Chapter 1
On the night I married Lord Edmund of Norland, my bastard sister, who insisted on coming to Norland Keep to witness the wedding, burst into the bridal chamber. Her dress was torn and she was clutching it to her body, her face flushed.
She claimed that Lord Edmund, drunk, had mistaken her for me and had taken her to bed.
“Dear sister,” she said, “my purity has been ruined. But for the sake of both our families‘ honor, I shall take the Silk Noose. I will die to preserve the honor of both our houses.”
I stared at her quietly. “Your selfless sacrifice touches me deeply. Do not worry, after you die, I will give you a grand burial and your mother shall be raised to the rank of noble concubine.”
“Take her away,” I commanded. “Send Margaret to the Defender’s Keep, with the Silk Noose.”
My bastard sister froze in place, and Lord Edmund, who had rushed in to plead, was also left stunned.
They did not know that I had been reborn–after they had conspired behind my back, borne their bastard child, and poisoned me to death.
Reborn before all this had begun.
Margaret let go of the hand clutching her torn dress, reveaStafford the bruises and marks where Lord Edmund had been so passionate with her.
She stammered, “What…what did you say?”
Lord Edmund of Norland stormed in, his face ashen. “Eleanor, how could you be so cruel? This is all my fault. I was drunk and mistook Margaret for you. Punish me if you must, but to condemn your own sister to death–where is your famed kindness now?”
“Men take concubines all the time. I was merely drunk, and I have already apologized. Must you be so ruthless? Do you truly believe Norland Keep cannot /support one more woman?”
I looked at my maid who was quietly slipping out the door. My eyes welled with tears as I stood up. “Edmund, this was our wedding night. Yet instead of coming to me, you somehow stumbled drunk into the guest chambers and bedded Margaret. Do you mean to say that at Norland Keep, men can wander freely into the women’s quarters?”
“If you desired Margaret, you should have spoken to our parents openly and married her properly. But to humiliate me like this-” I shoved past the Norland servants blocking the door. “the Royal Defender is no weakStaffords to be trampled upon. I will have my father and mother judge this!”
Edmund, seeing the situation was dire, shouted, “Stop Lady Eleanor.”
But it was too late. My maids stood firm, blocking the servants of Norland Keep.
In my wedding dress, I stormed into the banquet hall where the guests were still gathered. I rushed toward my parents, crying out, “Father, Mother, please, speak for me!”
The guests, witnessing Edmund’s frantic pursuit and Margaret sobbing, were speechless.
My mother rushed to embrace me. “Eleanor, what is happening?”
i tearfully explained everything that had just transpired, raising my voice, “Is this how they treat us? If Lord Edmund favors Margaret, why didn’t he so earlier and marry her properly, instead of making this a farce?”
say
The noblewomen in attendance–seasoned in household intrigues–exchanged knowing glances. “How shameless,” one muttered. “To pull such a stunt
on his own wedding night.”
Lord Norland and Lady Norland’s faces turned pale with shock. Lord Norland slapped Edmund across the face, his voice cold. “Kneel, you ungrateful wretch. Apologize now to Lady Stafford and your wife.”
My father, his face as grini as a thundercloud, said, “Wife? We’ve only had the wedding ceremony, the marriage has not yet been consummated. Lord Norland, perhaps you should not call my daughter his ‘wife’ yet.”
“After all,” he added, with a wry smile, “whether Eleanor remains Lady Edmund is yet to be decided.”
My nurse dragged Margaret forward. “My lady, Lady Margaret offered to safeguard both houses‘ honor by accepting the silk noose. Lady Eleanor has granted her wish.”
She threw the silk noose at Margaret’s feet.
