Read Online Afton of Margate Castle by Angela Elwell Hunt - Free Book Online
Authors: Angela Elwell Hunt
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Endeline actually stroking her hair? She lifted her tear-stained face and cautiously pulled away from the woman who held her, half-expecting to find herself at the feet of a maid or surrogate mistress, not the divine lady herself.
But this woman was neither servant nor statue. Endeline’s eyebrow arched as she smiled, and her breath was sweet as she spoke: “You are a lovely child, Afton, and we will enjoy having you with us. Things will be quite different for you here at the castle, and I want you to forget all about the things you knew before. Here you will find happiness, playmates, and protection. As long as you remain here, no one will ever strike you again.”
Afton’s hand went involuntarily to her cheek, which still stung. More painful than the blow, however, was the memory of Corba’s face contorted in anguish and her harsh words of rejection. Afton choked back a sob, and the blessed woman pulled her into soft scented robes and cushioned Afton’s head against the delicate skin of her breast. “My brave, brave girl,” she whispered. “I know you will bring us honor. And you will have pretty dresses, and lessons, and--”
“Pomegranates?” Afton whispered, pulling away. She looked wistfully at the gracious woman at whose feet she knelt. She had often asked for things at the feet of the Virgin, but the Virgin had never smiled as generously as this woman. “If I am very good, can I have pomegranates?”
Endeline’s laughter rang through the hall. “As many as you like, dear heart.”
Afton buried her face in the woman’s neck, overcome with gratitude. She could find no reasons for this exceptional honor, just as there were no natural explanations for the angelic visitors who often visited the saints. She only knew that God often chose simple folk to spread his message. In the same manner, for some unearthly reason, Lady Endeline had chosen her.
***
Afton could have worshipped at Endeline’s feet for the rest of the day, but the purified atmosphere dissipated when two boys burst into the hall. Both boys were carrying bows and quivers of arrows, and the shock Afton felt at seeing weapons in the holy place was quickly surpassed by incredulity when the older boy actually complained to the revered Lady: “Mother, Gawain is supposed to meet us in the courtyard but we can’t find him.”
“Hush,” Endeline answered. She slipped her slender arm loosely around Afton’s shoulders. “I would like both of you to meet Afton. She will live here at the castle as a companion for Lienor.”
The boys came closer, reluctantly, and the older boy barely glanced at Afton before looking away. “This is Charles, my eldest son,” Endeline said, pointing to the taller boy. Afton noticed that he resembled his mother, sharing the same dark eyes and slim build.
“And this is Calhoun, my second-born.” Afton’s eyes locked with the second boy’s and she recognized her companion of weeks earlier, the boy who had helped her make the wreath for Sheba. His eyes were as merry now as they had been on that sun-drenched day, twinkling with their secret, and he removed his cap and bowed gallantly from the waist. “I am pleased to meet you, my lady,” he said.
“There’s no need for that, Calhoun,” Endeline reproved him. “Afton is only a child. But you will both do your best to make her feel welcome, will you not?”
Charles mumbled something in reply, and Calhoun smiled broadly. “But of course, mother,” he said, holding his cap over his heart. “It is my sacred duty as a knight and a nobleman to protect women and children.”
“Be off with your foolishness,” Endeline answered, shooing her sons from the hall. “If Gawain said he would meet you in the courtyard, you will find him there, not here.”
The boys scurried out of the room and Endeline stood from her chair in one fluid motion. Her hand sought Afton’s and held it tightly. “You will now meet Lienor, Afton. You will be her playmate and
But this woman was neither servant nor statue. Endeline’s eyebrow arched as she smiled, and her breath was sweet as she spoke: “You are a lovely child, Afton, and we will enjoy having you with us. Things will be quite different for you here at the castle, and I want you to forget all about the things you knew before. Here you will find happiness, playmates, and protection. As long as you remain here, no one will ever strike you again.”
Afton’s hand went involuntarily to her cheek, which still stung. More painful than the blow, however, was the memory of Corba’s face contorted in anguish and her harsh words of rejection. Afton choked back a sob, and the blessed woman pulled her into soft scented robes and cushioned Afton’s head against the delicate skin of her breast. “My brave, brave girl,” she whispered. “I know you will bring us honor. And you will have pretty dresses, and lessons, and--”
“Pomegranates?” Afton whispered, pulling away. She looked wistfully at the gracious woman at whose feet she knelt. She had often asked for things at the feet of the Virgin, but the Virgin had never smiled as generously as this woman. “If I am very good, can I have pomegranates?”
Endeline’s laughter rang through the hall. “As many as you like, dear heart.”
Afton buried her face in the woman’s neck, overcome with gratitude. She could find no reasons for this exceptional honor, just as there were no natural explanations for the angelic visitors who often visited the saints. She only knew that God often chose simple folk to spread his message. In the same manner, for some unearthly reason, Lady Endeline had chosen her.
***
Afton could have worshipped at Endeline’s feet for the rest of the day, but the purified atmosphere dissipated when two boys burst into the hall. Both boys were carrying bows and quivers of arrows, and the shock Afton felt at seeing weapons in the holy place was quickly surpassed by incredulity when the older boy actually complained to the revered Lady: “Mother, Gawain is supposed to meet us in the courtyard but we can’t find him.”
“Hush,” Endeline answered. She slipped her slender arm loosely around Afton’s shoulders. “I would like both of you to meet Afton. She will live here at the castle as a companion for Lienor.”
The boys came closer, reluctantly, and the older boy barely glanced at Afton before looking away. “This is Charles, my eldest son,” Endeline said, pointing to the taller boy. Afton noticed that he resembled his mother, sharing the same dark eyes and slim build.
“And this is Calhoun, my second-born.” Afton’s eyes locked with the second boy’s and she recognized her companion of weeks earlier, the boy who had helped her make the wreath for Sheba. His eyes were as merry now as they had been on that sun-drenched day, twinkling with their secret, and he removed his cap and bowed gallantly from the waist. “I am pleased to meet you, my lady,” he said.
“There’s no need for that, Calhoun,” Endeline reproved him. “Afton is only a child. But you will both do your best to make her feel welcome, will you not?”
Charles mumbled something in reply, and Calhoun smiled broadly. “But of course, mother,” he said, holding his cap over his heart. “It is my sacred duty as a knight and a nobleman to protect women and children.”
“Be off with your foolishness,” Endeline answered, shooing her sons from the hall. “If Gawain said he would meet you in the courtyard, you will find him there, not here.”
The boys scurried out of the room and Endeline stood from her chair in one fluid motion. Her hand sought Afton’s and held it tightly. “You will now meet Lienor, Afton. You will be her playmate and
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