Free The Jewels of Warwick by Diana Rubino

marriage following love, instead of the other way round."
     
     
"Aye, your grace." Very noble sentiments, indeed, she thought
    inwards, and they were almost the same words spoken by Topaz. But
    coming from Henry, they seemed to have more credibility.
     
     
"I trust you will find a suitable parti , Lady Amethyst. For
    one thing, your dowry chest must be quite generous."
     
     
She blushed. "Oh, aye, your grace. Thanks to you and your kind
    benevolences, having given us back...er, giving us Warwick Castle."
     
     
"Aye, your grandfather and father might have been king," he said
    matter of factly. "But I am King and I must do my best. You see,
    Lady Amethyst, my father ran the realm a different way than I. He
    won the crown by fighting. A poor, struggling pretender, he
    virtually plucked it from the head of Richard's corpse.
     
     
"My father sought to dispel the disorder of his time and selected
    his councilors for their ability and loyalty instead of military
    prowess. His was the last reign of his kind, and I plan to be known
    as the first king of what I like to call modern times. The Dark Ages
    are over, Amethyst. This is the rebirth...the renaissance, if you
    will."
     
     
"I am glad, your grace. I would marry a man for love, rather than
    the union of our lands."
     
     
"And what of your sister?"
     
     
"Oh, Emerald is too young yet to..."
     
     
"Nay, I meant your older sister, Topaz," he said with a shake of her
    head.
     
     
She was hoping he wouldn't ask. She was hoping he'd forgotten Topaz
    even existed. "She lives at Kenilworth with her husband Matthew
    Gilford. She runs an animal hospital and distributes alms to the
    poor."
     
     
"Ah, yes, Gilford, Duke of Lancaster. His father fought beside mine
    at Bosworth. Kenilworth and the title were granted to him at that
    time." Topaz didn't seem to care how her husband's magnificent
    castle, lands, and title had been attained, as long as there was
    ample room for her animals.
     
     
"Topaz has a boy, Edward, named after our father."
     
     
"Pray God he won't follow in your father's footsteps," said the
    King, jokingly.
     
     
Amethyst laughed uncomfortably, for that was still a very touchy
    subject in her family, and was surprised the King chose to jest
    about it. Yet that was just one of the things that enchanted her
    about him, his ability to laugh—at just about anything.
     
     
"I pray for the same, your grace." Oh, God, did she! She prayed God
    that Topaz was mellowing with the rearing of her son and the running
    of the castle and the tending of her animals and no longer had any
    interest in her so-called quest for revenge. "I believe Edward will
    become a faithful subject, as will my sons and daughters when the
    Lord sees fit to send me some."
     
     
His eyes colored darkly then, and he said stiffly, "Indeed. Well, my
    Lady, I must bid you Godspeed for now, for we must prepare for the
    New Year's festivities on the morrow and the journey back to London
    thereafter." He stood and, taking her hand in his, pressed his lips
    to it, releasing it quickly.
     
     
With a slight nod, he turned to leave. She curtsied stiffly, in awe
    of this entire visit, bursting to tell her mother and Emerald all
    about it.
     
     
As the King swept out of the room, she touched her hand to her lips,
    at the very place where he'd kissed her, and she gazed out over the
    Avon, seeing nothing, just the delicate strains of his music running
    through her head.
     
     

 
CHAPTER TEN
     
     
On New Year's Day the entire household gathered in the great hall.
    With the King's gracious permission, Sabine collected all the
    servants, from her Maids of Honor to the stable hands, and they were
    granted the honor of spending a few hours in the King's presence.
    Sabine had gotten them all gifts, and they were distributed before
    the King and Queen's arrival.
     
     
When the royal retinue appeared, they personally exchanged gifts
    with Sabine and the girls. The King had presented them