Opium (32 page)
Authors: Colin Falconer
Tags: #Fiction, #Historical, #20th Century, #Suspense, #General, #Action & Adventure, #Romance
She shakes her head.
“Much is dependent on this union.”
Her, breathless: “I will not disappoint you.”
Phillip goes to the fire and stands with his back to it, warming himself. It is the heart of winter and this is as cold and draughty a castle as she has ever been in. She can smell the sea. There is ice in the air.
“If he has cause to reprove you, you will listen and obey him. If he is angry, you shall be kind. If he is dismissive, you shall be attentive. Cherish him, give him your attentions. Be sweet, gentle and amiable. Patience is your byword. You will make him love you.”
He stares at her. He can stand like this for an eternity; fix a look on his face as if he is carved from marble. It is unnerving.
“No matter the provocation.”
“Provocation?”
“What do you know of Edward?”
“He is King of England. His father was a great warrior. They say Edward is tall and as fine a prince as England ever had.” (Though it is hard for her to imagine a finer king than her father, or a more handsome man.) She has always promised herself she will have a man just like him: as fair, as strong, as feared.
“Your new husband disputes Gascony with me. One road leads to war. A less thorny path leads to the day when my grandson-to-be inherits the throne of my most ancient enemy.”
“What provocation?” Isabella said.
Phillip frowns.
“You mentioned provocation, Father.”
“Did I? I meant nothing by it. Tomorrow you will be Queen of England. Remember always that you are also a daughter of France. Make me proud, Isabella.”
He nods to her nurse and she is taken from the room.
She can barely contain her excitement. She has rehearsed this moment in her mind for years. A handsome prince, a throne, estates: it is what she was born for. From tomorrow she will live her life at the side of a great king.
Happiness is assured.
NAKED SERIES
Will Magdalena ever see Reyes again? How will she survive in Miami?
Or you can email Jen Talty at
[email protected]
and purchase the entire series for just ($12.99) - that’s a saving of 50%!
JERUSALEM SERIES
Will Rishou ever see Sarah again? Can Netanel and his father escape the coming holocaust?
Or you can email Jen Talty at
[email protected]
and purchase the entire series for just ($12.99) - that’s a saving of 50%!
Other books by Colin Falconer
New Historical Fiction by Colin Falconer
The Famous Woman Series
'Falconer's grasp of period and places is almost flawless ... He's my kind of writer.' - Peter Corris, The Australian
“His work takes the reader through a never-ending labyrinth of twists and turns that grips and entertains. Get this book. It is a magnificent piece of work!” – History and Women
“Spectacular historical fiction blazing with intrigue, romance and dramatic action” --Booklist
"A page-turner . . . This peek behind the walls of the seraglio will seduce lovers of large-scale historical fiction." - Booklist
“... a rollicking historical tale of love and revenge rendered in rich detail by a master of the genre.” - Booklover
Ebook Short Stories
"If you haven’t read one of Colin Falconer’s novels, then I promise you are in for a real roller-coaster ride …’ Mirella Patzer, Historical Novel Review
'It was the year I broke a bone in my leg, the year I got my first kiss and the year Jesus got himself shot.'
One dead Japanese pearl diver is starting to smell. A big, slow Filipino crewman is making trouble in Sheba Lane. And a beautiful girl called Amy O'Rourke has stirred his dreams.
Other Historicals