»’«
M
pii
;!
I’ L
1, *i
Hastings and Severin did not return until it was time for the dinner meal. They tried to slip up the solar stairs unnoticed, but it didn’t work. Gwent shouted, “My lord, the wind has died down. The temperature has dropped. A storm is blowing up. Beamis agrees with me. All the horses and other animals are safely in their sheds. Most all our people are already within the great hall, as you can see, as they can see you. As everyone who is not blind can see you and Hastings.”
Hastings tugged on his hand, grinning up at him. “We are the butt of their jests, my lord,” she said.
“You have twigs and leaves in your hair, your gown is ripped beneath your right arm-”
“That was the arm that reached nearly everything of interest, my lord,” she said, and giggled again. “Remember when you had me reach up and hold to that branch over my head? I believe that is when it ripped.” She raised her hand and pulled a leaf from his dark hair.
He wanted to tug at his tunic, to swipe at his hair, but he forced himself to be still.
“Mayhap, my lord,” Beamis called out, “you wish time to bathe before we eat?”
“Their jests become riper,” Hastings said as she picked a leaf out of her own tangled hair.
“Alice,” Severin called out, “serve ale. It will close the mouths of these louts.”
When Severin and Hastings walked into the great hall close to an hour later, it was to loud singing, laughter, Edgar the wolfhound barking loudly as he chased after a bone one of the men-at-arms threw for him, and several amorous bouts, the most interesting between Belle and the armorer. “I wonder if there is a drop of ale left at Oxborough,” Hastings said, grinning up at her husband.
He paused a moment, oblivious of the nearly sixty people, all watching them now. “I have yet to punish you, Hastings.” He lightly touched his fingers to her cheek. She turned her head and kissed his palm.
“Mayhap you should wait until our child is born.”
He lightly touched her stomach. “Give me a curve here, Hastings. Something to show me that my child is within.”
“Soon,” she said. “Soon.”
They took their chairs, answering jests coming from Gwent and Beamis. Hastings started to take a bite of her stewed onions and cabbage when Severin grabbed her hand. “It must be tasted first.”
He turned to Marjorie. “Give Hastings your trencher and you take hers.”
Marjorie looked pinched. Her face was pale, her eyes darkened with pain, with deep anger-Hastings didn’t know-but she said nothing. Eloise was silent and slouched down in her chair beside her.
“Give her your goblet also.”
Marjorie continued silent, simply doing as he bade.
The laughter and jests continued long after the sun set, the storm blew in, and the wind howled around the castle, making the tapestries billow against the stone walls that faced the sea.
“You have won.”
Hastings drank the last of her wine before turning to Marjorie. “Won?” she repeated slowly. Severin was in close conversation with Gwent, Trist on his shoulder. “Won? This was never a contest, Marjorie. Severin is my husband, not yours. The love potion you stole from my bedchamber did not work. Listen to me. I merely want peace again. I want my husband with me. I don’t even want you dead. I merely want you gone from Oxborough.”
Marjorie was staring hard at Hastings. “I have studied you. You are comely, but no more than that. I am more beautiful than any other lady I have ever seen. Severin wanted me, adored me, gawked at me even. He kissed me, touched me, caressed me until I opened myself to him. Even though you used your body to distract him today, it should not have worked. Oh aye, his crazy mother delighted in telling me that he had taken you into the forest. To frolic, she said, and she laughed at me. He should have gone with me, not you. I do not understand.”
“Mayhap there are qualities Severin cherishes other than just a beautiful face and silvery hair. Mayhap there is honor and caring. Mayhap he got a glimpse of your insides, Marjorie. Did you try to poison me?”