know that most of it could be discounted, however savory. Other than his one cruelty, his behavior toward her had always been most circumspect. Not once had he attempted to steal a kiss from her lips, or approach her in any way but a most courteous manner—but for the one cruelty. Why did that keep weighing on her so?
It was quite obvious to everyone that Sir Jasper Keane was every bit as fine a gentleman as her own dear father, God assoil him, and her own mother appeared content with the match. In fact, Arabella had not seen Rowena so complacent since her father had died. Jasper had even, in her hearing, assured Rowena that he expected her to remain at Greyfaire after their marriage. She could, he said, have the Dower House, and there would be no need for her to remarry. He was happy to provide for her. That was most thoughtful, Arabella considered. They were all really quite fortunate inthe king’s choice, and it was time she stopped behaving like the child she claimed she no longer was. It was time, Arabella decided, to make peace with her future. If Jasper made no further slip in his behavior, then she would accept him for her husband. She would force that nagging little uncertainty from her mind. Wisely, however, she kept these thoughts to herself.
Throughout the autumn of 1484 and the winter of 1485, Sir Jasper Keane courted Arabella Grey with charm, and guarded both his tongue and his actions. Toward her mother he was publicly kind and polite. Privately, his passion for Rowena did not abate, and he kept her well satisfied. Their liaison would continue after his marriage, when she would take up residence in the Dower House. Arabella need never know, he soothed his mistress, and they would all be quite content. He no longer brought up the possibility of sharing the two women simultaneously, for he had forced Rowena into that situation the previous summer with great disappointment. Still, he thought with a smile upon his handsome face, there were other compensations.
Arabella’s thirteenth birthday on March twenty-ninth was barely remembered, for word had come several days prior that Queen Anne had died at the palace of Westminster on the sixteenth day of the month and had been buried in the abbey of the same name. Rowena’s sorrow was greater than anyone else’s at Greyfaire, for she and the queen had been as close as sisters. For almost two weeks a mere word could send her into fits of weeping.
The queen’s death galvanized Sir Jasper into action. Only once since he had come to Greyfaire Keep had he left it for any period of time, and within that time frame there had been no serious border disputes, only sporadic raiding back and forth on both sides. Now he knew if he was to learn precisely the true state of affairs in England, he must go south to visit friends and acquaintances, perhaps to the court itself. A mistake at this point in time could be fatal. He could not rely on gossip. FitzWalter could be trusted to defend the keep, and Jasper Keane considered himself fortunate to have inherited such a good captain.
“Why must you go?” Rowena wailed the night before his departure. “What if the Scots come?”
“Rowena,” he explained patiently, “your Dickon is in serious danger of losing his throne to Henry Tudor. I may have to choose sides now, but before I do, I must learn which of these men has the better chance of winning. The king, or the pretender. Our very existence depends upon my choice. Can you understand that, my pet, or is it all too much for your foolish little brain to comprehend?”
“I am not so silly, Jasper,” she answered him, “that I do not see you contemplate breaking your oath of loyalty to the king. Why would you betray Richard when he has lifted you up from the ashes of Northby and given you Greyfaire? Is this how a gentleman repays his good lord?”
He nodded slowly. Sometimes Rowena surprised even him with an astute observation. “There is a strong possibility that the
It was quite obvious to everyone that Sir Jasper Keane was every bit as fine a gentleman as her own dear father, God assoil him, and her own mother appeared content with the match. In fact, Arabella had not seen Rowena so complacent since her father had died. Jasper had even, in her hearing, assured Rowena that he expected her to remain at Greyfaire after their marriage. She could, he said, have the Dower House, and there would be no need for her to remarry. He was happy to provide for her. That was most thoughtful, Arabella considered. They were all really quite fortunate inthe king’s choice, and it was time she stopped behaving like the child she claimed she no longer was. It was time, Arabella decided, to make peace with her future. If Jasper made no further slip in his behavior, then she would accept him for her husband. She would force that nagging little uncertainty from her mind. Wisely, however, she kept these thoughts to herself.
Throughout the autumn of 1484 and the winter of 1485, Sir Jasper Keane courted Arabella Grey with charm, and guarded both his tongue and his actions. Toward her mother he was publicly kind and polite. Privately, his passion for Rowena did not abate, and he kept her well satisfied. Their liaison would continue after his marriage, when she would take up residence in the Dower House. Arabella need never know, he soothed his mistress, and they would all be quite content. He no longer brought up the possibility of sharing the two women simultaneously, for he had forced Rowena into that situation the previous summer with great disappointment. Still, he thought with a smile upon his handsome face, there were other compensations.
Arabella’s thirteenth birthday on March twenty-ninth was barely remembered, for word had come several days prior that Queen Anne had died at the palace of Westminster on the sixteenth day of the month and had been buried in the abbey of the same name. Rowena’s sorrow was greater than anyone else’s at Greyfaire, for she and the queen had been as close as sisters. For almost two weeks a mere word could send her into fits of weeping.
The queen’s death galvanized Sir Jasper into action. Only once since he had come to Greyfaire Keep had he left it for any period of time, and within that time frame there had been no serious border disputes, only sporadic raiding back and forth on both sides. Now he knew if he was to learn precisely the true state of affairs in England, he must go south to visit friends and acquaintances, perhaps to the court itself. A mistake at this point in time could be fatal. He could not rely on gossip. FitzWalter could be trusted to defend the keep, and Jasper Keane considered himself fortunate to have inherited such a good captain.
“Why must you go?” Rowena wailed the night before his departure. “What if the Scots come?”
“Rowena,” he explained patiently, “your Dickon is in serious danger of losing his throne to Henry Tudor. I may have to choose sides now, but before I do, I must learn which of these men has the better chance of winning. The king, or the pretender. Our very existence depends upon my choice. Can you understand that, my pet, or is it all too much for your foolish little brain to comprehend?”
“I am not so silly, Jasper,” she answered him, “that I do not see you contemplate breaking your oath of loyalty to the king. Why would you betray Richard when he has lifted you up from the ashes of Northby and given you Greyfaire? Is this how a gentleman repays his good lord?”
He nodded slowly. Sometimes Rowena surprised even him with an astute observation. “There is a strong possibility that the
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