The Perfect Wife

Page 21

"Come - pull thelinens up and sleep. "
Avelynhesitated, then crawledup tolie beside himand pullthe linens and furs over them both. Afteranother hesitation, she layher head on his chest. Paen closed his arm aroundheras her hand crept up to rest tentativelyonhim.
He was juststarting to doseoffwhen shelifted herhead and beganto speak, but Paen used his forearm to press her head backtohis chest and simplysaid,"Sleep. "
He closed his eyesand pretended tosleep himself. After several moments, he sensed her relax againsthim. Whenasoft snore emitted from her, he smiled to himself, finding it utterlycharming. His wife snoredlike a sailor, he thought with something like affection, and pressed a kissto the topof her head. Relaxing into the bed, Paen peered up at the drapes overhead and smiled. He'd managed the consummation and - even withoutthe use of hishands - succeeded in givingher pleasure. Damn, Iwas good, he thought.
Avelynwoke to a tingling sensation inher rightbreast. Smiling, she murmured sleepily and stretched on herback, her body arching upward into the sensation.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself staring down at the top of her husband'shead.
Morning sunlight glinted offhis darkhairas he laved and suckled at her breast.
Moaning, Avelyn slid herhands intohis hair, scraping her nails lightly across his scalp before letting them drop down torun across his back. He raised his headto peer at her. Realizing she wasawake, Paen shifted upher body, halflying on her as he kissed her good morning.
Avelyntook half a moment to worry that herbreath might be unpleasant,then decided that if he didn't mind, shedidn'tmind. It was a delicious wayto wake up, made moreso when he slidone knee between her legs and presseditagainst her.
Avelyn moaned and archedinto thecaress, her body tingling with eagerness.
"Should we move to thewindow ledge?"shegaspedwhen he shifted over her, resting hiselbows on either side of her head to prevent putting weightonhis hands.
Paen stilled, then for some reason gavea littlelaughas he shook his head. "Nay. I think we shall bypass the window this morning. "
"But - " Avelyn paused and glanced toward thedoorwhen a knock disturbed them.
"Who isit?" Paen growled, still on top of her.
" Tis David,my lord," the boy called through the door. "Yourfathersentmeup tosee ifyou areyet up. He said you were to ride out withhim to Rumsfeldtodayto have alook around. "
Paen rolled offof Avelyn with a sigh. "Aye. I am up. "
"Do you want me to help you dress,mylord?" Davidaskedthrough the door.
Paen sat up and reached for the bed linens, then paused at the sight of his bandaged hands.
Sitting up quickly,Avelyn snatched at the linens and furs and pulled them upto cover themboth,but Paen slid out from under them and stood.
"Did you bring myclothes, boy?" he called as he started across theroom,and Avelyn bit her lipat the sight of hiserect staff.
"Aye, my lord," came thepromptanswer.
"Come in, then. "
Avelyn managed totear her gaze from her husband and tuggedthe linens a little tighter to her chin as the door opened. Shewatched David enter, Paen's clothing, boots andmail piledinhisarms. Themail told her that Rumsfeldwas far enough away that theyhad to guardagainst bandits or attacks. It took a moment before Avelyn recalled where she had heard the name before; then she glanced to her husband, making sure to keepher gazeabove his waist asshe asked, "Is Rumsfeld not yourmother's birthplace?"
"Aye. Howdidyouknow?" Paen glanced back at her with surprise as David kicked the door closedwithonefoot, then carried his burdentothe chairbythe fire.
"Your mother mentioned it the dayafterwearrived here," she murmured. "She said the chatelain had diedwhile youwereaway. "
"Aye. Legere. He was old. "
"Is that why you are goingthere?Because theoldchatelain is dead?" Avelyn askedcuriously. "I suppose yourfather has to arrangefor anew chatelain. "
Paen paused besidethechair whereDavid had set his clothesand turned to peer at her, his expression chagrined.
"Iforgot to tell you," he realized.
"Tell me what?"Avelyn asked asDavid held Paen'sbraes open forhim tostep into.
Paen waited until his pants were on anddone upbefore answering. "Fatherasked if I would bechatelain there. "
"What?"Avelyn asked with surprise asDavid climbed onto the stooland Paen bent at the waist sothe boy couldwork his tunic overhis head. Onceit wasin place, Paen turned to face her with a smile, obviouslyexpectinghertobe pleased.
