tales of the latter kingdom 08 - moon dance

by Christine Pope

  I put a hand to my head. When I had been roaming around near the stream, I had not paid much mind to how my hair might be behaving, but now I could tell that it had become something of a tangled mess. “Of course, Aunt Lyselle. I’ll make sure I am completely presentable.”

  “See that you do.”

  There was nothing for it but to flee upstairs and ransack my wardrobe to see what would be appropriate for an earl’s visit. I had several fine wool gowns, but of course they were far too warm to be suitable for a sunny day in early summer. The linen dresses seemed too plain, and the blue brocade must be reserved for Adalynn’s wedding.

  In the end, I settled on a pale green watered silk that was a hand-me-down from my cousin. It had suited Adalynn’s coloring very well, but I’d never thought that particular shade did much for own pink-and-white complexion. But as I had little else that was at all suitable, I put it on. Really, I doubted it mattered much what I looked like anyway. The earl was coming here to see his son, not judge my charms…or lack thereof.

  Tarly, the maid who attended Janessa and myself, appeared so she could comb the tangles from my hair, then wind the heavy curls around her fingers so they looked presentable. At least my hair did generally do as it was told, as long as it wasn’t left to run wild, as Annora used to say.

  Right then I missed her terribly, amidst all the hubbub. Yes, I had had six years to come to terms with her absence, to learn to become a part of this new family, but cousins were not sisters. And Annora had been far more forgiving of my whims and humors than any of my cousins ever were. If I had told her something odd was going on, and had described the footprints I’d seen going into the woods, she wouldn’t have dismissed my suspicions, but would have talked to me seriously about them.

  But she was gone, and had made a new life for herself in North Eredor. I could not blame her for the choices she had made, for I was sure I would have done the same thing, and yet…

  …and yet I could not ignore the hole she had left in my world. Ever since our mother died, she and I were the only person the other one had. Our father was still very much alive, but that mattered little, considering how he had treated both of us.

  Then I put those thoughts resolutely aside, for I could feel the sting of long-suppressed tears in my eyes, and it would certainly not do to appear before Lord Elwyn, Mayson’s father, with a red nose and puffy eyelids.

  “Thank you, Tarly,” I said, once she was done with my hair. She bobbed a curtsey and headed out, no doubt to check on my cousins and make sure they also were fit to be seen by as exalted a personage as Lord Elwyn.

  I studied myself in the mirror. Being out in the wind and the sun had added some color to my cheeks, and so the pale green silk of the dress did not wash me out quite as much as I had feared. Indeed, my eyes looked far greener than normal in contrast, and so I thought I should do well enough.

  Besides, I told myself, I am sure he can have no idea of what his son said to you about being his wife. The earl will only look at you as the niece of his friend. Then he will go, and you can spend your energies on trying to determine whose footprints those were — and where they were going.

  That sounded sensible enough. I could hear the chatter of voices out in the corridor, and so I knew my cousins must be ready to go downstairs. It seemed safest to fall in with them so I might descend the stairs as part of a group, and therefore escape any unwelcome attention.

  Indeed, with Adalynn in fine rose-colored brocade, and Carella looking equally resplendent in bright sky-blue, I doubted that anyone’s eyes would seek me out. Janessa and Theranne were somewhat less noteworthy, but still looked quite lovely.

  As we came into the great hall, I saw that our visitor was already there, his son next to him. I had met Lord Elwyn several times before, and thought him to be a kindly enough man…but now I could feel my heart begin to race. In the past, I had only been one of the gaggle of girls who lived under my uncle’s roof. Now I was the young woman his son had asked to marry him, although I still had no idea whether Mayson had divulged anything of our exchange to his father or not.

  Like Mayson, Lord Elwyn was tall and dark-haired. His eyes, however, were deep blue, and his features had a more chiseled look to them. I guessed the slight roundness of his son’s nose and chin must have come from his mother, although of course I had never met her, since she’d died years before I came to stay with my aunt and uncle.

