Read Online Beast: Great Bloodlines Converge by Kathryn Le Veque - Free Book Online
Authors: Kathryn Le Veque
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to argue for his right to bachelorhood. “The last thing I want is an angry Richmond le Bec after me.”
Gloucester laughed softly. “He wants to meet you, of course,” he said, “but he seems agreeable. The House of de Russe carries great weight and you, my friend, seem to carry the greatest weight of all. This will be a fine match. Lady Gisella is a lovely and obedient girl. I am sure you will like her once you have come to know her.”
Bastian’s eyes were riveted to the woman as she gently twirled. “And what does she say to all of this?” he asked. “If she was in love with Maxim, then I cannot imagine she would be very agreeable to a husband.”
Gloucester shook his head. “She had no reaction to the news,” he replied. “When I informed her, she did not argue in the least.”
“Then she is not opposed?”
“She was not jumping for joy, either.”
Bastian watched the woman for a moment longer before running a weary hand over his dark head and turning away. Suddenly, he felt quite fatigued, the reality of the situation weighing heavily upon him. I do not want a wife! But he knew he had little choice. The decision had been made.
“When is this marriage to take place, then?” he asked, feeling his impatience return. “I have much to do and little time for social graces, Your Grace. I have much to do before returning to France.”
Gloucester nodded. “I know,” he said. “That is why you will marry her before you leave Bella Court. I have a priest on-call for just this purpose. Marry her now and be done with it. Then you can leave her here at Bella Court with my wife whilst you go about your business. Heading to Etonbury Castle, is it?”
Bastian was looking at the man with some shock. You will marry her before you leave . “I will be going to West Court Manor to see my father first,” he said, answering the man’s question. But he couldn’t help revisit the suddenness of his impending marriage. “I am to marry her tonight? ”
Gloucester’s amiable expression tightened into the look of stone that Bastian had seen before. The man didn’t like being questioned. “You are,” he said. “Do you have something to say to that?”
It didn’t matter if Bastian did or not. He knew the man did not expect an answer to that question other than a display of obedience and thanks. “Nay, Your Grace,” Bastian said. “But surely her parents will wish to attend? Surely there must be plans and preparations for such a thing?”
Gloucester shook his head. “Richmond le Bec understands the life of a fighting man better than most,” he said. “He knows your time in England will be brief and there is no time to plan a grand ceremony. I told him after the ceremony, and after you have attended the young king for a time, that I would send you on to Lydford Castle in Devon, which is his seat. My brother granted it to him a long time ago. Le Bec is quite the mining baron now. He makes a fortune from the tin mines on his property, so your wife comes with a substantial dowry. You can go there to meet your new father-in-law and also claim her dowry.”
Bastian really didn’t care about the dowry. He was still reeling over the fact that Gloucester expected him to marry the lady without delay. He hadn’t been prepared for that. As he struggled to keep his opinion about the hasty marriage to himself, Gloucester pointed to the chaos going on in the center of the room.
“Go and retrieve your betrothed, Bastian,” he instructed. “Bring her to my solar so we can see this marriage through. My solar is at the end of the hall to the east and I will meet you there after I find my wife. She will want to witness this.”
With that, he walked away, leaving Bastian standing stunned and somewhat outraged with the turn of events. He wanted very badly to refuse the entire silly betrothal but he knew he had no choice. This was considered a reward. He looked at it as a punishment. Moreover, he could hardly imagine what
Gloucester laughed softly. “He wants to meet you, of course,” he said, “but he seems agreeable. The House of de Russe carries great weight and you, my friend, seem to carry the greatest weight of all. This will be a fine match. Lady Gisella is a lovely and obedient girl. I am sure you will like her once you have come to know her.”
Bastian’s eyes were riveted to the woman as she gently twirled. “And what does she say to all of this?” he asked. “If she was in love with Maxim, then I cannot imagine she would be very agreeable to a husband.”
Gloucester shook his head. “She had no reaction to the news,” he replied. “When I informed her, she did not argue in the least.”
“Then she is not opposed?”
“She was not jumping for joy, either.”
Bastian watched the woman for a moment longer before running a weary hand over his dark head and turning away. Suddenly, he felt quite fatigued, the reality of the situation weighing heavily upon him. I do not want a wife! But he knew he had little choice. The decision had been made.
“When is this marriage to take place, then?” he asked, feeling his impatience return. “I have much to do and little time for social graces, Your Grace. I have much to do before returning to France.”
Gloucester nodded. “I know,” he said. “That is why you will marry her before you leave Bella Court. I have a priest on-call for just this purpose. Marry her now and be done with it. Then you can leave her here at Bella Court with my wife whilst you go about your business. Heading to Etonbury Castle, is it?”
Bastian was looking at the man with some shock. You will marry her before you leave . “I will be going to West Court Manor to see my father first,” he said, answering the man’s question. But he couldn’t help revisit the suddenness of his impending marriage. “I am to marry her tonight? ”
Gloucester’s amiable expression tightened into the look of stone that Bastian had seen before. The man didn’t like being questioned. “You are,” he said. “Do you have something to say to that?”
It didn’t matter if Bastian did or not. He knew the man did not expect an answer to that question other than a display of obedience and thanks. “Nay, Your Grace,” Bastian said. “But surely her parents will wish to attend? Surely there must be plans and preparations for such a thing?”
Gloucester shook his head. “Richmond le Bec understands the life of a fighting man better than most,” he said. “He knows your time in England will be brief and there is no time to plan a grand ceremony. I told him after the ceremony, and after you have attended the young king for a time, that I would send you on to Lydford Castle in Devon, which is his seat. My brother granted it to him a long time ago. Le Bec is quite the mining baron now. He makes a fortune from the tin mines on his property, so your wife comes with a substantial dowry. You can go there to meet your new father-in-law and also claim her dowry.”
Bastian really didn’t care about the dowry. He was still reeling over the fact that Gloucester expected him to marry the lady without delay. He hadn’t been prepared for that. As he struggled to keep his opinion about the hasty marriage to himself, Gloucester pointed to the chaos going on in the center of the room.
“Go and retrieve your betrothed, Bastian,” he instructed. “Bring her to my solar so we can see this marriage through. My solar is at the end of the hall to the east and I will meet you there after I find my wife. She will want to witness this.”
With that, he walked away, leaving Bastian standing stunned and somewhat outraged with the turn of events. He wanted very badly to refuse the entire silly betrothal but he knew he had no choice. This was considered a reward. He looked at it as a punishment. Moreover, he could hardly imagine what
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