First lessons

by Lina J. Potter

  On the surface, everything was fine, but things were not quite so simple behind the doors of the family home. Jessie’s mother decided that she could not live down the shame of her daughter’s illicit affair and left to live in Earton, the ancestral estate. The earl, on the other hand, loved his daughter and, seeing that she couldn’t live without Edward, found no reason to go against his son’s plan. There was also the future to think of. By providing assistance now, he would gain the good graces of the future king, who would be sure to provide for all of his children, both legitimate and illegitimate. The Earton family would do well in the end.

  ***

  Jyce’s bride was chosen by a secret council. Alicia Weeks was no longer young, she wasn’t much to look at, and she had little property, but she had a long list of illustrious ancestors and family pride to help her keep her head up. Jyce’s offer of his hand was like a gift from heaven to her. She listened to the unique terms of the arrangement without batting an eyelash and put forward a term of her own: that she wouldn’t actually have to give birth. Doctors had told her that her hips were too narrow. If Jyce could be satisfied by a life where they only saw each other on occasion, it was all right by her. They would each lead their own private lives without interference from the other. She was happy to claim Jessie’s offspring as her own, and Jyce was welcome to take lovers as long as he did nothing to shame her publicly.

  Jyce agreed to the bargain and never looked back. Over twenty years of married life, he “fathered” two children: first Amalia and then Jerrison, called Jess, five years later. Alicia had no interest in the children, but for propriety’s sake, she appeared in public with them once a year so that she could be seen petting them, after which she went back to her own affairs.

  She shone in high society, flirting, gossiping and behaving like any other lady at court with the assistance of her husband. Jyce was so pleased that his wife provided cover for Jessie’s children and otherwise left him alone that he would have done anything for her. Alicia had all the money and social position she could possibly want.

  Amalia and Jess lived with their “father” and a whole host of nannies. The house next door belonged to the king’s official mistress, whom he visited eight times a tennight. During those years, Edward’s wife, Princess Imogene, gave birth to another son, and two years later, she died of a fever.

  ***

  After his wife’s death, Edward asked for permission to marry Jessie; the old king just shrugged and gave his consent. So, Jessie married a prince and became a queen one year later when Edward ascended the throne. For the next twenty years, the royal family lived in peace and harmony and welcomed two more beautiful daughters.

  Then, Jessamine died of a fever and was mourned by the king and the entire nation. The people had always loved their kind queen, and wandering minstrels composed songs about the romantic tale of Jessie and Edward.

  There was, however, a dark side to the story. Edward’s younger son with Imogene of Avesterra, Richard, adored his loving stepmother, who sang him songs and told him stories in an attempt to take the place of his dead mother. But his oldest son by the princess, Edmund, was an exact copy of his mother and had inherited her hatred of Jessie and the rest of the Earton family. He tried to avoid showing his true feelings in public, but his father knew.

  The oldest son was first in line for the throne, and Edward would have liked to find a wife for Edmund when his son turned thirty, but Jessie’s death was followed by a two-year period of mourning. Edmund seemed to be in no hurry, and his father never forced him to do anything. Sadly, a year and a half after Jessie’s death, Jyce, Earl of Earton, and prince Edmund were found dead in Edmund’s sitting room. Both had been poisoned, and questions abounded. Had Edmund tried to poison his father’s oldest friend? Or had Jyce decided that it was too risky for his family and his sister’s children to let Edmund come to power? Edward didn’t want to know the truth. Jess took up Jyce’s position as Earl, and a friend to the king and to Richard. Edward never told the boys that they were brothers, but they were best friends anyway.

  ***

  Richard, like his father, was a tall blonde with gray eyes, and Jess was a soldier. Just as his father, the Earl, had been a marshal under King Edward, Jess would serve someday under King Richard. If Jess was lucky, his son would serve under Richard’s son.

  That was, if he had a son. Jyce had already married his son off three times, the first time when the boy was eight. His bride-to-be was the daughter of the Earl of Errolston, but young Eliza died at the age of twelve, and Jyce found his son another wife. Magdalena Yerby, daughter of the Barron of Yerby, died giving her young husband a daughter. After that, it became harder to find a wife for Jess. People were superstitious and felt he brought his wives bad luck.

  Then August Broklend offered to help. He had a single daughter named Lilian. She was ten years younger than Jess, but that made no difference. She was old enough to have a child, and she had a nice dowry. Jess and Lilian were married, and the house of Broklend joined the house of Earton, greatly expanding their land holdings and giving Jess access to the Broklend family boatyards.

  Lilian was August’s only child, despite the fact that the old man had been married three times. He hadn’t wanted to leave his boatyards to a woman, so he was pleased to have Jess for a son-in-law. Jess was not a born sailor, but he set out to learn the boatbuilding business from the ground up with August’s help.

  The king was proud of his son’s ambition. Lilian, however, was another story. His Majesty saw her just once—at the wedding—and realized that his first wife, Imogene, could have been worse. At the very least, he could take her to bed without shuddering.

