The Discarded Countess

which brought Elidyr

le broke on their carr

inue on horseback. How

ctly abandon their lu

The Rowntree lands wer

rse they were happy to

T

spitable hosts, but El

sy was merely a facade

n showing off his fi

reminded him of a rap

re a predator hunting

impression on the men

. Lord Rowntree had me

fdom that he would lik

e diplomatic brother, h

r hopes without p

T

ad arrived on the sec

her to be a younger

ly laid eyes on her,

l. She was an attrac

ong braids which fell

d gold, probably homage

wncast though, and El

h they were once agai

ain tension between

n seated as far away

made no effort to enga

oughout dinner and gre

woman? Elidyr longed

disapproving eye

W

herself he had seized

ad insisted on escorti

Rowntree's attempts to

led her out of the ha

. She moved elegantly

d until they were well

rents to sp

"

et before," Elidyr sa

didn't really have m

am curious

"

ents spoke much about

honestly isn't much t

am not. I'm returning

it my family a

"

d not realize you had

E

he word 'bereaved' and

wering in a tone t

"

nce. The marria

Oh

is words, he had clear

yet reached the King's

ng to draw attention to

o salvage their conver

sion o

"

t mean to make you unco

your husband a fool f

"

rently." Ela

"

nswered. "I presume t

find that what he tho

what he ac

We

ildren," said Elan.

w if she's at least ab

a sp

li

difficult topic for E

y further. It was not

med to be all he had

Wh

" he asked deciding t

rrig

bout five hours

I'

before it sounds like

"

not much bigger than

lag

We

easant change from wh

Cities are dirty and

ecome putrid and the f

avel in the summ

"

here you please," El

much like travel. Afte

y left o

We

husband anymore, may

r. "The capital is w

ng months, you

ayb

ive way. "For now I mu

rig

We

come to the capital,

you in

Th

to visit in

We

here then it is more

r hand as the reached

ght Lad

S

peared behind the thi

w her and become acquai

n't exactly reciprocat

manners to seduce hi

rejoined his brother,

conversation he bega

Carr