‘Sir Roger is my half-brother. My father is Robert, Baron of Danby and Westerdale, who holds land from William of Pickering.’
‘A nobleman with a blacksmith for a son?’
‘My mother was not of noble birth. I followed her father’s path in life.’ Hal’s answers were clipped. Questions he’d been asked a hundred times before. Justifications he would have to make forever.
‘Do you believe your brother intends to marry my niece?’ Master Vernon demanded.
‘No,’ Hal replied honestly. ‘I have tried to tell her as much, though as she will not believe the words from his lips she is unlikely to believe them from mine.’
Master Vernon crossed the room and poured two glasses of wine. He passed one to Hal and scowled. ‘I am not an unfeeling man,’ he declared, despite all evidence indicating otherwise to Hal. ‘But I have fed and kept Joanna for a decade. I cannot afford to keep her forever. I have my own family to consider. She must find a husband soon.’
The reason for her desperation was becoming clearer now. Instead of insisting Roger did not marry Joanna, Hal should have persuaded him to commit to her. He’d caused this with his blunder.
‘Bringing Joanna safely home was a kindness. I think you have a good heart,’ Master Vernon said. ‘Better than your brother’s at least. Perhaps you are the sort of man the Guild needs—or could be in time.’
Hal smiled and drank his wine. Joanna had told him to turn events to his advantage and they seemed to be doing so of their own accord. He spoke rapidly of his ambitions, the forge at Ravenscrag, and his work for the abbey at Rievaulx and the villages on the moors. Master Vernon nodded approvingly.
‘I told you this afternoon to go back to your home and make a life for yourself,’ Master Vernon said. ‘I mentioned marriage.’
Hal’s smile froze. He had a sickening feeling he knew where Master Vernon was leading and the man’s next words confirmed his fears.
‘I have a proposal that could work to both our advantages, Master Danby. I want you to marry my niece.’
Chapter Five
H ow Hal found his way to the camp he couldn’t say. His feet must have traced the path of their own accord because his brain played no part. He located Roger in the castle hall, drowning his sorrows in wine, and dragged him back to their tent.
‘Tell me what happened between you and Joanna,’ Hal demanded.
Roger threw himself on to his cot with his wine jug. ‘I did as you asked. I told her I could not marry her. I dare say she will grieve for a while, but that can’t be helped.’
‘How forceful was your rejection?’
Roger stared at Hal through bleary, wine-reddened eyes. ‘Completely,’ he answered petulantly. ‘I told her I cannot afford marriage and that I’m leaving York.’
Hal sat on his bed and rested his elbows on his knees. He closed his eyes wearily and wished he hadn’t. Visions of Joanna’s eyes, all the bluer for the red rims surrounding them, filled his mind.
‘You have to change your mind,’ he said.
Roger spat out an oath. ‘Why would I do that?’
Hal fixed his brother with a stare. ‘Because her uncle wants me to take your place.’
Roger stumbled unsteadily to his feet and pointed an accusing finger at his brother. ‘This must be a jest. On your part or his?’
Hal scowled. His first instinct too had been to laugh at the suggestion until he had seen the earnest expression on Simon Vernon’s face.
‘Master Vernon was furious that Joanna had failed to win your hand. He all but offered me membership of the guild as a bribe for taking her,’ Hal said, his bile rising at the memory.
The Guild might think more favourably of a man with the responsibility for a wife and family , Master Vernon had said, which Hal translated as a man who rids me of my troublesome niece ! The man had shown little regard for Joanna’s distress, thinking only of his own pocket. No wonder she had been reluctant to return home, knowing the reception
‘A nobleman with a blacksmith for a son?’
‘My mother was not of noble birth. I followed her father’s path in life.’ Hal’s answers were clipped. Questions he’d been asked a hundred times before. Justifications he would have to make forever.
‘Do you believe your brother intends to marry my niece?’ Master Vernon demanded.
‘No,’ Hal replied honestly. ‘I have tried to tell her as much, though as she will not believe the words from his lips she is unlikely to believe them from mine.’
Master Vernon crossed the room and poured two glasses of wine. He passed one to Hal and scowled. ‘I am not an unfeeling man,’ he declared, despite all evidence indicating otherwise to Hal. ‘But I have fed and kept Joanna for a decade. I cannot afford to keep her forever. I have my own family to consider. She must find a husband soon.’
The reason for her desperation was becoming clearer now. Instead of insisting Roger did not marry Joanna, Hal should have persuaded him to commit to her. He’d caused this with his blunder.
‘Bringing Joanna safely home was a kindness. I think you have a good heart,’ Master Vernon said. ‘Better than your brother’s at least. Perhaps you are the sort of man the Guild needs—or could be in time.’
Hal smiled and drank his wine. Joanna had told him to turn events to his advantage and they seemed to be doing so of their own accord. He spoke rapidly of his ambitions, the forge at Ravenscrag, and his work for the abbey at Rievaulx and the villages on the moors. Master Vernon nodded approvingly.
‘I told you this afternoon to go back to your home and make a life for yourself,’ Master Vernon said. ‘I mentioned marriage.’
Hal’s smile froze. He had a sickening feeling he knew where Master Vernon was leading and the man’s next words confirmed his fears.
‘I have a proposal that could work to both our advantages, Master Danby. I want you to marry my niece.’
Chapter Five
H ow Hal found his way to the camp he couldn’t say. His feet must have traced the path of their own accord because his brain played no part. He located Roger in the castle hall, drowning his sorrows in wine, and dragged him back to their tent.
‘Tell me what happened between you and Joanna,’ Hal demanded.
Roger threw himself on to his cot with his wine jug. ‘I did as you asked. I told her I could not marry her. I dare say she will grieve for a while, but that can’t be helped.’
‘How forceful was your rejection?’
Roger stared at Hal through bleary, wine-reddened eyes. ‘Completely,’ he answered petulantly. ‘I told her I cannot afford marriage and that I’m leaving York.’
Hal sat on his bed and rested his elbows on his knees. He closed his eyes wearily and wished he hadn’t. Visions of Joanna’s eyes, all the bluer for the red rims surrounding them, filled his mind.
‘You have to change your mind,’ he said.
Roger spat out an oath. ‘Why would I do that?’
Hal fixed his brother with a stare. ‘Because her uncle wants me to take your place.’
Roger stumbled unsteadily to his feet and pointed an accusing finger at his brother. ‘This must be a jest. On your part or his?’
Hal scowled. His first instinct too had been to laugh at the suggestion until he had seen the earnest expression on Simon Vernon’s face.
‘Master Vernon was furious that Joanna had failed to win your hand. He all but offered me membership of the guild as a bribe for taking her,’ Hal said, his bile rising at the memory.
The Guild might think more favourably of a man with the responsibility for a wife and family , Master Vernon had said, which Hal translated as a man who rids me of my troublesome niece ! The man had shown little regard for Joanna’s distress, thinking only of his own pocket. No wonder she had been reluctant to return home, knowing the reception
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