant and her equally startled sire. When she spoke, her voice was a hissing whisper.
“You have ignored me your entire life, Father, but no longer,” she said.
“When I was young, I liked to believe that you kept me safely shielded because you were concerned for my mental well-being. But as time and age has matured my wisdom, I have c-come to realize that you kept me isolated not because you loved me, but because you were afraid of what others would think of your flawed, defective child. Therefore, you kept me sequestered like a freak. Not shielded as a loved one.”
Edward refused to meet her gaze, a peculiar shade of red mottling his cheeks.
The heralds were ready to begin the bout, politely waiting for the signal from the baron that would commence their duties, but no signal had been forthcoming as of yet.
The entire field hovered with anticipation and confusion as the games were unexpectedly delayed.
“L-Listen to me and listen well,” she murmured.
“I do not know what has c-compelled you to betroth me to a man you were determined to defend me against only two days ago, but know this; I do not recognize my b-betrothal to Breck Kerry. You gave your word to Bose, and Bose is who I shall marry. There is nothing on this earth that will prevent our union.”