The Duchess of Culway

By Robert Collins

Long before Maisy became the Witch Queen of Hatham, another young woman came to power, but under very different circumstances.

Meredith, a merchant’s daughter, falls in love with Gordon, the Duke of Culway. Gordon is near in age to her father, but Meredith gives him joy and love. Meredith weds, certain that she will have nothing to do as Duchess of Culway but spend time with the man she loves.

However, the feud between Culway and Vinway will disrupt Meredith’s happiness, and disrupt the world around her. From a cauldron of pain a legend will be born...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert Collins
• Release date: Jun 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463994368

Robert Collins

Two people with different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities met at a European and Balkan music and dance ensemble named Koroyar and their lives became intertwined, combining their gifts to continue exploring life as an avenue of creative expression. Robert Collins has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, and has been an educator in the Los Angeles area for thirty years. He studied writing with Joan Oppenheimer in San Diego, with Cork Millner privately, and also in the Santa Barbara Writer's Conferences. Elizabeth Herrera Sabido, at the age of sixteen years, began working as a secretary at the Secretaria de Industria y Comercio in Mexico City where she was born, then she was an educator for twenty-six years, and a teacher of international dance for The Los Angeles Unified School District. She has also studied Traditional Chinese Medicine, and is a Reiki Master Teacher. Attracted by the Unknown, the Forces of the Universe, and the human psyche, during their lives they have studied several different philosophies. Elizabeth has been involved with various religions, Asian studies, and Gnosticism with SamaelAun Weor, and Robert has explored spiritual healing practices in Mexico, and studied with Carlos Castaneda's Cleargreen and Tensegrity. Elizabeth and Robert start their day at four-thirty in the morning. They enjoy playing volleyball and tennis, and in the afternoons play music, alternating between seven different instruments each. Their philosophy of Personal Evolution has led them to explore over 110 countries between the two of them such as Japan, Nepal, Egypt, Bosnia- Herzegovina, the Philippines, Turkey,Russia, etc.

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THE DUCHESS OF CULWAY

A Witch Queen Story

by

Robert Collins

Ebook Edition

Copyright © 2020 by Robert Collins

License Notes, eBook edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

About the Author

INTRODUCTION

Allow me to write a few words about this story before the tale begins.

The setting of this story is indeed that of the world of the Witch Queen series. The names of the places appear in that series. When I first started writing this story, I had the thought that Queen Maisy would be the author, telling the true story of an in-universe ballad. I reconsidered that idea, and have chosen to tell this story as you read it now.

The inspiration for wanting to write this in the first place goes well back. Sometime around 1991-92 I heard an interview with Connie Dover, a Celtic music singer and artist based in the Kansas City area. I bought her first album, Somebody. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but one song in particular struck a nerve: The Baron of Brackley. Off and on since then I had the notion of taking inspiration from that song and writing something.

Not too long ago I thought to set the story in a new universe I’d created for Queen Maisy. The draft of what I wrote turned out much shorter than I hoped it would be. I set it aside, hoping to perhaps publish it with another work. Ballads were on my mind quite a bit when I started working on Maisy’s story. It seemed a good fit, as other parts of her story early on were being inspired by ballads. But this was too short to stand on its own, and in time other ideas shaped later works in the series.

But I couldn’t get this one out of my head. During a pause while I was working on a completely different novel, I decided to take another run at this tale. Although I was passionately writing that other novel, I felt like I needed a short break from that universe. I also wanted to get back into Maisy’s world for a bit, since I was planning to return once the novel I was in the middle of was done. I’ve made some changes and additions. I hope you enjoy the result.

If you’ve never read any of the novels featuring Maisy, don’t fear. You won’t need to know anything about them for this book. If you have read that series, then I hope you’ll like this shift into the past of that world.

Now, on with this tale…

CHAPTER ONE

Meredith looked around the room. It hadn’t seemed large to her before she’d walked in that night. Now it felt to her as if it spanned the whole of the manor.

The room itself hadn’t been added onto. It was still the reception room of the Duke of Culway. It was a room she’d become familiar with in recent years. Her father, Roland, owned the brewery in the town. He was one of the dukedom’s important men. As such he often had business with Duke Gordon. At times Meredith went along with him.

The room was much as she recalled from a few weeks before during her father’s last visit. The wall opposite the entrance was dominated by four tall windows. Tapestries of the land of Culway hung behind the platform the Duke ruled from, as well as on the wall opposite that one and to either side of the double doors leading into the room. The chairs and tables that normally sat against the walls had been moved slightly. The tables had been moved to either side of the entryway, and the chairs placed in groups of four along the other walls.

