“His family is in the north, but he is not close to any of them,” she said. “Will you make sure he is buried near me?”
“I thought you would want him buried with you.”
She nodded her head slightly. “He is not my husband, so that may be frowned upon,” she said. “But if you can bury him within sight of me, I would be grateful. So would he. He was a good man, Douglas. I hope you came to realize that.”
Douglas nodded. “I did, my lady,” he said. “He has my respect.”
Isabel smiled faintly. “He would have liked to have heard that,” she said. “He was a great knight, once, but his wounding in battle… He was never the same. Men called him a coward for it, but he was not.”
“I know.”
Isabel took another breath, her smile fading. “I will be buried at St. Mary’s in the village,” she said. “That is where my brother and my mother and father are buried.”
“It will be done, my lady.”
Before Isabel could continue, there was a knock on the door. Douglas opened it to see Mira standing there, tears in her eyes that she quickly wiped away when he saw her. Reaching out, he took her hand and gently pulled her into the chamber, directing her sit on the stool that he’d been seated on.
Isabel smiled at her.
“Mira,” she murmured. “The daughter I never had. How I will miss you.”
Mira was trying desperately not to weep. Seeing Isabel fall off the wall had been bad enough, but to hear that she hadn’t died right away and was suffering was worse than Mira could have possibly imagined. Isabel meant so much to her and she was trying very hard to be brave in this last meeting.
These last few precious moments.
“And I will miss you, my lady,” she whispered tightly. “Are you in any pain? May I help you with anything?”
Isabel’s gaze was soft on her, probably the softest it had ever been. “What have you been told about my condition, Mira?”
Mira swallowed hard. “That you were badly injured.”
“I am dying, lass.”
So much for being brave. Mira’s face crumpled and she lowered her gaze, looking at her lap and sobbing softly. Douglas put his hand on her shoulder, rubbing gently, trying to give her some comfort.
Isabel was watching the both of them.
“I am glad you have come, Mira, because I have something to say to both of you,” she said. “I must have your permission.”
Mira’s head came up. “Permission for what?” she asked, puzzled.
Isabel didn’t answer for a moment. She was growing progressively weaker and was struggling to remain conscious.
“I have told Douglas that I was lying here, thinking,” she finally said. “My greatest regret is not marrying and having children. I hoped to, someday, but with Eric… I was cruel to the man. I should have married him. Now that my time is limited, I would like to ask your permission to marry, Mira.”
Mira wiped the tears on her cheeks, bewildered by the request. “Marry?” she said. “Why do you need my permission?”
“Because I want to marry Douglas.”
Mira’s eyes opened wide with shock and she looked at Douglas, who had the same startled expression.
“My lady?” he said, perplexed. “What do you mean?”
Isabel’s gaze moved to him. “Listen to me, Douglas,” she said. “I have no children. No one to carry on the Axminster title. No one to leave anything to. I want to marry you, and through me, you shall obtain the Axminster title. Once I am gone, you are free to marry Mira and she shall become the new Countess of Axminster. She will carry on my work here with the young wards. She will train them well. And you… you will be the greatest earl Axminster has yet to see. A de Lohr at the helm of our ancient title. I can die peacefully knowing Axminster shall survive… through the two of you. Will you grant me this honor, Douglas?”
Mira was nearly beside herself with shock, but that wasn’t half of what Douglas was feeling. He looked at Isabel, his jaw hanging open.
“I… I cannot,” he finally said.
