Read Online A Dangerous Love by Bertrice Small - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Bertrice Small
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he said without any preamble, “I will give you my natural daughter Adair Radcliffe, the Countess of Stanton, for your natural son Llywelyn.”
The Earl of Pembroke’s face showed no reaction at all. “I had hoped for one of the queen’s girls,” he said quietly.
“Adair’s dower is goodly,” the king replied. “And your son will become Earl of Stanton by his marriage to her, for she is countess in her own right. I want someone in the north I can trust. Someone who will keep an eye on the Nevilles and the Percys for me. I do not give Adair lightly, my lord.”
“Tell me her worth, my liege,” Pembroke said matter-of-factly.
“A large stone house in good repair. Much grazing land. A village that has been rebuilt over the last ten years, with its own church, mill, and blacksmith’s foundry. She will have one hundred pieces of gold from me, as I promised the Radcliffes when she was born. She has jewelry, garments, linens, other items too numerous to mention, and a servant,” the king said. “She is an heiress, and a virgin of good repute.”
“Livestock?” Pembroke asked sharply.
“Driven off by the Scots and the Radcliffes’ neighbors,” the king admitted. “But your lad should bring something to the marriage besides his carcass, my lord.”
Jasper Tudor laughed, but it was a cold sound. Then he nodded. “I’ll pay for a new herd of cattle,” he said.
“Including a young bull,” the king bargained.
“My lord!” the Earl of Pembroke protested. “ ’Twill cost me dearly.”
“I’m giving you a king’s daughter for your bastard,”
Edward of York reminded the earl. “No matter how she was conceived she is my blood, and raised with my legitimate progeny as if she were a princess. What good is a herd of cows without a bull? And the herd must be at least one hundred beasts. Young. Heifers. And I will check.”
“Would you beggar me then, my liege?” Pembroke protested. “Fifty is the best I can do, for healthy heifers are difficult to come by in these times.”
“Seventy, or I shall seek elsewhere for a son-in-law,” the king responded implacably. “It’s a good match, Jasper, and you know it.” Edward of York held out his hand to the Earl of Pembroke.
Jasper Tudor did not hesitate. He thrust his own hand forward and shook the king’s. “Done!” he said with a small smile. “It is a good match. When shall we have the wedding, my liege?”
“As soon as can be arranged,” the king said, returning the smile.
Chapter 3
A dair ran through the castle seeking Elsbeth.
She found her by the fire in the children’s hall, Beiste at her feet. “We are leaving here as soon as possible,” she told her nursemaid. “And no one is to know.
Not even Uncle Dickon.”
“What has happened, my precious?” Elsbeth asked her young mistress. “Sit down with me, child. You are as white as a sheet.”
“They want me to marry,” Adair said. She remained standing.
“Of course you will marry one day,” Elsbeth replied mildly.
“Nay! They want me to marry now! To one of Jasper Tudor’s by-blows. The king has other plans for my half sisters. Bessie will be queen of France one day. They will give Cicely to Mags’s son, Henry Tudor, for Mary is not strong enough for marriage. And I am to be handed over to Jasper Tudor’s son. I won’t do it, Elsbeth! We are going home to Stanton. Uncle Dickon says the hall is livable. His people put on a new roof, and the villagers who escaped the Lancastrians have rebuilt the village. If I am gone then the king will have to make other plans for this Llywelyn FitzTudor. He won’t bother to send after me up into Northumbria. I am not that important.
Get up, Nursie! I would go now before they can stop me.” Adair tugged at Elsbeth’s arm. “Hurry!”
Elsbeth stood up. “If you would go then you will,” she said quietly. “But no one will expect such behavior from my lady Countess of Stanton. Remember, though, that the way is long, and you
The Earl of Pembroke’s face showed no reaction at all. “I had hoped for one of the queen’s girls,” he said quietly.
“Adair’s dower is goodly,” the king replied. “And your son will become Earl of Stanton by his marriage to her, for she is countess in her own right. I want someone in the north I can trust. Someone who will keep an eye on the Nevilles and the Percys for me. I do not give Adair lightly, my lord.”
“Tell me her worth, my liege,” Pembroke said matter-of-factly.
“A large stone house in good repair. Much grazing land. A village that has been rebuilt over the last ten years, with its own church, mill, and blacksmith’s foundry. She will have one hundred pieces of gold from me, as I promised the Radcliffes when she was born. She has jewelry, garments, linens, other items too numerous to mention, and a servant,” the king said. “She is an heiress, and a virgin of good repute.”
“Livestock?” Pembroke asked sharply.
“Driven off by the Scots and the Radcliffes’ neighbors,” the king admitted. “But your lad should bring something to the marriage besides his carcass, my lord.”
Jasper Tudor laughed, but it was a cold sound. Then he nodded. “I’ll pay for a new herd of cattle,” he said.
“Including a young bull,” the king bargained.
“My lord!” the Earl of Pembroke protested. “ ’Twill cost me dearly.”
“I’m giving you a king’s daughter for your bastard,”
Edward of York reminded the earl. “No matter how she was conceived she is my blood, and raised with my legitimate progeny as if she were a princess. What good is a herd of cows without a bull? And the herd must be at least one hundred beasts. Young. Heifers. And I will check.”
“Would you beggar me then, my liege?” Pembroke protested. “Fifty is the best I can do, for healthy heifers are difficult to come by in these times.”
“Seventy, or I shall seek elsewhere for a son-in-law,” the king responded implacably. “It’s a good match, Jasper, and you know it.” Edward of York held out his hand to the Earl of Pembroke.
Jasper Tudor did not hesitate. He thrust his own hand forward and shook the king’s. “Done!” he said with a small smile. “It is a good match. When shall we have the wedding, my liege?”
“As soon as can be arranged,” the king said, returning the smile.
Chapter 3
A dair ran through the castle seeking Elsbeth.
She found her by the fire in the children’s hall, Beiste at her feet. “We are leaving here as soon as possible,” she told her nursemaid. “And no one is to know.
Not even Uncle Dickon.”
“What has happened, my precious?” Elsbeth asked her young mistress. “Sit down with me, child. You are as white as a sheet.”
“They want me to marry,” Adair said. She remained standing.
“Of course you will marry one day,” Elsbeth replied mildly.
“Nay! They want me to marry now! To one of Jasper Tudor’s by-blows. The king has other plans for my half sisters. Bessie will be queen of France one day. They will give Cicely to Mags’s son, Henry Tudor, for Mary is not strong enough for marriage. And I am to be handed over to Jasper Tudor’s son. I won’t do it, Elsbeth! We are going home to Stanton. Uncle Dickon says the hall is livable. His people put on a new roof, and the villagers who escaped the Lancastrians have rebuilt the village. If I am gone then the king will have to make other plans for this Llywelyn FitzTudor. He won’t bother to send after me up into Northumbria. I am not that important.
Get up, Nursie! I would go now before they can stop me.” Adair tugged at Elsbeth’s arm. “Hurry!”
Elsbeth stood up. “If you would go then you will,” she said quietly. “But no one will expect such behavior from my lady Countess of Stanton. Remember, though, that the way is long, and you
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