Luckstones Read Online Free Page A

daughter’s hand in her own. “If your brother had not died he would have married her. Evida do Caudon
and I have schemed since we were
girls to unite our families, even before she married the Cindon. Your father
meets with the bishop today to get a Writ of Exception; such marriages are
uncommon, I grant you, but—I was at court when Prince Ebuen wed Prince Beqis
and Meviel annexed his principality. When the property is important …” Madam do Morbegon reflected for a moment upon the
importance of the Caudon holdings. “Ellais, she inherits all . You will be Cindiese one day—or at least the consort of a
Cindiese. It is an excellent match except in one little way.” She rose from the bed, pulling her hand from her
daughter’s. “Now get dressed. You will wish to look well for your betrothed.”
    It was a command. Madame do Morbegon left before her
daughter could protest anew. Ellais heard voices, low, outside her door, and
then Lilsa, her body-maid, entered the room, almost invisible behind a pile of
dresses.
    “Madame says we’re to be turned out nice for visiting,” she
said around the fabric. “I thought the green, or p’raps—” Lilsa made the error
of meeting her charge’s eyes. “Is he very bad, sweet?”
    “You don’t know?”
    “How could I? Madame set her maid to watch at the door while
she talked to you.” Lilsa sniffed aggrievedly. “But she did say betrothed . Who is it? Is he old? Rich at
least?”
    “Rich,” Ellais agreed. “And young. But not he . They’ve betrothed me to Taigna me
Caudon.”
    “ Taigna —”
    Ellais nodded. “Papa is meeting with the bishop about a Writ
of Exception for the Marriage. Mamma and the Cindiese have scheduled the
wedding in six weeks—just long enough to prepare two sets of bride clothes. The
Cindon and Papa are delighted with the settlements. My wishes count for
nothing, and Taigna—God alone knows what she makes of this. Mamma has made it
plain I have no chance of refusing. Married I will be, to a girl I’m on no
better than speaking terms with.”
    “P’raps the bishop will say no to the Writ,” Lilsa suggested
dubiously.
    “I wish I thought so. But it’s all money and property;
there’ll be talk, but Papa is wild to have the Caudon properties in the family,
and the Cindon is apparently just as interested in our money; between the two
of them, they’ll bend the bishop to their will, I’m sure of it.”
    “Well. What can’t be cured must be endured.” Lilsa began to
spread the dresses she held upon the bed in a colorful fan. “Madame said you
was to be ready to make a call within the hour. I think the green, don’t you?”
    ~o0o~
    House Caudon stood three streets from the Great Hub and
the House of Speakers in the Vocarle district. The white stone edifice rose
four highly ornamented stories; to Ellais’s eye it resembled a towering wedding
sweet. She, with her mother one step behind her ( to block all escape , Ellais thought) was shown to a drawing room by
an elderly manservant, and within a minute the Cindiese do Caudon appeared in
the doorway, one hand firmly clasped round the wrist of her daughter Taigna.
From the look of things, Ellais reflected, Taigna was no better pleased than
she was at the engagement.
    The older women greeted each other with uncomplicated joy.
The girls curtsied dully, neither meeting the other’s eye. When the two mothers
fell to planning, their daughters were silent, until Madame do Morbegon, lips
pursed, broke off a discussion of veils to rap Ellais on the wrist and exhort
her to make some conversation with her betrothed.
    “For heaven’s sake, you ought to be excited! This is the day
you’ve waited for all your life; if you do not wish to be a part of planning
it, at least say something to dear Taigna.”
    Madame do Caudon nodded her head, made imposing by a
beribboned cap of lace and black lilies which threatened to pitch forward into
her lap. “Tainey, my dear, why not take your—take Ellais out