Amanda Scott by Knights Treasure Read Free Book Online

from one to the other. “No one would dare do such a thing in the countess’s solar with half the world outside the door, madam.”
    “I had to ask the question,” Lady Clendenen said. “Sithee, we were talking earlier of the settlements, Adela, and that subject may be troubling you. I can assure you, the important ones would not be affected by an annulment now.”
    “Annulment?” Adela stared at her. “I couldn’t. What would people say?”
    “Nothing when they learn that I support the idea,” Lady Clendenen said. “Especially when they understand that Ardelve arranged for such a possibility from the start. His death before the two of you had children was always a risk. None of us gets to choose his own time, Adela, and he wanted to be sure you were secure. Do you know his son, Fergus?”
    “I met him once,” Adela said. “He is just a year or so older than I am.”
    “Yes, and he will marry this year himself,” Lady Clen-denen said. “You would be most uncomfortable living with him and his bride. Fergus would attempt to be civil, as I know you would, but you would still be a stranger in their midst.”
    “I could always move back to Chalamine,” Adela said.
    “Do you want to go from being a bride back to being your father’s daughter in your father’s house?”
    Sidony said quietly, “Would that not be somewhat the same thing, Adela? Forgive me, Lady Clendenen, but Sorcha did say you were reluctant to marry our father if you had to share the management of his household with his daughters.”
    “This has naught to do with me,” Lady Clendenen said, clearly taking no offense at Sidony’s words. “You are five-and-twenty, Adela, a woman grown. You have had the barest taste of marriage—only an hour of it! You need not seek annulment if the thought troubles you, but if you do not use the money he left you to secure your proper place amongst Scottish nobility, I’ll tell you what will happen. Do you want to dwindle into an unhappy dependent of your father or your stepson?”
    “Madam, even if I could do as you suggest, you cannot mean for me to shrug Ardelve off as if he’d meant nothing to me. I won’t do that.”
    “Aye, ’twould be most unseemly. But to wallow in your widowhood with no more to your relationship than an hour-long, arranged marriage would be more so.”
    Adela gasped. But before she could find words to express her outrage, the door opened again and Sorcha entered with Isobel. Finding cushions for themselves, they sat on the floor, big with news from the great hall, where word of Ardelve’s death, once known, had spread quickly.
    Sorcha said indignantly, “One horrid man actually said that Adela must be suffering from some dreadful curse.”
    “Insolence!” Sidony exclaimed. “Who dared say such a thing?”
    “Some arrogant courtier,” Isobel said. “He said it is plain from her abduction, and now this tragedy, that God never intends Adela to marry.”
    They shared more anecdotes from the feast hall before Sorcha said, “You’ve barely spoken, Adela. Ardelve’s death was a dreadful shock, but surely it is not only grief that has silenced you. What’s troubling you so?”
    Adela shook her head, but Lady Clendenen said, “I fear I took the opportunity before the rest of you arrived for some plain speaking.”
    When the others exchanged bewildered looks, she added with a smile. “I said nothing dreadful, I promise. I merely pointed out to Adela that she has choices to make and suggested she consider carefully what she means to do next.”
    Her ladyship explained, and the conversation took its course once again without assistance from Adela. Her sisters were happy to discuss what she should do, although all three seemed to agree that her future looked bleak.
    “But if she truly has money of her own now …” Sorcha began thoughtfully.
    “Aye, sure, that will make things easier,” Isobel said. “And you can always stay here at Roslin with Michael and me,