Read Online Swords and Shields (Reign of the House of de Winter) by Kathryn Le Veque - Free Book Online Page B

protesting loudly. Devereux could hear their raised voices as she pulled the reluctant Elizaveta deeper into the church, no doubt terrified that Lady de Winter was about to pummel their rude daughter. But pummeling was not on Devereux’s agenda. They were nearly to the altar when Devereux came to a halt and turned to face the bride.
    “You will have no fear of me, Lady Elizaveta,” she said, seeing the terror on the girl’s face. “I will not harm you, I swear it, but I have a plan that I need your complicity in. Will you listen?”
    Terror wasn’t quite what Elizaveta was feeling; positive that Lady de Winter was going to beat her for her insolence, she had decided she was going to fight back and was relieved and thrilled to realize that a motherly beating wasn’t what Lady de Winter had in mind. In fact, she was relieved nearly to the point of collapse, for this entire day had been trying and stressful. The mention of Lady de Winter’s plan had Elizaveta’s curiosity peaked.
    I need your complicity….
    “Aye, my lady,” Elizaveta nodded, still somewhat wary. “I will listen.”
    Devereux paused before continuing. She was studying Elizaveta’s face, seeing great beauty and great strength there. She didn’t sense a truly spoiled lady as much as she sensed a truly strong one. The woman wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.
    “Thank you,” Devereux said. She let go of the girl’s wrist. “I will ask you a question and you must be completely truthful with me. Will you do this?”
    “Aye, my lady.”
    “Are you agreeable to this marriage or were you forced into it?”
    Elizaveta hesitated. She wasn’t sure that truthful is what Lady de Winter really wanted. She didn’t want the woman to go back on her word not to beat her.
    “My parents want this marriage, my lady,” she said. “I am obeying my parents.”
    It was the answer Devereux suspected. “Then you are not keen on the idea.”
    Elizaveta’s expression looked pained. “It is nothing against your son, my lady,” she said. “I… well, it is all rather perplexing and complicated. I….”
    Devereux cut her off. “Say no more,” she said. “You do not want this marriage and my son does not want this marriage. But it is possible you will both change your minds if you met one another. My son is a fine example of a man, my lady. He is tall and strong and handsome. He has been decorated for valor. Did you know that?”
    Elizaveta shook her head, looking somewhat surprised. “I did not, my lady.”
    Devereux nodded to confirm the information. “His marriage to you was a gift from Edward for valor in battle,” she said. “You were not told that?”
    Elizaveta again shook her head. “I was only told that Edward had selected a husband for me from a fine family.”
    Devereux cocked her head. “So you know nothing of my son?”
    “Nothing, my lady. Only that he is a de Winter.”
    Devereux was coming to realize that the young woman was nearly in the dark about the man she was to marry, which was rather surprising given who she was and the value of her family name. It was little wonder that she had fussed so about facing a sword for a groom. To her, quite clearly, it must have looked slanderous and calculated, which Drake had intended it should. Devereux, however, was trying to smooth things over, to undo the damage her son would do. She sighed heavily.
    “Drake is not cowardly, my lady, not in the least,” she finally said. “I cannot allow you to think such things about him. He is an honorable and virtuous knight. He is much loved by his friends and family and I am sorry that was not conveyed to you. He has waited a very long time to marry, to find a wife worthy of him, and we had hoped it would be you.”
    Elizaveta listened carefully to all Devereux told her, describing the man she was to marry from the mother’s point of view. She was still hesitant, and somewhat frightened, but she was also very curious now about the mysterious Drake de