said. Still, Calvin did nothing. “Calvin’s wedding is soon, if you haven’t heard.”
“I had, in a letter from Grace.”
“Then your arrival at this time is no accident, I presume,” Leon remarked. He smiled without showing any teeth.
“I came up especially for it.”
“No!” Calvin shouted; slamming his fist on the table, making the soup bowls jump and broth spill out over the edge. Shocked, no one moved for a moment. Calvin took advantage of the silence to continue. “It is bad enough you have allowed Grace to serve as a guard during the wedding, but now this rogue shows up expecting to be a witness? I won’t have it!”
“Rogue? My boy, Donald was your manservant, and you were the one who said you wanted Grace around,” George said.
“I have to want Grace around because she’s family, and unfortunately I’ve encouraged her delusions all these years, but Donald embarrassed our family by allowing her to make a fool of this house. It’s taken so long to undo their damage, and now everyone who witnessed my shame will be reminded of them anew.”
Calvin had never spoken of the tournament where Grace entered the sword ring disguised as him. She only did it to bring honor to Arganis when he had to withdraw due to an injury. When they parted he was warm, supportive. Not once did he ever mention the incident. At times he seemed distant, but Grace always believed it was because he was busy planning his wedding and helping to manage the estate. It never occurred to her that he harbored resentment. He never bothered to hint at it before.
“Shame?” Grace asked, stepping forward. “You never said anything.”
“Don’t be dense, stupid girl!” Calvin shouted. He rose out of his chair, anger flashing in his eyes, and planted his fists firmly on the table. “I thought a year in that cesspool Glenbard would wake you up, but you come back and instead of looking for a respectable job in town, you join the guard! And you allow it, Father! And you , Uncle George! What madness takes this house?”
“Calvin!” Leon snapped. “The gods gift people, and they gifted your cousin with the sword. She’s a fine fighter, and it’s only an accident of birth she was not born a man. You would do well not to question my choices.”
Although meant favorably, Grace bristled at the comment. George put a hand on his nephew’s arm, trying to pull him into his seat, but Calvin shrugged the hand off and stalked around the table to stand before Donald and Grace. Both were too shocked to say anything.
“I spent months at court with people whispering that I was bewitched; that I was half a man. All because of you two.”
“Sir Calvin,” Donald mumbled. Grace could hear his voice shaking with rage. “I did only as my better commanded, and even now if Grace asked for my aid, I would gladly give it. As I see it, she saved me from a lifetime of service with an obvious brute.”
Calvin balled his fists and punched Donald in the nose before anyone had a chance to react. Blood sputtered out, all over Calvin’s hand and Donald’s face. Thinking only of her friend, Grace punched her cousin back and heard a satisfying crunch as her knuckles made contact. Calvin staggered back, grabbing his face, and blood seeped through his fingers. Before anyone had a chance to throw another punch, Leon and George put themselves between the three.
“I should throw you all in the stocks!” Leon roared.
Grace turned away in disgust and annoyance. A few terrified maids stood in the doorway, no doubt called up by the raised voices. “Move on, girls, or you will meet my fists next!” she growled.
“I had, in a letter from Grace.”
“Then your arrival at this time is no accident, I presume,” Leon remarked. He smiled without showing any teeth.
“I came up especially for it.”
“No!” Calvin shouted; slamming his fist on the table, making the soup bowls jump and broth spill out over the edge. Shocked, no one moved for a moment. Calvin took advantage of the silence to continue. “It is bad enough you have allowed Grace to serve as a guard during the wedding, but now this rogue shows up expecting to be a witness? I won’t have it!”
“Rogue? My boy, Donald was your manservant, and you were the one who said you wanted Grace around,” George said.
“I have to want Grace around because she’s family, and unfortunately I’ve encouraged her delusions all these years, but Donald embarrassed our family by allowing her to make a fool of this house. It’s taken so long to undo their damage, and now everyone who witnessed my shame will be reminded of them anew.”
Calvin had never spoken of the tournament where Grace entered the sword ring disguised as him. She only did it to bring honor to Arganis when he had to withdraw due to an injury. When they parted he was warm, supportive. Not once did he ever mention the incident. At times he seemed distant, but Grace always believed it was because he was busy planning his wedding and helping to manage the estate. It never occurred to her that he harbored resentment. He never bothered to hint at it before.
“Shame?” Grace asked, stepping forward. “You never said anything.”
“Don’t be dense, stupid girl!” Calvin shouted. He rose out of his chair, anger flashing in his eyes, and planted his fists firmly on the table. “I thought a year in that cesspool Glenbard would wake you up, but you come back and instead of looking for a respectable job in town, you join the guard! And you allow it, Father! And you , Uncle George! What madness takes this house?”
“Calvin!” Leon snapped. “The gods gift people, and they gifted your cousin with the sword. She’s a fine fighter, and it’s only an accident of birth she was not born a man. You would do well not to question my choices.”
Although meant favorably, Grace bristled at the comment. George put a hand on his nephew’s arm, trying to pull him into his seat, but Calvin shrugged the hand off and stalked around the table to stand before Donald and Grace. Both were too shocked to say anything.
“I spent months at court with people whispering that I was bewitched; that I was half a man. All because of you two.”
“Sir Calvin,” Donald mumbled. Grace could hear his voice shaking with rage. “I did only as my better commanded, and even now if Grace asked for my aid, I would gladly give it. As I see it, she saved me from a lifetime of service with an obvious brute.”
Calvin balled his fists and punched Donald in the nose before anyone had a chance to react. Blood sputtered out, all over Calvin’s hand and Donald’s face. Thinking only of her friend, Grace punched her cousin back and heard a satisfying crunch as her knuckles made contact. Calvin staggered back, grabbing his face, and blood seeped through his fingers. Before anyone had a chance to throw another punch, Leon and George put themselves between the three.
“I should throw you all in the stocks!” Leon roared.
Grace turned away in disgust and annoyance. A few terrified maids stood in the doorway, no doubt called up by the raised voices. “Move on, girls, or you will meet my fists next!” she growled.
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