tales of the latter kingdom 08 - moon dance

by Christine Pope

  Warmth went through me at those words. Just before, he had said he thought I was lovely, and now he was admitting that he enjoyed our conversations. That seemed like worthy progress, even if he still had a fearsome master to contend with.

  “You see no one else? Only your master?”

  Reynar spread his hands and sent a self-deprecating glance downward at himself. “As you might have noticed, I am certain to draw attention wherever I go. So I do not venture forth from his holdings very often, save for these nocturnal expeditions.”

  I did not bother to contradict him, for of course he was right — he would stand out dreadfully wherever he went. Even I tended to attract my own amount of attention, for golden hair such as I possessed was not very common in Purth. But still my heart was wrung as I thought of what must be a very solitary existence. We were certainly not acquainted enough for me to put a reassuring hand on his arm, or to twine my fingers with his, and so I only nodded and said, “Well, then, I am glad that we can speak here, even if this is the only place where we might do so freely.” I stopped there and glanced over at my cousins and Janessa, all of whom still moved in their silent circle, dancing to music apparently only they could hear. They would do so until the spell was wrought, but then they would be sent home. I did not need to worry about them…even though I knew I would. “And I will go now. Thank you, Reynar — thank you for telling me as much as you have.”

  He smiled, and inclined his head, and after that I hurried off into the woods. This time, only a light breeze moved the leaves overhead, and I heard the ordinary sounds of the forest’s creatures. Wherever the mage was, and whatever he might be doing, it seemed clear enough to me that he had decided to stay away a little longer tonight.

  But as I crossed the stream and back into the open fields, I found I was not thinking so much of this fearsome mage — whoever he might be — but of his apprentice, of Reynar’s quicksilver eyes and the fine bones of his face and the unexpected beauty of his smiles.

  I thought if he had been the one to kiss me, rather than Mayson, I would not have demurred at that offer of a second kiss.

  CHAPTER 7

  After I had sneaked back into my bed, I did not bother to try staying awake. Perhaps that was foolish of me, but I did truly believe that my cousins would be fine, that Reynar would watch over them until they returned to their father’s lands and were once again inside his castle’s walls. Had they not done so several times before? All I would do was weary myself, and I knew I needed to keep my wits about me. The next day our first guests would be arriving…and I would also have to decide what in the world to do about Mayson.

  Even that particular worry did not keep me awake. It seemed that no time had passed at all before I opened my eyes once again and saw bright daylight slipping around the edges of the silk brocade curtains hung at the windows. A quick glance over at Janessa’s bed told me that she still slept; her back was to me, but I could see her long brown braid falling over her shoulder, and I could hear her deep, regular breathing. Certainly she seemed no worse the wear for her activities of the night before, although I resolved to stay still and quiet in my own bed for as long as possible, so I might not wake her.

  That quiet did not last for so very long, unfortunately. A few minutes later, the door to our bedroom opened, and Tarly bustled in with the morning tea on a tray. As soon as she was within a foot or so of the bed, Janessa rolled over with a groan and looked up at our maid with confused, sleep-blurred eyes.

  “Is it morning already?”

  “Yes, and then some. Her ladyship does not wish any of you to tarry too long this morning, for the Earl and Countess of Delmayne are due to arrive at midday, and there is still much to be done before they arrive.”

  This piece of information was met with another groan, but after that Janessa sat up and rubbed at her eyes. Tarly seemed to take this as an indication that she was ready for tea, and poured some from the pot into one of the waiting cups. Next, she came to me and offered me a cup, which I accepted gratefully. Even though I had slept well enough, I was feeling rather groggy myself this morning. All that nighttime chasing around, probably, and then there had been that encounter with Mayson in the garden. I still hadn’t determined how best to behave around him. While I did not want to offer any encouragement, I also knew I couldn’t be so off-putting as to draw attention.

  Or maybe, a treacherous part of my mind thought then, just maybe, you should let him kiss you again. That would give you a great deal more to work with.

