insist that he be kept away from combat. You’d recognise that he would have to be seen as a leader who shared danger with the men he commanded. Maybe he’d be assigned to a term of picket duty in the north, protecting against Scotti raiders. Or he’d be patrolling the south-west coast, fighting smugglers and Moondarkers.’
He paused, looking at the two of them. Horace was looking resigned, as if he agreed that this was what a son of his would be expected to do. Cassandra’s lips were pressed together in a thin, stubborn line.
‘What he wouldn’t be doing would be sitting in a big, comfortable castle, surrounded by hundreds of men at arms and never knowing what it was like to face danger, to pit himself against an enemy and come out on top.’
Gilan opened his mouth to say something, but Halt held up a hand to stop him. He knew what Gilan’s objection was but he’d deal with that in a minute or two.
‘So why should your daughter be any different?’ he asked. Cassandra’s eyes flashed up to meet his.
‘Because she is my daughter!’ she snapped. ‘Do you expect her to go into the army and lead a platoon of cavalry?’
‘No,’ Halt said in a reasonable tone. ‘But I think joining the Rangers would be a logical alternative. She’d learn to command, to make decisions, to judge a situation and come up with the right answer at the right time. As for the more physical side of battle, well, we Rangers have alwaystended to step back and leave that to the bash and whackers like Horace. No offence,’ he added with a small smile.
Horace shrugged. ‘I recall you taking your place in the battle line more than once, Halt.’
Halt nodded. ‘I have. But it’s not absolutely necessary for a Ranger to do it. That was usually just vanity on my part.’
‘But even so, you admit that there would be danger?’ Cassandra said.
Halt turned to her. ‘Of course. We live in a dangerous world. When you’re dead and gone and Maddelyn inherits the throne, there will be people who won’t want her there. They’ll have their own agendas and their own candidates for ruler. If they think they’re dealing with a helpless girl, they’ll try to take advantage of the fact. They might be a little more reluctant if they knew she was a trained Ranger – and had the backing of the entire Corps. We tend to look after one another, you know.’
Cassandra considered his words. Araluen was at peace, but she was aware that there were still elements in the Kingdom who would be ready to rebel at the slightest sense of weakness from their ruler. And any change of ruler could always precipitate a power struggle among ambitious people. Cassandra’s own reputation, and Horace’s skill as a warrior, were enough to keep such elements at bay. The people of Araluen were aware that their future queen was not one to be browbeaten or suborned in any way. Any rebellion against her would be quickly snuffed out.
But Maddie? What would she bring to the throne? What would her reputation be? She saw now that Halt’s description of her as a helpless girl was all too accurate.Of course, she would have advisers and supporters. But Cassandra knew that the true strength of the throne came from the ruler herself. From her ability, her confidence, her skill and experience in dealing with tough and frightening situations. But still . . .
‘But the danger, Halt? How can I place my little girl in danger? What if she’s injured?’ she said, her voice miserable.
‘What if she’s hurrying to a needlepoint class, trips on the hem of her long, girly skirt, falls down the stairs and breaks her neck?’ Halt asked. ‘You can’t mollycoddle her.’
He paused, remembering his conversation with Duncan. ‘Your father said that things are going to be tough for you when you inherit the throne,’ he said. ‘They’re going to be even tougher for Maddie. She may not find someone like Horace to support her.’
Halt leaned forward and took Cassandra’s
He paused, looking at the two of them. Horace was looking resigned, as if he agreed that this was what a son of his would be expected to do. Cassandra’s lips were pressed together in a thin, stubborn line.
‘What he wouldn’t be doing would be sitting in a big, comfortable castle, surrounded by hundreds of men at arms and never knowing what it was like to face danger, to pit himself against an enemy and come out on top.’
Gilan opened his mouth to say something, but Halt held up a hand to stop him. He knew what Gilan’s objection was but he’d deal with that in a minute or two.
‘So why should your daughter be any different?’ he asked. Cassandra’s eyes flashed up to meet his.
‘Because she is my daughter!’ she snapped. ‘Do you expect her to go into the army and lead a platoon of cavalry?’
‘No,’ Halt said in a reasonable tone. ‘But I think joining the Rangers would be a logical alternative. She’d learn to command, to make decisions, to judge a situation and come up with the right answer at the right time. As for the more physical side of battle, well, we Rangers have alwaystended to step back and leave that to the bash and whackers like Horace. No offence,’ he added with a small smile.
Horace shrugged. ‘I recall you taking your place in the battle line more than once, Halt.’
Halt nodded. ‘I have. But it’s not absolutely necessary for a Ranger to do it. That was usually just vanity on my part.’
‘But even so, you admit that there would be danger?’ Cassandra said.
Halt turned to her. ‘Of course. We live in a dangerous world. When you’re dead and gone and Maddelyn inherits the throne, there will be people who won’t want her there. They’ll have their own agendas and their own candidates for ruler. If they think they’re dealing with a helpless girl, they’ll try to take advantage of the fact. They might be a little more reluctant if they knew she was a trained Ranger – and had the backing of the entire Corps. We tend to look after one another, you know.’
Cassandra considered his words. Araluen was at peace, but she was aware that there were still elements in the Kingdom who would be ready to rebel at the slightest sense of weakness from their ruler. And any change of ruler could always precipitate a power struggle among ambitious people. Cassandra’s own reputation, and Horace’s skill as a warrior, were enough to keep such elements at bay. The people of Araluen were aware that their future queen was not one to be browbeaten or suborned in any way. Any rebellion against her would be quickly snuffed out.
But Maddie? What would she bring to the throne? What would her reputation be? She saw now that Halt’s description of her as a helpless girl was all too accurate.Of course, she would have advisers and supporters. But Cassandra knew that the true strength of the throne came from the ruler herself. From her ability, her confidence, her skill and experience in dealing with tough and frightening situations. But still . . .
‘But the danger, Halt? How can I place my little girl in danger? What if she’s injured?’ she said, her voice miserable.
‘What if she’s hurrying to a needlepoint class, trips on the hem of her long, girly skirt, falls down the stairs and breaks her neck?’ Halt asked. ‘You can’t mollycoddle her.’
He paused, remembering his conversation with Duncan. ‘Your father said that things are going to be tough for you when you inherit the throne,’ he said. ‘They’re going to be even tougher for Maddie. She may not find someone like Horace to support her.’
Halt leaned forward and took Cassandra’s
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