My Lady's Choice. Lyn Stone

It was Richard’s place to say when knighthood was in order. Lord Brabent had not wanted his son to return to this troubled part of the country, that was the gist of it. Probably wise of him, since his son was not as ready to don spurs as the king thought.

      “How are matters in York?” Richard asked, brushing his disappointment aside.

      Edward scoffed. “Same as ever. Unruly nodcocks.” He leaned forward. “Richard, I am come because my conscience will not let me sleep. I fear I’ve done you a wrong you do not deserve.”

      Did he dare reply to that? Did the king mean setting him against his Scottish brother, or did he speak of the unconventional marriage?

      “The queen was not amused,” Edward admitted. “She writes that she spoke to the archbishop on your behalf. The marriage can be undone,” he said, answering Richard’s question in as apologetic a tone as he’d ever heard the king use. “Unless you have bedded the girl. Then I suppose you would feel honor-bound to stay with her. You have not, have you?”

      “No,” Richard admitted, feeling very uneasy when he should be delighted.

      “Because you’ve not been well enough, or because she displeases you so much?”

      “It is true that I did not wish to marry,” Richard equivocated. Now was his chance. Why wasn’t he jumping at it, grabbing at the opportunity for an annulment? He would. “What will happen to her if we invalidate the marriage and I leave here?”

      The king lifted one shoulder and cocked his head. “I shall give her to someone else.”

      “Who?” Richard demanded.

      “Lord Aelwyn, I expect. He’s best prepared to hold the place since his own lies close.”

      “No!” Richard almost shouted, then carefully lowered his voice. “Not him.”

      Edward chuckled. “Do you know the man? Is he unworthy?”

      Richard had to admit he’d never met Sara’s suitor, nor did he wish to. “No, but Sara did not want him to begin with and should not be forced to wed where she will be unhappy. You did promise her a choice.”

      The king waved that away as unimportant. “Aelwyn must want her right badly for some reason. Likely to increase his property. Many would not persist in a suit as he has done, once they saw that face of hers.”