Castle of the Winds (The Secrets of Ormdale, #3)

by Christina Baehr

“I have to marry,” she said flatly. “Papa’s estate will go to my brother, Harry. He’ll be the next Warden, and he’s already told me he won’t support me unless I work myself to the bone for whoever he marries and their brats. So it’s either Arthur or one of those dreadful Tallantire brothers up in Renwick. If they weren’t horrible enough, there are the sisters to be dealt with—they’ll never marry; they’re too peculiar. They’ll be there forever, healthy as horses. And the mother!” She shuddered. I felt myself warm to the Tallantires, whoever they might be, who had not sent any young women to the Red Dragon, to be picked over like cabbages at a market. “The only other marriageable men among us are Arthur and your Mr Drake,” she said, her tone changing. “What is he, by the way?” This startled me. “What do you mean, ‘what is he’?” “A younger son?” she guessed. “An only son.” “Really!” It was like a cat spotting a mouse-hole. I thought rapidly. “But he has a mother,” I warned. “What kind of mother?” she said, her eyes narrowing. “A very, very bad one. She’d make life awful for you.” There was no need to exaggerate. I had my own doubts about life with Helena as a mother-in-law. Between her and Miss Falconer, though, it would be pistols at dawn. “Is she likely to die?” “Not anytime soon.” She sniffed. “Pity. He’s very good looking, and seems so biddable. Oh well, you can have him,” she said airily. It was like passing on a hat that didn’t suit her. I felt myself torn between indig...