Chapter 326: Venting Frustrations
After the meeting, Owain’s luxurious carriage felt more like a prison cell. The scented oils that the Blackwell servants had applied that morning had turned sickly sweet in the afternoon heat, mixing with the sour smell of three men’s frustration and anger. Every bounce and rattle of the wheels over cobblestones made Hugo’s teeth clench, each jolt feeling like another small humiliation after their defeat in the guild hall.
The leather beneath Owain’s hands creaked as his fingers dug into the upholstery. His scowl deepened with each bump, transforming his handsome features into something dark and brooding. Across from him, Sir Rian’s considerable bulk shifted restlessly, the knight’s sword scraping against the wooden panels as he adjusted his position for the tenth time in as many minutes.
"Sniviling cowards, scrambling for coins and benefits when there are demons breathing down our necks," Sir Rian spat, clenching his fist as if he wished that one of those guild masters was present in the carriage with them so he could personally tell them what he thought of their attitudes.
"This is what it’s like on the coast," Owain said with a snort. "Money, money, money. They treat these ’Guild Masters’ as though they’re the same as knights and even Count Rhys is a member of one of their guilds. He’s actually proud of it, belonging to a guild of fishermen and fish mongers."
"Count Blackwell is a guild member?" Hugo said, blinking several times in surprise. "Doesn’t that create a conflict with the other guilds that he’s not a member of?"
"He has other ways of currying favor with the guilds, bowing and scraping before those spineles vultures," Owain said. "Until recently, he actually planned to marry my, my sister-in-law Jocelynn to the son of one of those feckless ’masters,’" he said, barely catching himself from calling her ’my Jocelynn.’
Unlike the murdered Sir Broll and the traitorous Sir Tommin, neither Rian nor Hugo were aware that the ’Ashlynn’ at the summer villa was an imposter and he saw no reason to tell them the truth. As far as he was concerned, too many people already knew, it felt like it was inevitable that it would get out some day.
That wasn’t a problem in the long run, as long as he married Jocelynn and inherited his father’s throne then the truth might hurt him but it couldn’t topple him. Until then, however, he had no intention of sharing his secrets with his newest confidants.
"You know what," Owain said after his thoughts turned to Jocelynn and her perfect proportions and sparkling seafoam eyes. "Stop the carriage!" Owain shouted, banging on the walls of the carriage to catch the driver’s attention.
"Hugo, get out," the young lord continued, shocking his steward with the intensity of his gaze. "Go find me a woman. Make arrangements and come fetch me when everything is prepared."
"My lord," Hugo said, frowning at Owain. "Your only just married and your wife has yet to give birth to your child. If she’s carrying a boy, it’s all well and good, but if she’s carrying a girl and you accidentally leave behind a child in this place, it could threaten your succession," he warned.
Hugo was all too familiar with the fate of bastards. If his own older brother hadn’t suffered a frightening injury falling from his horse, he might never have been recalled from his studies to the Hanrahan Barony. His father had treated him as a ’back up heir’ in case his half brother never recovered from his fall.