Sword of the Crown by Paul J. Bennett

Author:Paul J. Bennett [Bennett, Paul J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
Publisher: Paul J Bennett

Autumn 957 MC

She returned to Wincaster with no fanfare, not even an acknowledgement of her situation. She was assigned a billet and given the captain’s quarters again for privacy, but the other knights shunned her. The days passed slowly, and she found it easier to endure them by adopting a routine. She would go out riding early each morning, then practise with weapons until lunch. The afternoons were usually busy doing paperwork, for she was still one of the few knights who could understand the accounts. She had already found numerous cases of corruption, it appeared every supplier of equipment overcharged, and it hadn’t taken long to find out why; the suppliers were all associates of Marshal-General Valmar or the king. It looked as if the king’s favour extended to making a considerable profit. She had put an end to some of it rather quickly, by conducting the sale herself. She would travel to the supplier and negotiate prices, without indicating who she was buying for. She had already managed to save more than she had spent, and she was just warming up.

She had been back for almost a month and was poring over the knight's books in her room. She was sure the suppliers were shorting her on grain for the horses, so she was meticulously examining the ledger for any signs of tampering when there was a knock at her door.

“Come in,” she said absently.

The door opened, and a man entered. She looked up to see who the intruder was.

“Father!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were back in Wincaster. How have you been?”

“Very well, my dear,” he answered, and she relaxed for the first time in a long while. She felt the warm glow of her father's love and smiled. Knowing she couldn’t tell him about Shrewesdale, she tried to deflect the conversation.

Of course, he wanted to know all about how she was doing, what she up to, all the usual topics of conversation. It only took a few moments for him to make her feel good about herself again.

Finally, he came around to the true purpose of his visit. “Tell me; you had to guard Princess Margaret a few years ago, do you remember the name of the tutor she had?”

“Hard to forget,” she answered. “His name was Renfrew.” She remembered the trouble she had caused by slapping him. Would she change her actions if she could? No, the man got what he deserved, even if she had to pay the price.

Her father was being mysterious and wouldn’t say why this was so important.

“Meet me tomorrow for a luncheon, and I’ll explain it all to you,” he said.

“Agreed.”

He walked over to her and hugged her as if sensing it was what she needed. Had he heard of her disgrace? She swallowed her tears; she didn’t want to burden him with it.

"I'm very proud of you, Beverly; your mother would have been as well. Tomorrow then, the usual place?"

"Of course, Father, but perhaps I'll wait till you've had time to finish that smelly cheese.

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