  Lilian was dim-witted and overweight. The king couldn’t think of any other way to put it. He quietly held out hope that she would die in childbirth or that Jess would find a lover, as he had found Jessie. His son had already seduced half of the women at court, and the king felt that the love of a good woman would settle him down. It was about time.

  ***

  Speak of the devil…The king’s musings were interrupted as the door to his chambers creaked.

  “Is that you, Jess?”

  “Yes.” The man stepped from the shadows into the light.

  Edward pointed to a chair. “So, you’ve returned.”

  “I have, Your Majesty. I am prepared to give all my attention to government affairs.”

  “Jess, I don’t like it when you use that title with me.”

  “All right, Uncle Ed.”

  To the world, the Earl of Earton was the king’s nephew by his second marriage, and the king preferred to hear his own son call him “Uncle Ed” instead of “Your Majesty.”

  The young man’s face took on a roguish expression. The king shook his head. “Forget the government. I wish you’d pay some attention to your family.”

  “Government affairs happen to be my family affairs,” the young man answered impudently.

  “How wrong you are. The government’s business concerns me alone,” Edward grumbled. “Stop avoiding the subject. You should have given me at least a pair of nephews by now.”

  “One may be on the way.” Jess sighed. Then his voice scaled up a notch. “I can’t do it, Uncle! Just look at her. She’s stupid, she throws fits all the time, and she’s ugly! If you saw her in a dream, you’d die in your sleep. You wouldn’t touch her with a barge pole!”

  “No one’s asking you to fall in love with her. Just give her a baby, that’s all. You can cover her face with a handkerchief during the act if you like.”

  “Or hold a pillow over her face,” Jess spit out. “I’m telling you; she’s pregnant already.”

  “How many months?”

  Jess thought for a minute. “About three months. Or four.”

  “Will you bring her to court after the birth?”

  Jess made a face. “I’m sorry, Uncle, but I’d rather not.”

  “Think about it. You won’t have to see her often, and…”

&nbs
p; “No. She can stay in Earton, so I don’t have to see her ever. I sent her a physician and some money. That’s more than enough!”

  Edward shook his head. He had given up trying to raise his son. The boy was already a man, and the king had problems of his own. “What other news is there?”

  “I have some reports from the boatyard. We can build very good boats using the drawings we borrowed from Fereiry. The shipwrights want to build one as a trial to see how it turns out.”

  “And you agree with them?”

  “Of course! August is curious to see the result, as well. I’ve brought the drawings to show you. Would you like to take a look?”

  “I have some reports from the treasury to go over. Do you have any idea how much they stole this month?”

  “I don’t. I want to build the boat using my own money. It will have two decks, with—”

  “Tell me about it later. Have you seen Richard?”

  “Not yet. Should I?”

  “Yes. I have decided it is time for him to marry. Keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t do anything scandalous in the meantime. Is that clear?”

  Jess grinned. Edward’s heart skipped a beat. How he looks like his mother!

  “Of course, Uncle. I’ll watch him. Who is he going to marry?”

  “Marry? I don’t know. There are two princesses that I know of who are the right age. It will be either Anna of Wellster or Lidia of Ivernea.”

  “But—”

  “Both girls’ families want to be chosen. The Wellsters have five other daughters, so they’d like to get rid of one. Anna is the right age, and my contacts tell me she is attractive.”

  “That’s good. At least Richard wouldn’t need a handkerchief in order to sleep with her. What about Lidia?”

  “She’s the only unmarried daughter in Ivernea. She’s never been married or even engaged. They say she’s plain as a wool sock[4].”

  “That bad?”

  “Anna is certainly the more handsome of the two.”

  “Then why not choose Anna?”

  “Beauty isn’t everything. And I want Richard to have a choice; I was never allowed to choose.”

  “You made your choice later,” Jess winked. “I think you did the right thing. My aunt was still beautiful at forty.”

  “Like I said, beauty isn’t everything. Jessie was kind and intelligent. Those are much more important qualities in a wife.”

  Jess’s face fell. Then he shook himself and smiled again. “I’m no king, so my wife can have as many children as she wants. I’ll find kindness and intelligence somewhere else. They say Lady Wells has returned. She needs someone to console her after the death of her old, awful husband.”

  Edward shook his head. “How is your daughter?”

  Jerrison’s face lit up with a smile. “Miranda is sharp as a tack. Her teachers are pleased with her. But I can’t take her with me.”

  “Send her to the country.”

  “To be with Lilian?”

  “Do you have another choice? Send governesses and nannies with her. People you trust.”

  “I may have to do that.”

  “What if you send her to your sister?”

  “There’s no point trying. You should have seen how Miranda screamed and cried after her last visit. She refuses to see Amalia, and I haven’t the slightest idea why.”

  “Fine. You’ll figure out what to do with her. Give it some thought. Now, leave me those drawings and run off. Just don’t let Richard get into trouble. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Jess replied. He gave a military salute and disappeared out the door.

  The king shook his head as he watched him go. Good-for-nothing pup. Nobody could claim that the young man was especially talented. He didn’t win all his games of squares[5], he didn’t command the best regiment in Ativerna, and he didn’t get up extra early to get a jump on his affairs. He didn’t have a hard body with muscles of steel under his courtly clothing, and he probably wasn’t prepared to give his life for his country and his brother.

