Page 65 of The Silent Songbird

“And she does not wish to?”

“Exactly.”

Father took a deep breath and sighed. “What did you promise her, Westley?”

His face grew warm. “I said what anyone with any kindness and mercy would have said. I told her I would do whatever I could to keep her safe. I don’t think she even knows that Shiveley probably murdered his first wife.”

Father was already shaking his head.

“Do not make me out to be a child who does not know anything of the world, Father.” Westley’s ire rose. “The Church says a woman cannot be forced to marry someone she does not wish to.”

“But you know as well as I do that women are often coerced to agree, especially in situations such as this. She is the king’s ward. She is obligated to do whatever the king asks of her. People of her birth do not have a choice whom they marry. They agree because they know it is their duty.”

“Are you saying that it is right? That she should do herdutyand marry a man who will beat and mistreat her?”

“No, but—”

“Evangeline will never agree to marry Lord Shiveley. You should have seen her, Father. She was crying and saying she would run away again if I tried to send her back to Berkhamsted.”

“We do not want it on our consciences that we forced a maiden, no matter who she is, to marry someone she is determined not to.” Father sighed again. “If nothing else, we can help her find refuge at Rosings Abbey.”

“Perhaps she could hide here until the king and Shiveley forget about her.”

“I suppose it is possible, but sooner or later it’s likely the king’s men, or Shiveley’s, will find her. After all, if those men had asked almost any other person in Glynval besides you, they would haveknown the men were looking for Eva, and they would have said so. But let us hope they do not return.”

“If the king believes we are knowingly hiding his ward from him and from the man he wants her to marry, we could lose everything, could we not?”

“Yes.” Father looked thoughtful but not afraid. “Losing everything is sometimes the price one must pay for doing the right thing. I could not save my cousin, but perhaps . . . perhaps we can save the king’s. And if it comes down to it, we will seek an audience with King Richard and tell him what we know about Shiveley. He isn’t likely to believe us over one of his advisors, but we can try.”

Westley imagined the king taking away their home, their lands, everything. They might be forced to move back to Father’s place of birth in Lincolnshire. But they would lose even those holdings if the king had a political friend he wanted to reward. People out of favor with the king often found themselves destitute—or exiled from the country.

“How can I ask you and Mother to risk your home?”

“I don’t see it as you asking us to risk it. I am willing to risk it for the sake of mercy and righteousness.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“But, son, I can also see that you are in danger of letting your heart become attached to this woman. Don’t be guided by your emotions, Westley. Be wise and guard your heart. You hardly know anything of this woman’s character, and she has deceived us once already.”

“She says she saved my life when John pushed me in the river.”

“But are you certain she is telling the truth? It has not been proven.”

Westley said quietly, “I shall be careful, Father.”

Would he and his family have to face the king’s wrath for Evangeline to be free from marrying Shiveley? Only time would reveal her destiny. And his. But for now, it seemed wise to rein himself in where the king’s ward was concerned. He was too eager to forget that he had only known her for a short time.

As his father and mother had quoted to him on numerous occasions, “The heart is deceitful above all things.”

Chapter Twenty

Evangeline was sitting on a cushion on the ground in thelittle reading alcove when Westley came and held out a wooden bowl to her.

“What is it?”

“Apples and cream.” Westley sat beside her with a second bowl.

She held the bowl up to her face and breathed in the aroma of cooked apples, cinnamon, and cloves. “Mmm.” Her mouth watered.