Cold Magics (34 page)

“I don’t know,” said Thomas.

“Because if something like this happens again—”

“I know.” It suddenly occurred to Thomas that, if someone knew why he was here and didn’t want him to be, getting him killed in a duel over Eileen would be the perfect way to be rid of him. He didn’t share the thought. “It’s over now. Henry will see to it.”

“Henry would have seen to it from the beginning, if you’d told him, Eileen,” said George. “Or I would have.”

“You would have hit someone and gotten yourself flogged or hung,” said Eileen, without looking at them. “The lords can do whatever they like to commoners, and they told me they’d see you hanged if you tried anything.”

George turned a darker shade of red, but a knock at the door stopped any reply he might have made. Henry was on the other side with Sir Patrick and Sir Lawrence right behind him. Henry went to Eileen at once. “Are you all right?”

Eileen shrugged.

“Baron Goshawk sends his most sincere apologies, and begs the opportunity to speak to you in the presence of the guardian of your choice.”

Eileen looked into the fire. “It wasn’t his fault. He doesn’t have to apologize.”

“He apologizes nonetheless, and would like to speak to you,” said Henry. “But you can take your time about it.”

“How is Charles?” asked George.

“Unwell,” said Henry. “Eileen was spot on target.”

Eileen bit her lip and looked back into the fire. Henry watched her a moment, then turned his attention to Thomas and George. “You realize everything has changed now.”

“Changed how?” demanded George. “Are you having Charles and Ethan thrown out?”

“Not that simple,” said Henry. “Their fathers are barons in the west, near the mountains. When spring comes, we’ll need their troops. We can’t just throw them out of court.”

“They attacked Eileen!” George snapped, furious. “They’ve been at her since we got here!”

“They have?” Henry’s eyebrows went up. “I didn’t know that.”

“Neither did we,” George spared a glare at his sister, “until now. Seems they’ve been chasing her in the hallways.”

“Not chasing,” corrected Thomas. “Cornering.”

“Ah.” Henry’s brow contracted and something flashed in his eyes. “Not acceptable.”

“Not at all,” said George. “I’ve a good mind to give Ethan everything that Eileen gave Charles.”

“Don’t!” shouted Eileen, suddenly rising from her chair. “No more fighting!”

“There didn’t need to be any fighting in the first place!” snapped George. “You could have told me and we could have told Henry and it would have been solved. Instead, you kept your mouth shut and they kept pushing and I’ll be damned if I’m letting him get away with it!”

“Leave him alone!”

“He tried to rape you!”

“I don’t care! Leave him alone!”

“Why in the name of the Four—”

“Because I don’t want his blood on my hands!”

“It won’t be on yours!”

“It will!”

“George!” Henry stepped in front the big man. “Leave it alone.”

George rounded on him. “I don’t want to leave it alone!”

“Leave it alone,” repeated Henry. “I will sort this. You will leave it alone. Understand?”

George took a deep breath to argue, then shut his lips hard and turned away.

“Good,” Henry said. “Besides, you will be too busy to deal with Ethan or anyone else for a while.”

“Then who keeps them away from Eileen,” asked Thomas. “You?”

“Eileen will not be going anywhere without escort from now on,” said Henry.

Eileen turned on Henry. “I can’t go anywhere alone? I’m punished because of what they did?”

“No,” said Henry. “Because of what I did.”

Thomas was suddenly wary. “And what did you do?”

“A commoner striking a noble is a flogging offence, no matter the circumstances,” said Henry, looking at George. “And if serious damage is done, it becomes a hanging offence.”

“That’s a stupid law,” George said.

“Aye, maybe,” said Henry. “But it’s still the law, and while a case could be made for self-defence for Eileen, we couldn’t make the same case for you.”

George was turning red with anger. Thomas felt the same rage boiling in him. “Do you know what Ethan and Charles did last night?”

“No,” said Henry. “But whatever it was, it won’t happen again. You don’t assault the sister of a knight and not face consequences.”

“Knight?” George’s voice rose. “I’m a blacksmith!”

“You were a blacksmith,” said Henry. “You were knighted yesterday. The Order of the White Wolf, my personal bodyguards.”

“WHAT?!”

