Flora was practically bursting with joy from what she was hearing. “Then it seems you are a man of means, my lord,” she said. Then, she looked at her sister. “Don’t you think so, Meadow? Is he not more than worthy to seek Lista’s hand?”
Meadow had been listening to all of it, unsure what to say. Certainly he sounded quite suitable, but Meadow had a blind spot when it came to her only daughter. She cared about thewoman’s feelings and if this wasn’t what Lista wanted, then Meadow didn’t want it, either– no matter what Flora said. That was usually where she drew the line if she was strong enough.
The question was would she be strong enough now.
“You seem more than suitable, my lord,” she finally said. “Have… have you spoken to my daughter yet?”
Louis shook his head. “I have not, my lady,” he said. “I did not want to overstep my bounds. I thought it best to come to you directly.”
“And so you have,” Flora said, answering for Meadow. “I am sure my sister would be more than happy to have you court her daughter. As she said, you are suitable and…”
“And you will let me make that decision,” Meadow interrupted in a surprising show of courage. Her gaze moved from her sister to the young knight. “My lord, you will give me some time to mull this over and speak with my daughter. This is a big decision and I will not make it lightly.”
Louis was perhaps surprised by Lady Felkington’s show of strength but he nodded respectfully. “Of course, my lady,” he said. “I have asked permission to remain at Felkington for a few days already, but would it be too much trouble to remain until you have decided?”
“I cannot promise you that I will make a decision in a few days.”
“I understand, my lady. But may I remain, anyway?”
“You may.”
That seemed to please Louis a great deal. “Thank you, my lady,” he said. “I promise that I shall be no trouble at all, but rather, I shall try to be an asset to Felkington.”
Meadow wasn’t even sure what to say to all of that. Flora was practically foaming at the mouth, but Meadow wasn’t quite so eager.
Things were starting to change a little with her as far as Flora was concerned.
It was true that Flora had kept her from killing herself in those days following Simon’s murder. Flora had always been in control, telling her what to do and when to do it, but now… now, it wasn’t only Meadow that Flora was trying to control. It was Lista and that didn’t sit well with Meadow. Flora was trying to control the entire destiny of the House of de la Mere.
She wasn’t entirely sure she was willing to go along with it any longer.
With a brief nod, she turned away as Louis excused himself and headed from the chamber. When he was gone and the door shut softly, Flora turned to her sister.
“Why are you so stubborn about this?” she demanded. “This is exactly what we’d hoped for. He is perfect!”
Meadow held up a hand to silence her. “For whom?” she said. “You? You’re trying so hard to regain your position in court that you are failing to realize Lista may not wish to be courted by him.”
Flora was outraged. “You are her mother,” she said. “Youwill tell her who to marry, Meadow. Lista should have no opinion in this matter.”
Meadow shook her head wearily. “I have a feeling she will have a good deal to say on the matter.”
“Not if you do not let her.”
Meadow didn’t reply. She wasn’t prepared to get into a battle with her sister who was both her protector and her bully. Deep down, she knew that Flora was correct and that Louis de Rhos was truly a fine candidate for her daughter, but she simply didn’t want to make that decision. Not yet. Instead, she went to the bowl in the center of the chamber where the hemp leaf was burning and inhaled deeply, inviting that blissful stupor that itprovided. It was escape from her world, escape from things she didn’t want to deal with– or couldn’t deal with, Flora included.
Sleep came because of the sweet-smelling smoke, carrying her off into the land of no pain, no sorrows. She vaguely remembered Flora leaving the chamber but she didn’t pay her any regard. She drifted off as Flora went to find Louis, telling the man that he had Meadow’s permission to court Lista. Sometimes, Meadow didn’t remember what she said or did when she was intoxicated with the smoke from the hemp, so Flora used that to her advantage. She wanted to return to court, now as a relation to an earl, and she was going to use Louis de Rhos to get it.
To hell with her sister’s reluctance.
As Meadow slept away the morning hours, Flora was wreaking havoc.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“We should returnto Pelinom,” Ashton said seriously. “From what you have said, Julian is about to ruin his life. The man ought to know what he’s doing to himself.”
In the mostly empty great hall of Felkington, with only a few wounded still crowded into one corner, Addington and Ashton were standing over by the big oriel window that overlooked the bailey. Down below, they could see men moving about their business, repairing weapons or saddles or a variety of other tasks. The world was going on around them, normal for this bright and sunny day, but all Addington could feel as she watched them was turmoil.
There was much turmoil happening as far as she was concerned.
