said Eustace in a loud voice that carried from one end of the high table to the other. “After the way Braedon took unfair advantage of me during our contest on the first day of the tournament, it was a pleasure to watch him being defeated this afternoon. May all his wounds fester till his limbs turn black and require amputating.” Eustace raised his wine cup and drank deeply. A few nobles nodded as if they agreed with his sentiments. Some snickered. Most looked the other way and began to speak on more neutral subjects. “It was a fair fight,” Catherine protested. She intended to say much more to Eustace, until her father's repressive glance in her direction silenced her. He said nothing to her, perhaps because Lady Edith was once again sitting beside him, but she understood from the single parental look that Royce did not want her to provoke a public quarrel with Eustace. It was not Catherine's place to defend Braedon but, as Royce's official hostess, it was her duty to maintain a pleasant setting for his guests.