“By order of my father,” said Henry, “You are hereby knighted into the house of the duke of Frostmire, in the Order of the White Wolf, which is the order that answers to his youngest son.”

George had turned white. “I’m no knight. You have to be born to that!”

“No, you don’t,” said Sir Patrick. “Knighthood can be granted for service. My father was a merchant like Thomas’s. I got my knighthood fighting against the northern tribes. Saved Lord Henry’s life.”

“But—”

“Stop arguing, George,” said Henry. “Tomorrow you begin training with Sir Patrick. No more time at the forge.”

“But…” George looked lost. “But I like working at the forge.”

“First rule of the court: It’s not about doing what you like.” Henry looked at Eileen. “You are now a minor member of the nobility. You no longer go anywhere alone. What a man may do or say to one woman, they will not say to two or three.”

“And who gets to spend all their time walking around with me? Amelia?” demanded Eileen. “It better not be Amelia.”

“Actually,” said Sir Patrick. “I’ve been wanting to give Rose more time at court.”

“And what better way for her than as a lady-in-waiting for Eileen?” said Henry. “And since you are both underage, I will assign a matron to keep an eye on the pair of you.”

“A lady-in-waiting?” repeated Eileen. “I don’t want a lady-in-waiting. And I don’t want a matron, either.”

“It isn’t about want,” said Henry. “It’s about appearances.” He turned back to George. “If someone insults your honour or the honour of your sister, you can take offence against them, and formally challenge them. I wouldn’t advise it. Most of them are rather good with swords when they are sober, and the challenged gets choice of weapons. Of course, most of them won’t go against you just based on size and your performance this morning.” Henry held out a hand to Lawrence, who passed him a scroll. “The notice of your knighthood, dated yesterday, signed by my father,” said Henry, handing it to George. “As a sign of my deep respect for you, I decided to pen the notice myself. Keep it.”

George took the scroll and opened it, examining the gold wax seal at the bottom and reading slowly through the words. Eileen spoke up. “What about Thomas? Did you make him a knight?”

“He doesn’t need to,” said Thomas. “I’m a student at the Royal Academy. I answer to the king’s laws, not the laws of the duchy.”

“A fact of which the lords were made aware before he came here,” said Henry. “I also informed my father of it, as well as the circumstances of events this morning.”

“He must have been thrilled,” said Thomas.

“To say he was not pleased is something of an understatement,” said Henry. “And he has a message for you.”

“Which is?”

“Being a student doesn’t make you exempt from a challenge. Or a knife in the back.”

“Well, thank the Four I didn’t already have enough to worry about,” muttered Thomas.

Henry ignored him. “Eileen, Rose will be joining you this afternoon. I’ll send her and the matron here, as soon as I find one. Because you are the relative of a knight, not the spouse, you have no titles of your own. The correct address for you is Miss. Same for Rose. Sir George, please follow Sir Patrick, he will begin instructing you in the responsibilities of your new station. Now.”

George almost protested again, but his eyes went to Eileen first. She pulled the blanket around herself again and sat in the chair, staring at the fire. George bit his lip, then slumped and followed Sir Patrick out the door.

Henry went to Eileen. “Whatever’s happened, I’m sorry. And believe me when I say it will not happen again.” Eileen didn’t look at him, didn’t answer.

Henry sighed. “Take care of her, Thomas.”

“Aye.”

Henry nodded and left, Sir Lawrence on his heels. Thomas locked the door behind them and sat down. He reached for Eileen’s hand but she pulled it away. Thomas, not sure what to do, could only sit and wait.

17

Rose’s knock came two hours later, breaking a silence that had lasted since Henry left. Thomas had tried to talk to Eileen a half-dozen times, but she said nothing in return. He saw tears in her eyes more than once, and had tried once more to touch her hand, but she pulled away from him.

What will it do to her if Charles dies?
thought Thomas.
What will happen to all of us?

He sat and stared at the fire, wondering just how far the young lords would go to avenge the deaths of one of their own. Henry’s warning about a knife in the back resonated in his head.

It can’t be allowed to happen
, Thomas decided.