  His lordship smiled pleasantly as we girls came into the hall. Almost as one, we curtseyed, and my aunt looked on in approval, clearly glad that we did not have to be reminded to show the proper respect to our visitor.

  “Ah,” said Lord Elwyn, “I thought your gardens lovely here, but I see your most beautiful flowers bloom indoors.”

  Carella and Theranne and Janessa giggled, while Adalynn only inclined her head, as if she was far too used to those sorts of compliments. I could feel my cheeks flood with color, but as I stood rather behind the other girls, I felt I did not have to show any more response than that.

  “We are truly blessed,” my uncle said. “But now, if we might all go to the dining chamber?”

  “Of course,” Lord Elwyn said, with no apparent fading of his smile. He followed my aunt and uncle into the dining hall, a later addition to the building, with its windows of mullioned glass open to the gardens and a warm breeze blowing through. On that breeze wafted the scent of hundreds of roses, and their perfume made me relax slightly. I had detected no particular alteration in his lordship’s expression as he looked at me, and so I felt buoyed by the notion that perhaps he did not have any idea of what had passed between his son and myself, and that this visit was only his idea of being neighborly, and possibly wishing to know how his son fared.

  Mayson did not look at me as he fell in behind his father and also headed into the dining chamber. Whether his avoidance of my gaze was due to embarrassment over his words of the day before, or because he did not want his father to notice any particular regard paid to me, I could not say.

  But I did breathe a little easier as we gathered around the long table of polished mahogany, and all took our respective seats. Whether by luck or by careful arrangement, I was seated at nearly the opposite end of the table from Lord Elwyn and his son, and so I thought I should be able to survive the meal without having to exchange a word with either one of them.

  The servants came out first with a salad of field greens and dressing of honey and oil and fine red wine, perfect for the warm day. After that was cool strawberry soup, and then cold roast fowl and a compote of berries. Clearly, my aunt had made certain to put together a menu that would not have us all panting from the heat by the time we were finished, and I wondered how she had managed to ensure that everything was so perfectly done in such a short amount of time.

  Conversation was light, and touched on the warm weather, and the news that Queen Lorelis was with child again. Ironic, when one considered that the old king had wanted his son to put her away for her barrenness. But almost as soon as King Elsdon was dead, it was announced that she was carrying Prince Harlin’s child. That heir had been followed by two daughters, and now it seemed she would be adding yet another child to the family. Elsdon had been quite the frightening man, and I had to wonder if the queen’s apparent “barrenness” had more to do with his oppressive presence than any physical cause.

  But that was long ago, and certainly there did not seem to be many fears for the current succession. Peace was upon the land, and the weather favorable for good harvests, even though my country was known more for its mines than its expansive farmland. Still, we should all do well enough.

  And so we made our way through supper without anything of much import being discussed. Again I found myself wondering what had brought Lord Elwyn here. Surely it had to be something more important than a mere desire for some light conversation.

  As the meal came to its end, however, and the men were about to remove to my uncle’s study for port and, perhaps, discussions not suited for you
ng ladies’ ears, his lordship looked over at me, then back at my aunt.

  “I wonder, my lady, if I might have few words with your niece?”

  “With Iselda?” she blurted out, obviously flustered.

  “The very one,” he said calmly. “If you do not mind, that is.”

  “No, of course not,” my uncle put in, as if realizing that his wife was not quite up to the task of making a coherent response. “You may go into the library, if that suits you.”

  “It suits me very well.” The earl rose from his seat, then added, “If you will, Iselda?”

  I could not ignore that request, so I got up from my chair as well, attempting what I hoped was a polite smile. “Of course, my lord.”

  It seemed as if everyone’s eyes were on me as I followed him from the room, then down the corridor to the library. Lord Elwyn seemed quite familiar with the layout of my uncle’s castle, but then I realized he had visited here a number of times over the years.