"Aye. He needs someone there he can trust,and he thinks it will give me more experience. "
When Avelynstared at him blankly, he explained, "I have beenawayon Crusade formuch of the lastyears. I am an expert at battle, butcould use somepractice at being lord ofthemanor. " He knelt to helpDavid get his heavy mailon, then gotto hisfeet andadded, "He also thought you might be happier if you had a home of your owntotake care of. "
Avelyn staredat him as he asked his squire where his belt andsword were. David had left it intheroom Paenusually slept in. Apologizing, the boy hurriedout of the chamber to collect it as Paen moved to the bed. Leaning over, he gave her a quick, passionate kiss, then straightenedandleftthe room, leaving Avelyn staringafter him.
Paen wastaking over aschatelain atRumsfeld. They would be movingthere. She would have her own household to run.
Avelyn felt the horror creep over her. Aweekago, she would have thought it was a fine thing and would havelookedforward to beingmistress of her ownhome. Her mother had taken great care toteach her allshe should know for the task. However, that had beenbefore Avelyn hadsomehow fallen under a cloud of calamity. Now, theideahorrified her. She would reduce Rumsfeld torubble within a week withher clumsiness, she supposed miserably.
"Rumsfeld is where Lady Christina grew up - 'tis her familyhome. When her parents diedsome years ago, itpassed to her and Lord Gerville. "
"Lady Christina was an only child," Lady Helenput in and her niece Diamanda nodded.
For her part, Avelyn remained silent, simply listening asthe trio walkedupstairs, headed for thesolar.
Theyhadjust left the hallafter breaking their fast. Paen and his father had already left for Rumsfeld bythe time Avelyn hadtaken careof her morning ablutionsand gonebelow. It hadjust been the four women and several hundred servants and soldiers at thetablesthis morning.
Of course,thefirst thing out of Lady Gerville'smouth had beenabout the move to Rumsfeld. Itseemed everyone had already knownabout it, including Diamanda andLady Helen. Avelynhadbeenthe last to know.
She'd learnedat tablethat ithad been decided they shouldwait another weekto go. It was hoped the extra time would give Paen'shands achance tofinish healing.
Avelyn thus had another week torepack her chests in preparationof moving. Not thatthere was muchto repack. Other than herclothes,nothing had come out of the chestssince the journey. Noneof it had been needed here.
Lady Gerville hadspoken with forced cheer aboutthe move,and itseemedto Avelyn that Paen's mother was nomore happy about it than she herself was. Even Diamanda and Lady Helen had seemed subdued. Avelyn had been grateful toescape the solarto finish off hernew efforts at atunic and braesfor her husband. She'd started theprojectthe day after their arrival here at Gerville. After wandering the castle aimlessly formostof themorning, she'd decided she might aswellstarton another outfit forPaen. Whilehe still wore a pair of braes and a tunic that had belonged to his brother, they didn't fit as well as they might.
"Rumsfeld is quite lovely," Diamanda continued as theyreachedthesolar. "I am sureyou shall like it. "
"You have beenthere?" Avelynasked curiously as Lady Helenpushed open the door.
"Aye. My family traveledby it onourway here when I first came totrainwith LadyChris - !" Diamanda stopped abruptly and glanced aroundwhen she bumped into her aunt. Lady Helenhad suddenlystoppedinthe doorto the solar, blocking either womanfrom enteringthe room.
"Aunt Helen? What is it?" Diamandashifted past the older womanandpeered into theroom, thengave asoft"oh" as Lady Helen suddenly turned and tried to usher Avelyn awayfrom theroom. "Why dowe not go for a nice walk in the bailey?"
"What?But 'tis raining out," Avelyn remindedher,then frowned at her pitying expression and moved past her, determined to see whatever was in theroom.
"Mydear, I do not think - "LadyHelentouched Avelyn's shoulder to stop her, thenfell silent and letherhand fallaway with asigh asAvelyn slippedpast Diamanda andinto theroom.
Atfirst, Avelyndidn't seeanything unusualor amiss. The roomwas empty except for Boudica andJuno. LadyChristina's pet greyhounds were curled up asleepon top of an old stripof cloth theirmistress had laid out for their comfort.
Avelyn started to turn backtoward theother twowomen,then pausedand peered back at thebit of cloth sticking outfrom underthe hounds. It was the very same forestgreen as the fabric LadyChristina had given her to sew Paen's new outfit - the remains of the cloththe lady had madehis wedding outfit from.
"Avy?" LadyHelen asked with concern.
Avelyn crossedtheroom ascarefully as ifshewere walking anarrow tree trunk laid over a river, placing one foot in front of the other, her gazelocked on the cloth.
When she reached the dogs, she knelt just as carefullyand pluckedatthe cloth, waking the dogs assheslowly pulled it out from beneath them. Boudica andJuno scrambled to their feet and stood watching, tails wagging asAvelyn held up the tunic she'dnearly finishedfor Paen. It was clawedandchewed up. Ruined.
