Sinful Duty (The Bentons and Northcutts 1) ✅

Prologue

September 15th, 1665

Southeastern England

His great-uncle had always seemed like an impossible, imposing man. The painting had been commissioned five years prior. Gavin Northcutt had never thought the painting had been flattering to his great-uncle. Edmund Northcutt looked frail and unhappy in the portrait.

But now...now the painting looked complementary to the Earl of Emerson's current condition.

Gavin sighed quietly and shook his head, folding his arms over his chest. He was standing in the receiving hall of Northcutt Castle, the stronghold of the Northcutt family for over 300 years. The ceiling was impossibly high, and banners displaying the emblem of House Northcutt hung from the dark stone walls. A line of worn red carpet led from the grand door to the far wall where Gavin stood in front of his great-uncle's portrait, and a large stairwell lined with more worn carpet was situated to his right. The castle looked like a fortress, scary and imposing standing tall and strong made of dark sturdy stones, and he never liked being there because of the cold and quiet atmosphere. He much preferred his own family manor, though he knew now that he was twenty he would be compelled to leave home. His elder brother Hugh would inherit their father's title and lands, and his younger sister Katherine would eventually be wed off to another lord and go to live with him. Being a burden to his family was the last thing he wanted to do and so Gavin knew that he would be destined to join the guard, as his father Thomas wanted. Or go to seminary and become a vicar, like his mother Florence wanted.

Gavin shook his head. It was pointless to think of such things now, when his family was in an even more dire situation.

"Their lordships are returning!"

Gavin quickly looked up and over his shoulders to the grand doors of Northcutt Castle. Already?

It was too soon for his kin to return from Oxford. All around hims servants running about to everything swiftly in order. Gavin rushed for the stairwell, only to be greet by his mother Florence hurrying down the stairs towards him. Katherine, his sixteen-year-old sister, was fast at her heels. The dresses they wore were muted colors, but Katherine had still taken the time to curl her dark blonde hair. "How is Uncle?" Gavin asked.

"As sickly as when you saw him this morning," Florence said quickly. "Your father has returned? Did they not send a message ahead?"

"They did not."

"Well, get everyone together to greet them then, Gavin!"

Gavin tried to ignore the bruise to his pride at being relegated to such a task. It was childish and unbefitting a grown man. His pride had already been pricked enough when he was told that he could not travel to Oxford with his father and brother.

Do not worry about it. Focus on helping the family.

"I will help you," Katherine promised him, linking her arm with his.

Gavin forced a smile at her. "Thank you."

Within a few short minutes the servants were lined up outside and the Northcutt family was lined up directly in front of the Gatehouse to greet the three carriages that pulled up in front of them. All three were extravagant carriages displaying the wealth and status of Lord Thomas Northcutt, Gavin's uncle Lord William Northcutt, and his cousin Francis Northcutt. Because of the nature of their visit Gavin knew that it had been very important for them to display their status when they traveled to Oxford. But he was not encouraged that his father and uncle were bringing home good news.

Gavin stood at the front of the family beside his elderly great-uncle Reginald, who was his cousin Francis's father. He was not as sickly as his elder brother Edmund was, but Gavin could see by his knobby hands that his health was nonetheless in poor condition. Behind him stood the women of his family, including Reginald's wife Joanna, and Gavin's sister-in-law Margery holding her infant daughter Emmelie. "This is not a good sign," Reginald muttered.