The Hunter’s Tale by Margaret Frazer Read Free Book Online Page B

no.”
     
    ‘No?“ Again Tom’s surprise matched Hugh’s. ”Then who is?“
     
    Master Wyck bowed his head to their mother. “Lady Anneys.”
     
    She drew in her breath and said, sharp with protest, “He would never have given me that!”
     
    ‘He did, my lady,“ Master Wyck assured her. He cleared his throat. ”With conditions, however.“
     
    ‘Ah. Conditions,“ Miles said.
”This
is where the bastard twists us over.“
     
    Chapter 4
     
    They are not so bad as that,“ Master Wyck said stiffly. ”There are, however, certain provisions that I thought best to make known as soon as possible, particularly concerning you, my lady.“
     
    ‘Please, then,“ Lady Anneys said. Her face was calm, her voice was even, but her hands were clasped tightly together in her lap. ”Continue.“
     
    Master Wyck cleared his throat again. “It might be best if I read them out to you as they stand, so there can be no mistaking.”
     
    ‘We’re in for it,“ Miles said, for only Hugh to hear. Hugh jerked a fist sideways against his thigh to shut him up.
     
    ‘What Sir Ralph willed is this,“ Master Wyck said. ” ’To my wife Lady Anneys Woderove, besides her dower lands I leave ten marks yearly, such sum to be paid from such lands as our son Thomas inherits in his name and from such heirs as follow him, for the term of her life or until she fails in such provision as here follows, namely that she live chastely, virtuously, and unmarried. Likewise, she is to have full say and rule concerning our unmarried children’s marriages as given above but her rights therein to be utterly lost should she marry or prove, by the determination of her fellow executors, to have been unchaste or lived unvirtuously. Should such happen, the right and control of such of our children as are yet unmarried and the rights and profits of their marriages shall fall to my other executors, with Sir William Trensal to become chief executor with final say in all matters and the ten marks yearly that were hers to go to him in her stead. Likewise, should any child go against her wishes in the matter of their marrying or against Sir William Trensal’s wishes in like matter, should she fail in her duty as above stated and her rights fall to him, their inheritance is to be utterly and finally lost, to pass to their heir as hereafter given in this will.‘“
     
    Master Wyck ceased to read, looked up from his paper, and said, “There is a clause then detailing which of his children inherits from whom in the event of one or another’s death. Master Hugh is to inherit should Master Thomas die before him, but should Master Hugh die first and without heirs of his body, his inherited properties are to revert to Master Thomas. One daughter’s dowry is to be increased by the other daughter’s should one or the other of them die before marriage and all to be shared equally between their brothers should both daughters die unmarried.”
     
    He finished. Around him the silence stretched out, becoming too long before Miles said very quietly, “What it comes to, then, is that Lady Anneys has full and final decision over not only Lucy and Ursula’s marriages but Tom’s and Hugh’s.”
     
    ‘Yes.“ Master Wyck’s face was blank and his voice level.
     
    ‘She chooses or agrees to whom Tom and Hugh and Lucy and Ursula marry,“ Miles went on, ”or they lose every part of their inheritance. Even Tom.“
     
    ‘Yes,“ Master Wyck agreed again.
     
    ‘Unless
she
marries or lives unchaste or… what was the other word?“
     
    ‘Unvirtuously,“ Master Wyck supplied.
     
    ‘Unvirtuously,“ Miles said. ”If she does, then Sir William is to become chief executor in her place.“
     
    ‘Yes.“
     
    ‘Meaning,“ said Miles, ”that Sir Ralph has bound at least her and Tom almost as completely as when he lived. Neither of them has any freedom outside the narrow limits he’s made for them.“
     
    ‘I would hardly say the limits are so narrow as