Page 67 of Pippa of Lauramore
Mother nods. “Oh, yes. Often.”
“Why didn’t she tell you about the cut?”
“She was stubborn. I’m sure she thought she’d be fine.” She sighs.
They begin to paint again, all of us subdued after the sad story.
“Mother?” I ask. “What would Father have done if I’d run off with a master archer instead of agreeing to the tournament?”
Leonora gasps and gives me a sharp look. Even Marigold looks stunned at my words.
Mother turns her eyes on me, less surprised. “Your father loves you more than your title. He would have accepted it.”
My heart leaps, and I’m not sure I can breathe.
“But now that the tournament is initiated, your running away with anyone would surely cause a war.”
My mouth goes dry, and I try to swallow. Leonora and I exchange a glance.
“Pippa,” Mother says, again wearing that knowing look, “this is a purely hypothetical question, isn’t it?”
I bite the inside of my cheek before I answer. “Of course.”
We finish our paintings.Mother and Leonora’s are beautiful. Marigold’s shows great promise—as Mother said—and mine is…as finished as it will ever be. I might use it for target practice later. I could find a certain measure of satisfaction in that.
The men are at it again, sparring with the knights. Lionel glances over as we walk by, and I quicken my steps. He looks like he wants to corner me, and I will have none of that. We pass the stables, and I pause.
“Let’s go for a picnic,” I say, already feeling the need to be away from the walls.
Marigold shakes her head, but Leonora looks intrigued. She ignores the other woman’s quiet protests. “Where will we go?”
I think about it for a moment, scanning the landscape. “Up. We’ll go to the lake.”
“It’s so warm.” Leonora sounds wistful. “We could soak our feet.”
Marigold shakes her head. “We should stay here. You’llwant to know as soon as another one of the men returns. If we’re there, you’ll miss it.”
It’s a terrible excuse.
“It will be a nice, quiet ride,” I assure her. I know I’m in the wrong company for the kind of ride that would lift my spirits. Still, even a mellow outing will be better than nothing.
“You must come with us,” Leonora pushes. “Pippa’s wild, but she knows the best picnic spots.”
I roll my eyes but add, “It’s true—I do.”
Marigold finally agrees after a little more coaxing. Now, I must convince Percival.
“Percival shouldn’t mind,” Leonora says as if reading my mind, but she sounds a little hesitant.
I’m not sure he’ll be keen on the idea, what with Leonora feeling ill lately. She seems fine today, though. Whatever it was has surely passed by now.
“Absolutely not,” Percival says when we find him. He sheaths his sword and glares at me.
“You act as if I asked if I could take your wife to collect the dragon treasure ourselves!” I protest. “It’s a picnic at the lake.”
“No.”
Leonora pushes me out of the way. She obviously thinks she’ll have a better chance of convincing her husband than I will. She might be right. “Percival, please. The lake will be cool, and I could use the fresh air.”
