Except once, long ago, over an estrangement with his wife Mariotta, Lord Culter had never been jealous of the young brother he had seen grow from babyhood. Until the moment Francis had left home at sixteen, a prisoner of war to the English, Richard knew him solely as a blond and delicate boy, interested only, it seemed, in reading and music, whose apparent fragility concealed a will of steel, and a turn of phrase which could wound like a sword-cut.
Lord Culter, who had rarely felt jealousy towards his younger brother Francis, except once during a family estrangement, changed after a particular event. He had always seen Francis as a delicate, blond boy interested in reading and music, with a surprising inner strength and sharp wit beneath his fragile appearance. Richard’s perception of his brother remained mostly unaffected by jealousy until a pivotal moment.
That moment came when Francis left home at sixteen as a prisoner of war to the English. This event marked a turning point in Richard's feelings, highlighting the complexity of their relationship and hinting at underlying tensions. Despite his initial misperceptions, Richard recognized that Francis possessed a resilient spirit and a fierce intellect that could be wielded sharply, much like a sword.
