The Samurai's Daughter by John J. Healey

Author:John J. Healey
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781948924313
Publisher: Arcade
Published: 2019-06-19T16:00:00+00:00

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He went to Flanders. He took part in the siege of Breda. He got along well with Ambrosio Spinola. He witnessed much death and destruction, and for the first time in his life, he fell in love. The object of his passion was a young nobleman called Hermenegildo Van der Wyden. He was blond like my uncle, of German extraction, and from Granada. Given all the woe this gentleman caused me, my uncle apologized once again for this relationship, but then added, “You, yourself, though much younger than I, may have already taken note of the fact that in matters of the heart, we have no control.”

With the siege of Breda successfully concluded, Carlos returned to Spain bedecked with honors and accompanied by Hermenegildo. When he rejoined Caitríona in Sevilla, over eight months had passed since the couple had seen each other. She told me she noticed the change in him at once. He was broader and more handsome, more serious. He had taken on a gait and posture and a set of facial expressions that were modeled, ironically, or so she imagined, after his own deceased father. She did not hesitate to say as much aloud to him, and to her relief the comment amused and even seemed to please him.

“War alters a man,” he said to her, though I suspect he had not once unsheathed his sword in battle. “And passion,” he added.

“Passion?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “A he or a she?”

“The former my dear, not to fear.”

“So not everything has changed.”

“No.”

“I’m glad for it,” she said.

“But we’re to make an heir, Caitríona,” he said. “The king has all but commanded it.”

“What an odd thing for a king, or anyone, to command,” she replied, “especially in light of the fact that you already have an heir in my son.”

“I have given this careful consideration,” he said, “and I can assure you, in writing if you wish, that Patrick’s fortune and future shall not in any way be diminished. But if you could produce another boy, for me, it would bode well for all of us.”

“To have it in writing will suit me fine,” she said.

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