Claimed By A Charmer (The Pith Trilogy) by Kara Griffin

guard this time of night. She hoped her brother would understand.
    “Father won’t let me leave.”
    She shook her head and pointed
through the window casement. He looked through and understood. Her throat
burned and no sound would come, so she mouthed Russ’ name.
    “Ah, you want me to have Russ take
your note to Candace? I’ll see if I can get him to do so. Stay inside your
chamber, and I’ll make sure the chambermaids bring food.”
    Isabel swallowed and spoke. “Why is
Nigel so …?” She sounded hoarse.
    “Demented? Issy, they both are. I
must keep ye safe until I can figure out something. Don’t worry so. We’ll get
you somewhere safe. Just don’t open that door to anyone.”
    Isabel walked him to the door. Nathaniel
was one good lad, against two evil souls. At five and ten, he was rather young
to go against them, and she felt disheartened depending on him. It was a matter
of the good versus the wicked.
    She immediately went to her basin
and scrubbed her skin until it hurt, just to get the vile touches of Nigel’s
hands from her body. Once cleaned, she sat on the bed thinking about her
circumstances. The night air blew the cover on her window casement as she sat
for hours staring at it. How long would she have to stay inside the room? Her
father wouldn’t arrange a marriage for her, she knew that now. Her hope of
marrying a man and living a normal life was completely dashed. She would have
to ponder a plan for her future and escape from hell.

Chapter Seven
     
     
    Nathaniel Calvert observed his
father, Morton Calvert, lord of Raven Hill, watching him and his brother throughout
supper. Nathaniel’s stomach couldn’t handle food, not while sitting with his
crude father and brother. He knew his father’s thoughts about his children. How
many times had he said that Nigel was as dark and crude as Nathaniel was light
and forbearing? Nigel made him proud to be his father, while he took after
their mother.
    She had too good a heart for the
likes of his father, but her beauty was what his father had coveted. He’d
always said that his strength was catechized in his children. After bearing
Nathaniel, his mother had succumbed to childbirth. At least she’d given his
father sons to carry on his name before she departed, but she’d given him a
daughter that his father longed to rid himself of. Those were his father’s
beliefs, which had been ingrained in his children since they’d all been young. Nate
didn’t hold the same sentiment.
    If Nigel wanted Isabel, his father
wouldn’t deny his eldest’s request. His sister’s safety didn’t overly concern
their father. Nathaniel loved his sister, and always protected her. He knew his
father considered sending him to another keep for training, hoping it would
harden him, but Nathaniel had been able to stay at his father’s manor. His
father thought the matter inconsequential enough to be put off.
    “Father, have you made a decision?”
    “About what, Nathaniel?” His father
looked up from his trencher.
    “About Isabel, you cannot mean to
let Nigel have her in that way. She doesn’t deserve to be treated like a serf.”
    “She’s a girl, not much better than
a serf. I don’t see why Nigel cannot have her.”
    “You cannot mean that, Father. If
that is so, why don’t you send her away? She doesn’t want him, she’s told me
so. Why, it goes against everything I believe, and what she believes. God
wouldn’t condone such a sin.”
    His father’s eyes narrowed at his
harsh speech.
    “She’s of little consequence and
has no say. I’ll give her time to get over her fear. As to God, He made men the
wiser—the stronger—and put women here for one purpose, Nathaniel, to bear man’s
children. Doesn’t matter which.”
    Nathaniel shook his head at his
father’s fallacious sentiment. He could never get him to change his view. There
was only one way to save Isabel.
    “Father, if he gets her with child,
do you realize what could happen?” Nate put in