  Oh, no, I could not do that. I thought of how Reynar had looked in the moonlight, all silver and steel, and contrasted his appearance with Mayson’s friendly dark eyes and the handsome cleft in his chin. Perhaps that was not fair, but I knew where I was being drawn, and it was not to the heir of Bellender Rise.

  I sipped my tea and tried to calm my tumultuous thoughts. For while it was true that it would be difficult to avoid Mayson completely, with the guests arriving and the castle being prepared for Adalynn’s wedding, it would also be easier to keep myself apart from him than it might have been under different circumstances. I would make myself helpful to my aunt, and to my cousin, and, with any luck, they would keep me busy enough that Mayson would have to occupy himself elsewhere.

  Those thoughts cheered me enough that I finished the rest of my tea with some alacrity, and then had a serious discussion with Tarly as to which gown would be most appropriate for the day’s activities. Janessa drank her tea and seemed to be listening with only half an ear, her gaze fixed on the window. I could not guess at the source of her abstraction, although I thought that perhaps she was wondering if any eligible young men might be among the wedding guests. No one could have faulted her for those thoughts, for my aunt and uncle did not entertain as much as some of their peers did, and so Janessa was not often given the opportunity to meet with possible suitors.

  For her sake, I hoped there would be someone promising. Someone who would recognize her worthy qualities and give her a home of her own, where she would not have to be dependent on the charity of my aunt and uncle, and could make a life for herself.

  To tell the truth, that was an outcome I wished for myself as well. However, I did not know if I would be so lucky. Perhaps I flattered myself, but I had the impression that Reynar had begun to admire me…which would have made my heart leap, except for the small impediment of his being apprenticed to some fearsome, unknown mage and therefore certainly not free to give his heart to another.

  A knock came at the door, even though it stood open. Outside in the hallway were two of the footmen with that morning’s bath. Tarly ushered them in, had them deposit the copper tub in its designated space behind a screen in the corner of the room, and then shut the door. While she and Janessa debated Janessa’s wardrobe for the day, I climbed into the bath. The water had already begun to cool, but I did not mind much, for the day promised to be warm, and an overly hot bath was not something I thought I required.

  I lathered my hair and thought of Reynar, even though it seemed rather inappropriate to have him so present in my mind while I lay naked in a bath. Somehow, though, I could not help myself. Was it only that he was so very different, so strange and exotic? If I put the two men side by side, could I honestly say that Reynar was more handsome than Mayson?

  In all truth, I did not know. All I did know was that I found something compelling about the silver-haired apprentice, whereas I liked Mayson but experienced no particular fire when in his presence, not even when he had kissed me.

  It would have been much easier for me if my feelings were the opposite, but I already knew that feelings were not things which could be easily commanded.

  Fighting back a sigh — for I certainly did not want Tarly and Janessa to overhear such a thing — I finished rinsing the soap out of my hair and then reached for one of the clean cloths that hung from the screen so I might rise from the bath and get myself dry. I had heard that some great ladies had their maids wash their hair and dry them off, but
we were certainly not so grand here, and I was glad of it. Somehow it seemed very strange to let someone who was not your husband touch you in such an intimate fashion.

  But of course that was probably the wrong thing to allow to cross my mind, for I thought of Reynar again, of the shape of his mouth and the strength in his hands, and of what it might feel like for those lips to touch mine, for those hands to move down my body —

  I shivered, and thrust the thought away immediately. It was so very improper for even the barest hint of such things to enter a young lady’s mind, and yet….

  Concentrate on drying off the last of the bath’s moisture and squeezing the damp from your hair. That was what I told myself, and through sheer effort of will, I somehow managed to do so. What had come over me right then, I could not say.

  Except that perhaps Reynar had cast his own spell on me, one which had very little to do with actual magic.

