Page 16 of Fortress of Snow

Baron Wexcombe

Mazy felt sick, as if she might lose her breakfast. John was furious, and Warin had disowned her and would refuse to use hisinfluence, or provide any dowry, to procure her a husband. And how dare he insinuate that she had lost her virtue! She’d done nothing wrong, but he would cause her to lose her good name and reputation. She would no longer be known as the virtuous only daughter of the Baron Wexcombe, and she could never make a good match now.

O God, help me. I am ruined.

Five

Surely Warin could not be serious about disowning her. And why was John looking at her with that furious expression? This was Warin’s doing, his shirking of his responsibility. He must know that she had done nothing wrong, not with Piers, nor with anyone else.

“Was I wrong to want to come here and see you?” Mazy tried to speak in a quiet voice, well aware of all the knights and squires looking on.

“You came here without any protection besides that whey-faced ploughman, Piers. And you traveled alone with him. Did you not think of your reputation? You never should have come. How can I be responsible for you? I’m a knight, not a nursemaid.”

“I left Warin a message saying where I was going, and Piers is one of Father’s tenants, a respectful farmer’s son who wouldnever make advances toward me. Nothing happened to me on the way here. We were not attacked, and no one came near me. I only came here because I thought you might help me find a suitable husband, since Warin wanted to marry me off to whoever would pay the most money.”

“You should have married whomever Warin told you to marry.”

John’s words were like a knife in her heart. Her mind whirled, a tangle of painful thoughts. John was angry with her, he did not care about her, and he would not help her.

John spun on his heel, glaring at everyone in earshot. “This is not a miracle play. What are you staring at?” Then he turned and stalked away, his hands fisted by his sides.

Sir Berenger came toward her. “What does the missive say? Is it so bad?”

His manner was so kind, so gentle, so opposite of John’s that she handed him the parchment to let him read it for himself. It only took him a moment. When he lowered it, his brows were drawing together.

“I can hardly believe...” He gazed at her. “This is wrong. This is very wrong. Lord Wexcombe has no right to accuse you of doing something wrong or to assume your reputation was damaged. Sir John and I shall go to him and force him to change his mind.”

It was kind of him to say, but... “I did nothing wrong, but you cannot force him to change his mind. He only wanted to get rid of me, and now he has found a way. And there’s nothing either of us can do.” The terrible ache in her chest that she’d feltfor days after her father died was back.O God, I wish my father had not died. I miss him so much.

“Did Warin harm you? Is that why you left home after your father died?”

“No. But he does not care about me at all. He found an old man for me to marry, older than my father, so I came here to escape that fate and to see John. I missed him, and I thought he might be able to help me.” Tears, which were always close to the surface since her father died, started to leak out. Mazy covered her face. “I was foolish. John is right. I never should have left home.”

“You did nothing wrong. This is not your fault. Warin is being selfish and unreasonable. What you did was not bad; you just weren’t thinking about the dangers. But Warin also did not send anyone after you or send word to your brother to see if you were safe. No, he did this for his own benefit, not because you had done something wrong.” Sir Berenger’s eyes were intense, his brows drawn together in a look of sincerity and concern.

It was a relief that Sir Berenger did not think she had done something terrible, but it was painful to think that Warin would cast her aside her so quickly, ruining her future. Could he hate her so much?

Also painful was the memory of John saying, “You never should have come.” His words stabbed through her chest like a knife. Not only did Warin want nothing else to do with her, but even John, her beloved brother whose love she had been so sure of, blamed her for Warin casting her off.

Everyone else had wandered away, as it was time for the midday meal, but Sir Berenger remained with her.

“I’m sorry Sir John was so angry. I’m sure he did not mean what he said.”

Mazy nodded, even though she was not so sure. How could he say such things if he did not mean them?

“Come. Let us go and get some food. And later Sir John, the duke, and myself will write Lord Wexcombe a letter persuading him to change his mind.”

Sir Berenger was so kind. She went with him, even though she just wanted to be alone. She did not wish him to know how broken she felt.

She and Sir Berenger went into the kitchen where the servants and guards ate, and everyone turned to stare at her. When she sat down, they went back to serving the meal.

John did not come in while she ate, and another one of the knights came to Sir Berenger to ask for his help.

“Forgive me,” he said. “I have to take care of this.”

“Of course.” She nodded to him. When he was gone, she excused herself and went to her room.

She was on her own now. She could no longer count on her brothers to take care of her or make sure she married well. Now that she was without Warin’s protection and wealth, she had to stop taking the charity of the duke and duchess. Even though Lady Delia had said she was happy to show her hospitality for the sake of her brother and what he meant to their household, Mazy was beginning to realize it was just a way for the lady to show compassion. John seemed to do the bare minimum. It was Sir Berenger who went beyond his duties to help and serve.