After his conversation with the Constable, he headed off to his meeting with his brother’s widow. Unlike his last visit, it was not held in her sitting room but rather her bedroom and for the obvious reason, she wasn’t alone.
She laid propped up on her bed with a maid and an older woman who I presumed was a relative or the midwife in attendance to her.
“I hope you are well milady, that the baby is not long in coming into the world and that it is as healthy as an ox.”
“I could be doing worse or so the midwife tells me, I thank you for your kind words. I’m currently capable enough of dealing with whatever matters you wish to discuss but pray do not tally long in doing so.”
“There are some few matters we must discuss but most can wait until the babe is born and the true path the discussion must travel begins to be unveiled.”
“Pray continue kind sir” she stated in reply.
“The first matter is not debatable within the party I am expecting this afternoon is Dame Chepi Deird she will be among those attending you during the birth. “
“That is acceptable” she quickly responded without any outward sign that she was in any way against the idea before adding.
“Might I enquire as to the status of the lady in question?”
“She is the widowed aunt of my ward Lady Rachana Sabine of the island of Byrn.”
“I wasn’t aware you had a ward how old is she? “
“Fourteen, her father accidentally died by my hand during a joust five summers ago.”
“And where exactly might the island of Byrn be located?”
“It is one of the islands of the Kvor chain its best days are long behind it but it has a nice enough beach and the fishing grounds nearby have their moments. I should add that the wardship was very cheap and it makes a good enough place for me and my men during the off-season. I’ve had Juan looking after it for me since he was badly wounded in a melee a few years ago and never completely recovered from it.
“Juan.”
“Yes Juan Mallason surely your husband or someone else mentioned his existence to you, he is two years older than Leonid was, his mother was the daughter of a merchant, their both dead now but it was arranged so that he would be raised to become a knight not locally of course but somewhere in western Marcon. He became a tourney knight and I later followed in his footsteps to a greater degree of success mind you. Well anyway, he married a local girl last year and they had a girl last winter. He’ll probably never ride a horse into battle again but otherwise, he is in good enough health.”
“Bastards seem to run in your family at least Leonid’s didn’t live long enough to plague me, what about you?”
“None that I know of nor to be truthful much chance of one not known.”
“Well with that matter sorted what else do you wish to discuss with me. “
“Yes the second and final matter, for the time being, is your living arrangements, as you know your marriage contract sets aside a large part of the castle for your use as long as you shall live and remain unmarried.”
“So what, you wish to renegotiate the particulars of the arrangement.”
“Yes in essence that is the case, as you know the Manor house whilst remaining unfinished is still liveable in and I want you to make use of it instead of that portion of the castle set aside for you, what do you say.”
“Have you seen the Manor house even the finished portion is larger than that part of the castle which I am due, are you sure.”
“That may be but remember you would be held responsible for its upkeep, up to a point I’ll be willing to let the barony pay half the cost of finishing those structure that have already been started. “
“Let me think about it for a while, on the surface, it seems to be a good deal for me, I’ll have an answer for you by the end of the day.”
“Well then Nazma, unless you have anything you wish to discuss I will take my leave of you?”
“There was one little thing I wanted to discuss with you, with the death of your brother you have whether you yet realise it or not assumed guardianship of Dako, Caro and to a lesser extent, those of your already married sisters. Your brother Dako is squiring for sir Adner Peran, a knight in service to your uncle Levan Hecton and is expected to be knighted in due course.
Your sister Caro was betrothed by your brother to Kofi Addo, the second son of Kwan Addo, Lord of Teynal in the barony of Henick. You can if you wish to break it off and it is also possible that thanks to the barony’s change in circumstances his father will do so, I would like to advise you not to do so, however.”
“And why exactly should I do that, not that I have formed any kind of an opinion on the subject?”
“Well unlike you I have met Kofi and the fact that you’re not likely to find a better match for her comes to mind but the main reason is that your sister has grown fond of him or at least the idea of marrying him.”
“Well since I have as yet no opinion on the subject, I will wait until I’ve talked to Caro about it and have had a chance to meet him before I decide anything as to my brother I have met Sir Abner and I am confident that he is in good hands. “
“Well that is I suppose all I can ask of you at the moment, I imagine you’ll be visiting your sisters sooner or later, well good luck with that, you may take your leave now, until the next time.”
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