  Once we were in the library, he shut the door, although I noticed he left the windows overlooking the gardens open to the breeze. That was probably safe enough, for no one was about — and I was certain my aunt would make sure everyone remained in the dining hall until his lordship and I were done with our conversation.

  Whatever its topic might turn out to be.

  “Please, Iselda,” he said, then pointed toward the divan in the center of the room. “If you would sit.”

  I did as he bade me. Certainly I did not have the courage to defy as exalted a personage as the Earl of Bellender Rise…even though every instinct was telling me to get up and bolt from the room.

  He paused with his back to the window. Silhouetted like that, his features were cast into shadow, and I could not make out much of his expression. When he spoke again, his voice was calm, but I heard an edge to it that I did not like. “You know my son came here to see if he would find your cousin Carella to be a suitable wife.”

  “Yes, my lord,” I said, even as I experienced a sinking sensation in my stomach. With an opening like that, I guessed that this conversation would not go in any direction I found pleasant.

  “And yet when I write to my son and ask him how he fares, he replies by filling his letters with praise of you, and very little for your cousin.”

  I said nothing, only remained in my seat on the divan and stared at a particularly interesting spot in the intricate Keshiaari rug on the floor.

  “You know why I wished my son to become engaged to your cousin?”

  Faced with a direct question, I could not remain hidden behind my silence. “Because she is the daughter of a baron, my lord?”

  “Precisely. And yet he will hear nothing of that, but will instead only sing your praises.” Lord Elwyn stopped then, sending a piercing glance in my direction. “Your father is a merchant, is he not?”

  I could not deny that all-too-obvious truth. “Yes, my lord.”

  “And one who is rather in disgrace.”

  Again, I could make no denials. “Yes, my lord.”

  He continued to regard me with those sharp dark blue of his as I did my best not to fidget or squirm or look away. After an uncomfortable moment or two, he said, “Well, I can understand something of his interest. You are quite a lovely young woman, Iselda.”

  Hot color flooded my cheeks. “I-I thank you, my lord.”

  Almost without pausing, he went on, “But he spoke far more of your kind heart, of how you have become friends. That is the true reason for his interest, and why I think I have little inclination to deny him.”

  For a few seconds, the meaning of those words did not quite sink in. But then I stammered, “M-my lord?”

  “I told him I must come and see you again, for I will confess now that in the past you were not someone to whom I needed to pay any particular attention. But now I see that you are a sweet and well-mannered girl, and certainly lovely enough. So if it is Mayson’s will to continue with this, I will not gainsay him.”

  Surely I had to be dreaming. I could not think of any other way that Lord Elwyn, Earl of Bellender Rise, could be standing there and telling me he thought I would suit his son well enough. So flustered was I that I exclaimed, “But this cannot be! I told him yesterday that I had no wish to be his wife.”

  Immediately, Lord Elwyn’s dark brows drew together. Indeed, he looked so fearsome that I could not prevent myself from shrinking back against the divan’s cushions. “You what?”

  “I — ” Telling myself I must remain calm, I pulled in a breath, then another. “My lord, I mean no disrespect. I do like and admire your son very much. But he told me that he had no wish to be married, but if he must, then better it be me, for at least some friendship had grown between us. Perhaps some young women would have been pleased by such a comment. However, I may be poor, and my family of little worth, but I still believe I should have a husband who loves me, not one who has taken me as his bride because he must.”

  How I had managed to summon the courage to make such a speech to someone like Lord Elwyn, I could not say. After I had delivered those words, I could feel my heart beating away, and yet I also experienced an odd feeling of relief, as if now I had spoken my piece, and I would let him say what he willed.

  An uncomfortable silence fell. For another moment, his lordship continued to stare down at me, and I forced myself to remain quiet, with what I hoped was a neutral expression on my face, although something about his regard made an odd little shiver go through me. But then he let out a sigh and turned toward the window, the bright sunlight of late afternoon streaming over his features. He appeared calm enough, but beneath that calm I sensed a great weariness, one that I did not think had entirely to do with me.

