Crossed Hearts | h.s

Twenty Nine

"I can't believe you would embarrass me in such a way! Do you have no care for me at all?"

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger as his mother chastised him for refusing Millicent. The birds had barely begun to sing and the sun was not risen, yet his mother was screaming at the top of her lungs and flailing her arms around like a madwoman. "Please, Ma, calm yourself."

"I'll do no such thing!" she huffed. "And you," she turned to her daughter with her bony finger pointed at her. "You would abandon me for a husband who is barely scraping by?"

"Open your eyes, Mother, we're all barely scraping by," Ivey said without any emotion. "And don't even pretend that you'll miss me."

Their mother scoffed. "I've never seen such cruelty. You know, your father wouldn't tolerate this."

"Father wouldn't have approved of you matchmaking for your eldest son, the head of the household, either," Ivey retorted.

"And who'll look after me, hm?" their mother asked. "When Ivey is married and you are employed by the queen, I'll be all alone."

"I can employ a girl to look after you, Ma. Technically, I am the head of the family, as Ivey said, and my decision is final. We will both marry for love," Harry said firmly.

"Well," their mother said, defeated. "I suppose that's it, then. Both of my children are leaving me." Tears brimmed her tired eyes. "I only meant to keep you near me."

Ivey rolled her eyes and stalked out of the house, but Harry softened and moved toward her, pulling her into a hug. He rubbed his mother's back as she cried into his chest. He knew that she didn't mean to cause any trouble and he almost regretted being so harsh on her, but he also knew that Geneva was the love of his life and he couldn't risk an arranged marriage before he could vow his life to her.

"I promise I'll always take care of you, Ma," he said to his mother. "Even when I marry, we'll take care of you."

She leaned back to look up at him. "You speak as if you've already found a wife," she noted. He had to suppress a smile, but he could feel color rise to his cheeks. "Who is she?"

"Nothing is set in stone, yet, but I love her and plan on marrying her. She's amazing, Ma," he smiled. "And I know that when we are wed, she'll be more than happy to have you with us."

His mother pinched his cheek with a proud smile. "Oh, my boy."

❁ ❁ ❁

"Lord Crofton, your grace."

The announcer stepped to the side to allow Lord Crofton to enter the room, his head held high like a prince dipped in arrogance. Geneva looked up from her papers and passed them to Arthur, who took them from her hand and stored them away so that the ambitious visitor couldn't see their contents. She extended her hand and the lord quickly slipped off his glove, taking it and kissing her knuckles as he kneeled.

"Lord Crofton, what brings you to court?" Geneva inquired. She sat in her study with Arthur and Matthias, Silas standing by the door as a substitute for Harry whilst he was away.

"I'm afraid we have a problem, your grace," he said carefully. She gestured to a chair, which he took willingly and scooted it up to the table to lean his forearms on it leisurely. "Famine has struck my village."

The words smacked Geneva across the face, leaving her burning with worry and fear. Nevertheless, she remained composed and poised. "I see," she said, "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, my lord."