"Ohhh. " It was apainedmoanfrom LadyHelen. "And after allyour work. Oh, Avelyn. "
"Ishall go fetchLady Gerville," Diamanda saidandhurried from the room.
Avelyn heard the girl hurryoff, but simply sat therestaringatthe ruined remains of Paen's top. She could hardly believe it. She couldn'tbelieve it. Her stunned mind was floating uselessin her head, unabletograsp this latestcatastrophe.
A whine sounded, then Boudica's wet tongue brushed up her cheek. Avelyn blinked her eyes back into focus and peered at the animal even as Juno moved closer togive her awet swipe on her cheek aswell. An apology? Comfort?
Boudicagave another whine,followed by another lick as if begginghernot to hurt them. Avelyn smiledfaintly at the thought. As if she could hurt the sillycreatures. A long sighslid fromher, taking all the tensionfrom her bodywith it. She dropped the cloth to pet them both reassuringly.
"'Tisall right,"shetoldthe animals,finding herself soothed by the feel of their soft furas she petted them.
"Butall yourhard work," Lady Helensaid.
" 'Twasjust atunic," Avelyn murmured.
Lady Gerville had suggested the fatesmight be acting against her. Avelyn was beginning to believe it. If that werethe case, she hadtwo choices - to give upand stop trying to do anything, or to make the best of the situation and keep onplugging untilthe fates tired of toying with her.
Avelyn wasnot thesort to give up.
"Avelyn?"
She lifted her headas Lady Gerville moved slowlyinto the roomto stand beside Lady Helen. She was a little out ofbreath, sohad obviouslyhurriedup here, but nowshe was moving slowly, almost cautiously, uncertainty on her face. Avelyn supposed Diamanda had told her what hadhappenedand the woman feared her reactiontowhatthe dogs had done.
"I - " Paen'smother began, " 'Tis all right," Avelyn interrupted her. She ruffled the fur of both Juno and Boudica one last time, thenpicked up thescrapof cloththat used to be a lovely tunic and got to herfeet. "I fearwe shall need more cloth, though. I hopethefabric merchant is expected to comearound soon. "
"I shallsend a man out to hunt him up," Lady Gervillesaid, eyeingher with concern.
Avelyn supposed that because of the way she'dfallenapart after the firehad destroyed her first efforts,Lady Gerville was unsure what to expect this time. But that had been an unusual reaction from Avelyn, a result of exhaustion, she suspected. She hadn't sleptmuchinthe days before that disaster. Besides, ithad been one of many catastrophes over a short span of time. This was the first untoward event in thethree days sincearrivinghere. She wasn't goingtofall apart.
Patting thelady'sarm as shewalked past her, Avelyn said, "I think I shallgosee if there is enough ivorycloth left to make a tunic. "
Avelyn slipped from the roomand walked to her own, the cloth clutchedinher hand. She could usethedestroyedgarment to measure the ivory cloth, andslung it over hershoulderasshe kneltat herchest,onlyto pause and sniff the air. She smelled... Avelyn sniffedagain, turning her head towardthe tunichangingoverher shoulder. Pork. Shelifted thegarment topress it to her face to besure. The tunic smelled of pork.
Avelyn sat backand staredat the garment. They'dhad porkfor dinner the night before, but she had no ideahow thescentcould have got on the tunic. Avelyn hadn't sewnafter the meal last night. She'd gone totalk to Paen instead, andthen... well, she certainly hadn't even thought ofsewingafter Paen had come to theroom.
She fingered the material. With the tunic smelling as itdid,it wasno wonder the dogshad gone after it. But how haditendedup smelling ofpork? Ithad to have been doneby someone else, but who?Justtouching it with grimy fingers wouldn't have done it. The clothwas saturated with the scent, as if the meathad been rubbed across it.
It was the second outfit Avelynhad been making for Paen thathad beenruined.
Thefirstinthe fireand now this. She shook herhead atthe suddenthoughtthat struck her. Surelysomeonewasn'tsabotaging her efforts?Avelyn couldn'tbelieve it.
But she truly had thought she'd blown that candle out in the tent. And nowthepork smell. Onthe other hand,she had beenincredibly accident proneof late, and it was possible she hadn't blown the candle out after all.
She wasbeing silly,Avelyn decided. Perhapsthesmellof pork hadgottenon the tunicaccidentally... though she couldn't see how that could happen. Still, it just couldn't have been done deliberately. Everyonewas so nicetoher.