Notorious by Virginia Henley Page B

young couple develop a natural affinity for each other. I prefer to leave the matter to my wife. She has very strong feelings about betrothals. Jory is adamant that Brianna not be betrothed before she is seventeen and not marry until she is at least eighteen. Jory and I wanted to marry, but her family didn’t tell her that I made an offer for her. Instead, they forced her to wed Humphrey de Bohun. Jory has vowed that such a fate will not befall Brianna.”
    â€œMost of us have arranged marriages.”
    â€œYou needn’t tell me. I had two before I found love and happiness. I am certain of one thing—Jory will never push our daughter into an arranged marriage, especially if Brianna has any qualms about the man.” He cleaned his horse’s hoof with a rasp. “You’ve had more experience in these matters than I—you’ve married off at least four daughters, I believe.”
    â€œI made good matches for them—I didn’t consider their qualms,” Roger admitted. “Rather, I considered the castles their husbands would inherit. Not long ago I wed Margaret to Lord Berkley’s heir and I have an understanding with Lord Audley to betroth his son to my daughter Joan when they are old enough. The next in line is Kat. I saw her eyeing your son Guy Thomas when we were at Wigmore Castle.”
    â€œYou have given me food for thought. It seems like only yesterday they were children. I am beginning to feel ancient.”
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    That night in bed, Warwick brought up the subject of their children’s betrothals. “I’m not saying we should be in any hurry to get them married. But perhaps it is time we looked about us and made a list of prospective families for possible matches.”
    â€œBrianna and Lincoln Robert seem perfectly suited to each other. I can foresee a betrothal there, perhaps when she turns seventeen, if we let nature take its course, darling.”
    Warwick nodded. “He’s a good man. Now that he is heir to the earldom of Surrey, perhaps we should formalize their betrothal, once Brianna turns seventeen. I cannot envision a better match for her than Lincoln Robert.”
    â€œNo. It would be an ideal match for both our families.”
    â€œMortimer hinted at Guy Thomas for his daughter Katherine.”
    â€œGood heavens, our son is only interested in swords and armor and learning to become a warrior at the moment.”
    â€œAye, he’s more interested in fighting than fucking, unlike his father.” He drew his hand up the length of her silken leg, and it wiped betrothals from his mind.
    Jory, however, pondered the subject for the next few days. Just before the month was up, when the men would be taking their armies south, she brought up the subject with her daughter. They were in the castle’s vast stillroom where Brianna was hanging up bunches of herbs to dry.
    â€œIn the not too far distant future, we shall have to start looking about us for a suitable husband.”
    Brianna stared at her mother in disbelief. “You surely don’t mean a husband for me? You have always drummed into me that I must be at least eighteen before I wed.”
    â€œYou’ll soon be seventeen, darling, and we will no doubt be receiving offers for you.”
    â€œYou know as well as I do that I am going to marry Lincoln Robert someday. I wouldn’t consider any other for my husband.”
    â€œWell, that pleases me beyond measure. Your father thinks that since Lincoln is now heir to the earldom of Surrey, we should formalize your betrothal when you turn seventeen.”
    Brianna suddenly realized how soon that would be, and something inside her rebelled. I will go straight from the protection of my father to the protection of my husband. “I will soon be seventeen years old, and every one of them has been sheltered!” Brianna declared passionately. “I’ve never been anywhere or seen anything. I don’t want to go