She was looking at him with an amused twinkle in her eyes. “Are you proud of your position, then?”
“I am.”
“Then so am I. Fraser, truly, you need not worry.”
“But I fear your father may not approve because I do not have a great name, nor do I serve a great house.”
She laughed softly. “I am the eldest, and only, daughter of Blayth de Wolfe, brother to the Earl of Warenton,” she said. “Warenton lands are four times the size of any other earldom in the north and my father commands thousands. We are the largest family in the north.”
“I am aware.”
“Then you must realize that we do not need wealth or lands, for we have enough of our own,” she said. “A man of good character is worth more than money or lands, and should you and I marry, you would serve the Earl of Warenton. That is much better than serving de Featherstone.”
Fraser didn’t say anything for a moment. It was clear that he was mulling over what she had said.
“Then I must be plain before this goes any further,” he said. “It is true that, someday, I would like to serve a big house. That has always been my desire. But you… I do not court you because you are a de Wolfe and my path to service would be a simple thing. I would court you simply because you are who you are, and for no other reason. You could be the daughter of a peasant for all I care and I would still want to court you. What you are makes no difference to me – it is who you are. Do you understand?”
Isabella nodded. “I do,” she said, smiling. “And the same thing can be said for you. I do not care that you do not come from a great family. It is your heart I care about and nothing more.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Fraser’s mouth. “Then we understand one another.”
“We do.”
“Then I would speak to your father before you leave.”
Reaching out, she looped her hand into the crook of his elbow. “I happen to know where he is.”
Fraser had never been prouder than he was at that moment, heading towards the apartment block with Isabella on his arm. It fortified him for what was to come.
But what was to come was not what he had expected.
The day was about to take a dark turn.
“She said that?”
Isabella nodded solemnly. “She did.”
Tor simply shook his head in disgust and turned away.
Isabella and Fraser entered the apartment block to find Blayth standing in the chamber that Isabella had shared with Isalyn, speaking to Tor as Isalyn removed all of the pretty things he’d purchased for her in Carlisle and placed them across the bed. Fraser had hoped to speak to Blayth privately and, in truth, he was a little intimidated by the big, scarred warrior, but his plans were thwarted when Tor asked Isabella to elaborate on her concerns with Barbara.
So, she told him. As Fraser shut the door quietly so the conversation wouldn’t be overheard, Tor wasn’t surprised by what Isabella said.
But like her, he was concerned.
“I am sorry I told her, Tor,” Isabella said, thinking he was miffed at her. “But I knew that she and Lenore would know soon enough, so I saw no harm in telling her, yet when I did, it was as if she went mad. She muttered to herself and ran off. I thought you should know.”
Tor sighed heavily and reached out, putting a hand on her soft cheek. “Not to worry, Bella,” he said. “I am not angry with you. It is true that Barbara and Lenore would know soon enough, but I do not like what she said to you. She really said that it must not happen?”
Isabella nodded. “I would not lie to you.”
“I know you wouldn’t,” he said quickly. “I simply meant… that was a concerning thing to say. I would have hoped that she would have at least accepted the news stoically, but it seems that she did not.”
Isabella shook her head. “Nay, she did not,” she said. “Tor… I have seen Barbara and Lenore at their most wicked. They are capable of almost anything and it seems to me that they may try to do something to Isalyn to prevent her from marrying you.”
Tor looked at Isalyn, who was smoothing out the white silk shift with the pearl sleeves on the bed, pretending that she wasn’t listening. She was going on as if nothing could bother her, but Tor knew she must have been distressed listening to the conversation. She was simply trying to be brave. Scratching his head, he looked at his uncle.
“Help me,” he pleaded softly. “I fear I have lost my perspective in this situation. They are Jane’s sisters and I do not want to harm them, but I do not want them here at Blackpool any longer. They are a danger and I will not allow them to threaten Isalyn. You have the advantage of being neutral in this circumstance, so tell me what you would do.”
Blayth could hear the distress in his nephew’s voice, unusual for the usually composed man. Truth be told, he was very glad he was being asked that question because he had some opinions on the matter.
He had for a long time.
“Do you want my honest opinion, Tor?” he asked.
Tor nodded firmly. “Please,” he said. “Tell me and I shall do as you say.”
“Are you certain?”
“I am.”
Blayth rubbed his hands together thoughtfully. He’d been waiting for this very question for years and he was prepared. Tor had been in denial for so long that this was an unexpected moment, but not entirely unexpected considering the way Tor kept looking at Isalyn.
He had a bride to protect.
“Do not take what I am about to say as an insult, but from the start, you failed where Barbara and Lenore were concerned,” he said. “They were quite young when you brought them to Castle Questing and you turned them over to Scott’s wife and told her to do with them as she pleased. Avrielle molded them, taught them, guided them, but you were their only family and you essentially cast them off. I am not trying to hurt you, but what I am about to tell you is the only solution as I see it.”
“What is that?”
“Send them away,” he said flatly. “Armathwaite Nunnery is near Carlisle. Barbara and Lenore have been able to do whatever they please since they were brought into our family and you have not held them in check, nor have you disciplined them. They do not know what discipline is. You must send them to the nuns at Armathwaite and let them impose their strict rules upon them. They are Benedictines, Tor. That means their order is one of obedience and strict discipline. Unless you want your new wife looking over her shoulder for the rest of her life, it is the only solution. Let those two vipers atone for their sins, of which they have many.”
Tor knew he was right and tried not to feel like a failure because of it. He had created a pair of monsters and now he had to deal with the consequences. He glanced at Isalyn, who was holding up a sheer gossamer scarf so Isabella could see it and he knew there was no other choice. He realized that he was quite eager to get rid of them, especially when Barbara’s words to Isabella sounded like a threat.
He couldn’t let any lingering guilt for Jane muddle him any longer.
“I thought about finding the pair husbands to solve the problem, but that will take time,” he said. “Moreover, I do not want to saddle any man with women like that. It would be a cruel trick to play on my worst enemy, so you are correct. Armathwaite is an excellent suggestion.”