A Knight To Remember

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

“I don’t understand?” Thomas’ voice cut the silence as I just sat unwilling to open my eyes on the floor. “You were engaged to someone other than Father?  But how can that be?  Why?  If Father was a Lord, why are we here? I just don’t understand Mother?”

I dropped my head into my hands and knees.  I did not dare look at the faces that surrounded me.  Only Torc knew of my past.  Only he knew of my guilt but having him know was enough.  I could not face the accusations that I was sure I would find in his eyes. 

“My sons, my life and the life of your Father was not what it appeared to be.  We chose this life for the sake of our love and for you.  But you deserve better now.  You deserve your birthright.”

“Mother, why do you speak these riddles?  Why do you not tell us the truth?  We are not children so do not insult us with your web of lies!”

“Don’t talk to Mother like that Johnny!”

“No Tommy, he is right to be angry with me.  He has gone out in the world and fought to live the life he should have always had.”

“Yes I created that life with blood and pain but was never anything more than a fraud.  Now you tell me that it is my right?”

“Son, if I had known your purpose I would have given you the right letters of introduction and the proof of your linage.  But you left without allowing me that opportunity.  You choose to leave without my blessing, so Johnny you cannot apportion all the blame on me.”

“You have this proof?”

“Yes but it is rarely as simple as that.  We exiled ourselves here for a reason my son.”

“You exiled yourselves?  But why?”

“Yes Mother, if you are a Lady then why do you live here and work your fingers to the bone for our daily bread?  You by rights are nobility.”

With care I glanced at Grace.  She was smiling at her sons with such pain and sorrow in her eyes. 

“You cannot hope to understand the decisions we made without hearing my story.  It is with reluctance that I tell you this as I regret that you may blacken the respect you have for me.  But you deserve the truth and I cannot justify holding any of this back for the sake of my honour.”  She then turned to Ed, Joe and Sam, “You all are my sons.  I will tell you all of my past because I consider you all family here.”

“I grew up the daughter of a town official.  My life was not any more eventful than that of my friends.  My best friend was the daughter of the town baker, Beth.  We were typical young ladies.  We dreamed of our weddings, our husbands and having our children grow up together.  Her brother Samuel was fond of me and made the blood rush to my cheeks when he smiled at me.  When he and his father came to our house dressed in their Sunday best and asked to see my Father, I thought I had found love.  Samuel eyes and soft confident smile took my breath away as they were welcomed into my Fathers study.”

“With all my dreams about to come true I turned to my Mother expecting to see excitement in her face also.  But that was not what greeted me.  Her furious eyes were glaring at the door of the study.  I had never seen my mother so angry.  I could not understand it.  Maybe she did not understand Samuel’s intent.  Maybe she didn’t know that he wished to marry me.  Maybe she did not think that this was what I wanted.”

Grace breathed a soft laugh as she shook her head in a way that implied her naivety.

“I was about to reassure her that I loved Samuel and would happily accept his proposal when the study doors opened.  The Baker’s face was red and his shoulders were taut.  Samuel’s face was turned from mine.  He did not look at me, even as I called his name he turned from me and followed his father leaving me crying and bewildered.”