A Choice of Secrets. Barb Hendee
trotting away followed. Chloe took several breaths and wiped her face. She put her hands to her stomach. Then with effort, she forced her face back into its normal serene expression, and she left the room.
I stood shaking in the closet for some time.
Then, I allowed myself to walk out into her bedroom, crossing the floor to the adjoining doorway and entering my own room. Though I ached for Chloe’s pain, a myriad of thoughts churned one upon another in my head.
She was pregnant with Julian’s child, and he had just abandoned her. And she would marry Christophe. Of this I had no doubt. She neither loved nor cared for him, but she would marry him and allow him to believe the child was his. For a woman of our station, this was her only option.
My thoughts drifted forward. If the child were a girl, would the harm be so great? She would not be of Christophe’s line, but he would never know and he would love her as his own. As a girl, she could not inherit the estate or his title.
But what if it was a boy? Christophe’s belief in bloodlines was stronger than any man I knew, and if Chloe’s child were a boy, he would inherit both Christophe’s title and become the heir to Whale’s Keep. The future lord of Whale’s Keep would not even be of the de Fiore line.
Could I allow this to happen?
Should I keep this secret?
I loved my sister. I would do almost anything for her, but could I do this? Should I? And yet, what would happen if I revealed her secret and the betrothal contract was broken? Christophe would not send his troops to guard our coastline. Tears began flowing from my eyes. I could see no way to protect everyone.
The water in my eyes made the following moment even more uncertain than it might have been.
The air in the bedroom appeared to waver. Alarmed, I wiped away my tears, but the motion of the wavering air grew more rapid, and then…something solid began taking shape.
I took a stumbling step sideways.
There, only a few paces away from me, a great three-paneled mirror now stood where there had been only empty air an instant before. The thick frames around each panel were of solid pewter, engraved in the image of climbing ivy vines. The glass of the panels was smooth and perfect, and yet I didn’t see myself looking back.
Instead, I found myself staring into the eyes of a lovely dark-haired woman in a black dress. Her face was pale and narrow and she bore no expression at all. But there she was, inside the right panel gazing out me. How could this be? Had my dilemma driven me mad?
“There is nothing to fear,” the woman said.
Her words brought no comfort.
“You are at a crossroad,” she continued, and as she raised her arms, material from her long black sleeves hung down. “And I am bidden to give you a gift.”
I stood frozen.
“You will live out three outcomes to three different choices,” she said. “Three paths await you. Three actions—or inactions—you might decide upon. Then you will have the knowledge to…choose.”
“Wait! What are you saying?”
Lowering both hands to her sides, she said, “The first choice.”
My thoughts went blank and the bedroom around me vanished.
The First Choice:
Telling Erik
Chapter 3
I was standing in Chloe’s closet, feeling dizzy and disoriented, as if I’d forgotten something and needed to remember. Peeking out a crack between the closet door and the wall, I saw my sister, Chloe, standing in her bedroom with Julian Belledini.
“You liar,” she said. “You made me believe you wanted to spend your life with me.”
He stepped away from her. “And I did. I do. But not like this. Marry Lord Christophe. You have no choice now. In three years’ time, you’ll thank me.”
Turning, he walked out.
Chloe put both hands to her mouth to stifle a sob.
Then I remembered. I’d come in here to find her dress from the banquet, so that it might be laundered, and I’d overheard that she was carrying Julian’s child. Shock and fear of what this might mean washed through me in waves as I listened to her try to keep her weeping silent.
A few moments later, one of our servants called to her through the door. She composed herself as best she could and left the room. I remained in the closet, trying to let myself fully comprehend the ramifications of what had happened. The people of our lands needed Chloe to marry Christophe, and I believed she would follow through with the marriage as her only option.
But if her child were born a boy, he would inherit both Christophe’s title and become the heir to Whale’s Keep. The future lord of Whale’s Keep would not even be of the de Fiore line.
Could I allow this to happen?
If I said nothing, the marriage would take place and Christophe would send soldiers to guard and protect our coastline, but should the child be a boy, I would be partly responsible for the de Fiores passing their ancient title and lands to a son of the Belledinis.
I could not betray Christophe like this.
And yet I could not betray Chloe either. What could I do? Taking long breaths, I realized I had to tell someone who could help decide what should be done. I needed someone who loved both Chloe and Christophe, and I knew of only one person: my brother, Erik.
The thought calmed me. He would never hurt Chloe, but neither would he hurt Christophe. Erik would know what to do.
Leaving the bedroom, I hurried down the hallway and outside into our circular courtyard. This time of day, he could normally be found at the barracks. Even though Christophe’s troops would be coming, Erik had begun new training exercises for our own men. He and Father had also started hiring more guards.
Walking down the main path, I took a side path toward the barracks and then gathered myself as I opened the door. I never came in here, and the smell of leather and perspiration caused me to remain in the doorway. This building housed a world of men, and Corporal Devon stood not far inside the entryway, wearing his dark green tabard over chain armor. His eyes widened at the sight of me.
“My lady?”
“Is my brother here?” I asked. “I need to speak with him.”
“Of course. You wait. I’ll go and find him.”
Beyond the corporal, I saw a large open room filled with tables and chairs. A few other guards were sitting around, drinking from mugs or playing cards, and I was glad for Corporal Devon’s assistance. I had no wish to step further inside.
“Thank you.”
Leaving me, he walked through the large room and out an archway on the far side. Thankfully, he wasn’t gone long and soon returned with Erik at his side. Erik wore a wool shirt, chain armor, and a green tabard—but no sword this morning. Armor and weapons had always suited him well. Erik was a born soldier.
Striding through the entryway, he offered me a broad smile. “What are you doing here, little sister? Do you need my help deciding on tonight’s dessert? I vote for anything with strawberries.”
Is that what he thought of me? That I would only come to him to ask what he wanted for dessert? Well…perhaps that assessment was not entirely unfair.
Then he took in my face and stopped mid-step. “What’s wrong? Is Mother ill?”
“No.” I shook my head quickly. “But I need to speak with you, alone.”
“Can it wait? I was about to start a drill.”
“It cannot wait. Will you please come outside with me?”
Frowning, he stepped outside with me,