  A dressing robe also hung from the screen, and I took it and wrapped it around myself to cover my nakedness. When I emerged, I saw that Janessa and Tarly had apparently decided on her wine-colored silk, which did suit Janessa’s glossy brown hair and warm hazel eyes very well. My other good dress besides the green watered silk I had already worn — and the splendid blue and silver gown that was being reserved for Adalynn’s wedding day — was also pink, albeit a lighter shade than Janessa’s dress. I went ahead and quickly slipped into my underthings and my chemise as Tarly went to help Janessa into the bath, for she was not quite as tall as I and sometimes had difficulty stepping over the sides of the tub.

  Once she was settled, though, Tarly came back out to help me into my dress, to lace me tightly and begin twisting my damp hair so it would fall into the ringlets which were such a source of jealousy for Janessa. Throughout these ministrations, I was silent, my thoughts far away.

  As far as the nighttime woods, and a clearing where four girls danced to music no one else could hear.

  Again I wondered if now was the time to go to my aunt and uncle. But although they did not lack for wealth and influence, they would be of little use in this situation. They could set guards outside all our doors, I supposed…but what if the same spell that sent the house into such quiet made those men fall asleep? I recalled the strange lassitude that had overcome me the first night my cousins and Janessa had ventured forth. It certainly had not felt like ordinary weariness, even if it had not affected me on the nights that followed.

  Besides, while my aunt and uncle were certainly some of the most amiable and open-minded people I had ever known, I could not help worrying what they might think if they found magic at work in their own household. Perhaps they would believe I had something to do with it, I with the mage for a brother-in-law.

  And I also thought again of what might happen if the witch-finders should appear, and decided it was better to do nothing. In a few days, Adalynn would be safely married and gone, and the mage who had cast the spell would be looking for a new set of young women to influence with his spell.

  Was that fair, though? Should my silence allow such a thing to continue? What if the next group the mage happened upon was not so lucky, and did encounter some kind of harm?

  No, surely Reynar would not allow such a thing to occur. But while I trusted his intentions, I did not know if he had the strength to defy his master.

  So I went, back and forth. If Tarly noted anything strange about my unusual taciturnity, she did not mention it, but continued to work on my hair, and then fastened the pretty rose quartz and pearl necklace that had been a Midwinter gift around my neck. When I gazed at myself in the mirror, I thought I looked well enough. Not that it mattered, for, unlike Janessa, I had no desire to seek out an eligible young man from among the wedding attendees. I already had two to contend with, one eminently eligible, the other not nearly so.

  “Thank you, Tarly,” I said as she stepped away from me, her work done. “It all looks lovely.”

  “Oh, that’s because of the one who wears it, I think,” she replied, then went over to help Janessa, who had already emerged from her bath and done much as I had, getting into her underthings while Tarly worked on my hair.

  The unexpected compliment made me smile, for Tarly was usually not much of one for praise, preferring to leave that sort of thing for others. Perhaps she feared what might happen if she puffed up our vanity too much, although she would step in when we needed some cheering up, as she had with Janessa the day before.

  At any rate, it is far too late in Adalynn’s case, I thought then with an inward smile. Yes, my cousin was very lovely. Unfortunately, she was all too aware of that fact.

  I told Janessa that I was going to head downstairs, and continued on my way alone, for I saw no sign of my cousins. Perhaps they were moving slowly this morning after their exertions of the night before. I could not exactly blame them, although I knew such tardiness would not sit well with my aunt.

  It turned out I was correct in that assumption, for she frowned when I entered the small breakfast chamber alone, then said, “Are you the first to be ready, Iselda?”

  “Yes, Aunt Lyselle,” I replied as I took my seat. “I believe Janessa will not be too far behind, but I cannot speak for everyone else.”

  “Bother. I told them that the Earl and the Countess of Delmayne would be here at midday, and we do not have so much idle time that we can afford to be careless.”

  My uncle had been sitting at the table and drinking his morning tea, but at those irritated words, he stood and put a comforting hand on his wife’s arm. “Beloved, it is not yet even nine o’clock in the morning. I assure you that all will be ready by the time the earl and the countess arrive, and their son with them.”

