"Father always claimed that life on the edge of the Frontier was hard," Hugo continued as his voice grew louder so the entire hall could hear over the voices that began muttering and protesting when he revealed how his father had been exploiting the people of his barony. "It was his favorite excuse for demanding more and giving less. Life is hard, so we have to tighten our belts," he said in a mocking imitation of his father's voice. "Life is hard, so we have to fill up our stores for when the lean years come."
"The truth is that he hated Baron Brighton," Hugo said, slamming his fist into the armrest of his chair for emphasis. "He always said that our treasuries were depleted by years of his uncle's overspending, and if there was a failure he could blame on my granduncle, he never hesitated to lay it at his feet. But I've read the ledgers and the family histories," the scholarly young lord continued as he stood to face Dame Sybyll.
