Read Online 1618686836 (F) by Dawn Peers - Free Book Online Page A

speak out either for or against. Eden felt sorry for most of them, though the serving girls, who Ross had called down from preparing the quarters for the visiting dignitaries, were exempted. They were making the most of their opportunity to entertain men of the nobility.
    “I’m expecting more from you lad. Remember that. When I was your age I already had two mistresses. I’ve been told Rowan’s fathered a bastard. Whilst that’s going to cause me and your mother not a small amount of coin in retributions,” Shiver swung a look at Rowan, who merely smirked, “at least he’s showing something of himself.”
    One of the maids came back over, prospecting for an empty tankard. Shiver’s wasn’t empty, but he raised it to her all the same, trying to draw eye contact. “He might have another one before the end of the week. I might have another mistress. Who knows?”
    The maid giggled, tugging at her low-cut dress to expose even more of her chest, her roughly rouged cheeks and thick eyeliner making her look cheap. Eden twisted his mouth, trying not to vomit. Suddenly he wished he wasn’t quite so close to his father this year, and preferably back in Sevenspells going through drills with his men. Impulsively, he got to his feet.
    “I’m going to bed father. It’s a long couple of days. I will see you on the training ground tomorrow.”
    Shiver snorted at that suggestion. He clearly wasn’t going to make it to the training ground with the rest of his men. Eden was sure the sun would be up in only a glass or two. It was going to be a tiring day tomorrow, make no mistake.
    “Do you know where your quarters are lad?”
    Eden shook his head, and tried to pay attention as Ross slurred out directions. Eventually, Eden got the gist of where he had to go. He’d figure it out. There were always staff wandering the halls of Everfell, no matter what time of night it was. He’d get in the right direction and get sober help from there. He left the hall, trying to ignore the cutting jibes from his drunken family that rang in his ears.

11
     
    Quinn was exhausted. Ross hadn’t let her go and sleep for the rest of the night, like she had thought he would do. Grainne and Yvette had been called to serve the Sevenspell retinue, so Quinn had to pick up and complete the rooms they hadn’t managed to prepare. She had just finished laying out the rooms for Lord Erran’s men. The bed linen was set on the end of each cot. There were bowls of fruit and platters of salted beef and cheeses, as well as a selection of breads, for when they finally made it to their quarters. There were two bathing tins set up, and both had the firewood underneath them stocked. She hated filling the baths. The number of trips through the halls to get the water from the hot springs was agonising on her calves. She sat on the floor in the middle of the room, getting her breath and congratulating herself on a hard job well done, especially since she had been abandoned so Yvette and Grainne could help Ross tend to Lord Shiver. They had jumped at the chance. Of course they would. It didn’t matter if Lord Shiver was married; his sons were not, and their mistresses were well kept women. Everfell was the only city currently barren for the libidinous Lord of Sevenspells. Yvette and Grainne didn’t want to be maids all of their lives, but the only thing they were doing to elevate themselves was chasing the tails of taken men.
    Quinn fondled the dirty hem of her dress. It had been white, once upon a time, but had been worn by so many other girls, trailed through so much dirt and dust, and squeezed through so many drying stones that it was now a murky anonymous grey. She wore much finer clothes when she worked for Sammah. She supposed that no one would take her other personality seriously if she looked like a beggar, much like they took to laughing when they found out she was really a girl.
    Quinn stood, dusting herself down, not that it would make any difference to