Her Christmas Knight. Nicole Locke

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       Chapter Five

      ‘Finally you’ve arrived!’ Elizabeth exclaimed as Alice was ushered into the receiving hall.

      ‘Not soon enough,’ Alice said, allowing the servants to remove her heavy cloak, hat and gloves.

      ‘As usual, the November wind is battering this house,’ Elizabeth said. ‘I had a dreadful time getting the children to bed, but at least it’s not raining.’

      ‘It’s starting to.’

      ‘All the guests haven’t arrived yet!’

      ‘They’ll come.’ Alice blew on her hands. ‘How’s the goose?’

      Elizabeth let out a rough exhalation. ‘You knew about that?’

      It was Martinmas—St Martin’s Day—and the start of the Christmas season. A busy day for farmers, whose livestock had to be slaughtered and dried for the coming months, a profitable one for beggars knocking on doors for alms, and a gluttonous day for feasting. Lots of food, and even more drink. And at her sister’s home Alice would gain invitations to others’ homes.

      ‘Esther hasn’t been able to talk of anything else for the last two days.’ Alice fluttered her hands in the air and widened her eyes. ‘“Elizabeth can’t find a St Martin’s Day goose! What will be done? Something has to be done!”’ She rubbed her hands to give them warmth. ‘This morning I had to order her to stay at home.’

      ‘Order Esther?’ Elizabeth strolled into the parlour. ‘Who ever heard of such a thing?’

      ‘So true!’ Laughing, Alice followed her sister. ‘Luckily for us both, Bertrice had heard from three other sources that a goose had been delivered to the mayor’s kitchens.’

      ‘Bertrice? How is her ankle?’

      ‘Mending, much to Esther’s relief.’

      ‘They always were good friends.’

      ‘Hence the reason why the gossip of no goose for St Martin’s Day caused a scandal!’

      Elizabeth shook her head ruefully. ‘Oh, I know it’s been years since you’ve been to a formal function, dear sister, but it’s not that I have a choice.’

      Alice stamped her feet, which tingled with the cold. ‘Out of the two of us, you made the wiser decision.’

      Elizabeth smile widened. ‘Yes, I did, didn’t I?’

      Alice felt a pang in her heart at Elizabeth’s happiness. The role of mayor’s wife was ideal for her sister’s excellent social skills. It was made all the more perfect since she and John adored each other.

      But Alice had her own bit of happiness to divulge. ‘Today, William needed no instruction with the abacus.’

      Elizabeth clapped her hands. ‘Oh, I’m so happy for you.’

      Another pang. This time of annoyance. ‘Not happy for me, for him.’

      Elizabeth’s elated smile dimmed. ‘Yes, for him. It’s—’

      ‘No more, Elizabeth. This is better for him.’

      It was an old argument. William was the only child of Bertrice’s friend, Sarah. When she and her husband had drowned, Bertrice took him in. Bertrice hadn’t always been able to corral William. As he got older, Alice would find him wandering the Great Hall or other official rooms. It hadn’t taken long for Alice to realise how bright and curious he was.

      She’d always helped families with food, clothing, tools and sometimes with chickens or goats from her own stocks when her father wasn’t looking. But with William, she had given to in other ways by educating him on matters around the house.

      Eventually the little tutorials had turned into lessons. And now, William came to the house twice weekly for his studies.

      Alice was certain William would make one of the finest stewards in the country, if only someone would take him on.

      ‘Is it better for him?’ Elizabeth pursed her lips. ‘You know he has to be noble-born to run a household.’

      Alice’s frustration burned, despite her certainty that her sister was wrong. ‘Perhaps I intend to put him in a more...accommodating home.’

      ‘Mary knew it!’ Elizabeth’s smile was triumphant. ‘She knew that if you couldn’t provide for him in Father’s home she’d end up with William in hers.’

      Alice wasn’t surprised her sisters had talked about her. She also wasn’t surprised that they’d guessed her plans. Still, she didn’t know how they were feeling.

      ‘And did Mary protest?’

      Elizabeth sighed. ‘She didn’t...unprotest.’

      Alice wanted to smile her own triumphant smile. It wasn’t an agreement, but it was a start. William had many more years before he’d be fully trained. In that time she could wear Mary down.

      William would be perfect for Mary’s household, and she didn’t live that far away. Alice would keep him herself, but knew her father would never allow William to run his home. Her father wanted the best of everything. And that included having people in his employ with only the best connections.

      Her father would take on the eighty-eighth cousin of the King even if he was a thief and couldn’t count with his fingers.

      ‘Has Father Bernard told William he intends to crown him Boy Bishop?’ Elizabeth asked.

      Alice did smile then. William—quiet and analytical—would be the best Boy Bishop in all of Swaffham, СКАЧАТЬ