The Raven's Head by Karen Maitland Read Free Book Online

who fancied they would suit her far better. But Hélène made no complaint. She was a gentle, innocent girl, but her elder sisters were jealous of her, for when Hélène came into the hall, their charms paled in the eyes of all those around them, as the light of the moon fades in the brilliance of the sun.
Hélène saw no reason to primp and preen, for she modestly believed that no one would even glance her way. Besides, she thought it much more pleasant to be out in the warm sunshine than trapped in a dark room with her squabbling sisters. She threw on a simple gown and ran outside to gather flowers instead.
So it was that when Estienne’s procession galloped into the château grounds, the first woman he saw was Hélène, her soft cheeks flushed as pink as the roses in her arms, the sunlight glinting from her flaxen hair and her warm, welcoming smile. It did not occur to Estienne that this was any other than his betrothed, and without even asking her name, he dismounted, swept her up in his arms and, seating her on the palfrey, led her into her father’s courtyard with his own hand.
When Lisette, his bride-to-be, heard the clatter of the hoofs below she scurried excitedly to the casement. But her joy turned to rage when she saw her youngest sister seated upon the bridal horse and Estienne smiling at her as he reached up to grasp her waist and swing her down.
As soon as the marquis hurried out to meet his future son-in-law and present his daughters, Estienne realised his mistake. But it was too late. The damage was done. He had fallen hopelessly in love with Hélène and, by comparison, Lisette seemed insipid. She was rendered all the plainer by the furious scowls she was directing at her youngest sister.
Over the weeks that followed, Estienne gallantly paid court to his betrothed, but neither she nor anyone at the château could fail to notice that his gaze strayed constantly towards Hélène whenever she was nearby, and his eyes searched for her when she was absent. And they also observed how Hélène repeatedly turned towards the sound of Estienne’s voice, as if she could not help herself. It was plain she, too, was in love.
When Estienne pleaded with the marquis to grant him his youngest daughter’s hand in marriage instead of the elder’s, the marquis not unnaturally refused. But finally after both Hélène and Estienne entreated him on their knees, he could see that if he was not to lose this wealthy suitor entirely, he had no choice but to agree. But he declared that Hélène could not marry until her elder sister was safely wed to another for fear of shaming Lisette, and further that the youngest daughter would come with but half the dowry of the elder, for the marquis was a shrewd man and realised that, if Estienne was so determined to have the girl, he would not be obliged to part with nearly as much to sweeten the bargain.
A match was quickly arranged for Lisette with an old widower who was far wealthier even than Estienne. But her new husband’s riches did nothing to assuage Lisette’s fury and bitterness. She brooded constantly about what her sister had stolen from her and was determined to have her revenge. On the night before Hélène’s marriage, she covered herself with a cloak belonging to one of her maids and stole away to consult the wise woman who lived on an island in the lake. Lisette sought death for her sister, but the woman refused to grant her wish, fearing that she would be accused of the murder.
Instead she persuaded Lisette that revenge would taste far sweeter if she watched her sister’s marriage grow sour, and what better way to turn a man against his wife than if she failed to bear him heirs? The wise woman gave Lisette a charm to hide in the marriage bed to curse it, so that any child conceived in that bed would be stillborn. And so it came to pass that Hélène bore three sons, but not one drew breath.
Hélène, fearing that her husband would indeed try to put her away and take