“I know Earl Hiram is generous, but—”
“I assure you, William, had Earl Hiram not done so, the Duke would have intervened. This is a firm matter of law. Normally it applies only to wealthy men, but it’s law just the same. Soon you will receive money in amounts I simply cannot match. I won’t take it amiss if you decide you no longer wish to work here.”
William leapt to his feet. “Of course I do! Where else would I work?”
“Calm yourself, William. You say that now, only because you aren’t aware of your options. A wealthy man has many opportunities, and you may want to take advantage of one or more. Again, I won’t be insulted if you leave, but you have a job here for as long as you desire.”
He didn’t tell Melissa the news; it didn’t seem real to him yet. His head reeled as they walked hand in hand down the hill to see his mother. How would Emma receive the news of his new wealth? Would she expect him to stay at the Library out of loyalty? For that matter, what would Melissa think if he left? Would his money make them a better match, or would it divide them? Was her father rich, or just comfortable, and how did William compare? Money might solve some issues, but it sure made others worse.
Melissa tugged at his arm. “What’s wrong? It’s like you’re not even here.”
He snapped back to the present. “Sorry, I was mulling over something I did by accident.”
Melissa halted, her eyes wide with anger. “It’s Dayna, isn’t it?”
William’s jaw dropped. “How on Esper do you know about her?”
“Never mind that,” she said, her eyes burning bright. “Who is she?”
“No one,” he said. “No, sorry; that’s not true. She’s the person Earl Hiram put in charge of printing books.”
“And nothing happened between you two?” she asked.
“No. She wanted there to be, but I turned her down.”
“You expect me to believe that you refused her? Even though I had told you we were finished? Why would you do that?”
He laughed. “Melissa, you got angry when you thought I had. Why question it?”
She crossed her arms and glared. “Why did you turn her down?”
He shrugged. “Look, I told her I’d already made my first choice, and I wasn’t making a second. That’s all.”
Melissa covered her mouth and chuckled. “Okay, now I feel dumb for putting you on the spot. Does your magnificence have no end?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “You haven’t heard about the accident yet. You might change your mind.”
“Well, it looks like your mother is in. Why don’t you tell us both?”
His mother fussed at his arrival, as expected, but she stopped when she saw Melissa. Her face brightened, and she invited Melissa in.
“Thank you,” said Melissa. “William was about to tell me about some mistake he made.”
Emma turned to William with a stern look. “Was it Dayna?”
William threw his hands up in exasperation. “Do women have some secret communication method I don’t know about? How do you know about her? Never mind. No, Mother, it wasn’t Dayna. And it wasn’t a mistake, Melissa; I said ‘accident.’”
Melissa grinned at his discomfort. “Very well. ’Fess up. What did you do?”
He paused, milking the suspense. “I accidentally got rich.”
“What?” said Emma with a gasp. Melissa stared, too stunned to speak.
William explained his share in the trade venture. Melissa’s jaw dropped, but Emma breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, this makes things easier.”
“I’ll say,” said William. “For starters, you can be picky about the patrons you sew for now.” He noticed something odd about the way she stared at him. “Wait a moment. That’s not what you meant, is it?”
Emma squirmed in her seat. What could she be so reluctant to say? “No, William, it’s not. Sir Kevin has asked me to marry him. He insisted that you’re welcome to live at his estate, but I didn’t know how you’d feel about that. But once I leave this house it reverts to the Town.”
What a burden she’d endured! Find his own place with little money, or move into someone else’s home: it would have hurt her to force him to choose. But at his age, she shouldn’t have to worry about that. “Look, we have to leave here soon anyway, right?” he said. “Now that I’m working, I mean. This house was never meant to be ours forever, was it?”
“There was no specific time,” said Emma. “But at least now you have choices.”
William scratched his chin and nodded. “I could find a small house in town, closer to the Library. But you’re right. I have options now. More than I had before I became a Librarian; much more than I would have had as a Guard. I understand now why you chose that path for me, Mom. I owe you a lot.”
“Oh, William,” she said as she hugged him. “Nothing could please me more. But no, you don’t owe me. A child owes his parents nothing but to make the best of the life they’ve given him. And you’ve already paid that debt in full.”
“Thank you,” he said.
“Melissa, will you stay for dinner?” asked Emma.
“I would, but William and I are meeting the others at the inn for a last meal before they leave for Faywater Port.”
“Another time, then.”
“Of course,” said Melissa. “William, are you ready?”
“Almost.” He unfastened his sword belt and pulled the blade from its scabbard. He wiped it clean before mounting it on the wall beside his father’s broadsword. He hung his father’s shield below them and stood back to admire the display. Satisfied, he nodded and turned to leave. “Okay,” he said. “Let’s go.”
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About the Author
Erik Christensen lives in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada, with his partner Diana, and their corgi Abby.
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Acknowledgments
Although writing is a solitary business, publishing is not, and I owe a great debt of gratitude to several people for their help in bringing this project to fruition.
Thanks go to Tatiana for her wonderful cover art that was so good, it made me rethink my book’s title. Also, credit must go to Zoe for her quick and thorough proof-reading.
No book should ever be published without good beta-readers weighing in, and this book is no exception. James and Josh, both of whom I met at Goodreads, offered excellent advice. I was also lucky enough to have friends and family members read early drafts: Kieran, Summer, Eric, and Matthew all gave excellent feedback and encouragement.
I must single out Aimee, who cast the first professional eyes on my initial draft, and despite being a new mother buried in editing projects of her own, spent several hours coaching me and reading updated drafts. Your help was invaluable, Aimee!
Lastly, I cannot conclude without a heartfelt thank you to my partner Diana, without whose patience and support this book would not have been completed; and to Abby, who forewent far too many belly rubs while I was busy writing.
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The Defender of Rebel Falls: A Medieval Science Fiction Adventure (The William Whitehall Adventures Book 1) Page 39
