Page 1 of Kingdom of Chains

CHAPTER 1

Isabel chased the eagle’s shadow along the dewy lawn, arms outstretched like a pair of wings. ‘You are in a lot of trouble, young lady!’ she shouted up at the bird before coming to a stop, breathless and smiling. She raised one arm high in the air. Margery circled her a few times before swooping down and landing gracefully on her.

‘It has been two days, and I have been sick to my stomach with worry. It is hardly fair that I am stuck here, alone, whenever you fly off on one of your little adventures.’

The eagle watched her closely as she delivered the lecture.

‘And what if Lord Hodge had seen you? If he learns that I have been letting you out of your cage, then we will both be in trou—’ Her eyebrows tugged together when she noticed a piece of fabric tied around the eagle’s leg. She guided the bird to her shoulder so she could use both hands to retrieve it. Someone had tied it neatly and carefully—except that was impossible. Margery did not stand still long enough for people to tie things to her. Plus, there were only two people on the planet who could handle the golden eagle—and one of them was dead.

Ita. My sweet Ita.

Five years on, and grief still hit Isabel like a runaway wagon every time her friend came to mind.

‘Is there something you wish to tell me?’ she asked, kissing Margery’s beak. ‘I swear before God, if I find out you have a secret family outside these walls—’

‘Whyis that thing out of its cage?’

Isabel jumped at the sound of Lord Hodge’s voice behind her, and Margery took flight. Oh, how Isabel wished she had wings.

Clearing her throat, she called to the eagle, ‘Yes, off you go. Straight back to your cage. I shall be there to lock all windows and doors momentarily.’ Forcing a smile, she turned to face the new Earl of Hereford. ‘Good afternoon, my lord.’

Hodge glared up at the fleeing bird as he came to a stop in front of her, that shiny chin of his partially blinding her in the process.

‘You know that thing is not permitted out of its cage.’

He refused to acknowledge her gender or name. It was always ‘that thing’.

‘We have the chickens to consider,’ he added.

Margery had never even killed a chicken. She was nothing but a help around the place, keeping rats and mice at bay. Isabel suspected the real reason he insisted the eagle remain locked up was because she took time and attention away from him.

‘Occasionally she needs to spread those large wings of hers and remember how to fly,’ Isabel said. Then, noting his growing agitation, she added, ‘Well, I best go and lock that cage. I may even add an additional lock, just to be extra sure she is secure.’

Hodge caught her arm when she went to step past him. ‘Before you go, I would like to speak to you about the wedding.’

The dreaded wedding. His father was barely cold in the ground, and here he was charging ahead with his plans. She had hoped she had more time. ‘Which wedding would that be?’

His face hardened. ‘Ourwedding, of course. What other wedding would I be talking about?’

‘I did hear rumours that one of the kitchen maids is soon to be wed.’

His brow creased with disapproval. ‘It is safe to say that I did not come all the way out here to talk to you about the kitchen maid’s impending nuptials.’ He released her, running a hand through the coarse sandy hair that reached all the way to his jawline. ‘Now, I have spoken to your mother, and we both agreed that the sooner the wedding takes place the better. It is the best way to ensure your family’s place here at Hampstead Keep is secure.’ He reached out to touch her arm. ‘And we have waited so long for this day.’

She forced the muscles in her face to remain still.Hehad been waiting.Shehad been dreading. ‘I assumed my family’s place here at Hampstead was already secure.’

He gave her what was likely meant as a reassuring smile that bordered more on patronising. ‘Of course it is, my beloved. You will forever be secure at my side.’

There was always a catch—like the ‘forever’ part. ‘I thought we could discuss the wedding after a suitable mourning period.’

He studied her a moment. ‘What is there to discuss?’

‘The timing, for one.’

He drew her closer until her face was a few inches from his and her heels lifted off the ground. ‘Tell me you want this. Tell me you want to marry me, to be my wife until death.’

She could not help but do the math on that. If she lived until she was seventy, that would be fifty years. But since men generally died younger, she took that number down to forty. That seemed doable for the sake of her family. She opened her mouth to answer. ‘I…’ She willed the words stuck in her throat to move. ‘Yes, of course.’

‘You hesitated.’