Rose Victory - Eagle Series Read Online Free

to spite me, to get his own way.”  
    The people by the fireplace had obviously given up on finding rest any time soon.  They huddled back against each other as if the force of their lord’s anger beat against them.
    Brecov stood and faced the earl, even leaning towards him across the table.  “Surely not to spite you, my lord,” he said in a trembling voice, unsure how he found the courage to contradict his lord.  “He only wanted to see you settled.  He wanted grandchildren,” the steward finished sadly for what could now never be.  Slowly he sunk back onto the bench.
    The reminder felt like a dousing of cold water.  Roydon fell back in his seat, the anger draining out of him as realisation hit.  His father would never know his grandchildren.  He thought back to the arguments they had had over the years, always about the same subject.  Ever since his twentieth year his father had been urging him to marry, to secure the earldom. He argued back that there would be plenty of time once he left the king’s service; when he came home to Eagle Rock.  His father had only been two score and twelve; there should have been plenty of time for him to enjoy his grandchildren.
    “A betrothal contract? ”  Stefan’s question brought Roydon out of his thoughts.  “I don’t understand,” he looked up from the document that he had picked up from the table.
    “I wrote my father that I would spend a year settling in, enjoying all this,” Roydon waved his hand around, encompassing not only the castle but the land and the mountain, “before I went looking for a bride.  He decided otherwise.”  Sadness and regret overshadowed the earl’s anger now. 
    “You mean he actually impoverished the estate so that you had to get married immediately?”  Stefan’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
    “Not impoverish.  He made long term investments and he hid the jewels.  We will probably never find them now,” Roydon added as an afterthought.  “Then he arranged my betrothal, the only thing that could save Eagle Rock.  It would have left me no choice.  The bride’s dowry must be considerable.”
    Stefan drew the other document towards him, a low whistle preceded his words.  “The settlement is more than generous. It will certainly solve all your problems.”
    “Yes, and after all his planning, father will not be here to witness the results of his machinations.”
    “What are you going to do, Roy?”
    “I honestly do not know.”  Roydon shook his head.  “I do not seem to have much choice.  I will make a decision tomorrow,” he turned to the steward.  “That will be all, Brecov.”  A degree of coldness imbued the earl’s tone as he dismissed the man.  He had not forgotten the steward’s failure to tell him of the betrothal contract sooner.  “I will speak to you in the morning.”
    Brecov rose slowly from the bench, gathering his robes around him, his eyes downcast.  He felt the earl’s displeasure acutely.  “As you wish, my lord,” he said quietly before he shuffled away.
    “Don’t be too hard on him, Roy.  He must have been …concerned at how you would take the news,” Stefan paused.  “You have been rather volatile lately.”
    “Do you blame me?”
    “No, not really, but you do realise that you have another problem now, depending on what you do?”
    “Another problem?”  The earl looked at his friend blankly.  “I’m afraid I am not at my best right now.  But by all means enlighten me.  What is one more problem?”
    Stefan smiled grimly.  “Lord Reinhart the earl of the Northern Provinces, your betrothed’s father, is a very powerful man.  Breaking the contract and rejecting his daughter would not be very advisable.”
    Ro ydon sighed as he unconsciously raked a hand through his hair again; something he did when worried or angry.  “To put it mildly, my father aimed high.”
    “You are not a bad catch yourself, Roy.  Under normal circumstances it would be a great