  For that exalted pair were the parents of Adalynn’s betrothed, Coryn Landester, who would one day be the Earl of Delmayne in his own right. And my cousin would be a countess, and no doubt very grand.

  And you could be a countess, too, if you would but accept Mayson’s suit.

  I did not want to think of that. Truthfully, I did not know what held me back. His kiss had been more than pleasant, so it was not as if I did not find some attractions about his person. Was I really going to let my strange fascination with Reynar, a man I had only laid eyes on twice in my life, keep me from having a secure future?

  But no, I could not lay all my reticence at Reynar’s feet. Even before I met him, I had told Mayson that I had no desire to be his wife. While some spiteful part of me thought it might be quite grand to be a countess as well, of equal rank with my haughty cousin, I would never do such a thing out of spite. Mayson deserved better than that. Even if I could not love him the way he wished for me to, he should have someone who would.

  “I am not sure I have your confidence, Danly,” my aunt said. Certainly she must be almost beside herself, for otherwise she would not have forgotten her manners and addressed her husband by his given name in front of me.

  “Well, I have enough for both of us, I think,” he replied in amiable tones. “So do sit down, dear wife, and have some more tea. All will be in readiness by the time our noble guests arrive.”

  She gave a dubious nod, but she did subside enough to take her seat, and sit quietly while Jax, one of the footmen, poured her some tea.

  It seemed that my uncle’s assessment was correct, for only a few moments later Janessa and my cousins appeared, all of them freshly scrubbed and in their second-best gowns, their hair gleaming. They uttered a chorus of “good mornings” before going to sit down and have their tea.

  Aunt Lyselle relaxed visibly, her approving gaze moving from one of them to the next. Her eyes rested on Adalynn the longest, and I saw her mouth curve in a small smile. If I were her mother, I supposed I would have been proud of Adalynn as well, for she did look very beautiful in her gown of deep turquoise silk with its gold embroidery. Her hair hung in shining ringlets almost as intricate as mine, although I knew hers must have had some help from the long iron her maid utilized to create those perfect spirals of hair.


  And I thought I glimpsed also the most subtle use of rouge on Adalynn’s lips and cheeks, although I was not sure whether my aunt, who tended to be somewhat near-sighted, had even noticed. Perhaps my cousin had been looking rather wan after her latest foray into the nighttime woods, and so her maid had thought to remedy the situation. Certainly it would not do to be looking pale and lackluster upon greeting one’s future husband and in-laws.

  None of the other girls showed any signs of that kind of artifice being used, so perhaps they had fared better. I made a mental note to ask Reynar about that when I saw him again this evening. Was it possible that the spell somehow taxed my eldest cousin more heavily than the others?

  This morning I paid more attention to the conversation about the wedding preparations than I might have the two preceding days, merely because I recalled my resolve to keep myself busy and therefore, I hoped, away from Lord Mayson as much as possible. When she mentioned that she was not sure the amount of roses that had been cut were quite sufficient, I hastened to say, “Oh, I do not mind going out and cutting more for you, Aunt Lyselle.”

  She shot me a grateful glance, although at the same time she appeared rather troubled. “Are you quite sure, Iselda? It would not do for you to spend too much time in the sun, especially in one of your good gowns.”

  “It is no problem at all,” I replied. “For I will wear my hat, and if I go out directly after breakfast, then the sun will not yet be too hot.”

  “Thank you, then. Because it seems all the maids are occupied, and your cousins — ”

  I wasn’t sure what she intended to say then. Perhaps that it was more important for my cousins to remain looking neat and tidy, whereas I was more expendable? No, my aunt would never utter such a thing, even if it was only the truth. I saved her from her floundering by saying, “Everyone has a great number of matters to attend to this morning, and so I would not expect you to ask anyone else. I always enjoy going in the garden.”