The Cracked Slipper by Stephanie Alexander

Author:Stephanie Alexander
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: N/A
Publisher: Bublish, Inc.
Published: 2019-11-25T00:00:00+00:00

Eleanor and Gregory rode up the Cliffside Road to Trill Castle. As they entered the courtyard Eleanor tried to praise his kindness to his old servant. “Nanny Flossa was right,” she said. “Why hide your compassion? It’s a fine quality.”

She meant it as a compliment, so his irritation surprised her. “I’m tired of this topic,” he said as he dismounted. “She wanted to meet you, so we went. Let’s be finished with it.”

“As you wish,” she said. She joined him on the ground.

Dorian walked purposefully out of the barn as she handed her gloves to a groom. “You’re back,” he said. “Good.”

“What is it?” asked Gregory.

“Is something wrong?” Eleanor added.

Dorian hesitated. His eyes flicked between them. Eleanor felt a twinge of annoyance when she understood Dorian did not want to speak in front of her.

“You know I’ll hear of it anyway,” she said.

Gregory shrugged, and Dorian waved both of them out of earshot of the grooms. “Some fishermen found the body of Thomas Harper Rowe.”

Eleanor had heard of Rowe, and how he had been accused of thievery and then disappeared. “Did he drown?” she asked.

“In a way, yes,” said Dorian. “He was tortured, bound, and thrown off a cliff.”

She gasped. Gregory, however, did not appear surprised in the least. “What are people saying?” he asked.

“People say it is frightening, but not unexpected if he was guilty of these crimes.”

“What of the Harpers?”

“They haven’t addressed it.”

Eleanor turned on Gregory. “Someone needs to address it. It sounds like he was murdered without a trial.”

“Eleanor—” Dorian began.

“He confessed,” said Gregory.

“So you knew about this? Dorian said he was tortured. You or I might confess to giving birth to a dragon under such duress.”

Gregory’s hands roamed from his eyes to his hair. “I’m tired. It’s been a long week.”

“I’m not finished!”

“Well I am,” Gregory said. His volume rose with each word. “An example needed to be made and it was made. Honor needed to be retained and it was retained. Why am I justifying myself to you? It’s not your place, and it’s beyond you anyway.”

Eleanor’s mouth fell open. “Beyond me?”

“I said I don’t want to bloody talk about it anymore!”

He stormed toward the groom leading Vigor into the barn. The boy saw him coming and tripped. He did not drop the reins, and the nose strap scraped across Vigor’s muzzle. It pulled Vigor’s head down and he stumbled along with his guide.

Gregory talked softly to Vigor until he calmed. The groom knelt on the ground, his head lowered. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, I’m sorry—”

Gregory jerked him to his feet before he could finish.

“Stupid ass!” he screamed into his face, and threw him to the ground again. He kicked the boy in the stomach. Vigor tossed his head and backed away.

“Gregory!” Eleanor cried.

“Stop,” said Dorian. “Don’t judge him this time, Eleanor.”

“He should judge himself!”

Dorian shook his head. “I would not be him in these matters. You don’t know what choices he has to make. Let me take care of it.”

Dorian trotted across the yard.

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.