The Merchant's Curse by Antony Barone Kolenc

Author:Antony Barone Kolenc
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV033140, JUVENILE FICTION / Religious/Christian/Historical, JUV028000, JUVENILE FICTION / Mysteries & Detective Stories, Children's historical fiction, Religious historical fiction, children's medieval fiction books
ISBN: 9780829454277
Publisher: Loyola Press
Published: 2022-10-17T00:00:00+00:00

15

Thomas

He stared at Godric’s ceiling, Christina gazing down at him. Why did she want his opinion on whether she should marry Nigel? Based on the way she’d acted toward Nigel these past few months, her answer to his proposal should have been a resounding, “I will!” Yet there she stood with doubt in her eyes, seeking advice from him: the one competing with Nigel for her affections.

Of course she should not marry Nigel, who seemed to think only of his own needs. His marriage proposal had been entirely self-centered: caring for him, loving him, producing an heir for him, and stopping him from falling down and all that. What of Christina’s needs?

Still she peered at him from under the wisp of orange hair that veiled the depths of her heart. She was waiting; she actually expected him to tell her what to do. That was something new under the sun—unless she was waiting for his answer so that she could do the opposite.

“Maybe this isn’t the wisest time to give Nigel an answer,” he whispered to her. “Maybe it should wait until Godric’s illness is resolved, whether it be to life or to the grave.”

When she finally answered Nigel, she repeated Xan’s advice nearly word-for-word.

“Of course, my dear,” Nigel said, bobbing his head as though it were his idea in the first place. “That makes absolute sense, with my uncle’s health so poor. We should wait to announce any blessed engagement ’twixt us. What was I thinking just now?”

As Nigel turned back to the sleeping body of Godric, a knock came upon the door—perhaps the healer again. Uncle William answered and soon reappeared with Thomas, the sheriff’s man, who had spoken with Uncle yesterday while they were confronting the witch.

“I am sorry to intrude,” Thomas said, smoothing his thick black mustache. He glanced at the dying body of Godric on the couch, and his face flashed with pity for a moment. “Unfortunately, I have a matter of great urgency to discuss with all of you. It simply cannot wait.”

“What is it then?” Nigel said sharply.

Thomas pulled a letter from the pouch upon his waist. “This letter was to be delivered to Duke Geoffrey in Paris . . . signed by you, Nigel.”

“How did you get that?” Nigel snapped. “I gave that letter to my most trusted courier for the speediest transport. It should have made it to Paris by tomorrow.”

Thomas smiled thinly. “As it turns out, Nigel, your most trusted courier also happens to be one of the sheriff’s most trusted men, though surely you did not know it ’til this very moment.”

“So the courier has been your betrayer,” Uncle said to Nigel. “Now it makes sense how the sheriff has kept so well-informed of your letters.”

Nigel stepped away from Godric and marched over to Thomas, pointing at the letter in his hand. “If you read the letter—which you clearly have done, despite its private nature—then you see that I write on behalf of the people of Lincoln about a local threat.

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