The Betrothed Sister by Carol McGrath

Author:Carol McGrath
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Accent Press
Published: 2015-08-25T16:00:00+00:00

20

Shortly after Noon service, Prince Vsevolod summoned Thea to his receiving chamber. Lady Olga ordered her to wear a full veil and to walk straight, which was very difficult as Thea was still suffering from a sprained ankle. Thea asked Katya for her veil and her fur-lined mantle, and as Lady Olga tapped her foot impatiently, she deliberately spun out the time that she needed to make ready for this audience. Olga began to pace the chamber.

At last they were ready to leave her large, safe room. Led by Lady Olga, followed by Katya and Gudrun, Thea hobbled across the courtyard, through heavy carved oak doors, along a corridor lit with sconces, into the heart of the fortress. She was sure she saw Earl Connor in an alcove speaking to a group of boyars as they crossed the great hall. There was no time to stop. Olga urged them through the hall as if she were driving nanny goats to slaughter. Thea stumbled. Every time her maids tried to help her Lady Olga snapped, ‘The princess must walk unaided.’

Her journey to the prince was torturous, notwithstanding that she had an ominous feeling about what was awaiting her once they arrived. What could Prince Vsevolod know about her activities? She went to church diligently. She was preparing for her wedding. She had been befriended by Princess Anya and the other women of the terem. Her only adversary was Lady Olga. But then Lady Olga was sly. She was inclined to snoop and try to discover Thea’s shortcomings, though Thea wondered at this. She could not work out Lady Olga’s true motivation.

At last, they entered the receiving chamber. Prince Vsevolod, Princess Anya and Lord Michael were all seated behind a heavy table. They did not smile and she felt that she was the object of their displeasure. On the table lay a prayer mat. By St Theodosia, it was the one they had dropped during the attack on that boy. For a moment Thea thought about the boy. Surely he would be safe with Father Sebastian? Her glance returned to the table. A crumpled piece of parchment lay beside the prayer mat, one that had once been shaped like a bird. Her hand flew to her mouth and she was glad of her concealing veil. She felt the colour of guilt creeping up her neck into her face. How had they come by that prayer mat and how could they have they come by the note she had exchanged with her prince? If they knew that she had secretly met with the prince what would her fate be now? She glanced around. Olga and her husband were the only other occupants of the room apart from two guards hugging the wall by the door. A recess opened behind Prince Vsevolod but she could not see into it. Where was Vladimir? He should be here to defend her. The prince’s angry-looking father held aloft the crumpled note.

‘This was discovered in my son’s pouch last night when he came to join us for the Easter Masses.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.