  “It is true,” he said, voice heavy. “My son is not….” The words trailed off, and the earl shook his head. The light from the window picked out glints of dark umber and copper in his hair. Strange, since I knew he was of an age with my uncle, and yet showed no grey at all, unlike Uncle Danly, whose own hair was now as silver-grey as the tin his mines produced. “Mayson is not inclined toward marriage, true. There have been no young women to catch his fancy. Until you.”

  Once again I had the sense of missing a particular undercurrent to his words, although I could not begin to guess what it might be. “I do not think I have caught his fancy, my lord. I only believe he thinks that the two of us should get along better than he and Carella.”

  “And is that not enough?” His frown deepened, and he added, his voice growing rough, “Are your prospects so very grand that you will turn away from the opportunity to one day be the Countess of Bellender Rise?”

  I flinched, but then I told myself that I should not let him cow me, no matter what his title or his wealth. Because I did not like the way he loomed over me as I sat, I rose from the divan and crossed my arms. “No, my lord. I have no prospects at all, if you must know the truth. But I am not yet so desperate that I will give myself over to a loveless marriage simply because I am afraid that nothing better will offer itself.”

  To my surprise, his frown smoothed itself somewhat, and a reluctant smile touched the corners of his mouth. In that moment, I could see how he must have been very handsome back in the day, perhaps handsomer than his son, and was still quite a fine-looking man. “‘Loveless’ is perhaps a bit harsh, my lady. I know that Mayson cares for you, even if he does not precisely love you in the way you seem to expect from the man who will be your husband. But,” he went on, even as I opened my mouth to speak, “I can see that you do not believe me. You are young, and think that the world will come to you one day. Perhaps it will.”

  “My lord, I — ”

  “No, Iselda. I will not argue with you, for I can also see that your mind is made up. I will speak to my son, and tell him that it is not too late for him to set his sights on Carella. He will be disappointed, but perhaps that disappointment will be lessened by the joy such an outcome will arouse in the young lady herself, and your aunt and uncle.” He stopped there, as i
f deciding whether to say anything else. Then he shrugged, and added, “Have a very good evening, my lady.”

  Before I could speak, he had offered me a slight bow and was gone from the room, leaving me to stand there and stare after him, my mind whirling. In that moment, I could not be sure whether I had just made the greatest mistake of my life…or whether I had saved myself from a comfortable yet suffocating prison.

  CHAPTER 4

  His lordship left soon after that, saying he wished to take advantage of the lingering summer twilight for the journey home. It seemed likely that he and his guards would reach his estate before full dark fell; his lands could be reached in only a few hours, if one hastened the horses along and did not dawdle.

  Everyone’s eyes were full of questions for me — everyone’s, that is, except Lord Mayson’s. Perhaps he could read my expression, or the emotions on his father’s face. But he exchanged only a few words with his lordship before nodding grimly and saying a brief good night. He would not look at me at all, and said that he was weary, and wished to retire early.

  Of course no one gainsaid him. And although I could tell my cousins were overbrimming with curiosity, I ignored their pointed glances and also said I wished to go to bed. It was only after I had prepared myself for sleep and pulled the sheet up to my chin — for the chamber was still quite warm, and I had pushed the blankets aside — that Janessa exclaimed, “Oh, Iselda, you must speak now! For I am quite eaten up by curiosity, and if you do not tell me what Lord Elwyn said to you, I fear I shall not be able to sleep a wink.”

  Letting out a sigh, I rolled over onto my side so I could face her. With only the faint moonlight to illumine her features, her face was a pale blur in the darkness, although I thought I could catch the gleam of her eyes. “It is of no import. Nothing has changed.”

  “No import! How can it be anything but important when a great lord like the Earl of Bellender Rise pulls you aside and asks for private conversation with you?”