What was different was the folk in the room. There was no small group of tradesmen or merchants speaking with their master. This wasn’t a family gathering to which a few had been blessed with invitations. This was His Lordship’s Spring Dance. Every unmarried young man and young woman in Culway, and a few from outside the dukedom, was in attendance, along with parents or older brothers. A group of musicians sat on chairs on the platform playing tunes. His Lordship’s servants clustered around the tables to hand out food and drink. The room appeared packed with sound and motion.

Meredith hadn’t given any thought to whether she ought to be early or late to the dance. Though she was the daughter of a man of means, the idea of planning on being early or late had been foreign to her mind. Arriving late as she had, she wondered if she would have felt better arriving early. Would that have eased me, slowly seeing the room fill up?

Another reason for her new preference came at her an instant later. When she and her father arrived, it seemed as though everyone turned to look at her. Part of her knew that what seemed to be and what was were not the same. Those dancing kept dancing. Those sitting and talking continued their conversations. Faces turned her way a few at time. She knew that most only gave her a glance. But knowing that was so, and feeling that all eyes were upon her, suddenly became two warring kingdoms.

She tried to ground herself in the moments that followed. She saw that she wasn’t wearing the most colorful dress in the room nor the least. She knew before she entered that she was neither the most shapely young woman in town nor the most slender. Others had told her that her face was prettier than most, but no one called her the greatest beauty of the age. She was blessed with fair looks and a father with coins to spare. Those were her marriage prospects, nothing less and nothing more.

As she worked her way deeper into the room, young men approached her. Most she knew as the sons of the merchants and tradesmen in town. She’d known them all her life. There were those she had some fondness for, but most she was indifferent to. Their hearts were warmer for other young women in town, or for their plans for the future. They talked too much or hardly at all. They were interested in marriage, but not quite in marrying her.

She had hopes that the men from elsewhere might be more interesting. She hadn’t thought about leaving Culway for marriage. She wasn’t opposed to the idea, so long as she didn’t have to go to Vinway. She didn’t have to remain in Culway if she didn’t want to. Her older brother was going to take over the brewery for their father when he was too old to run it. If he could’t take it from their father, her younger brother could.

She allowed herself several moments with two such young men. Both were fine dancers but had little to say that she hadn’t already heard from the young men of Culway. She gave a few of the local boys a chance, and still felt unimpressed.

It was after the third that another man approached her. Why, Meredith, you are looking well this evening, Duke Gordon, the Duke of Culway, told her.

She froze for an instant, then curtsied. Thank you, My Lord.

He pointed at the right side of her head. There’s a yellow cloth in your hair.

Yes, My Lord. I was told to wear it, like it was a ribbon.

An interesting contrast with your dark hair. Who tied it up for you?

I did, My Lord.

You did? Then who told you to try such a thing?

Rebecca, My Lord.

Master Andrew’s daughter?

Yes, My Lord. She has travelled.

Indeed. A style of Hatham?

So she told me, My Lord.

I see. How are you enjoying yourself this evening?

Quite well, My Lord.

His eyes narrowed, and his brown eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement. I may not be as young as the fellows you danced with, Meredith, but I’m not an old man yet. You’ve flown from one fair prospect to another, not spending more than a few moments with each.

Meredith could only nod in response.

Is something troubling you?

No, My Lord.

Missing someone?

Missing, My Lord?

A young man who isn’t here.

No, My Lord.

Then why haven’t you found a young man to share more than a dance and a few words with, Meredith?

Father didn’t say I needed to get engaged tonight, My Lord. An instant later she regretted her wry remark.

An instant after that Duke Gordon let out a small laugh. No, I don’t suppose he did.

She swallowed. That wasn’t impertinent, My Lord?

Certainly not. My first wife had spirit like that.

Meredith bowed her head. My condolences, My Lord.

He shook his head. Not at all. Years have passed. The pain hasn’t gone away, but it has eased a great deal. Still, nights like this make me wish I was young again.

My Lord?

The prospect of finding romance, Meredith. Dancing. Jesting. The feeling that life is ahead rather than behind you. Enjoy it, young lady.

I shall try, My Lord.

Ah! I see your father approaching, and with Daniel and David. Have you met David?

The son of Your Lordship’s scribe? Just once.

Did it go well?

It hardly went much at all, My Lord.

Well, then, here comes your chance. Master Roland, Master Daniel, come, come!

Meredith turned to look. Her eyes first went to her father. Folk around the town thought he was a man who rarely smiled through his dark beard. She knew otherwise. He was always smiling at home. If something good hadn’t happened to make him smile, he’d search for a reason to smile. He could appear dark and stern, and occasionally wanted to when it suited his business. But to friends and family he was neither, and it felt to Meredith that on this night he didn’t want to keep that secret.

