Page 19 of Fortress of Snow

“Thank you. But Sir John will be my guardian now. I shall be well enough.” She wanted to be loyal to John, but she wasn’t sure she actually believed her words.

They sat in peaceful silence as the baby nursed, Lady Delia cradling him in her arms.

“And I shall think about what you said, about finding an occupation for you, and discuss it with my husband.”

“I do truly appreciate that. I know my skills are strange for a woman, but I will do whatever seems good to you and His Grace.”

Mazy was not sure what would become of her or what her future looked like, but she was determined not to let Warin ruin her. She was actually glad she was no longer dependent on Warin for anything. She would take care of herself.

Six

Mazy took a walk along the river. Her mind was on her father, and she prayed aloud, but very quietly, as if she were speaking directly to God. Her priest had told her she could pray that way, and she often did when she went on walks, but very quietly so no one would hear her and think she was moonstruck or addle-brained.

“God, help me remember happy times and be thankful. Like the time Father took me on a quest for orange grisette mushrooms in the forest. He could have sent a servant to pick them, but instead he took me.”

Certainly Father had not done these kinds of things with either Warin or John. She actually felt sorry for them. They hadn’t been loved and cared for the way she had, had not had the experiences with Father that she’d had. Did that have something to do with the way they treated her now?

She stared at the river, the sunlight on the water sparking like two flints, but only where the light filtered through the leaves.

“Thank You, God, that Father spent time with me and taught me things and let me learn what I wished to, like music instead of embroidery, and knife-throwing instead of sewing. He could have told me that was only for boys to learn, but he didn’t. And I’m thankful for that. He was my father, but he was also my friend, someone I could talk to. I’m thankful for that as well.”

“Is that you, Mazy?”

Roger, the newly orphaned boy, was sitting on the riverbank with Sir Berenger. They were each holding a long, thin pole at one end with the other end in the water.

“Good morning, Roger. Are you catching any fish?”

Sir Berenger had a soft heart toward the boy, as she’d seen him spending time with him before. He’d been with Roger when his mother died, or so Lady Delia had said.

Mazy felt a kinship with the boy, as they had both lost their only remaining parent.

“Not yet, but one just nibbled on my pole.” The boy’s eyes were wide and he was smiling.

Sir Berenger motioned her closer. “Come and sit with us.”

Would she be intruding on their time together? Roger showed no signs of wanting her to leave, so Mazy joined them.

“Sir Berenger taught me how to make a trap for the fish using a basket,” Roger gushed. “Have we caught a fish in the basket yet?”

Sir Berenger’s voice was low and gentle. “Not yet. Catching fish is about being patient more than anything else.”

Roger lowered his voice to match Sir Berenger’s as heexplained to Mazy, “We also have these poles with hooks on the end.” Roger lifted his pole out of the water to show her. “Mine has a worm on it. Fish like worms. A fish will swim up and bite the worm, and then I’ll catch him on my hook.”

“That’s very clever,” Mazy said. “I hope you catch a big one.”

Roger chattered on for a few minutes, then said, “I think there’s a fish in the trap.”

Sir Berenger lifted the straw basket out of the water and showed Roger that it was empty. Mazy studied it, trying to see if it was different from the traps her father’s guard had taught her to make. It was similar, with an open end for the fish to swim into with the current, the other end closed so it couldn’t swim out. The basket was secured to the bank by a thin rope.

While Roger was busy looking for more worms to put on his hook, Mazy said, “Your sister is letting me help her with her baby. I mostly watch him when he sleeps and wait for him to wake up, and I play with him when Lady Delia is busy. He is the most adorable baby I’ve ever seen.”

“He is a handsome little boy, but since he is my first nephew, I am probably not the best judge.”

“He is very good-natured as well, and so rarely cries. The duke and duchess seem like excellent parents.”

“They are good people. But you know you are not obligated to help my sister.”

“I want to be responsible for myself now. Besides, I am well aware that the little bit of help I give them does not make up for their generosity.”