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Authors: Claire Delacroix
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sober and responsible,” Elizabeth complained, though no one paid her much heed.
“He is courteous to women,” Vivienne said, “for our father would have suffered no less.”
“Kinfairlie, as you can see, is a fine holding,” Madeline contributed. “Though not as rich as many others, it is well-endowed.”
Eleanor started at this assurance. She studied again the faces of those who regarded her so expectantly and she saw that they had no inkling of how dire matters were for their family abode.
They did not know that Kinfairlie’s coffers were empty.
There was only one soul who could have protected them from that fact. Eleanor crossed the chamber to the bed and stared down at Alexander. This man who would have all believe that he was concerned with his own desires alone had shielded his siblings from a truth that would have shaken them all.
He had kept his secret for an entire year, even while struggling with the newfound burden of managing an estate and the grief of losing both parents suddenly. She again felt an admiration for Alexander Lammergeier— this man who had provided the nudge to begin a courtship between two shy souls in his village, out of kindness alone. There was more to him than a merry jest. He was protective of those reliant upon him, and she liked that.
Truly, he had a dangerous ability to soften her formidable defenses against all men. She bent and touched her fingertips to his throat, reassured that his pulse began to settle into a more normal rhythm already. Though Kinfairlie had not been her destination, she wondered whether some divine force had ensured that she come to Kinfairlie’s gates.
For against all expectation, Eleanor held the key to Kinfairlie’s salvation, though neither Alexander nor his kin knew it. That they had asked so little of her, even in ignorance that she could grant them so much, that they offered her this place in their family simply on the basis of her gender and compassion for a plight they knew little about, was astonishing. But they were a family. She had seen the affection between them, the comfort they had with each other, the ease with which each expressed fears and joys.
Eleanor had never belonged to such a family. She looked at the watchful group again and found the younger sisters’ fear undisguised. They regarded her with a mix of hope and uncertainty. She knew that she could ensure that they wed well, as well as their sisters had.
But there was only one way she could manage as much, and that was as Alexander’s wife.
“I will stay at Kinfairlie and wed Alexander,” she said with sudden resolve, finding her voice more hoarse than she knew it to be. “I will keep our wager.”
To Eleanor’s astonishment, the three younger sisters cheered and spontaneously embraced her. She was momentarily disoriented by such a show of affection.
“This will end well, you can be certain of it,” Isabella said. “He likes you, we can see as much.”
“And you bring out the best in him,” Elizabeth added, squeezing Eleanor’s hand heartily. “He has not been so merry in a year.”
“We will do whatsoever we can to ensure that you are happy,” Annelise whispered against her shoulder, and Eleanor found tears rising to her eyes. They were virtual strangers to her, yet had shown her compassion and understanding.
And they had granted her a haven, with no understanding of how precious it was. She would not fail their trust.
“You must leave,” she said with resolve. “And take all of our garb, to ensure that Alexander has no doubts as to what has occurred this night.”
Madeline frowned. “But there will be no consummation this night. There cannot be … ” Rhys and Erik laughed and the younger maidens blushed.
“Give me a sharp knife,” El eanor said. “ To cut one’s finger is an old trick, but no less effective for all of that.” It was true that she had confessed to being twice widowed, but there was no guarantee that she was not still
“He is courteous to women,” Vivienne said, “for our father would have suffered no less.”
“Kinfairlie, as you can see, is a fine holding,” Madeline contributed. “Though not as rich as many others, it is well-endowed.”
Eleanor started at this assurance. She studied again the faces of those who regarded her so expectantly and she saw that they had no inkling of how dire matters were for their family abode.
They did not know that Kinfairlie’s coffers were empty.
There was only one soul who could have protected them from that fact. Eleanor crossed the chamber to the bed and stared down at Alexander. This man who would have all believe that he was concerned with his own desires alone had shielded his siblings from a truth that would have shaken them all.
He had kept his secret for an entire year, even while struggling with the newfound burden of managing an estate and the grief of losing both parents suddenly. She again felt an admiration for Alexander Lammergeier— this man who had provided the nudge to begin a courtship between two shy souls in his village, out of kindness alone. There was more to him than a merry jest. He was protective of those reliant upon him, and she liked that.
Truly, he had a dangerous ability to soften her formidable defenses against all men. She bent and touched her fingertips to his throat, reassured that his pulse began to settle into a more normal rhythm already. Though Kinfairlie had not been her destination, she wondered whether some divine force had ensured that she come to Kinfairlie’s gates.
For against all expectation, Eleanor held the key to Kinfairlie’s salvation, though neither Alexander nor his kin knew it. That they had asked so little of her, even in ignorance that she could grant them so much, that they offered her this place in their family simply on the basis of her gender and compassion for a plight they knew little about, was astonishing. But they were a family. She had seen the affection between them, the comfort they had with each other, the ease with which each expressed fears and joys.
Eleanor had never belonged to such a family. She looked at the watchful group again and found the younger sisters’ fear undisguised. They regarded her with a mix of hope and uncertainty. She knew that she could ensure that they wed well, as well as their sisters had.
But there was only one way she could manage as much, and that was as Alexander’s wife.
“I will stay at Kinfairlie and wed Alexander,” she said with sudden resolve, finding her voice more hoarse than she knew it to be. “I will keep our wager.”
To Eleanor’s astonishment, the three younger sisters cheered and spontaneously embraced her. She was momentarily disoriented by such a show of affection.
“This will end well, you can be certain of it,” Isabella said. “He likes you, we can see as much.”
“And you bring out the best in him,” Elizabeth added, squeezing Eleanor’s hand heartily. “He has not been so merry in a year.”
“We will do whatsoever we can to ensure that you are happy,” Annelise whispered against her shoulder, and Eleanor found tears rising to her eyes. They were virtual strangers to her, yet had shown her compassion and understanding.
And they had granted her a haven, with no understanding of how precious it was. She would not fail their trust.
“You must leave,” she said with resolve. “And take all of our garb, to ensure that Alexander has no doubts as to what has occurred this night.”
Madeline frowned. “But there will be no consummation this night. There cannot be … ” Rhys and Erik laughed and the younger maidens blushed.
“Give me a sharp knife,” El eanor said. “ To cut one’s finger is an old trick, but no less effective for all of that.” It was true that she had confessed to being twice widowed, but there was no guarantee that she was not still
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