Next to her father was the man she knew as Daniel, the scribe to His Lordship. When he wasn’t engaged in working for Duke Gordon, Daniel kept up a small clerking shop for the town. He wrote agreements, kept ledgers, and generally put his skills to use. To Meredith Daniel was a thin man bordering on sickly. His clothes seemed to hang off him, his skin was pale, and his hair matted with sweat.

His son David appeared to resemble his father somewhat. His brown hair was matted, and his new shirt and leggings didn’t seem to fit him all that well. Yet he was taller than his father, and not quite as slender. He didn’t walk with as much confidence as his father did, but he wasn’t the scribe to the Duke, either.

My Lord, her father said with a simple nod.

My Lord, echoed Daniel. Who is this young lady with you?

That would be my daughter Meredith, her father replied.

Meredith gave the scribe a brief bow. A pleasure to see you again, Master Daniel.

Thank you, he replied. Have you met my son David?

No. She turned to the younger man. A pleasure to meet you.

Yes, thank you, David stammered. He paused for a breath. A pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Meredith.

Let’s give these two, and all the young folk around, a bit of space, shall we? Duke Gordon said to her father and Daniel. They nodded and followed him away.

Meredith turned to Daniel. We have met once before, if you recall.

He shook his head. I don’t, honestly. When?

Father and I went to visit your father’s shop on business early this past winter.

He shrugged. I guess we didn’t talk.

A few words of greeting, nothing more.

Oh.

But now we do have time to talk.

What would you like to talk about?

Tell me a little about yourself, David. Are you going to follow your father?

He nodded. Oh, yes. I like working for him. The job of a scribe is an important one.

I know.

What about you? He closed his eyes for an instant. I mean, who will follow your father at the brewery?

My older brother James. I think my younger brother Kevin might work for James to earn some coins, and then he’ll move away. So he says.

Move where? Do what?

Move elsewhere. As to what he’d do, I’m not sure he knows.

That sounds dangerous.

She shrugged. He has some desire to see the world, David. It might be that he hasn’t discovered young women yet, but the town doesn’t seem to interest him.

It’s a place to live and work. What more does a man need?

She didn’t have a ready answer to his question, so she merely shrugged and kept silent for a moment. The music stopped long enough for those dancing to catch their breaths and either move or prepare for the next dance.

Shall we dance? she asked.

Aren’t I supposed to ask that? he replied.

Ask, then, but quickly.

He motioned with his right hand towards the center of the room. She nodded and allowed him to escort her into the crowd of dancing couples. She found him to be more energetic than his father seemed to be. He moved with enthusiasm but not much skill. After the dance he let her to the tables and got her a drink and some food.

In between bites he spoke of the profession of being a scribe. What he told her was interesting enough. She’d learned this and that about business in general, and the brewing trade in particular, from being around her father and older brother. In the past year or so it had struck her how other trades worked with, against, or indifferently to what her father did. She’d never noticed before how the businesses of the town and the dukedom came together or moved against each other. It was knowledge, however trivial, which made it a welcome diversion from the life she was heading towards.

She chose not to dance with him a second time. Instead she found two new partners to dance with. While both were better at the dance, neither it turned out was worth talking to. One could only stare at her body. The other could only tell her how wealthy he was certain to become when he went into the trade of shipping goods overland.

Meredith went to one side of the room and looked around. She saw Duke Gordon standing against the platform. He was talking to a young man who bore him some resemblance. She wondered if the young man was his son, Edwin. In accompanying her father to the Duke’s manor, she’d never seen Edwin. Something about that struck her as odd. An impulse pushed towards Duke Gordon and the younger man.

My Lord, she said.

The Duke turned to her and smiled. Meredith. How did you find young David?

Pleasant, My Lord.

I see. I don’t believe you’ve met my son, have you?

No, My Lord.

He turned his head towards the young man. Edwin, this is Meredith. She’d the daughter of Roland.

The brewer? Edwin bowed his head to her. A pleasure to meet you, Meredith.

She curtsied. A pleasure to meet you, Master Edwin.

Just then a slim young woman with fair hair approached. Master Edwin, she said in a sprightly voice, may I have this dance?

Edwin turned to Meredith. Meredith gave him a nod. He looked at the other woman, nodded, and let her drag him to the center of the room.

A gallant gesture, Meredith, the Duke said.

I know her, My Lord. She’s Angela, Master Albert’s daughter. She’s too young to marry.

Oh, yes, so she is. No doubt she wants something to boast to her friends about. A girlish fancy, nothing more.

Yes, My Lord.

I don’t recall you engaging in any girlish fancies.

