The Fall by Claudia Dain

Author:Claudia Dain
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: 0
Published: 2014-05-09T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

They found her in Maud’s chamber and ushered her across the gallery to her father’s solar. Since two men-at-arms had found her and now flanked her, their callused hands on her elbows, it would seem that they expected some rebellion from her.

In that, she disappointed them.

She was not going to engage in a fruitless tussle upon the well-lit height of the gallery. Nay, her fighting would take place in private, as it had once before.

Her father lay quietly upon his bed, his body shrunken into the mattress, the linen sheet lying almost flat as it covered him. He looked almost shrouded, his death hovering, breathing cold against him, robbing him of the breath of life. All but his eyes; his eyes glowed like an old and steady fire, throbbing with life and purpose and will. She was comforted by those eyes.

Conor was in the chamber, as were Father Matthew, Walter, the scribe, even Baldric, the groom. Juliane raised her brows at Baldric in question; he shrugged in answer and pointed discreetly to her father. Philip wanted Baldric here? That meant only one thing, and it was no surprise to her.

“She is here,” Conor said.

“Aye, I am, Father,” she said. Conor would not speak for her, not with her own father.

Before another word could be said, there was a press and movement of bodies at her back and Ulrich slid into the room. Nay, she was not surprised.

“It has been decided,” Conor began.

“It has been decided,” Walter said more loudly, grasping the reins of this announcement and pulling hard for control, “that Juliane be wed to Ulrich of Caen, though no more to be named of Caen, but of St. Ives. Let the marriage take place now. We begin with the signing of the contracts.”

“Tell her the terms,” Philip whispered.

Juliane kept her eyes on her father, trying to read his intention in that vivid blue, blue which shone more fiercely now than ever before, as if the very skies of heaven were reflected there.

“Juliane,” Walter said, silencing Conor with a look. “Our lord and father would not leave you without the protection of a man’s name and might when he passes out of this life. He would leave you within the grasp of a loving”—and here Walter looked briefly at Ulrich, who met his look—“protector.”

“I do understand the concept, Walter,” Juliane said curtly. “What are the terms?”

“Ulrich has been given St. Ives, which you know, but also, on your part, it has been suggested—”

“What?” she interrupted. Walter really could be so very long-winded at times.

“That the consummation be achieved under many eyes,” Conor said with a slight smile of satisfaction. “With many witnesses to verify that this marriage is lawful and within the measure and meaning of church doctrine.”

“Many?” she breathed. “Am I to be pierced for the amusement of all Stanora? Shall this breaching take place on a table in the hall? Shall bets be wagered on the cries ripped from me?”

She said all with calm calculation and cold precision.

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