  No, Jess was just a typical courtier. He liked to play with expensive toys and gilded weapons. He was just like all the rest of them. None the less, Edward thought that he and Jessie had made a wonderful child. Perfect in every way.

  His Majesty sighed and turned back to the Treasury reports. He knew his duty.

  ***

  Lady Adelaide Wells was overjoyed. She kept it under wraps, of course; a lady was not supposed to be in high spirits just three months after her husband’s passing—even if that husband was fifty-two years her senior and the bane of her existence, constantly blowing his nose, coughing, and sweating. Even if he was a source of daily torment, a widowed lady was supposed to mourn.

  So, Adelaide mourned. She did a beautiful job of it. Other women were welcome to sob until the paint came off their faces. Adelaide would mourn in her own way, with just one diamond-like tear lingering in the corner of her eye. And she would have the most wonderful mourning clothes.

  With her black hair and dark-brown eyes, green[6] looked good on her, especially with the right powder and blush. She knew how to use makeup; she had suffered a bout of smallpox five years before and had learned to conceal the few scars remaining on her cheeks. They didn’t mar her beauty in the least.

  She was sure to find another husband, but she didn’t want to find him right away. Society was permissive with young widows. They could get away with a lot, as long as they observed certain proprieties, and Adelaide was an expert. She had learned to be cautious at the tender age of fourteen.

  ***

  “That’s enough, Richard. Let’s go. Camelia is putting on a fantastic show this evening.”

  Adelaide started when she heard the man’s voice. She knew that she wasn’t the type of woman that interested Richard, and she had heard that he would be marrying soon. She wouldn’t waste her time or risk her reputation. She felt she was more attractive as a widow in mourning than as the prince’s abandoned lover. The man walking next to Richard, however, aroused her serious interest. Adelaide noticed his broad shoulders, the cut and cloth of his tunic, and the expensive weapons he carried. This was a man worth her time.

  He looks like he could do more than snore in bed, and he’d send me expensive gifts afterward. Adelaide was not feeling particularly wealthy on her own. Her husband had left her a sizeable sum, but a house in the capital, a carriage, expensive gowns and jewelry—it all added up. The stranger was just what she needed.

  She went into action, unhooking the brooch from the light shawl she wore around her shoulders and letting it drop to the floor. The brooch, an aromatic sphere made just for such purposes, rolled obediently across the floor in just the right direction. This was the key moment. “I apologize, My Lord. My brooch!”

  She fell to her knees to retrieve the golden sphere and looked up into the eyes of the man, who had also bent down to pick it up. She blushed deeply and looked him in the eye before dropping her lashes. Her silk shawl slid from her shoulders, revealing her full breasts in a low-cut décolleté.

  The man was composed as he gave her one hand and carefully replaced the shawl with the other. As he took his hand from her shoulder, his fingers ran lightly over her breast. Adelaide knew this was a test. If she made the wrong move, the man would visit her bed, but he wouldn’t stay, and she wanted him to stay.

  She took a step back and blushed even brighter before lowering her eyes and whispering, “Thank you, My Lord. Forgive me, Your Highness.” Then she got out of the room as fast as she could so that Richard could tell his friend all he knew about her.

  She would use her time to find out more about the man. Hunting season is open. There was something exquisite about hunting while pretending to be the prey. The only thing that worried Adelaide was the thick wedding bracelet on the man’s wrist. A wife, however, was less of an obstacle than a husband.

  She needed to find out who he was right away.

  Chapter 2

  Growing and Le
arning

  Despite her best intentions, Aliya remained in bed and in a trance the first ten days. And she had a cold.

  In Ella’s books, when characters found themselves in a parallel world, they just shrugged their shoulders and marched off to change it however they wanted. They made it look easy. Aliya didn’t believe life worked that way. And she didn’t really read Ella’s fantasy books; she just flipped through them at night when she wanted to fall asleep. It helped. Now, however, she was sorry she hadn’t read more about time travelers Those unfortunate wretches. If she had, she would at least know where to start.

  As it was, she was clueless, and her inability to find a starting point left her in a dark depression. Besides, she couldn’t stop worrying about lice and fleas. Somewhere, she had read that French women used to use gold tweezers to catch fleas; just the thought made her nauseous. So, her only demands were hot water for a bath every day and a daily change of sheets. Close inspections of her hair revealed no insects; that was good news.

  Aliya wanted to stay in bed as long as she could. She usually didn’t allow herself to fall to pieces like this, but her body hurt like nothing she had experienced before. Just getting out of bed to take a bath was an ordeal; her muscles shook, sweat stood out on her skin, and she felt dizzy. She was in the wrong world in the wrong body, and those two things came with side effects—muscle spasms, for example, or sudden fits of hysterical crying. Common sense told her that there was nothing to cry about, but the tears just streamed down her face.

  She had strange nightmares… in bright colors… about a little girl.

  She sat at a table while an oddly familiar woman pleaded with her.

  “Eat a spoonful for Mama, eat a spoonful for Papa.”