ot to make herself known even with a whimper. The door remained slightly ajar but the conversatio

e a mistress? Impossibly, she leaned further into the wall, wishing to be

eposition meant. She was to become the mistress of the man who was, a f

not dumb. She had on one occasion or the other taken a liking to one of Beth's books and the

me his son's mistress? She was not good enough to be a wife, but was perfect to be a mistress? So he would n

continue to h

t rejection not s

r father not s

t bursting into anger and asking the Viscount to apologize? Ho

found it hard to breathe, the air did not seem quite enough. Oh Lord, please do not let him agree to this h

It was Eric. "Lord Cossi

well to teach yo

reat man. And he is right, you have oversta

u cannot ask

or how lowly we have come, it still remains my home and you

. "Your daughter

unmarried and in my home, than to be your

time seemed to stand still. Her mind became a flood of chaos, a muddle of tiny pieces of thoughts crashing against each other. She tried to grasp onto someth

aughter of a Duke, or one of a land baron? What was her fate? A wif

d enough only as a mistress? Did that mean she would never wed? she would never be as happy as mother and fath

clouds of dust of uncertainty. Each thought clamoured for attention, demanding that she hear them even if they were not ready to offer clarity.

Gwen walked out of her hiding place, leaving behind

e distant whisper. Then, "Gwen! What are you do

ing discussion of the Lord of Sorway and his son. She had been so lost

the tears running do

e should be nothing but a pastime for a man? A man she had been engaged

th her hands. "What did you come her

were said to belittle her, the words to bring to suspicion and conclusion that she was not a F

m her sister, trying to hide, trying to run. Her mouth opened to drag

the door to the Marble Room finally opened, she didn't bother to see who had emerged, she spared not a glance. Instead, she pivoted on her heels and bolted for her