Page 47 of The Dragoneers of Longbourn and Pemberley
She would ride, not just because she needed to in order to save Longbourn, but because she achingly missed the sky.
Then, she would get a dragon egg and secure the future of Longbourn. Everyone would see it as a respectable house, and she could live the rest of her days with the satisfaction of saving what she loved.
She didn’t need a rich dragon lord by her side; Kesley would do nicely. A handsome man who understood her, who already knew all her secrets and accepted her all the same.
Valeraine sat on the lid of her trunk to close it and clasp the latches. She would find her coach driver and depart for Kinellan City immediately. Uncle Haupter would know what dragon houses might be receptive to her deal, and could create an introduction between them. There had to be a house out there that was desperate enough for a drake that they would settle for Lelantos. If she returned to Longbourn with a breeding agreement in hand, Papa might forgive her banishment.
Valeraine would craft a future for herself on her own terms, where she could be a dragoneer of a house of consequence. Shedidn’t need an affluent bachelor to give her a premade nest. She would fill one by herself, and find her own pride in it.
Chapter thirty-five
That evening, Valeraine was back in Kinellan City. Only to Alyce did she confide what had happened at Rosings.
“Oh, Val...” Alyce sighed. “I imagine you would have been unhappy married to Mr. Rosings.”
Valeraine had hardly given thought to her potential happiness with the man himself. That had never been the crux of the matter. “Yes, that’s true. Though,” she said wistfully, “think of me as the mistress of Rosings nest!”
“And think of the heads our family would turn to be so connected!” Alyce said. “I might even… but no.”
“Rosings’ proposal was presumptuous, as the dowry of Longbourn’s only dragon should be yours, as eldest.”
“Lelantos is more yours than anyone’s. I would never agree to see him parted from you.”
It was only then that Valeraine realized she had been yearning for this confirmation, this delicate comfort blossoming in her heart. That Lelantos had always been Alyce’s to inherit hadbeen a thorn nestled there, now pulled out. Of course her sweet sister would never take her dragon. Lelantos was Valeraine’s to treasure. So long as she convinced Papa of that fact.
The first step of her plan was to ask Uncle Haupter for the names of dragon houses which might be desperate enough to accept a breeding deal with a legendarily old dragon. She went to the offices ofThe Dragoneer’s Journal, just down the stairs from where she was staying, in search of him.
There were many desks and workers, some writing and some arranging great swaths of type. On the side of the room was a printing press, manned by three workers, who were inking the contraption, inserting oversized sheets of paper, and pulling a crank to create a newssheet. It was repeated every few seconds with great efficiency, adding to a growing stack of finished papers. They were folded by other workers, making snapping sounds to join the creaking of the press. People talked and shouted across the room to each other, all working to produce the newspaper as quickly as possible.
In the back of the room was a large desk where Uncle Haupter now sat, covered in papers of all shapes and sizes.
Valeraine began by showing interest in his work, to make him predisposed to her. “What are you working on?”
“This, dear Val, is an announcement from the Crown. The layout must be perfect.”
“From the Crown?” Now, she was genuinely interested in his work.
“It’s the announcement for the annual Royal derby.”
She peered over his shoulder at the handwritten note, which he had marked with printing directions in blue ink.
JOIN THE ROYAL DERBY
To be held on March 7th at the fields west of Kinellan.
Registration should be posted to the Royal Office, along with a registration fee of thirty pounds.
The race will be open to the public for a modest fee. The ball is by invitation only.
PRIZES
Third place: 1,000 pounds
Second place: 3,000 pounds
First place: 5,000 pounds and an egg from the Kinellan Crown nest
Valeraine snatched the paper up. “Is this true?”
