Flora snorted and turned back to her jumble of pillows on the floor. “Then he is unworthy,” she said. “Only the strongest shall survive and that is Louis, the earl’s son. He has permission to court you so I suggest you get on with it. Your mother and I are eager to return to the grandeur that we are used to, so do your duty. Marry the earl’s son.”
Lista thought that was an odd comment and she peered at her aunt as the woman plopped down on her collection of dirty pillows.
“Grandeur that you’re used to?” she repeated in confusion. “What does that mean?”
“What do you think it means?” Flora said as she lay back and put her arm over her eyes. “Our mother was the daughter of an earl. You are aware that your mother and I spent our early years at court, something you did not do so you do not know what you are missing. It is time we reclaim our social status and the Sunderland son will accomplish that. Your husband’s father will be a well-placed man and that will get us into the finest houses in England.”
Lista couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So this was a ploy for you to regain social standing?” she said, appalled. “Is that what you are telling me?”
“A de Velt is good enough, but he is only the son of a great battle lord,” Flora said. “The family is prominent, but there is no grand title. No earldom. De Rhos is perfect if you will only do as you are told. He does not seem like an unpleasant man and he is handsome. It should please you that he is interested in you.”
Lista stared at her aunt in disbelief but it also occurred to her that Flora was the only one talking. So far, her mother had remained silent so she turned to Meadow, who was sitting on asmall chair, dazed because of all the hemp smoke she’d inhaled. Lista moved so that she was in her mother’s line of sight.
“Do you hear what she is saying?” she asked. “Is this why you gave permission to Louis to court me? Because you wanted social standing?”
Meadow looked at her daughter as if she didn’t understand the question. Then she abruptly nodded her head. “De Rhos seems pleasant enough,” she said. “Don’t you like him?”
Lista was quickly becoming exasperated. “He’s very nice, but I do not want to marry him,” she said. “I want to marry Julian but your little plan chased him out of Felkington. He saw me and Louis together and he thought… Mama, did you come up with this scheme? Or was it Flora?”
Meadow blinked as if startled by the question. She looked nervously at Flora, who by now was sitting up again and glaring at her ungrateful niece.
“We thought…” Meadow said, stammering. “There were two eligible knights and you must marry, Lista. I wanted to speak to you about it but I gave my permission for Louis to court you. He asked first. He seems like a nice enough man and he is the son of an earl.”
Lista listened to her mother stutter over her words, knowing immediately that her mother more than likely had been bullied into giving her permission. If, in fact, she even gave it at all. Flora was known to tell the servants and even Lista that she had a directive from Meadow when, in fact, her mother knew nothing about it. The whole situation was convoluted but Lista knew one thing– Flora was behind it. That little comment about reclaiming their social status clued her in. Flora had seen an opportunity with Louis. Now, her ambition was showing.
Lista’s rage began to build.
“I will not be forced into marriage by anyone,” Lista finally said, mostly to Flora. “It is Julian I want, not Louis. At least, Idid want Julian but now… now, whatever scheme you’ve tried to bring about has ruined everything and I’m not entirely sure I shall ever forgive you for that. Julian was kind and considerate and there was something about him that I found endearing and attractive. Now you’ve made it so he’s gone home and he’ll never come back, but that does not mean I want the earl’s son. I’m not sure I want anyone at all.”
“You are going to be a spinster if you do not marry soon,” Flora said. “Stop being stubborn and understand your duty, Girl. Your mother wishes for you to marry.”
Lista whirled on her aunt. “I want to be very clear to you so you understand what will happen when I marry,” she said through clenched teeth. “Be it a pauper’s son, a warlord’s son, or the son of a king, I will make sure you are nowhere near me. If you show yourself, I will have the guards throw you in the vault and toss the key in the nearest river. What I do will not elevate you in any way. I have told you this before, Flora– I owe you nothing. You mean nothing to me. And you shall get nothing from me no matter how much you try to manipulate the situation. Is this in any way unclear?”
Flora’s mouth worked as if she wanted to say something but she ended up falling back on the pillows, grumbling about her ungrateful niece. Lista’s gaze lingered on the woman for a moment, waiting for her to get up and start arguing, but she remained on the floor.
Lista finally turned to her mother.
“Stop allowing Flora to make your decisions for you,” she said. “Send her back to The Filey, Mama. Send her home. She has done nothing but drag you down into her pit of despair since Simon’s death and although I am sorry for what happened to my brother, you and I can get along without him. And without Flora. So please send her home before she ruins your life and my life along with yours. She’s already caused Amaury’s death. Whatmore will she do before you realize how terrible she is?Please, Mama.”
Meadow smiled tremulously at her daughter, reaching out to grasp her hand. Lista took it, squeezing it tightly, but even as she did so she knew that her mother would never send Flora home. Flora was too strong for her, too demanding, and Meadow submitted to her every time. That left Lista defending her mother and all of Felkington against her mother’s ambitious sister, which was only growing worse as the days passed. Until Julian de Velt appeared a few days ago, Flora was relatively benign, but now… now, she had a taste of what her life could be like should her niece marry well. And Amaury, once an ally against Flora, was gone.
Now, Lista had a reckless woman on her hands and if she wasn’t careful, Flora was going to make a bargain that Lista wouldn’t be able to get out of. Perhaps she already had.
It was time for a heartfelt discussion with Louis.
Leaving her mother and Flora wallowing in the last of their hemp smoke, she quit the chamber and went in search of the earl’s son.
Louis knew thatLista wasn’t happy about the situation.
Standing on the roof of Felkington’s enormous structure, he was looking up at the stars and thinking of the Felkington heiress stashed in a quiet corner of Northumberland. It wasn’t as if he had a problem finding women– quite the contrary. He had a few he was fond of, and one lass in Lincoln in particular, but there was something about Lista that had his attention.
Truthfully, he wasn’t sure what it was. He was coming to wonder if it was the competition with Julian that had spurred his interest. Certainly, a woman sought after by another knight was a woman worth having. He might have believed that it wasonly because of the competition but for the fact that he felt something when he looked in Lista’s eyes. What beautiful eyes they were. He wasn’t quite sure why she seemed to make him the slightest bit giddy, but she did. Coupled with the fact that she was intelligent and witty, she was a rare jewel, indeed.
But he was fairly certain she wasn’t keen on him.
It was because of Julian and he was well aware. She’d told him she was fond of Julian, so that was established. De Velt was a god among men and certainly from one of the most important families in the north, so Julian de Velt had much to offer to a potential wife and Louis had a great deal of respect for him in that regard.
Truth be told, he was rather disappointed with the way things had worked out with Julian. He thought he’d made a friend in the man and was disappointed to realize that had been ruined. He’d come to like the big man with the quiet wit. When Julian’s sister had tried to defend his actions, Louis had told her that a good man wouldn’t have behaved the way Julian had behaved, by assuming a situation before he knew the facts, but that wasn’t entirely true. It wasn’t like Louis’ behavior was perfect.