She looked up at him. Father didn’t indulge me, My Lord.

No. He seems a serious man, most of the time.

He wants to appear that way, My Lord. He says it helps him in his business to be seen as serious and somber.

And sober, too, I imagine.

She let out a laugh. He’s made the same jest at home, My Lord.

He jests? I’m quite surprised to hear that.

Father says that business is business, My Lord, and family is family.

Not a bad way to live if I say so, Meredith.

My Lord?

"It’s easy to go through life being somber and serious. Life can be short. Mothers and children die young sometimes. Dukedoms and kingdoms can become rivals, and rivalries can become wars. Then there are the whims of the Fairy Folk to worry about. And if all that wasn’t enough, a man has to worry if he can provide for his family. Can he afford to maintain the home he has? Can he buy or raise enough food? How is his family clothed, and do they appear well or poorly to his neighbors? Most of all, what will happen to his family when he goes to God?

"Yet I suppose it’s somewhat easier to go through life without any such cares. To live each day as though it might be your last. To be jovial to all, no matter how they treat you. To appear to be the fool, and not care how you look or sound.

I think it’s the rare man who finds balance between the two, as your father seems to have done. To take life seriously, to understand how cruel life can be, but to also understand how joyful it can be. To be somber without dragging everyone around you into the depths, and be light enough that you don’t float away on a cloud.

Meredith looked at the Duke for a moment. That’s not just a kind thing to say, My Lord, but a beautiful thing to say.

He smiled. Thank you.

Have you always had such thoughts, My Lord?

From time to time. My wife gave me a great deal of joy when she was alive. Her passing left me with a great deal of grief. I was a grim man for months afterward.

Did something change, My Lord?

"My brother, Martin, already had a girl at the time. His son was on the way. They would visit me, seeing as they live in town. One day I was passing by where Clara and Edwin were playing. It was ten years ago, so Edwin was a growing boy, and Clara was three or four, as I recall. I overheard her asking Edwin to take her home. When he asked her why, she said, ‘Your father is unhappy. I don’t like being here.’

"At first it struck as something a small child would say. But the more I thought about, the more it seemed as though Clara had hit upon a great truth. Men would come when summoned, but only Martin and his family came here by choice. I asked Daniel and a few others if I’d been rude to them, or if they feared speaking with me. None would say so, but their replies were too polite to make me think that I hadn’t been a beast of a man to be around.

After that I resolved to find as much good in life as there had been bad. I would listen to the love ballads that had been so painful, and listen to others that lifted my mood. I tried to be more pleasant when I could. If I had to be unpleasant, it would be for a good reason, and I would try to do what I could to balance my mood later.

He smiled to her. Enough about me. You spoke with David, yes?

Yes, My Lord.

Your tone suggests you found him lacking.

He’s a good man, My Lord.

One of his eyebrows went up. Don’t lie to your ruler, young lady.

She nodded. He spoke of his profession, My Lord, and little else.

He asked you nothing?

No, My Lord. Well, he did ask about Kevin.

Your younger brother, yes?

Yes, My Lord.

What about him?

I mentioned that Kevin hasn’t yet thought of what he wants to do when he becomes a man, My Lord. I said that Kevin has in his mind an idea of traveling.

What did David say to that?

Nothing, My Lord.

Nothing good?

Nothing good, My Lord, and nothing bad. All he said was that he, David, feels that Culway is a place to live and work, and what else does a man need?

Duke Gordon shrugged. That much is true, I’ll grant that. I’ll also grant that seeking adventure isn’t the best life for any man or boy.

Nor does every man have a choice, My Lord.

Certainly not. That said, your younger brother is fortunate. He comes from a family of some means. I trust he knows something of the brewing trade?

Yes, My Lord.

Then he could find work almost anywhere. Unless he has dire intentions towards your older brother, he’s not likely to follow your father.

She laughed. He doesn’t, My Lord. Well, not since James stopped teasing him so much.

So, either he finds a new trade here, or makes a new life elsewhere.

That is so, My Lord. I sometimes wish Father would understand that as much as James and I do.

That was all that you and David talked about?

Aside from his profession, yes, My Lord.

What do you think of his profession?

It’s a noble one, My Lord.

It’s an important one. Without men with the knowledge of how to read and write, we wouldn’t have contracts, or correspondence, or treaties. A man wouldn’t know how his trade was doing. I wouldn’t know how much grain is grown in my dukedom, or how much livestock is raised, or how much trades comes here and where it comes from.

She bowed her head. Forgive me if I sounded dismissive, My Lord.

You didn’t.

She looked at him.

"I trust David isn’t looking to marry one of his quills, or ink, or a piece of