Ch 3
Alexander liked the young farmer and trusted him in his skills. Clark had come to ask him about buying land from him so he could build a Fulling Mill.
"The cloth market is rising quickly." Alexander said to Nicholas
Alexander already owned a small, but profitable cloth business that was run by his cousin Lucas. He was thinking of making it bigger.
Clark had come to Alexander; with an idea of using a new invention he had seen when he visited another town last fall.
"You see" he explained to Alexander, "it operates just like a corn mill, the river turns it and it has two large hammers that pound the cloth continuously. It can do the work of ten fullers and the heavier the cloth the more effective it is"
Clark wanted more for his family; he wanted his kids to have something of their own when they were older. He wanted Lois to have the life she was used to. Even though he had her father's respect, he wanted to prove to him that he was going to do everything to take care of his family. He needed land by the river and he knew of the great Knights fortune. He couldn't do this on his own and he trusted in the noble Knights business sense.
Alexander agreed, "We shall build the Mill soon"
Nicholas looked at Alexander, suprised to see the Knight agree so quickly.
Alexander felt a little guilty at the smile on Clark's face. He was doing this to help him, but this was partly for his own selfish need see the farmer's sister-in-law more.
"You were in another fight in town?" Gabrielle asked his daughter.
"No, father" Chloe said innocently "not my fight....it was Lois"
"Lois!" Gabrielle exclaimed
"Yes, I was just helping" she said smiling
"Helping? What was this fight about?" he asked
"It was old Kathryn again father"
"Again!"
"Yes, Lois seems to have upset that woman"
"Tis true, Gabrielle" replied Peter. "I saw it, it was not Chloe's doing"
Gabrielle looked at Peter, Chloe's friend since youth. He had hoped that when they were older that they would marry. Peter was one that did not care about Chloe's wayward ways.
Chloe knew that look on her father's face. Marry Peter....that was absurd...why he was like a brother to her] she thought and besides he has many women after him now, that he is Knight she thought as she smiled
She knew that she would never really be a Knight. But Peter and the other boys she grew up with called her Chloe the Knight and that would have to do.
In order for her to marry she would have to find someone who accepted her for who she is and did not try to change her. Someone who's intelligent, brave and would be happy to fight with her, side by side.
TBC