Bestial by Arielle K Harris

Author:Arielle K Harris [Harris, Arielle K]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-09-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Madame Houblon sat in her parlour, above the main room of her husband’s public house. She was straight and still in her seat, a high-backed chair covered with simple but pretty floral fabric, she had made curtains to match which she now drew back from the window to look down at the street below. The stillness of her body belied the turmoil inside of her.

The words her son had spoken had filled her with dread. It had been so long since she had considered the sole resident of Castle Beaumont, but now she could not think of anything else.

Everyone had agreed she had married well, and Timothy Houblon was a good husband and a good man. But he did not understand why she refused to talk about her past, and why she sometimes had nightmares. His life was a simple one and so long as the seats were occupied, his rooms were full and the casks of ale were not, he was happy. But she was not happy.

There had been some pleasures in her life, it was true. Her wedding day, and night. The birth of her son. Watching him grow into the ungainly but sweet youth that he was now, kind to animals but tongue-tied with people. The smaller delights of a good meal or a bolt of fine fabric to furnish their home.

However, a higher concern always sat in her mind. An awareness of debt. One that she had incurred twice, and both times by what she did not do rather than what she did. The time she should have stayed, and the time she should have spoken.

From where she sat, Madame Houblon could see as a group of men left the pub and spilled out into the street. They walked with purpose towards the gates of the town and, watching them revel with one another, laughing and japing with grim amusement, made her suddenly stand, filled with determination.

She could not make this lie of omission any longer. She had to speak, and speak the truth. It might save a life that night, and redeem her own.

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