By the time Rose knocked at the door, Thomas had something of a plan. He opened the door for her, and Rose immediately blushed and looked at her feet. The woman behind her did neither. She was so thin as to be almost emaciated, though she showed no sign of being starved. Instead, she looked to be one of those people who lose flesh rather than gain it as they age. Her features were sharp and pointed, save her nose, which was rather like a hawk’s. Her eyes were sharp and had a look strong enough to bore through Thomas. He was immediately wary of her and realized a moment later that this was a good thing.

Thomas bowed and stepped aside. “Come in, Miss Rose. I do not believe I have met your companion.”

“Hello… Thomas,” Rose blushed saying his name, but managed a respectable curtsey. “This is Lady Prellham, who will be serving as matron to Eileen.”

“Welcome, Lady Prellham,” said Thomas. “There is some mulled wine left if either of you would like to partake.”

“No, thank you,” said Lady Prellham. She looked at Rose. “Well, go in child. Being in a man’s room does no harm if you are escorted.”

Rose immediately went to Eileen and sank into a deep curtsey. “Miss Eileen, my father asks that you do our family the great favour of taking myself to be your handmaid, that I may learn more of the ways of court.”

Eileen stared at Rose. Lady Prellham watched a moment, then said, “Answer, girl. Don’t just sit there.”

Eileen’s eyes went over to the woman, and from the expression on Eileen’s face, Thomas expected her to tear a strip off Lady Prellham. The matron stared back at Eileen, impassive. Eileen swallowed whatever it was she was going to say, and instead turned back to Rose. “You probably know more about court ways than I do. But, thanks.”

“She is not totally ignorant,” said Lady Prellham, coming into the middle of the room. “And in those areas in which she is not properly educated, my knowledge will be sufficient for both of you.” She looked at Eileen, wrapped in her blanket. “Do stand up, girl.”

Eileen did as she was told, keeping the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her face looked bruised from all her crying, and Thomas could see her rage lurking just beneath the surface. Lady Prellham’s expression softened a moment. “I understand you have been having difficulties,” she said. “Rest assured they will not occur again while you are in my care. Now set aside that blanket and let me see you.”

Eileen did as she was told, revealing her dirty shirt and beeches.

“And why are you wearing those clothes?” asked Lady Prellham, her voice now as cold as the winds on the roof.

“Fencing,” said Eileen, looking at once scared and defiant.

Lady Prellham’s left eyebrow rose a quarter inch. “It was my understanding that it was a brawl this morning.”

“It started as fencing practice,” said Thomas. “The lords turned it into a brawl.”

Lady Prellham spared him a look and a slightly-raised eyebrow that would have silenced even Lord Henry. She turned her attention back to Eileen. “And you were fencing, were you?”

“Aye.”

“‘Yes’ is the proper term,” corrected Lady Prellham. “And I hardly think it is the suitable occupation for the sister of a knight.”

“I believe that would be for her brother to decide,” Thomas said, earning himself a further rise of the eyebrow and a look that, had it been a blade, would have skewered him to the wall.

“I will enquire of him, then,” said Lady Prellham, her emphasis making it perfectly clear that Thomas’s opinion in the matter was neither appropriate nor valued. “In either case, those clothes are totally unsuitable. We will have a proper fencing outfit made up for you if your brother insists you keep doing such things. Come, now. We must go to your rooms and see what clothes you have, then create a shopping list. Lord Henry informs me that you did not arrive with suitable accoutrement.”

Lady Prellham stepped to the door and waited. Eileen stood, unsure for a moment, then walked to it. Thomas intercepted her on the way. He reached for her hands and Eileen pulled away. Thomas pulled his own hands back and, lacking anything else to do, bowed. “I will see you at dinner, all right?”

Eileen nodded but didn’t look at him. “Aye.”

“Say ‘Yes,’” reminded Lady Prellham. “Now come, girls.”

Thomas closed the door behind them and waited long enough to be sure they were out of sight. Then he opened it again and went looking for Henry.

It took Thomas the better part of an hour—and two pages sent out in different directions—before he found Henry. He was in a courtyard in the rear of the castle with a dozen of his knights, watching two men on horses circling the courtyard. George was one, Sir Patrick the other. Neither had reins in their hands. Patrick was trying to show George the finer points of guiding his horse with his knees, and judging from the way George’s horse was wandering off, and the way the knights were laughing, he wasn’t having much success. Henry was keeping a remarkably straight face.

“Lord Henry,” called Thomas. “If you have a moment.”